What do people dislike about Enchantment?

Poseidon Quest

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I'm not someone particularly interested in Disney's night time shows, but even I was fond of Illuminations. However, I'm not particularly partial to what I see as just "Disney sing-along" shows that include a lot of songs from the films. That's a large part of why I hate Harmonious because of how thematically inappropriate for Epcot it is. However, I think that shows like these make sense for the Magic Kingdom and I was a fan of both Wishes and HEA, mostly because they had intent behind the songs they used, all conforming to more abstract themes and using fireworks as abstract expressions as well. However, as someone interested in analyzing these shows, Enchantment falls very short because it's Disney songs with no cohesive theme to tie them together and the fireworks are just simply synched with the songs, representing nothing and just simply existing as fireworks for the sake of existing.

With this being said, I know that the majority of people aren't taking the time to really think about these shows in that manner. That's why I don't understand why Enchantment has been so unpopular. If people out there are content with just a bunch of Disney songs set to fireworks, why has Enchantment proven so unpopular, when to many of those people, it's not much different from HEA?
 

MickeyLuv'r

Well-Known Member
Though I think it was well past time to replace Illuminations, it was a great show and a tough act to replace.
IMO, Harmonious fell flat, in part, because it is just random songs strung together. It lacks cohesion. enchantment has the same major defect.

My second concern is that Illuminations could - more or less- be readily be viewed from all around the lagoon. Some spots were a better than others, and the smoke could be an issue, but to a large extent it was theater-in-the -round (could be watched from all over the lagoon).

The current shows do not have that quality. If you aren't watching from one of the prime locations, you immediately know you are a mere plebian. They broke something that wasn't broken.

While watching Illuminations from the Boardwalk area had limitations, it used to still be fun. A number of times I have seen wedding couples being photographed from outside Epcot and MK. It annoys me that WDW upsells hotel room views (and locations) more than ever, but the quality of the view no longer exists. Wishes from Cali Grill was worthwhile. WDW charges more for Cali Grill than ever, but watching the show from Cali is no longer worthwhile. The price for a Boardwalk/BC/YC room has also gone up, but the value of that location has been reduced.

These are some of the reasons why I think the current shows are poorly designed.
 

Disney Glimpses

Well-Known Member
The biggest problem with Enchantment is that it's not an original show. It uses the Happily Ever After storyboard, almost to a T, but with IP that most guests don't really have a strong connection with. It tries so hard to be Happily Ever After but it will never be.

There is no consistency between the projection style; some of it is excellent, some of it is not so great. The projections on Main Street were very quickly/poorly done.

The renditions of the songs are also subpar to those recorded for Happily Ever After; they are either poorly sung or too quiet (namely Almost There is oddly quiet and Into The Unknown is not sung very well). The main song You Are The Magic is not as good or catchy as Happily Ever After. And it is especially jarring when they start playing the same exact rendition of that song for a second time in the finale. Happily Ever After's finale does an excellent job of building emotion and capturing it. Enchantment falls short here.

Disney Enchantment also suffered a bit of unfair judgement due to a lackluster 50th anniversary celebration. Guests wanted more out of Disney and expected this show to offer something in that regard. They later corrected this, which guests really loved.

Overall, it's not a bad show but the reason is was so widely disliked was because it was named as the permanent replacement for a far superior show; a show that was argued as the best fireworks show Disney has produced (at least in the domestic parks). And a show that it so obviously tried to copy.

If Disney had positioned the show as a temporary offering for the 50th (with the Walt intro), it would've been perceived much better; and it would've held its own when compared to other special edition/holiday shows.
 
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CastAStone

5th gate? Just build a new resort Bob.
Premium Member
If Enchantment had replaced Wishes I’m sure we’d all have been amazed. But HEA had a heart to it that blew people away. Enchantment assumed that heart was taking the high points of many Disney songs and slapping them together with some projections lights and pyro. But HEA used the lights and pyro in tandem with the music - they built on each other and worked together - while Enchantment they all just kinda co-exist. Enchantment is fine. HEA was the best attraction of any kind at WDW.
 

Musical Mermaid

Well-Known Member
I'm not a fan of Magic Kingdom's fireworks shows. When I saw Enchantment for the 50th anniversary, it was a huge letdown for many of the reasons stated. It had nothing to do with the 50th and felt like a mashed up advertisement for less popular Disney movies and songs, definitely not worthy for an anniversary show. When I say less popular, they may be popular with the 20 and under crowd, but previous fireworks shows had more of an emphasis on the classics that most people know much better.

I also dislike the castle projections or what they lead to. It attracts crowds in the front of the park and all of Main Street much more than fireworks alone would. I don't like standing in a massive crowd just for that experience. I'm not a crowd person though, some may love the crowds.

To end on a positive note, what I found myself enjoying a lot more during the 50th were the light shows on Spaceship Earth. They're short, the area doesn't feel as crowded, and I can sit down in a lot of different areas and take in the experience. I've seen 4 of them and think they're all delightful. And if you miss one, they'll replay every so often.
 

Doberge

True Bayou Magic
Premium Member
I also dislike the castle projections or what they lead to. It attracts crowds in the front of the park and all of Main Street much more than fireworks alone would. I don't like standing in a massive crowd just for that experience. I'm not a crowd person though, some may love the crowds.

I'm not very familiar with the projections because we're similarly disenchanted with crowds. Have seen Enchantment at least a dozen times from various spots but not yet from Main Street or the Hub. Next month I might force myself to at least attempt.
 

jpinkc

Well-Known Member
I agree that Enchantment felt soulless. HARM dont get me started on. HEA was ok but it wasnt Wishes!!! Fantasy in the Sky was good but Wishes just nailed it on so many levels. I like Angela Bassett and loved the idea of her involvement but it was poorly implemented. The song to me was just insipid nonsense for Enchantment. I guess I get what they were trying to do, but they really missed the mark. I just hope they dont totally screw up HEA in its supposedly revamped version thats coming. I will just say this, when all the times I watched Wishes and saw people cry or choke up because they felt something, thats doing something right or just AMAZING. Disney doesnt understand how to do that anymore I guess.
 

NickMaio

Well-Known Member
If Enchantment had replaced Wishes I’m sure we’d all have been amazed. But HEA had a heart to it that blew people away. Enchantment assumed that heart was taking the high points of many Disney songs and slapping them together with some projections lights and pyro. But HEA used the lights and pyro in tandem with the music - they built on each other and worked together - while Enchantment they all just kinda co-exist. Enchantment is fine. HEA was the best attraction of any kind at WDW.
No...

Not at all.
Enchantment is a non cohesive IP slap fest.
Wishes with projections would have been nice.
 

NickMaio

Well-Known Member
I'm not a fan of Magic Kingdom's fireworks shows. When I saw Enchantment for the 50th anniversary, it was a huge letdown for many of the reasons stated. It had nothing to do with the 50th and felt like a mashed up advertisement for less popular Disney movies and songs, definitely not worthy for an anniversary show. When I say less popular, they may be popular with the 20 and under crowd, but previous fireworks shows had more of an emphasis on the classics that most people know much better.

I also dislike the castle projections or what they lead to. It attracts crowds in the front of the park and all of Main Street much more than fireworks alone would. I don't like standing in a massive crowd just for that experience. I'm not a crowd person though, some may love the crowds.

To end on a positive note, what I found myself enjoying a lot more during the 50th were the light shows on Spaceship Earth. They're short, the area doesn't feel as crowded, and I can sit down in a lot of different areas and take in the experience. I've seen 4 of them and think they're all delightful. And if you miss one, they'll replay every so often.
We felt the whole 50th anniversary was a HUGE let down.
None of the spectacle WDW was famous for.
Lame money grabs at every turn.

We were really hoping for a night time parade - to me that is quintessential WDW.

Having to buy tickets for a special event to get a night parade, during the 50th no less, really was poor customer appreciation.
Nothing more than another money grab in our pockets.
 
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mf1972

Well-Known Member
we felt both enchantment & harmonius were just dull. the musical numbers just seemed random & thrown in there. i’m glad disney acknowledged the fans issues with this & making the change. i’d hate to see how much $$ they blew on bringing those shows to life.
 

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