Why was Fantasmic not done at the Magic Kingdom?

[The_Bellringer]

Was it for the sole reason of adding entertainment to DHS or was it also because it wouldn't work with the Rivers in MK?

I'm asking because I love how Disneyland's seems to spring up out of nowhere on the River and was wondering why Florida didn't want to emulate that.

 

[The_Bellringer]

Was it for the sole reason of adding entertainment to DHS or was it also because it wouldn't work with the Rivers in MK?

I'm asking because I love how Disneyland's seems to spring up out of nowhere on the River and was wondering why Florida didn't want to emulate that.

Whoops please move to general discussion.

 

[Christian Fronckowiak]

Yes, Disneyland created Fantastic to draw crowds in 1992, while they were building Mickey's Toontown. In 1997, the Magic Kingdom had SpectroMagic, and Disney-MGM needed a nighttime draw.

 

[TrojanUSC]

Was it for the sole reason of adding entertainment to DHS or was it also because it wouldn't work with the Rivers in MK?

I'm asking because I love how Disneyland's seems to spring up out of nowhere on the River and was wondering why Florida didn't want to emulate that.

Springs out of nowhere because, at that point, Disneyland did not have the blessing of size to add a full scale venue for this show. Disney-MGM Studios needed a new nighttime draw and Fantasmic was seen as a perfect addition, given how popular it proved in CA. However they had the space to add a full-scale venue.

 

[drizgirl]

The Fantasmic viewing experience at DHS is far superior to fighting the crowds and standing around the ROA in DL. Thankfully the show is superior, but I wish they had room to have a similar venue there.

OP, have you watched Fantasmic at DLR? I can see why someone would want to copy the show, but can't see why anyone would want to emulate that overall viewing experience.

 

[disnyfan89]

Honestly, as magical as it is on the RoA in DL, it's a royal pain in the butt these days with Disneyland's over crowding issues. It really clogs the walkways and creates crowd flow nightmares on top of a park that already has issues with size. While some might consider a huge amphitheater to be less than magical, it's much better from a guest service and crowding perspective.

 

[larryz]

Honestly, as magical as it is on the RoA in DL, it's a royal pain in the butt these days with Disneyland's over crowding issues. It really clogs the walkways and creates crowd flow nightmares on top of a park that already has issues with size. While some might consider a huge amphitheater to be less than magical, it's much better from a guest service and crowding perspective.

I'd say that DLR is a great place to test the market -- set a hard limit on capacity (35,000), restrict APs on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays before 4 pm, and slide ticket prices up to see just how much people are willing to pay for a less-crowded experience.

As for F! at DLR, I'd say the primary limitation was space, unless they wanted to eat another parking lot for a F! stadium like at DHS.

 

[JIMINYCR]

MGM had the luxury of having the space to have a large stadium built to house the show. And the production kind of fit in with the showcasing of Disney films and characters. Being a working studio and the theme of the park, there was a continuity of theming. It really wouldnt have worked as well at MK.

 

[OsbourneCox]

Dearth Vader Studios aka MGM was the obvious choice due to its lack of attractions. It was not a real estate issue nor theme issue(well it would have clashed in Epcot Center but fit right in at MK) but simply filling a huge gap in a nighttime closing show and adding another attraction to its unimpressive lineup

And where did all this "superior" talk come from? The show suffers like so many other offerings in WDW compared to DLR.

 

[The_Bellringer]

Honestly, as magical as it is on the RoA in DL, it's a royal pain in the butt these days with Disneyland's over crowding issues. It really clogs the walkways and creates crowd flow nightmares on top of a park that already has issues with size. While some might consider a huge amphitheater to be less than magical, it's much better from a guest service and crowding perspective.

I do have to agree that it was a hassle to see. Even with the Fastpass, we were crammed into a small holding area near the Mark Twain docking area for about 45 minutes and then shoved into the small viewing area to wait even more for the show to start with everyone pushing and shoving.

 

[asianway]

Think about where the MK parade route is...