Would "Light Magic" have worked better at Epcot?

[Figments Friend]

Hi everyone.

Here's something that crossed my mind...what are your thoughts on the matter?

I was watching a fan-made video program recently that showed DisneyLand's "Light Magic". As i was sitting there taking it all in ...i was puzzled about the whole thing and wondered what in the world were they thinking when they put this production togther. :lol: I did some research and found a excellent article regarding the story behind it's creation and it made a little more sense to me...but i just can't beleive the company actually thought this was a good idea for a place like DisneyLand! No offense meant at all to the actual show, as i do like it, but it really did not fit in well in that enviroment.

Now here's where it gets interesting...I liked "Light Magic" as it had some potential. I was thinking, what if this was re-introduced in another Park? So i started thinking..hmm...where would this sort of thing best fit. I decided Epcot was the perfect place...World Showcase to be exact. I can see something like this fitting in well in that enviroment. Maybe in the future Disney can reconsider "Light Magic" and produce a improved version and release it as a new parade/event/streetacular?

Your thoughts on this?

 

[bcampione]

I've seen the same video and it is a decent show. They encorporated some really neat stuff into it, but the storyline was the major downfall. If it had been better explained and shown, the show would have been better recieved.

Epcot? I can see what you mean here, but the show would have had to change the story as well to incorporate the area and what the World Showcase represents.

I hope they bring the shows elements back into another show, but they script really needs revamping before anythign could be done.

 

[TheDisneyMagic]

I completely agree with what you say, I have recently been watching videos of it aswell. I think yes it could fit into Epcot, but not as it was back then, it would have to be modified so that it was to do with The World Showcase and all differnt countries coming together.

I'm sure I read once somewhere that Disney would never use the name Light Magic again for anything, I may be wrong, maybe my memory is playing games with me lol. But the concept idea I think is great.

 

[Captain Hank]

In my opinion, Light Magic comprised a whole lot of really good ideas, but they were about half-realized. I really think they tried to throw everything they had into the "Street-TACULAR," but at the expense of a coherent story. I think Light Magic could have worked in some form in Epcot, but not as a direct lift from DL. The show did have a lot of potential, and I really wish that the DL fans would have given it some time to work out the kinks.

 

[Captain Hank]

I'm sure I read once somewhere that Disney would never use the name Light Magic again for anything, I may be wrong, maybe my memory is playing games with me lol. But the concept idea I think is great.

Yeah, I doubt they'll ever use the name or theme song again (which is a shame, because it was a decent song). Most theatrical people are quite superstitious, and I bet Light Magic is considered "cursed," as it was one of Disney Parks and Resorts' few and most public flops.

 

[Wahoo2424]

I agree with everything that has been said so far. I saw that video recently also, althought I have enjoyed the song for many years from an old soundtrack. I pictured this show working in a theatre setting, a la Festival of the Lion King at DAK. I think that the story could be developed better and the effects could be even greater (imagine the room going dark and seeing those fiber optics).

 

[donaldfan]

where can you get the video?

 

[Figments Friend]

The video i have is from the Disneyland Annual Passholders event. I have read that the show presented that night was far from ready, and most of the special fiber-optic effects were'nt finished and in some cases not installed in the floats/stages yet. I have not seen what the "final" finsihed version was like....maybe even more impressive?

Yes, i agree...i don't see Disney re-using "Light Magic" exactly the way it was. I know it's a sore spot and the company seems to want to pretend it never happened. It was a major flop from what i've read on the subject, and just watching it makes you scratch your head! I really like the music though...exspecially the "Dream Our Dreams" theme song near the end that contains the MSEP nod ( brilliant!).

I can visualize a new version, this time themed for World Showcase. It can have several different floats/stages themed to a WS country and showcase appropriate entertainment, dances, etc. for them. It would be like having all of the WS entertainers in one event! How neat would that be? Have neat themed floats...such as this example:

A 'China" float/stage could have fiber-optic and other lighting effects to simulate fireworks and glowing chinese lanterns, pagodas, etc. Perfomers can include the asian dancers, balancers, and chinese lion dancers!

This event would be cool as it would wrap up the theme of all the countries being "one" which is kind of what WS is representive of at Epcot. Sounds like a good start to a idea that could grow even better!

 

[tom32819]

if i recall disneyland totally dismanteled the floats/stages from light tragic. i doubt disney would spend the money to build that mess all over again.

 

[Bill Smugs]

where can you get the video?

http://www.visionsfantastic.com/forum/gallery/showimage.php?i=1827&noignore=0&postid=1169

 

[Bill Smugs]

They could even light the torches during it and maybe even bring back the drummers from tapestry of nations

 

[marni1971]

As good as LM was technically, the fundemental flaw were the show stops - unless you happened to be in VERY select spots for the stops the parade just whizzed by with waving charecters. Although designed for parades from day one, WS prom couldn`t handle anything nearly as large as the LM floats - which was another problem. To see the sheer scale and overall effect of each float, the guest would have to have been standing backstage at Disneylands MSUSA and be able to see through the buildings.

Nice video, BTW :lol:

 

[Figments Friend]

That's the beauty of the idea though when i think of adapting it for a World Showcase event. The stops would be a plus in the case of the international performers. I agree though...i think the stops "LM" made were far too long and the performers were'nt allowed the time beforehand in rehearsals to come up with better routines. No offense meant to the perfomers ( it would be cool if some are reading WDW Magic!) but all they really did was dance the irish step-dance and sprinkle glitter around. Not a lot the see during those 8 minutes or so the parade stops. The audience seemed bored by it all, at least the video i saw and that was with the APH's!

I think if they created new floats, threw in some jazzy music ala "Tapestry" and recruited internationally themed entertainment it would be a welcome addition to Epcot. Shorten the parade stops and keep it flowing and it would fill the hole that was somewhat left when the last parade there was retired.

 

[celticdog]

We have talked about this before, right after TON/TOD was discontinued. TON/TOD moved to a specific point and then stay put during the remainder of the music. LM could have done the same thing. Sure, the floats would need to be scaled down, but they could've built many smaller ones. The music is some of the best nightime finale music I've ever heard, but then I'm biased toward bagpipes. And any song that contains bagpipes has to be good.

 

[FigmentJedi]

The REALLY funny thing about this is that in the story I've been writing, I made the Dreamseekers from Tapestry of Dreams literal refugees from Light Magic that escaped the horrors that befell much of that particular group of Pixies that came to Disneyland and traveled to Epcot to work with Dreamfinder shortly after he had been taken away, not knowing of his fate beforehand, but then returning years later as part of ToD.