Kill Fantasmic!

[Ice101]

Alright, so I never thought that getting rid of Fantasmic! was a good idea until I started thinking about it. Quality over quantity is what it is all about. For that reason, I say kill Fantasmic! and bring back nighttime parades.

What puts Fantasmic! on the chopping block for me:

• It is 20 years old and is very difficult to upgrade. The barges aren't cheap and it needs more then just a few new effects to make it feel brand new.
• It isn't as unique as other nighttime options. It is sort of a scramble of 3 different types of shows; World of Color and Fantasmic! both share projection screens and water fountains, Nighttime Parades and Fantasmic! both share live actors and light up floats, and Remember/Magical and Fantasmic both share fireworks synced to incredible music. A nighttime parade would be much different from the other two nighttime shows rather then Fantasmic! being different, but not as different from the other shows.

Then what killed Fantasmic! for me was the cost. Not only is it very expensive to run, but very rarely does it run just one show. Because of its very limited capacity in the viewing area, the park usually has to run at least 2 shows, sometimes 3 for sufficient crowds to be able to watch. While as a nighttime parade can back in about the same as the average 2 show Fantasmic! crowd for only one show.

That money could be put towards adding new floats each year to the nighttime parade and World of Color to keep them as fresh as possible for Annual Passholders. It could be put towards running the nighttime parade more days, or even towards ride refurbishments. Overall this money could just be put to better use.

While I do truly love Fantasmic!, I feel that this option is better for the park as a whole. Apply the Tokyo Disneyland "No saving spots until an hour prior the show rule" and crowd control would also be much easier. What do you think?

[Steve DeGaetano]

Here here!!

[DaAlCh]

Disney shouldn't get rid of Fantasmic because of this: After every single show every single night, there is a huge round of cheers, applause, and whooping. Every one. Without fail. People like the show.

And every single show or parade could be dropped in order to use the money for other shows. We could get rid of the fireworks to better service Fantasmic, according to you. Or do that with any show.

[sediment]

Meh.
I don't see it when I go.

Staleness is the main cause. I've seen it before. And it hasn't changed enough for me to care.
I've suggested this many times, so I'll do it again: Add a scene for the currently-released feature! Yes, it will be difficult for the creative folks to add a scene from, say, Cars, and drop another scene and keep some continuity. But sheesh, a captive audience! Plug the movie! Heck, this "Frog Princess" movie coming out is perfect for this, I think.

Problem is the "silo" mentality. Who's gonna pay for this? "Not my area. It's your film." "Not my area. It's your park." Squabble. Nothing done.

[Ice101]

Disney shouldn't get rid of Fantasmic because of this: After every single show every single night, there is a huge round of cheers, applause, and whooping. Every one. Without fail. People like the show.

And every single show or parade could be dropped in order to use the money for other shows. We could get rid of the fireworks to better service Fantasmic, according to you. Or do that with any show.

Electrical Parade was a hit with guests and they got rid of it. Parade of Dreams, Remember Dreams Come True, all of the good entertainment doesn't last forever.

In order to make Fantasmic! seem truly unique and one of a kind, you would have to drop the Fireworks, World of Color, and nighttime parades. Much easier to do reverse.

[d.N.d.]

Saw the show the other night for the first time and thought wow that was a really good show. Especially the end where Steamboat Willie pops out!

However, probably wont go see the show again just do to the crowd overload and that if already seen it. So if they got rid of it i could definately walk to ride Splash a lot easier at night .

Theyll just have to see how many crowds are drawn when WOC premiers

[Ice101]

Saw the show the other night for the first time and thought wow that was a really good show. Especially the end where Steamboat Willie pops out!

However, probably wont go see the show again just do to the crowd overload and that if already seen it. So if they got rid of it i could definately walk to ride Splash a lot easier at night .

Exactly! It is much easier to grab a spot on the parade route then to get a spot in the Fantasmic! viewing area. Not to mention, that Parades are not so intrusive with the rest of the park because there are several cross over points.

[matterhornlove31]

Fantasmic is my favorite show. I love it! I would never want to see the show go. Admittedly, I hate, Hate, HATE all the fireworks shows. My thought on that is fireworks are for climactic, dramatic endings. My theory on fireworks are they are suppose to end a show and not be the show (unless it is the fourth of July). Fireworks are so bad for the environment and they just plain suck.
I understand that people will probably respond with "Well, people wait up to three hours just to see the show." That doesn't mean anything. People will wait three hours to see anything at Disneyland. The new Celebration parade at DL is pretty bad, but I saw people waiting for the 6:30 show starting at around 4:00. I know the same could be said about Fantasmic, but I personally am in love with that show so I would rather see those crappy fireworks shows go before Fantasmic!

[brenden]

I have to disagree with every fiber of my being.

[Ice101]

Fantasmic is my favorite show. I love it! I would never want to see the show go. Admittedly, I hate, Hate, HATE all the fireworks shows. My thought on that is fireworks are for climactic, dramatic endings. My theory on fireworks are they are suppose to end a show and not be the show (unless it is the fourth of July). Fireworks are so bad for the environment and they just plain suck.
I understand that people will probably respond with "Well, people wait up to three hours just to see the show." That doesn't mean anything. People will wait three hours to see anything at Disneyland. The new Celebration parade at DL is pretty bad, but I saw people waiting for the 6:30 show starting at around 4:00. I know the same could be said about Fantasmic, but I personally am in love with that show so I would rather see those crappy fireworks shows go before Fantasmic!

I couldn't agree with you more on your first statement. Fantasmic! is the best show currently at the Disneyland resort and there is no question, but it just needs to be updated. And with that not happening, I rather see it leave. Fantasmic! is much harder to update then World of Color or any nighttime parade so why don't we get rid of it for new spectaculars that could be updated every year to provide unique experiences for your typical Annual Passholder who visits three or four times.

[brenden]

...why don't we get rid of it for new spectaculars that could be updated every year to provide unique experiences for your typical Annual Passholder who visits three or four times.

If you took a survey of typical APs, I'd put big money on F! being a reason for them to keep returning. The shows are packed nightly and almost every person I talk to Disneyland about loves it.

[matterhornlove31]

This is the first time I ever got an AP. Before that, I would go to Disneyland once in a blue moon (about every 3-4 years). On those trips Fantasmic was always a must. Now that I am there once or twice a week Fantasmic is still a must. I know that is all personal though because frankly I love the show. The only reason I am so disappointed with the show is the new "updates" all really suck. Eels, on Jet Skis, CM's with Neon elephant heads, a dragon that's MIA, a croc that could have technically stayed the way it was before- non of those are real improvements upon the show, but they haven't taken anything away.
I do agree that i do wish that they could update it more often. I suppose that if they had slowly incorporated new things instead of just unveiling all those additions all at once I would be more satisfied with the additions, but oh well.

[TheGrimGrinner]

Fantasmic! is the best show currently at the Disneyland resort and there is no question, but it just needs to be updated.

There's a rumor going around that there's going to be a new dragon, is that true?


/sarcasm

[Ice101]

There's a rumor going around that there's going to be a new dragon, is that true?


/sarcasm

Dragon isn't enough. An entire new unit, new section, needs to be added. Some small effects to some old things isn't good enough.

[brenden]

Dragon isn't enough. An entire new unit, new section, needs to be added. Some small effects to some old things isn't good enough.

Why mess with something that's not broken? Plussing the show is about all they can do before they start messing with the dynamics of the show.