Fantasmic! is a long-running Disney nighttime show at both
DisneylandDisneyland is an American theme park in Anaheim, California, owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts division of The Walt Disney Company. It was dedicated with a press preview on July 17, 1955, and opened to the general public July 18, 1955...
in
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
and
Disney's Hollywood StudiosDisney's Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort. Spanning 135 acres in size, its theme is show business, drawing inspiration from the heyday of Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s...
,
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
featuring fireworks, live actors, water effects, several boats, decorated rafts and projections onto large mist screens featuring reworked Disney Animation. It originated at Disneyland in 1992 after Disneyland's entertainment department was asked to create a nighttime spectacular involving water and fireworks to invigorate the space in front of the Rivers of America. Disneyland Entertainment employed the resources of Walt Disney Feature Animation and
Walt Disney ImagineeringWalt Disney Imagineering was formed by entertainment mogul Walt Disney on December 16, 1952 as WED Enterprises to develop plans for a theme park and to manage Disney's personal assets. It was an independent, private company, owned by Walt Disney himself, but on February 3, 1965, was merged into...
as collaborators. Much of the area around the Rivers of America needed to be reworked, including terracing the walkways to accommodate viewing and modifying part of Tom Sawyer Island so that it could act as a stage for much of the show's live action.
In 1996, Walt Disney Entertainment in Florida partnered with Imagineering and Feature Animation to bring a new version of the show to Disney's Hollywood Studios (formerly Disney-MGM Studios), featuring new animated and live action scenes. The Rivers of America at the
Magic KingdomThe Magic Kingdom is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort. The first park built at the resort, it opened on October 1, 1971. The park saw an estimated 17 million visitors in 2008, making it the most visited theme park in the world....
was not conducive to a replication of the layout at Disneyland, so a new purpose-built 10,000 seat amphitheater was built at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Intended to boost low attendance numbers at that park, the new
Fantasmic show was also seen as a needed replacement for
Sorcery in the Sky, an aging nighttime fireworks show.
Synopsis
The show is located on the waters of the Rivers of America at Disneyland and on a stage across the waterway. A tavern and tall trees act as a backdrop for the show. To begin, lights around the Rivers of America Fade and a female narrator introduces the story.
"Welcome to
Fantasmic! Tonight, our friend and host
Mickey MouseMickey Mouse is a comic animal cartoon character who has become an icon for The Walt Disney Company. Mickey Mouse was created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks and voiced by Walt Disney. The Walt Disney Company celebrates his birth as November 18, 1928 upon the release of Steamboat Willie...
uses his vivid imagination to create magical imagery for all to enjoy. Nothing is more wonderful than the imagination, for in a moment, you can experience a beautiful fantasy or an exciting adventure. But beware, nothing is more powerful than the imagination, for it can also expand your greatest fears into an overwhelming nightmare. Are the powers of Mickey's imagination strong enough, and bright enough, to withstand the evil forces that invade Mickey's dreams? You are about to find out. For we now invite you to join Mickey, and experience
Fantasmic!… a journey beyond your wildest imagination."
The show follows a dream of
Mickey MouseMickey Mouse is a comic animal cartoon character who has become an icon for The Walt Disney Company. Mickey Mouse was created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks and voiced by Walt Disney. The Walt Disney Company celebrates his birth as November 18, 1928 upon the release of Steamboat Willie...
which begins with Mickey in formal attire directing a water show on the river. The show's signature water projection screens are activated, onto which animation from the Sorcerer's Apprentice sequence from the film
FantasiaFantasia is a American animated feature produced by Walt Disney and the third film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. Fantasia features animation set to classical music and no dialogue—only spoken introductions by the host, American composer and music critic Deems Taylor, before segments...
. Musical scores from "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and the "Imagination" theme accompany the animation as Mickey conducts animated shooting stars pyrotechnics launched from the six pyrotechnic barges on the river.
The animation then blends with live performers interpreting different flowers.
The petals then become huge green leaves and combine with on-screen animation to become flora and fauna of the
jungleA jungle is usually a dense forest in a hot climate, such as a tropical rainforest. The word jungle originates from the Sanskrit word jangala which refers to uncultivated land, among other meanings. The term is prevalent in many languages of the Indian subcontinent and particularly Urdu and Hindi...
. The lighting and music change to a jungle beat, and a 100-foot long puppet of
KaaKaa is a fictional Python molurus from the Mowgli stories written by Rudyard Kipling. Kaa is one of Mowgli's mentors. He, Baloo and Bagheera sing for Mowgli "The Outsong" of the jungle. First introduced in the story "Kaa's Hunting" in The Jungle Book, Kaa is a huge and powerful snake, more than a...
, the snake from
The Jungle Book, makes its way across the island with beams of light firing from his eyes. Accompanying this scene are three floating barges carrying
King LouieKing Louie is a fictional orangutan who kidnaps Mowgli in Disney's 1967 animated musical adaptation of The Jungle Book. He is voiced by Louis Prima in the film and therefore has his same mannerisms.-Conception and creation:...
and blacklit monkeys across the river, dancing along to the beat.
The music segues to a contemporary rendition of "Pink Elephants on Parade" from
DumboDumbo is a American animated feature produced by Walt Disney and released on October 23, 1941, by RKO Radio Pictures.The fourth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, Dumbo is based upon a child's book of the same name by Helen Aberson and illustrated by Harold Pearl. The main...
, as animated pink elephants appear onscreen and in the form of performers on the island. The elephants then seem to be puppets dancing on strings, which serves to transition into a sequence based on Pinocchio. Three large puppets are manipulated by nine performers with fiber-optic "strings" stretching 30 feet above the puppets.
Onscreen animation shows
Jiminy CricketJiminy Cricket is the Walt Disney version of "The Talking Cricket" , a fictional character created by Carlo Collodi for his classic novel Pinocchio, which was adapted into an animated film by Walt Disney in 1940...
underwater searching for Pinocchio. An animated Monstro the Whale interacts with live splash effects on the river. The storyline progresses as Mickey notices his dream becoming darker.
A concussion canon is fired from
Sailing Ship ColumbiaThe Sailing Ship Columbia is a full-scale replica of the first American ship to circumnavigate the globe, located at the Disneyland park in Anaheim, California. Its passengers embark on a scenic, 12-minute journey around the Rivers of America. When it was constructed in 1958, it was the first...
, which has been transformed into Captain Hook's pirate ship. Hook, Smee,
Peter PanPeter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
,
WendyWendy Moira Angela Darling is a fictional heroine and female protagonist in the Peter Pan stories by J. M. Barrie, and in most of their adaptations in other media...
, and
piratePiracy is a war-like act committed by private parties that engaged in acts of robbery and/or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the...
s participate in a stunt sequence as the ship makes its pass. Following the ship is an articulated crocodile barge, with the sound of a ticking clock emanating from its tail.
Snow White and her Prince, Ariel and
EricPrince Eric is a fictional character who first appears in the animated Disney film The Little Mermaid. He later appears in the spin-off prequel television series and in the direct-to-video sequel The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea....
, and Belle and the Beast appear on three floating stages (transformed since the Jungle scene earlier) on the river, dancing to a medley of each princess' signature song, accompanied by lighting and water effects.
The music turns darker, as the Evil Queen from
Snow WhiteSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a American animated feature based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale Snow White. It was the first full-length cel-animated feature in motion picture history, as well as the first animated feature film produced in America, the first produced in full color, the first...
appears on stage, calling for her magic mirror — which appears onscreen in animated form. The mirror informs the Queen that the three princesses are fairer than she, and that "in Mickey's imagination, beauty and love will always survive."
In anger, she moves to her cauldron, where the Queen transforms into the Hag from Snow White. The hag summons "forces of evil" to transform Mickey Mouse's dream into a "nightmare Fantasmic." Onscreen, we see her face dissolve into that of the sea witch,
UrsulaUrsula is an animated villainess who first appears in the 1989 Disney animated feature film, The Little Mermaid. She is voiced by Pat Carroll in the film, the spin-off television series and the Kingdom Hearts video games....
, from
The Little MermaidThe Little Mermaid is a American animated feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of the same name. Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, the film was originally released to theaters on November 17, 1989 and is the twenty-eighth film in...
. Ursula sings and joins the plot against Mickey as her two pet eels, Flotsam and Jetsam, glide across the river.
Onscreen, the face of Ursula transforms into
ChernabogChernabog is a fictional character who appears in the "Night on Bald Mountain" segment of Walt Disney's Fantasia . He is a massive nocturnal demon who holds power over various restless souls. His name is taken from Chernobog, a deity of Slavic mythology; the name is Slavic for "black god"...
, from
Fantasia. Animation from the "Night on Bald Mountain" sequence from Fantasia accompanies
MussorgskyModest Petrovich Mussorgsky , one of the Russian composers known as the Five, was an innovator of Russian music in the romantic period...
's score.
A pyrotechnic burst of flames heralds
MaleficentMaleficent is a fictional character and the main antagonist in Walt Disney's 1959 adaptation of Sleeping Beauty. Maleficent is the self-proclaimed "Mistress of All Evil" who curses the infant Princess Aurora to "prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die" before the sun sets on her...
, from
Sleeping BeautySleeping Beauty is a American animated feature produced by Walt Disney and based on the fairy tale "La Belle au bois dormant" by Charles Perrault. It was released to theatres on January 29, 1959 by Buena Vista Distribution...
s arrival, beginning the climactic showdown sequence. Maleficent rises 30 feet from the stage and transforms into a dragon onscreen. The animation gives way to a 45-foot animatronic dragon, who rises from the stage before breathing fire onto the river. As of September 2009, if all is working well, a flame-thrower from the dragon's mouth emulates an exciting breath of fire, and fire-on water effects spread toward the audience.
Mickey appears as the Brave Little Tailor and uses a magic sword to destroy the dragon. As the dragon screams, the villains who have appeared are also destroyed onscreen, and the sequence ends with a pyrotechnic burst from the river.
Following an appearance by Tinker Bell, the
Mark Twain RiverboatThe Mark Twain Riverboat is an attraction, located at the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California, on which passengers embark on a scenic, 12-minute journey around the Rivers of America. Originally named the Mark Twain Steamboat when the park opened in 1955, the stately, 5/8-scale...
crosses the stage, piloted by a black and white Mickey Mouse, dressed in attire from
Steamboat WillieSteamboat Willie is an animated cartoon released on November 18, 1928. It was the Third Mickey Mouse cartoon, behind Plane Crazy and The Gallopin' Gaucho . It was the first Disney cartoon to feature synchronized sound...
. Approximately 50 Disney characters dance on the ship in a ribbon routine. The sequence is accompanied by searchlights, fountains, and pyrotechnic effects.
Mickey appears on top of the tavern as Sorcerer Mickey, and "conducts"
laser beamsA laser is a device that emits light through a process called stimulated emission. Laser light is usually spatially coherent, which means that the light either is emitted in a narrow, low-divergence beam, or can be converted into one with the help of optical components such as lenses...
, fireworks, and lighting effects that span the length of the river stage. In a flash, he disappears from atop the Tavern, and re-appears center stage, resuming his formal attire. Mickey says to the audience, "Some imagination, huh?" and with a laugh, he disappears in a flash. A final burst of pyrotechnics is accompanied by searchlights placed around the tavern and stage. As a finale, a brilliant green flash of pyrotechnics ignites on the water where the river once again becomes quiet and dark. Usually following the victory of good over evil come the fireworks celebration spectacular,
MagicalMagical: Disney's New Nighttime Spectacular of Magical Celebrations is Disneyland's newest fireworks display which celebrates the magic of Disney. It's designed to take you into the stars to meet the magic-makers from beloved Disney films. This show features fireworks, lower level pyrotechnics,...
!
Attraction facts
- Official debut: May 13, 1992
- Location: Rivers of America, Disneyland, Disneyland Resort
The Disneyland Resort is a recreational resort complex, that opened in 1955, in Anaheim, California. The resort is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks and Resorts division and is home to two theme parks, three hotels and a shopping, dining, and entertainment area.Known...
, Anaheim, CaliforniaAnaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of January 1, 2009, the city population was about 348,467, making it the 10th most-populated city in California and ranked 54th in the United States. The city anticipates that the population will surpass 400,000 by 2014 due to rapid development...
- Show Length: 22 minutes
- Sponsorship: Sony
is a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest media conglomerates with revenue exceeding ¥ 7.730.0 trillion, or $78.88 billion U.S. . Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics, video, communications, video game...
(2009 - )
- Producers: Disneyland Entertainment, Walt Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Imagineering
- Executive Producer: Ron Logan
Ron Logan is the former executive vice president of Walt Disney Entertainment and a university professor in Orlando, Florida, United States.-Life and career:...
- Audio: LCS matrix audio system with WildTracks audio playback software
- Control: Fully Automated by SMPTE timecode
- Score: Bruce Healey
- Director and original conception: Barnette Ricci
- New Director: Carla Carlile
- Villains: The Evil Queen, Ursula, Flotsam, Jetsam, Chernabog, Maleficent, Captain Hook, Kaa, Monstro, and Pink Elephants on Parade
Pink Elephants on Parade is a segment from the Disney animated movie Dumbo in which Dumbo and Timothy Mouse, after accidentally becoming intoxicated, see pink elephants sing, dance, and play trumpets during an infamous hallucination sequence. This famous song was written by Oliver Wallace and Ned...
- The twenty-foot tall Ursula is no longer a part of the show. It collapsed upon itself and was therefore taken out. A budget was given to replace Ursula when Fantasmic! received its new barges in 2007, but the replacement never happened when the barges went overbudget.
- Show cost: approx. $30,000 per evening.
Backstage Developments:
- Spring 2008 - New lighting & new pyrotechnics
- November 2008 - New HD projections
- Spring 2009 - New characters
- Summer 2009 - New dragon
2007-2010 refresh
The Disneyland Resort Fantasmic! is in the process of a full technical refresh, aimed at reducing escalating maintenance costs and keeping it looking fresh.
A new sound system debuted in the summer of 2007, along with the new show barges featuring LED lighting arrays.
A complete overhaul of the lighting system debuted in the spring of 2008. The three mainland lighting towers, which rise telescopically from pits in the ground prior to the show, were rebuilt and refitted with safety systems for the followspot operators. Some of the show's wash lighting was replaced with LED technology, as part of Disney's environmental initiative.
Refurbished pyrotechnic barges were given new technologies derived from Disneyland's Air-Launch Firework (ALF) system. Reworked pyrotechnics emit less smoke than the previous iteration, reducing pollution and improving visibility of the stage, most notable in the finale.
For the holiday season 2008, the three original 70mm projectors were replaced with High Definition (HD) digital projectors. The animation also received a new digital transfer. New lights were also added to the top of the tavern for use in the finale.
Fantasmic! was to serve as the flagship entertainment offering during the summer 2009 promotion "Summer Nightastic!" Several show scenes were reworked with new or improved characters. The Peter Pan sequence was given a new mechanical crocodile, which, though smaller, is more animated than its predecessor and can now interact with the action during the scene.
The Ursula sequence now features Flotsam and Jetsam, in the form of jet-ski based floats which snake through the water. These provide a replacement for the used to be Ursula float, which was taken out of the show years ago due to constant repairs.
A new audio-animatronic dragon was built to replace the previous dragon which was a mechanical dragon's head on metal telescopic supports. The new dragon was designed to be a full-bodied replica of Maleficent's final form in Sleeping Beauty, standing at 45 feet tall. It proved a technical challenge. An unspecified failure forced the debut of the reinvented dragon to be delayed beyond its marketed premiere date. The new dragon was premiered on September 1st, 2009.
The "Mark Twain" finale sequence featuring Disney characters doing a streamer dance was re-choreographed, and the timing of the fireworks in the finale has been tweaked.
Synopsis
As the lights fade, a female narrator gives a brief welcome and mentions of the powers of imagination. A very faint musical note is heard, swelling and growing into a dramatic chord in the complete darkness. Once the chord strikes, two tall columns rise on stage left and right, with roving spotlights, until finally Mickey appears centre stage. He conducts various water fountain effects, until bringing up the giant water-mist "screens", which, in conjunction with a few flares, fade into the famous "Sorcerer's Apprentice" scene from Fantasia.
From there, the falling stars of the Sorcerer's Apprentice scene morph into flowers, and after a brief interlude, into a jungle scene.
ElephantElephants are large land mammals in two genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta. Three species of elephant are living today: the African Bush Elephant, the African Forest Elephant and the Asian Elephant...
s,
giraffeThe giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant. It is covered in large, irregular patches of yellow to black fur separated by white, off-white, or dark yellowish brown background. The average mass for an adult male...
s,
monkeyA monkey is any cercopithecoid or platyrrhine primate. All primates that are not prosimians or apes are monkeys. The 264 known extant monkey species represent two of the three groupings of simian primates...
s,
birdBirds are winged, bipedal, endothermic , vertebrate animals that lay eggs. There are around 10,000 living species, making them the most numerous tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Birds range in size from the Bee Hummingbird to the ...
s,
ostrichThe ostrich, Struthio camelus, is a large flightless bird native to Africa. It is the only living species of its family, Struthionidae and its genus, Struthio. Ostriches share the order Struthioniformes with the kiwis, and other ratites...
es,
rhinoRhinoceros , often colloquially abbreviated rhino, is a name used to group five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia. Three of the five species—the Javan, Sumatran and Black Rhinoceros—are...
s,
crocodileA crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
s, and
cheetahThe cheetah is an atypical member of the cat family that is unique in its speed, while lacking climbing abilities. The species is the only living member of the genus Acinonyx...
s begin to herd in the mountain. Neon animals make noise and dance around on the island while
RafikiRafiki is a mandrill who first appeared in the Walt Disney Pictures animated film The Lion King. He lives in a baobab tree and is old and wise. He performs activities which are often shamanistic, but also sometimes quite silly. He tends to speak in third person when speaking of himself...
and monkeys do a dance on floats traveling across the water.
SimbaSimba is a lion character and the protagonist of one of Disney's most famous animated feature films, The Lion King. He is the son of Mufasa and Sarabi, nephew of Scar, mate of Nala and father of Kiara. His name is Swahili for lion...
and Nala from
The Lion KingThe Lion King is a American animated feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. Released to theaters on June 15, 1994 by Walt Disney Pictures, it is the 32nd film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. The story, which was strongly influenced by the William Shakespeare play Hamlet,...
romp together. Next, a large Bubble Montage takes place, where scenes and characters from major classic animated Disney movies appear in floating bubbles. Scenes from The Lion King
, The Jungle BookThe Jungle Book is a American animated feature produced by Disney Animation Studios. Released on October 18, 1967, it is the 19th animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. It was inspired by the stories about the feral child Mowgli from the book of the same name by Rudyard...
, DumboDumbo is a American animated feature produced by Walt Disney and released on October 23, 1941, by RKO Radio Pictures.The fourth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, Dumbo is based upon a child's book of the same name by Helen Aberson and illustrated by Harold Pearl. The main...
, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
, Alice in WonderlandAlice in Wonderland is a American animated comedy feature produced by Walt Disney and based on Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. Thirteenth in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film was released in New York City and London on July 26, 1951...
, HerculesHercules is a American animated feature film, produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirty-fifth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker...
, PinocchioPinocchio is a American animated feature produced by Walt Disney and based on the story Pinocchio: Tale of a Puppet by Carlo Collodi. The second film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics, it was made after the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and was released to theaters by RKO Radio...
, Aladdin
, MulanMulan is a 1998 American animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, and released by Walt Disney Pictures on June 19, 1998...
, CinderellaCinderella is a American animated feature produced by Walt Disney and based on the fairy tale "Cendrillon" by Charles Perrault. Twelfth in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film had a limited release on February 15, 1950 by RKO Radio Pictures. Directing credits go to Clyde Geronimi,...
, Lady and the TrampLady and the Tramp is a American animated feature film produced by Walt Disney and released to theaters on June 22, 1955, by Buena Vista Distribution. The fifteenth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, it was the first animated feature filmed in the CinemaScope widescreen...
, FantasiaFantasia is a American animated feature produced by Walt Disney and the third film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. Fantasia features animation set to classical music and no dialogue—only spoken introductions by the host, American composer and music critic Deems Taylor, before segments...
, BambiBambi is a American animated feature produced by Walt Disney and based on the book Bambi, A Life in the Woods by Austrian author Felix Salten...
, Beauty and the BeastBeauty and the Beast is a American animated feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation which premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on November 13, 1991...
, and The Little MermaidThe Little Mermaid is a American animated feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of the same name. Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, the film was originally released to theaters on November 17, 1989 and is the twenty-eighth film in...
pop and float across the screen.
An animated Monstro next appears onscreen, accompanied by a heavy musical score as he crashes through the waters. The chaotic sea morphs into one of the opening scenes from Pocahontas
, with the ship caught in a storm. The screens disappear, and the lights immediately darken.
A loud cannon blast erupts. Live characters re-enact battle scenes from the movie Pocahontas. Governor John Ratcliffe and his fellow Englishmen fight against the Native Americans, followed by John Smith. As John Smith climbs to the very top of the mountain, a Native American warrior moves to strike Smith when
PocahontasPocahontas is the main protagonist of Disney's 1995, thirty-third animated feature, Pocahontas, and its direct-to-video sequel, Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World. She is also an official Disney Princess...
arrives; the water screens spring back up, and Grandmother Willow appears, with a quote from the movie; the lights dim on the battle, and the
Colors of the Wind"Colors of the Wind" by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz was the 1995 Oscar-winner for Best Original Song from the Disney animated feature film Pocahontas. It also won the Golden Globe in the same category as well as the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Movie...
scene plays out on the screens. The show then moves into classic dancing scenes with
Princess AuroraAurora is a fictional character and the protagonist from Disney's 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty, as well as an official Disney Princess. She is also known as "Briar Rose".-Personality:...
and Prince Phillip, Cinderella and Prince Charming, and
Princess JasminePrincess Jasmine ) is a fictional Arab princess and the heroine of the 1992 Disney film, Aladdin, followed by its two direct-to-video sequels, The Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King of Thieves , as well as the animated television series Aladdin...
and
AladdinAladdin is a fictional character and the main protagonist who first appeared in the Disney theatrical animated movie Aladdin, and then in the two direct-to-video sequels The Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King of Thieves , and the animated television series, Aladdin, set between the two...
.
Three small floats now arrive, with Belle and the Beast, Ariel and Prince Eric, and Snow White and her Prince each contained in their own float. As each float reaches the centre, the spotlight shines on it, with the accompanying signature melody from each movie — "Beauty and the Beast," "Part of Your World," and "Someday My Prince Will Come," respectively.
The music takes on an eerie tone as Mickey's dream takes a turn for the worse. The Wicked Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs appears, and concocts a spell amidst pyrotechnics and other special effects, and turns herself into a hag. She invokes some of the most infamous Disney villains:
UrsulaUrsula is an animated villainess who first appears in the 1989 Disney animated feature film, The Little Mermaid. She is voiced by Pat Carroll in the film, the spin-off television series and the Kingdom Hearts video games....
(
The Little MermaidThe Little Mermaid is a American animated feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of the same name. Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, the film was originally released to theaters on November 17, 1989 and is the twenty-eighth film in...
), Cruella de VilCruella de Vil is a fictional character and the primary villain in Dodie Smith's 1956 novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians, Disney's 1961 animated film adaptation One Hundred and One Dalmatians, and Disney's live-action film adaptations 101 Dalmatians and 102 Dalmatians. In all her incarnations,...
(101 DalmatiansOne Hundred and One Dalmatians is a American animated feature produced by Walt Disney and based on the novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith...
), ScarScar is a Disney character and the main antagonist in Walt Disney Pictures' popular 1994 animated movie The Lion King. He was voiced by Jeremy Irons in the English version of The Lion King and his supervising animator was Andreas Deja...
(The Lion KingThe Lion King is a American animated feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. Released to theaters on June 15, 1994 by Walt Disney Pictures, it is the 32nd film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. The story, which was strongly influenced by the William Shakespeare play Hamlet,...
), Frollo (The Hunchback of Notre DameThe Hunchback of Notre Dame is an Academy Award-nominated, 1996 animated feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released to theaters on June 21, 1996 by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirty-fourth animated feature in the Disney animated features canon, the film is inspired by Victor...
) and Jafar (Aladdin
), who uses his magic to send Mickey to the Cave of Wonders. After escaping a wave of lava, Mickey encounters Jafar, who transforms into a giant black cobra appearing on both the stage and the mist screens. Seeing a magic lamp, Mickey rubs it, assuming it will help him. Unfortunately, Jafar is transformed into a genieIn Islam, a Djinn is a supernatural creature which occupies a parallel world to that of mankind, and together with humans and angels makes up the three sentient creations of Allah...
and calls upon HadesHades is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the 1997 Disney movie Hercules, based on the Greek god Hades. Unlike the mythological Hades, who is for the most part a relatively passive deity doing a sometimes nasty job, this version is a fast-talking, evil deity, reminiscent of Satan...
(HerculesHercules is a American animated feature film, produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirty-fifth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker...
) and
ChernabogChernabog is a fictional character who appears in the "Night on Bald Mountain" segment of Walt Disney's Fantasia . He is a massive nocturnal demon who holds power over various restless souls. His name is taken from Chernobog, a deity of Slavic mythology; the name is Slavic for "black god"...
, who summons spirits from the dead.
On stage, Mickey encounters
MaleficentMaleficent is a fictional character and the main antagonist in Walt Disney's 1959 adaptation of Sleeping Beauty. Maleficent is the self-proclaimed "Mistress of All Evil" who curses the infant Princess Aurora to "prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die" before the sun sets on her...
, who transforms into a 40-foot-tall fire-breathing dragon that sets the waters ablaze. Guests as far as halfway back in the theater can feel the heat from the fire. Mickey, now in his Brave Little Tailor outfit, manages to create a wall of water around the island, smothering the flames and defeating the dragon. He destroys the villains using the power of his imagination and his sword. Maleficent dies as the water splashes with a large firework bang. All is quiet, until we see Tinker Bell fly to restore the mountain. Magical stars sparkle in the mountain as the
Steamboat WillieSteamboat Willie is an animated cartoon released on November 18, 1928. It was the Third Mickey Mouse cartoon, behind Plane Crazy and The Gallopin' Gaucho . It was the first Disney cartoon to feature synchronized sound...
River Boat approaches. Then a spark of pyrotechnics ignite from the riverboat, revealing Steamboat Willie controlling the boat.
As it glides past the audience, various Disney characters appear aboard the River Boat, dancing with golden streamers to a tune from Disneyland's
Walt Disney's Parade of DreamsWalt Disney's Parade of Dreams premiered on May 5, 2005 as part of the Happiest Homecoming on Earth, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Disneyland in California...
. A celebratory atmosphere prevails amid a flurry of fireworks. With another flash of pyrotechnics, Mickey appears atop the highest point of the mountain in his Sorcerer outfit as fireworks, fire, and water light up the stage. As the finale concludes, Mickey disappears from the top of the mountain with another spark of pyrotechnics, a small explosion in the main stage and simultaneously reappears in his shiny tuxedo suit. A small applause from the crowd and Mickey says, "Some imagination, huh? Ha ha!" Pyrotechnics shoot out of the main stage and barges on the moat, he vanishes one last time to the final notes of the music while a cone of lights and searchlights bright up the stage for a few seconds. All turns dark once again and the show has concluded.
Hollywood Hills Amphitheater
The Hollywood Hills Amphitheater is the purpose-built riverside amphitheatre at the
Disney's Hollywood StudiosDisney's Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort. Spanning 135 acres in size, its theme is show business, drawing inspiration from the heyday of Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s...
theme park in the
Walt Disney World ResortWalt Disney World Resort is the largest and most visited recreational resort in the world, containing four theme parks; two water parks; 23 themed hotels; and numerous shopping, dining, entertainment and recreation venues. Owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts segment of The Walt...
,
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
, USA that showcases the nighttime spectacular Fantasmic!
It is located off of Sunset Boulevard and between the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Beauty and the Beast stage show. The location was chosen to help boost attendance to the once struggling park, and as an alternate to the Magic Kingdom's Rivers of America which, unlike Disneyland's, could not easily house such a production. The Fantasmic!
stage in Florida is much larger than Disneyland's, featuring a man-made, 50 foot tall mountain on which Sorcerer Mickey stands. The Amphitheater can seat up to 10,000 people in addition to standing room accommodating 2,000 to 3,000 more.
The 10,000-seat amphitheater opened on October 15, 1998 to host the Fantasmic!
show but was also designed to hold concerts such as the 2008 Night of JoyNight of Joy is the fourth live album released by the Athens, GA based band Widespread Panic. The album was recorded during a show in 2003 at the House of Blues in South Carolina...
. The seats are centered in a crescentIn art and symbolism, a crescent is generally the shape produced when a circular disk has a segment of another circle removed from its edge, so that what remains is a shape enclosed by two circular arcs of different diameters which intersect at two points .In astronomy, a crescent is...
around a moatA moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
-surrounded island where the live action of Fantasmic! takes place.
Attraction facts
- Official debut: October 15, 1998
- Show Length: 26 minutes
- Location: Hollywood Hills Amphitheater, Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort. Spanning 135 acres in size, its theme is show business, drawing inspiration from the heyday of Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s...
, Walt Disney World ResortWalt Disney World Resort is the largest and most visited recreational resort in the world, containing four theme parks; two water parks; 23 themed hotels; and numerous shopping, dining, entertainment and recreation venues. Owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts segment of The Walt...
, Lake Buena Vista, FloridaLake Buena Vista is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. It is mostly known for being home to the Walt Disney World Resort. It is one of two Florida municipalities controlled by The Walt Disney Company....
- Sponsorship: Sony
is a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest media conglomerates with revenue exceeding ¥ 7.730.0 trillion, or $78.88 billion U.S. . Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics, video, communications, video game...
(TBA)
- Producers: Walt Disney Entertainment
Walt Disney Entertainment is the former wing of the Walt Disney Company that produced all shows and parades for Disney worldwide, including everything from the Disney created Super Bowl Half-time shows to theme parks. The division was altered on January 31, 2001, at the retirement of Executive...
(in conjunction with Walt Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Imagineering)
- Executive Producer: Ron Logan
- Score: Bruce Healey
- Director: Barnette Ricci
- Villains: The Evil Queen, Hades
Hades is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the 1997 Disney movie Hercules, based on the Greek god Hades. Unlike the mythological Hades, who is for the most part a relatively passive deity doing a sometimes nasty job, this version is a fast-talking, evil deity, reminiscent of Satan...
, UrsulaUrsula is an animated villainess who first appears in the 1989 Disney animated feature film, The Little Mermaid. She is voiced by Pat Carroll in the film, the spin-off television series and the Kingdom Hearts video games....
, Cruella de VilCruella de Vil is a fictional character and the primary villain in Dodie Smith's 1956 novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians, Disney's 1961 animated film adaptation One Hundred and One Dalmatians, and Disney's live-action film adaptations 101 Dalmatians and 102 Dalmatians. In all her incarnations,...
, Jafar, Judge Claude FrolloClaude Frollo is a fictional character from the Victor Hugo novel Notre-Dame de Paris .Frollo is the Archdeacon of Notre Dame de Paris. He, at first, is shown in a positive light but later becomes the main antagonist of the novel.-In the novel:In Victor Hugo's novel, Dom Claude Frollo is the...
, ScarScar is a Disney character and the main antagonist in Walt Disney Pictures' popular 1994 animated movie The Lion King. He was voiced by Jeremy Irons in the English version of The Lion King and his supervising animator was Andreas Deja...
, ChernabogChernabog is a fictional character who appears in the "Night on Bald Mountain" segment of Walt Disney's Fantasia . He is a massive nocturnal demon who holds power over various restless souls. His name is taken from Chernobog, a deity of Slavic mythology; the name is Slavic for "black god"...
, MaleficentMaleficent is a fictional character and the main antagonist in Walt Disney's 1959 adaptation of Sleeping Beauty. Maleficent is the self-proclaimed "Mistress of All Evil" who curses the infant Princess Aurora to "prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die" before the sun sets on her...
, Governor Ratcliffe, Monstro.
- Heroes: Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a comic animal cartoon character who has become an icon for The Walt Disney Company. Mickey Mouse was created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks and voiced by Walt Disney. The Walt Disney Company celebrates his birth as November 18, 1928 upon the release of Steamboat Willie...
, Minnie Mouse Minnie Mouse is an animated character created by The Walt Disney Company. The comic strip story "The Gleam" by Merrill De Maris and Floyd Gottfredson first gave her full name as Minerva Mouse. Minerva has since been a recurring alias for her. Minnie is currently voiced by actress, Russi Taylor...
, GoofyGoofy is an animated cartoon character from the Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse universe, and is one of Mickey Mouse's best friends. His original concept name was "Dippy Dawg" in cartoon shorts created during the 1930s; then his name was given as "George Geef" or "G.G. Geef" in cartoon shorts during...
, Donald DuckDonald Duck is an American cartoon character from The Walt Disney Company. Donald is a white anthropomorphic duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He usually wears a sailor shirt, cap, and a red or black bow tie, but no trousers...
, PlutoPluto is an animated cartoon character made famous in a series of Disney short cartoons. He has most frequently appeared as Mickey Mouse's pet dog. He also had an independent starring role in 48 Disney shorts in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s...
, The Princesses, Pocahontas and John Smith, Rafiki, and the Disney characters.
- Show cost: Estimated at $30,000 per showing
Original "Evil Destroyed" version
The original version of Mickey destroying the dragon for the Florida version of the show was said to involve Mickey walking on the surface of the river and rising up in a column of water to slay the dragon. While some say the effect suffered from technical problems, others suggest that former Disney CEO
Michael EisnerMichael Dammann Eisner is the former chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company. His tenure at Disney lasted from 1984 to 2005.-Early life:...
felt the concept had too many religious parallels. A simpler ending of Mickey using the sword in the stone was used instead. However, the show's soundtrack had already been produced with the last track called "Mickey Walks On Water/Evil Destroyed."
2009 show cuts
In January 2009 the Florida show's schedule was reduced from 6 to 7 nights a week to selected nights each week. These schedule cuts coincided with the opening of
The American Idol ExperienceThe American Idol Experience is a theme park attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort. Inspired by the popular American television series American Idol, the attraction invites park guests to audition in front of live audiences who will vote for their favorite...
. The current Fantasmic! schedule (for people who are planning a Disney World vacation) is as follows:
- October 2009: Oct 4-10 (Monday and Thursday), Oct 11-17 (Sunday + Monday + Tuesday + Thursday), Oct 18-24 (Sunday + Monday + Tuesday + Thursday + Friday), Oct 25-31 (Daily) (2-7 nights a week)
- November 2009: Nov 1-7 (Monday and Thursday), Nov 8-14 (Sunday and Thursday), Nov 15-21 (Monday and Thursday), Nov 22-28 (Sunday + Wednesday + Thursday + Friday), Nov 29-30 (Monday).
Show changes/enhancements
The Florida version of the show, unlike the California version of the show, has not undergone a major refurbishment. However since 2008, the show has been upgrading/changing some of the stuff around.
- The lighting towers have been enhanced to appear in view throughout the whole show, giving more lights to be in use throughout the opening, villians scenes, and the finale, instead of constantly going up and down. This change happened in 2008.
- The Steamboat Willie riverboat originally had "spinning fireworks" that ignited on the side of the riverboat. A incident happened in 2007 when one of the spinning fireworks flew off of it's stand and nearly hit the audience. Due to this incident, waterfall fireworks replaced the spinning ones when the show entered it's 2008 season.
- In summer 2009, the sound system was upgraded.
Development and advertising
The original Disneyland soft opening and press premiere were scheduled to begin Wednesday, April 29, 1992 and continue through the weekend. By late afternoon, rioting began in Los Angeles following the acquittal of the Los Angeles police officers involved in the
Rodney KingRodney Glen King is a Black American who, on March 3, 1991, was the victim of police brutality, committed by Los Angeles police officers. A bystander, George Holliday, videotaped much of the incident from a distance.The footage showed LAPD officers repeatedly striking King with their batons...
beating. Promotional materials with the catchphrase "Be Here When the Night Ignites" were quickly pulled from public circulation. Fantasmic!
was not the first Disneyland attraction to share its premiere with an infamous Los Angeles tragedy. On August 9, 1969, the Haunted MansionThe Haunted Mansion is a complete dark ride attraction located at Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Park in Paris . Each incarnation of the attraction features a ride-through tour of a haunted house in Omnimover vehicles called Doom Buggies,...
was officially opened while later that evening actress Sharon TateSharon Marie Tate was an American actress. During the 1960s she played small television roles before appearing in several films. After receiving positive reviews for her comedic performances, she was hailed as one of Hollywood's promising newcomers and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for...
and others were murdered by Charles MansonCharles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi -commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was convicted of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders, carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
and his followers.
Fantasmic!
was originally going to be called "Imagination", but Disney could not register that title as a trademark, so they changed it to Fantasmic! The attraction was designed to run for 5 years only, but due to continuing positive crowd response, it still runs today.
Differences between the versions
Although the shows in Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios are similar in many respects, there are some differences between the two versions.
- In the old Disneyland version of the finale, as soon as Mickey says "Some Imagination, Huh? Ha ha!", instead of a spark of pyrotechnics on the stage, the cone of lights immediately turns on and fireworks from the barges surrounding the stage ignite. This caused the audience to view how Mickey "vanishes", so now in the finale, like Disney World, there is a spark of pyrotechnics as soon as the line is said.
- The choreography of the Opening Mickey and Sorcerer Mickey in both Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios are different in their own ways.
- Whereas the show is performed on the Rivers of America at Disneyland, they needed a new draw for Disney's Hollywood Studios for the night. The Hollywood Hills Amphitheater was built at Disney's Hollywood Studios, which was made specifically for Fantasmic!
- At Disney's Hollywood Studios, the attraction runs for almost 27 minutes (due to the montage of Disney clips inside bubbles, the additional villains, and the wall of water at the climax), compared to Disneyland's which is only 22 minutes.
- The Jungle Scene with Kaa, King Louie, and the monkeys from The Jungle Book at Disneyland is replaced with a tribute to The Lion King at Disney's Hollywood Studios. However, King Louie and the monkeys did appear briefly in the bubble scene.
- The Peter Pan re-enactment from Disneyland is replaced with scenes from Pocahontas at Disney's Hollywood Studios, at the request of Michael Eisner, who wanted more recent films in the show.
- The Pink Elephant clips and Pinocchio puppets are replaced with a montage of many clips from Disney features inside bubbles at Disney's Hollywood Studios. However, they do appear briefly in the bubble scene.
- Due to Actors' Equity
The Actors' Equity Association , commonly referred to as Actors' Equity or simply Equity, is an American labor union embracing the world of live theatrical performance, as opposed to film and television performance. However, performers appearing on live stage productions without a book or...
contract provisions, Ariel cannot flip her tail past 90 degrees and no lifts can be performed in the princess medley at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
- Ursula's reprisal of "Poor Unfortunate Souls" is taken out at Disney's Hollywood Studios to introduce the other Disney villains. She plays a smaller role in the Florida show than the California one.
- More villains are featured in the Florida version. Many of the additions are villains from Disney animated features released after the Disneyland version was first featured.
- In California, Mickey destroys the villains by pointing the sword at the Dragon and saying "You may think you're so powerful, well, this is my dream!", which causes "light" to shoot toward the villains. In Florida, he still says this, but before he destroys the villains, he causes a wall of water to block out the island and douse the flames and marches over to the sword in the stone and pulls it out.
- Instead of the Mark Twain riverboat, the characters in the Florida show dance on a smaller boat based on the steamboat from Steamboat Willie.
- In the California version, the giant snake that comes out on the stage is Kaa from 'The Jungle Book', however in the Florida version, the snake is Jafar from Aladdin
Aladdin is one of the tales of medieval Arabian origin in the The Book of One Thousand and One Nights , and one of the most famous, although it was actually added to the collection by Antoine Galland .-Synopsis:The original story of...
, also Jafar has a much bigger role in the show than any other villain except for Malificent.
Technology
One of the most used technological structures in the show is the use of trap doors and lifts. While searchlights shine at the audience during the opening, in the darkness, the opening Mickey is lifted up by a lift that goes from 15-16 feet below the stage surface to the stage in about 3-5 seconds (Disneyland). Sorcerer Mickey is also on a lift that's about 6 feet deep and can go up fast but down slow. Sorcerer Mickey is lifted up moments before the spark at the top of the tavern (Disneyland), but is lifted as soon as the spark ignites (Disney World) on the mountain. In Disneyland due to the depth the lift goes down in seconds, Mickey has to duck down to safely vanish and lower, while in Disney World he stays in the Some Imagination position as the lift goes down.
The show also has other illusions other than the trap doors. In the scene of Snow White's "Evil Queen > Hag", behind the front of the pot, there is a small opening (the pot isn't completely closed). As soon as the Evil Queen says "Turn my hair white" in the Disneyland version, smoke from around the stage ignites and the Evil Queen hides behind the pot and quickly, the Hag gets out from under the pot and the Evil Queen takes her original place while the Hag is on stage. In Disney World, there isn't that much smoke, so instead the audience members in the sides could probably have a chance of seeing how this is done.
The water projection screens were initially designed with a single screen centered in front of the island. During development, show producers determined that the venue would need three screens to enable viewing along the entire waterfront. In addition to providing story development, the screens hide set changes that happen on stage while video playback is occurring. The pump house for the water screens and other fountain effects is located in the small structure along the river, just north of the Mark Twain dock. Water for the fountains is supplied via massive intake pipes directly under this structure. The fog system located around the banks of the river uses fresh water to create the fog effects along the river. The river's water itself is not suitable to be pumped through the mist nozzles, as aquashadow dye is added to the river to mask the bottom from guests. In the winter of 2008, Disneyland's Fantasmic! returned from another refurbishment with new high-definition digital projectors, most noticeable in the "Pink Elephants" and "Tinker Bell" segments, where the images look clearer compared to the 70 mm film projections that were used for 16 years.
There are six pyrotechnics
barges that can hold up to three shows worth of pyrotechnics each. Two barges go on each side of the stage, and two are at center stage. The pyrotechnics were redesigned during the winter 2008 refurbishment. The show's final blast does not come from any of the 6 pyro barges, but rather several mines located along the island banks of the river.
The fire on water effect
is created by natural gas lines running beneath the river. The gas simply bubbles up to the surface and three flame throwers along the banks of the river ignite the gas. The dragon no longer actually lights the river on fire. There have been incidents where the face of the dragon was burned by the flames it spat.
The lighting system consists of three mainland towers along the shore of the Rivers of America, in the audience seating area, along with two island towers, and several auxiliary lighting systems (i.e the river boxes with the new ColorKinetics ColorBlast 12s that replaced the Stonco Pars). In early 2008 the lighting system was completely replaced, the first major rework since the show opened in 1992. After a 3-month period, the show reopened on March 7, 2008 with new Clay Paky fixtures mounted on the completely redesigned towers, including Alpha Wash 1200s and Alpha Profile 1200s, replacing the old Morpheus PC Spot fixtures. Additionally 2 Syncrolite MX3000's on Tower B and one each on Towers A and C, 2 on each island tower and 2 behind the tavern. These Syncrolite fixtures add much brightness to the show and give a high intensity source of "black-light" effect used throughout the show. The followspots were replaced with Strong Gladiator IV. Unlike the previous followspots, these do not accept gobos — most noticeable in the opening sequence where Mickey was formerly lit with a star.
Video and audio playback were originally mastered to
laserdiscThe Laserdisc is an obsolete home video disc format, and was the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially marketed as Discovision in 1978, the technology was licensed and sold as Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Videodisc, Laservision, Disco-Vision, DiscoVision, and MCA...
. Originally Triad provided the show control for the complex audio source and mixing systems, as well as programming services for Fantasmic! After the May to June 2007 remodel, there are four J arrays (
d&b audiod&b audiotechnik is a German loudspeaker and amplifier manufacturer, founded in 1981.-1981-1993:April 18, 1981 - d&b audiotechnik is registered as a business in Korb.
1985 - The first complete product line is put on the market...
) consisting of two J8s and two J-SUBs per stack and there are three arrays mimicking the placement of the water screens as the primary music source. During the scenes with fire on water, one or more of the arrays are turned off to prevent damage. Along the edge of the mainland (land side of the river) there are
MeyerMeyer Sound Laboratories is an American company based in Berkeley, California that manufactures self-powered loudspeakers, multichannel audio show control systems, electroacoustic architecture, and audio analysis tools for the professional sound reinforcement, fixed installation, and sound...
UPA-1Cs that are hydraulically raised specifically for Fantasmic! for delay and 2 MSL-2As per mainland lighting tower. There is a surround system of d&b Ci90s and Ci60s and various EAW cabinets that are hidden above the River Belle Terrace in a wicker chest, above Club 33 and various other locations. Additional Meyer UPA-1C's are added to the Columbia because it blocks the arrays from the island as it drives by. All the audio runs off a Meyer/LCS Matrix3 system, with eight tracks of playback and close to forty outputs. There is something in the region of six different areas of sound that are duplicated on three sides of the stage. All loudspeakers, d&b and Meyer are run off d&b D12 or E-PAC amplifiers. The amplifiers are split into two locations, one on the island and one at the control booth. By using the d&b ROPE C control software, engineers can look at both parts of the system from the control area.
The Mark Twain Riverboat is actually powered by the rear-mounted paddle, but is guided by the same replacement track installed at the install time of Fantasmic! It is a real steam-powered sternwheeler, but the steam is regulated by the engineer in the rear of the boat and steam is powered by a biodiesel-fueled boiler. The boiler is regulated at the center of the boat with many gauges and a three-way toggle switch labeled "Slow," "Fast," and "FANTASMIC." The last setting provides the most speed.
The Columbia
is CNG powered, unlike the Mark Twain. It sports a real cannon that gets shot during the Peter Pan portion of Fantasmic!
Lasers were part of the show from the beginning to the tree above the main building on the island, to the tavern roof itself, and later more were added directly above the stage deck and one facing upstage, used during the death of the dragon.
Disneyland production
- Conceived and Directed by Barnette Ricci
- Produced by Bruce Healey
- Engineer: Don Dorsey
Don Dorsey is an American audio production consultant, and a designer and director of fireworks and nighttime spectacular shows From 1975 to 1992 he served as the main audio recording and post-production engineer for the Entertainment Division of Disneyland Park, manning console knobs and faders...
Disney's Hollywood Studios production
- Conceived and Directed by Barnette Ricci
- Score Composed/Arranged by Bruce Healey
- Soundtrack Produced by Bruce Healey
- Executive Vice President of Entertainment: Ron Logan
- Album Executive Producer: Doug Strawn
- Album Produced by Bruce Healey
- Recorded and Mixed by Paul Freeman
- Soundtrack Editing, Sound Effects, and Surround Sound Design by Paul Freeman
- Music Production Manager: Daren Ulmer
- Album Coordinator: Ted Rickeets
See also
External links
- Patent for water screens used in Fantasmic.