A Tale of Two Fantasmics

Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland both possess versions of Fantasmic, but which can claim the title of superior show?  This is a difficult question because both Fantasmic shows have their merits.  

On a recent trip to Disneyland, we viewed Fantasmic on the Rivers of America, and the show was indeed spectacular.  The use of the actual Mark Twain Riverboat as well as the Sailing Ship Columbia add a certain level of realism and grand scale to Disneyland’s Fantasmic that is just not matched in DHS.  The sheer size of the Rivers of America and the set for Fantasmic in California really just give this show more staying power than the one in Florida.  In addition, the fact that we could walk up to the railing of a bridge and simply watch Fantasmic without having to make the death march down into the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater amongst hundreds of screaming adults and children really made the entire experience far more palatable to me. The crowd flow control in Disneyland was also far more organized than it is in Florida.  I do not blame Disney for this issue in Florida; I blame the guests.  The Disney castmembers clearly state where you should go and where you should not go, but people do not listen.  They feign ignorance and just keep walking wherever they please.  In Disneyland, the visitors seem to be more locals who know how to walk around the parks without causing painful gridlock in congested walkways.  Also, Disneyland is simply a smaller park with less capacity, so there are fewer people present in the park than in WDW.

Now, I did enjoy Disneyland’s Fantasmic, but I did not really enjoy having to stand for the duration of the entire show.  The DHS version wins with regard to seating; I like being able to sit down and enjoy the show.  I can even take better photos because I am sitting and not balancing by leaning up against a rail.  As I stated earlier, the logistics of getting to Fantasmic in Florida are absolutely miserable.  When the castmembers open up the theater, visitors do not follow their directions.  People start pushing and shoving, and they are just generally rude.  At one viewing, I actually had a man push his way through the crowd and then fall on top of me.  He was angry that I was standing where he wanted to stand.  That is just ridiculous.  If everyone just followed directions and let the castmembers do their jobs, the walk into the amphitheater would be far easier.

With regard to both shows, I just can’t get enough of Fantasmic.  I love both shows, and I cannot say that I like one show more than the other.  However, there are certain elements of each show that are superior to the other.  In Disneyland, the whole Peter Pan/Captain Hook sequence is excellent.  There are pirates swinging from the Sailing Ship Columbia; the crocodile chases after Captain Hook; and there are explosions.  This scene is very well done.  On the other hand, the Pocahontas scene at DHS leaves something to be desired.  I would rather see the Peter Pan sequence in Florida.  In California, the jungle scene with the “monkey boats” is less exciting than it is in Florida.  The music is better in Florida, and the entire scene is more enjoyable.  I also prefer the end of the show in Florida where Sorcerer Mickey is stationed high atop a mountain conducting the fireworks.  In Disneyland, he is standing on top of a building on Tom Sawyer’s Island.  The Disney World version is just more exciting and brings a more spectacular end to the entire show.

Finally, if you are going to see Fantasmic at DHS, please invest in the dining package.  You can eat your meal at one of the Table Service establishments in DHS, and then you can proceed to a special viewing area for Fantasmic.  It is a much less stressful way to view the show, especially if you hate waiting in the mob of people that forms at the entrance to the amphitheater before the show.  We enjoyed dinner at Mama Melrose’s Italian Restaurant, but there are other dining locations that participate in this program as well.  Disneyland did not have a similar plan; this park only gave the option of a dessert party of sorts.  You could pay $60 a person for a variety of snacks and desserts.  This was very overpriced, and it did not even include a meal.  We went to see the second showing of Fantasmic on a fairly crowded day at Disneyland, and we did not have a problem viewing the show.  I would not pay $60 a person just for dessert.  You can easily view the show without this special plan.

Overall, Fantasmic is a must see in Disneyland or in Disney World.  It combines all of the excitement of fireworks with the storytelling prowess for which Disney is well known.   The effects are excellent, and the performers do a spectacular job every night they perform the show.  Make sure to catch this journey into Mickey’s imagination at Disneyland or Disney’s Hollywood Studios the next time you make the trip out to one of these parks.  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

Disneyland Trash Cans!

Through the Looking Glass: A Trip to the Original Magic Kingdom

            Just as Alice stepped through the looking glass to explore the world on the other side, Mark and I boarded a plane that took us to Disneyland, the original “Happiest Place on Earth.”  In preparation for the trip, we read many books and talked to others who had made the journey.  The prevailing suggestion, nay warning, from my fellow Disney fans was “don’t be disappointed! Disneyland is so small!”  Now, I know that Disneyland is much smaller than its counterpart in Florida, but I have to say that I was anything but disappointed with my trip to California’s original Magic Kingdom

            After a very long flight and then layover, then another flight, and then a shuttle ride, we finally made it to Disneyland.  I was so excited to see the place where Walt walked, a place in which you can feel Walt’s presence in all of the little details.  On our first day, we only had a few hours, so we visited DCA.  This park is full of construction walls, and it was quite difficult to navigate through all of that construction, but overall, this park was small and just a little disappointing.  There really wasn’t that much to do there.  However, we thoroughly enjoyed The Little Mermaid Ride, and I loved the ambiance of the Paradise Pier area.  After strolling around the park, we had dinner reservations at the Wine Country Trattoria, which was delicious.  Seating was outside, which would have been lovely, but it was very cold and windy that night.  We opted to eat at this restaurant because we wanted to take advantage of the World of Color Dining Package. 

            After dining, we decided to head over to ElecTRONica, which was a lot of fun.  I enjoy the TRON movies, and I really like the soundtrack and the look of TRON Legacy, so this was a must-see for me.  Sadly, we did not get to see Laserman, because his performance conflicted with World of Color.  I really want to see him on a future trip though.  We also rode the Mike and Sully Monsters Inc. Ride, which was a cute dark ride.  Eventually, we made our way back over to the World of Color area to find out where we would be standing.  We had a great view of the lagoon, and we didn’t even have to wait very long for the show to start.

            Now, I read a lot of Disney sites, and I know that World of Color is much loved, and I have even read where someone said it was just “life changing.”   Sorry to disappoint, but this show did not do it for me.  There is no original story line, and it basically is water and lights as well as Disney animated films projected on water screens.  I want original story: something interesting that makes me care and cheer for a hero.  I want large musical numbers with that “feel good” cliché Disney song.  I like that sort of thing: think Wishes or Spectromagic.  World of Color was just not my cup of tea.  The technology behind the dancing water fountains is something that is very cool, and I enjoyed seeing the show; however, I will not be running back to see it again. 

            After a night at DCA, we returned to our hotel to await the big reveal of Disneyland.  The next morning, we awoke early, boarded our shuttle, and then we quickly arrived at the Magic Kingdom.   This was a very surreal experience because I  have watched the People and Places: Disneyland show so many times.  I know what Disneyland circa 1957 looks like, but I really had no idea what a modern Disneyland would be like.  When we walked through the tunnel, it was so odd because we have been through the same tunnel in Disney World hundreds of times.  When you look to the right, there is Exposition Hall, now the Town Square Theater, but in Disneyland, there is Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.  The colors on Main Street are very different from Disney World as well.  There are more Earth tones, and the colors seem more muted in CA.  Also, the stores in Disneyland have a great deal of detail.   They are highly themed, and they are an attraction unto themselves.  Disney World’s Main Street has less of a small town feel than that of Disneyland.  After first walking in, you can’t help but notice the huge difference in size of Sleeping Beauty Castle and that of Cinderella Castle.  I have to admit, that while Sleeping Beauty Castle is charming, there is not sight as beautiful as the spires of Cinderella Castle.

            One thing that really struck me about Disneyland was the close proximity of all of the lands to one another.  In just a few steps, you could be in Adventureland or Frontierland.  We enjoyed being able to keep walking to a minimum as we explored the park.  We had two full days in Disneyland, so we had to move quickly and efficiently.  We did not want to miss anything. 

Overall, Disneyland has a beautiful Fantasyland. I could not wait to visit Mr. Toad or Casey Jr. or the Storybookland Canal boats.  Those were my favorite three rides from Fantasyland.  I also enjoyed Small World with its Christmas overlay.  Everything in Disneyland was just a little bit smaller than Disney World, but the attention to detail was definitely evident in everything from the landscapes to the delicately painted murals inside the Mr. Toad ride.  Casey Jr. was great fun, and we sat in the caboose.  We also saw the unused area that was supposed to be for the now defunct Light Magic Parade.  Fantasyland was significantly better in Disneyland than in Disney World.   However, I think that will change a bit when New Fantasyland opens in Florida later this year.

As for the rest of the park, we enjoyed the far superior Pirates of the Caribbean ride, and we also liked rowing the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes around the Rivers of America.  The Haunted Mansion Holiday was so detailed and so much fun; I wish the East Coast visitors could get to see this type of attention to detail. 

On the whole, Disneyland was excellent; it was charming.  Is it small?  Yes.  Is it still full of magic and many things to do?  Yes.  Will I go there again?  Yes.  Will I opt to go there instead of Florida? No.  I say “no” to that last question because I like the variety that Disney World offers.  I can go to EPCOT.  I can explore resort hotels; I can go to the Animal Kingdom.  I can’t do those things in Disneyland.  Also, the Disney World Resort offers more of a feel of escapism that Disneyland simply cannot offer.  The CA park is in the middle of the city, and Disney World is literally its own World.  I am far from done writing about all of the wonders that I experienced in Disneyland.  Check back for more about dining, Fantasmic, crowds, merchandise, and much more.  Until then, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!