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View Full Version : Great Moments is great!!!



Castmbrdlx
07-13-2001, 09:25 AM
I was able to see great moments at the cast preview last night and It was excellent! Here are the changes directly from our cast preview sheet.

1. The show features the addition of a Civil War story line that places guets in the center of the narrative, and the intoduction of binaural sound. The grand finale still features Abraham Lincoln's stirring delivery of the Gettysburg Address.

2. Binaural sound is a recording and playback technology where the listener experiences sound layers which seem to originate from different areas of the theater.

3. Binaural sound was first used in a disney attraction at the disney MGM studios in Florida. This is its first application at the Disneyland Resort.

I don't want to give anything away so just see it when it opens on July 17th. It is a 100% improvment I was blown away. The Theater lobby is a bit different and one of Walt's offices is gone and replaced with pictures of Walt and his wife. The beginning of the show is mostly about walt and his life.

Gemini Cricket
07-13-2001, 10:09 AM
Did they get rid of that cheesy "Two Brothers" song? It's so depressing...

Castmbrdlx
07-13-2001, 10:14 AM
I don't remember that and I didn't hear it in the new version.

Disney Fan Matt
07-13-2001, 11:29 AM
Go to Westcoaster.net to see a description of the new show. I think that it is open to the public now. It really does sound great. I can't wait to go see it for myself!

JRob2k1
07-13-2001, 11:33 AM
I'm glad that it turned out GOOD! They were tinkering with an attraction that had a lot of sentimental/classic value and could have easily been screwed up.

Whew!!!

Thanks, Imagineers

-JRob

Permanecer Sentados
07-13-2001, 01:42 PM
I like that "Two Brothers" song. I even d/led it from Napster, before the lame lawsuits. But that's another story...

DisneylandKid
07-13-2001, 03:22 PM
Does anyone know what they are going to do at the 46th Birthday of Disneyland/Grand Reopening of Great Moments??? It starts at 7:45AM, and on disneyland.com, they are promoting it a lot. Will MousePlanet be covering it?

Castmbrdlx
07-13-2001, 03:37 PM
It does start at 7:45am - 8am in town square. I suppose there will be a ceremony.

merlinjones
07-13-2001, 06:38 PM
I can't wait!

Is the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" back (or still that EPCOT song)?

Is the sky/sunset/flag finale back?

Mandrake Linux
07-13-2001, 07:16 PM
Originally posted by Castmbrdlx

2. Binaural sound is a recording and playback technology where the listener experiences sound layers which seem to originate from different areas of the theater.

3. Binaural sound was first used in a disney attraction at the disney MGM studios in Florida. This is its first application at the Disneyland Resort.


Didn't Captain EO (may it rest in peace) have this? I remember it fits the discription exactly as you said it.

Lost Boy
07-13-2001, 10:11 PM
From what I have heard you now wear lightwieght and very comfortable head sets that keep out the unwanted noise and give you incredible 3-D sound. The finale has retored Battle Hymn of the Republic and the clouds forming the flag in the sky behind Lincoln. From what I hear about this new show it is a 100%, 10 star show. Go to www.laughingplace.com and read the Fab Disney Babes story on the Electical Parade and a full description of the new Lincoln Show in great detail. Be warned this story has spoilers, so if you don't want to know everything, don't read it, just go see it.:D

KarenW2
07-14-2001, 11:10 PM
We went over to DL after getting our DCA Pin of the Month & just to see, we checked out the open lobby of Great Moments. Turns out, they were running the new show today! My DH had never seen the original or other versions of the show, so he didn't know what to expect. I had been to every version of the show, including the "depressing" "Two Brothers" version. Here's my take:

I'd heard about the headphones & kidded my Dh that they were going to use the sounds from the MGM Monster Sound Show (haircut, buzzing insects, etc.). Was I surprised to see they did exactly that! I was very surprised/disappointed that they added this new stuff, just for the sake of using the same sounds and new ones. I was also surprised to not see Lincoln in the old set, seated, then rising to give his speech. The new set & theatre seems to only use about half of the previous space & Lincoln is standing outdoors talking.

I was also disappointed to hear a new Lincoln "voice", not Royal Dano, as in the past shows. Also, so very P.C. of them to throw Douglas in to talk about the "Black" soldiers (I seem to remember my history calling them "Negro" soldiers).

Also, I was surprised to hear a different hymn "Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow" (if I remember correctly), instead of the Battle Hymn today. I thought Battle Hymn originated with the "War Between the States" ("Civil" War) & was therefore more fitting.

All in all, I thought the whole Matthew Brady photographing us as "Cunningham" & other changes were hokey. It cheapens & trivializes the experience for me. I wish they would've restored the original show.

JRob2k1
07-15-2001, 01:37 PM
[i]All in all, I thought the whole Matthew Brady photographing us as "Cunningham" & other changes were hokey. It cheapens & trivializes the experience for me. I wish they would've restored the original show. [/B]

No matter how much I love the Lincoln story and it's history at Disneyland, the "old" show was hurting. It was outdated, the AA was in bad shape and the show was getting rather...boring!! I hate to say it, but its true. I've fallen asleep many times in the nice, dark, cozy theater. :D

I've heard nothing but good things and cant wait to go see it myself. If it's done as nicely as almost everyone is saying, they I will be pleased that Disney actually took and old, aging show, with low attendence, and actually tried to make it better and more appealing.

Not everyone will like it, but in my opinion, it had to be done!

-JRob

cstephens
07-16-2001, 09:11 AM
I saw the new show yesterday, and I have to say that I was very disappointed. They did a lot of what I refer to as "parlor tricks" - yes, they're stereo headphones, and isn't it neat that we can move sound from one side to another to make is sound like someone is walking back and forth, and make it sound like someone is whispering in your ear. I really felt like I was in HISTA, and I don't particularly enjoy that sort of thing.

We got there too late to see the new Walt Disney film, so we'll have to go back and see that. The preview film was ok, but I really didn't like the new Lincoln presentation. It seemed like they were trying to get people into the story more by having them take the place of Private Cunningham, but I think it totally took away from the wide scope of the problem. It wasn't just about individual soldiers getting hurt or killed in the war, it was about the massive nature of the war, completely dividing the country. I don't think you get any of that at all.

The Gettysburg speech is also not as affecting for me as the previous speech, especially with "Golden Dreams" at the end. And I know a lot of people didn't like the "Two Brothers" segment, but I happened to have really liked it a lot and thought it did a lot to tell the story.

Mr. Lincoln was always something I liked seeing from time to time. I'm not sure how often I'll be visiting now.

Gemini Cricket
07-16-2001, 05:56 PM
Is it me or does Lincoln now have Michael Landon's haircut from Little House on the Prairie?

Disney Fan Matt
07-16-2001, 08:05 PM
The new Mr. Lincoln show is great! I saw it yesterday at DL, and really enjoyed it. Those headphones are amazing. I never realized they could do so much with headphones. Many of the effects were downright freaky, becuase they seemed so real (haircut!). The new AA is a big improvement, it reminds me of the Indiana Jones AA. All in all, the new storyline really does help the show, without it the show is just Lincoln speaking to the audience. This plot creates a more engaging experience. Go see the new show, it is excellent!!

DisneylandKid
07-17-2001, 10:39 AM
How many people does the Mr. Lincoln theatre seat? I've read reviews of the show, and I heard that they put your picture up on the screen with your new haircut... how is this done? Do they put everyones up, or do they pick just one person?

Lani
07-17-2001, 11:57 AM
Disney Fan Matt noted: "Go to Westcoaster.net to see a description of the new show. I think that it is open to the public now. It really does sound great. I can't wait to go see it for myself! "

FYI Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix has written a review about it (http://www.mouseplanet.com/more/mm010717.htm) in the More Moure column here at MousePlanet.

Napsto
07-18-2001, 12:08 AM
i love the new show.

Lacrosse Boy
07-18-2001, 11:38 AM
Great isn't in there for no reason, ya know!

Napsto
07-18-2001, 12:37 PM
good point

Malicifent
07-18-2001, 12:47 PM
Saw it last night, and I thought it was wonderful. One has to wonder why so many people are disappointed. I submit that the show is entertaining, and yes, getting your haircut and the fly buzzing in your ear are a bit of a stretch for the story, but it was entertaining. The guests in the theatre with me seemed to really enjoy the "parlor tricks." And in the end that is all that matters.

And the sound is used perfectly for the battle scenes. I was very impressed with how well non-moving pictures work with this sound system. It's almost as if you're forced to create the action in your mind, which I found really interesting.

In my opinion, I think Walt would have been happy with this rendition.

To be honest, I do sometimes question my standards now because they've been lowered quit a bit by the current managment team. So before you flame away at me, know that I'm aware of my flaw. :(

Darkbeer
07-18-2001, 09:40 PM
Flaming.....

I think most people who post here have come to expect either GREAT or above average from Disney, and we are frustrated when we get something like DCA instead of Tokyo DisneySeas.

The second thing is the nostalga factor, what we remember and grew up with seems to be better than what is there now... I like the COP better than AS, or the old GMwML vs the new GMwML....

Darkbeer
07-18-2001, 09:50 PM
Oops, to finish...

I think almost all members are happy to see that they refurbished GMwML, but for example, did they have to eliminate the AA OWL with the nature films???? they just covered it up with a temporary wall and some pictures on that wall.... there was no need to remove it.... (my guess, cheaper to remove than refurbish...)

Now, do I have fond memories of the original and 1985 remodel, YES! Will I like the new one as much, or even better... or will I agree with other long time guests that the "repeatability" of this new show is not as good as the previous version(s)...

It might be like some of the new shows, the "multi-layer" that let both adults and kids watch the same show and enjoy it in the past, are now just "single-layered" and while enjoyable once or twice, does not have the longevity of the old shows....

Napsto
07-18-2001, 10:07 PM
still love ut though