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LIMANDL4EVA
11-14-2003, 12:18 PM
Went on CA Screamin today about noon and noticed right before the loop, on the left hand side where the Eureka floats are stored, that one of the floats (or what appears to be) sits in a million pieces destroyed or disassembled on the pavement. Is this what they do to things that they do not need anymore? Am I even correct in my assumption it was a parade float? Some one please fill me in here, it was rather depressing.

Disneyphile
11-14-2003, 12:59 PM
:crying:

MrTomMorrow
11-14-2003, 01:36 PM
That's too bad... I never got to see the parade.

I do have the soundtrack on the DCA Official Album, and I like the theme song, which is pretty catchy. My only wish is that the song had lyrics in languages besides just English and Spanish. I think maybe some Chinese lyrics would have rounded it out a bit because there's a large Asian population in California.

hbquikcomjamesl
11-14-2003, 01:46 PM
Take it easy; it was only Eureka. It could have been the MSEP. In fact, had DCA not gotten off to such a rocky start, it WOULD HAVE BEEN the MSEP. In fact, some years ago, it WAS the Pinocchio unit of the MSEP. I only saw Eureka once, but I didn't find it all that much better than the other thing that ran the DCA Parade Route from day one, what's that rock-band-on-wheels, "Road Show," is it called?

Not even Disney can afford to keep floats forever, after their parades have completed their runs. The cost of storing old floats alone would be enough to beggar the company, not to mention the cost of building every single new float completely from scratch. Just as with movie sets, the floats are dismantled, and anything likely to be reused is stored, while the rest is broken down further, again with anything likely to be reused stored, and so on, until there's nothing left worth keeping, with the remainder hauled off.

There's a lot that does get saved. Parts of "Christmas Fantasy" are almost certainly reused (with or without some reworking) from both "Very Mery Christmas" and "Flights of Fantasy," and some may even go back to "Fantasy On Parade" or earlier. Certainly bits and pieces of Eureka will live on in future DCA parades.

Now, let's all sing a chorus of "Circle of Life."

Cadaverous Pallor
11-14-2003, 06:51 PM
Originally posted by hbquikcomjamesl
Take it easy; it was only Eureka. It could have been the MSEP. Actually I have heard it said many times that the MSEP floats had to be completely rebuilt when it was sent to Florida. Again, this is just what I heard, no I don't have a source. But I would assume that in its 30 year history it's been rebuilt a few times.

Back on topic - I really liked the Eureka parade. One of the few things that really grabbed the idea of a California theme and did it well.

"...and it moves us all...." :D

ralfrick
11-14-2003, 06:58 PM
They would've put it on eBay, but the postage is murder.

LIMANDL4EVA
11-14-2003, 08:37 PM
Originally posted by hbquikcomjamesl
...the floats are dismantled, and anything likely to be reused is stored, while the rest is broken down further, again with anything likely to be reused stored, and so on...

What I saw was not a dismantled float, it was a devastation. I mean it literally looked like the thing had been torn to bits recklessly. Has anyone else seen what I am talking about?

Andrew
11-14-2003, 11:31 PM
Originally posted by Cadaverous Pallor
Actually I have heard it said many times that the MSEP floats had to be completely rebuilt when it was sent to Florida. Again, this is just what I heard, no I don't have a source.

I will be happy to be your source. I saw with my own two eyes (and two of Jennifer's as well) the MSEP floats being reassembled in WDW's Central Shops complex, behind the Magic Kingdom. This was before their two-year run at the MK, which preceded their return to DCA.

merlinjones
11-14-2003, 11:36 PM
(Nelson voice) Ha ha.

ArthurBang
11-14-2003, 11:53 PM
Yes.. and I was depressed too..

They were literally destroying the bodies of the Eureka parade floats.. Smashing them into a million pieces so they could get them off of the driving unit underneath.

:crying:

I loved Eureka.. it was one of the best parades I've ever seen. What people who have worked for the company for a long time said was that at DL, you can still go and see old parade floats back there from past parades. Why they're destroying Eureka I dont know.

AVP
11-15-2003, 10:54 AM
Originally posted by LIMANDL4EVA
Has anyone else seen what I am talking about? Yes - I got a call about this yesterday, and the person was SHOCKED that they were "chopping the floats into little tiny pieces."

AVP

merlinjones
11-15-2003, 01:21 PM
Let's hope all those little chopped up pieces don't sprout into full sized Eureka floats!:eek:

MrTomMorrow
11-15-2003, 01:54 PM
What did people like or dislike about Eureka? Did the parade have any redeeming qualities?

Omar
11-15-2003, 04:54 PM
My opinion is that I have never seen any floats their and never really want to (watching ride :) ), but if I do i want to know what I'm looking for so can you describe what the parade was about?

Thanks,
Omar

sleepyjeff
11-15-2003, 09:33 PM
Originally posted by merlinjones
Let's hope all those little chopped up pieces don't sprout into full sized Eureka floats!:eek:

Oh, the Horror! :eek:

Not Afraid
11-15-2003, 09:37 PM
Originally posted by merlinjones
Let's hope all those little chopped up pieces don't sprout into full sized Eureka floats!:eek:



OMG! That is such a funny mental picture. Oh, the crush on the parade route!:fez:

Hyperboy
11-16-2003, 01:00 AM
I don't understand, you guys expected them to keep the floats for Eureka just sitting around backstage for a parade that wasn't coming back? Just for posterity?

Also, I can't wait till they get rid of the MSEP at DCA. Someone on another board described it as the creepy "Night of the Living Electrical Parade"... I think that is a pretty apt description.

Hopefully the character parade that is coming next will be a fun one to watch.

merlinjones
11-16-2003, 07:33 AM
>>What did people like or dislike about Eureka? Did the parade have any redeeming qualities?<<

Cloying, pretentious, social engineering State politics disguised as ugly family entertainment? This is Disney, not PBS.

cstephens
11-16-2003, 11:20 AM
I thought it was a fun parade, and I liked the song.

TP2000
11-16-2003, 12:26 PM
I thought it was "okay", and it certainly livened up the afternoon at DCA. But it was nothing I would go out of my way to see, and it's nothing I would rave about to people after I'd seen it.

Eureka was about the most succesful thing to come out of the infamous "Hip and Edgy" mindset of February, 2001. That's not saying alot of course, but it was at least better than "Get a Grip!", La Feet, or Three Bags Full. The fact that there were no Disney Characters whatsoever in Eureka is probably what did it in, and what prevented it from being very popular with the average tourist.

You could usually walk right up to the parade route while Eureka was being performed and find an open place to sit along the curb. By the time Eureka got towards the end of the parade route and Golden Zephyr area, there was usually only a handful of people watching it go by. I often felt sorry for the performers dancing their hearts out and smiling at absolutely no one.

I still miss Hercules Victory Parade as a toe tapping and upbeat Disney parade. And I still miss Mulan as a fun and meticulously detailed spectacle. But I don't miss Eureka. It didn't seem to have much of a heart, despite it's hipness and edginess.

MrTomMorrow
11-16-2003, 04:24 PM
It's interesting because Hercules (the movie, and ultimately the victory parade) was intended to be more "hip and edgy." However, I guess they got the heart part right, and that's why it was better accepted.

I guess the Hercules Victory Parade was a bit more imaginative, with its towering mythical creatures, whereas Eureka was more grounded in real life with inline skaters, etc. But then again, I might just be comparing apples with oranges.

newhdplayer
11-16-2003, 04:34 PM
Originally posted by Hyperboy
I don't understand, you guys expected them to keep the floats for Eureka just sitting around backstage for a parade that wasn't coming back? Just for posterity?



Yes...In a few years, it will be considered a classic.

Cadaverous Pallor
11-16-2003, 07:32 PM
For those that never saw it, here's a great resource (http://laughingplace.com/Info-Att-A-DCA-ENT-EUREKA.asp) with tons of pictures. This parade was beautiful to look at. The huge surprising puppets, the colorful, detailed floats....looking at these pics makes me sad that the parade didn't stick around.

Anyone have an audio clip?

sleepyjeff
11-16-2003, 08:02 PM
Originally posted by newhdplayer
Yes...In a few years, it will be considered a classic.

Just like State Fair:rolleyes:

zapppop
11-16-2003, 08:35 PM
Originally posted by Cadaverous Pallor
Anyone have an audio clip?
Sure do! (http://members.aol.com/lunerds/eureka.mp3)

Too bad the parade is gone. It was one of the few good things in DCA. Now the only parade in DCA is DL's MSEP and when that leaves in 2005, DCA will, once again, not have a nighttime show.

Does anyone else think DCA is cursed ?