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Explicit
05-25-2004, 10:24 PM
After seeing the 9 o'clock show Sunday night, I've come to realize that it should either end or have new technology input in parts of the show. Now before people start arguing with me first let me say that I've loved this show since it first came out in 92. Yes I was only :eek: 7. [Wow never even thought about that.] Anyway, after seeing the show I really think that an updated version should be thought up. It's been 12 great years and even though it draws a big crowd, don't you think that certain parts need to be enhanced? I still love the show and am still in aww everytime I see it. Just wanted to throw that out their. Sorry if this has been posted before.

Bruce Bergman
05-25-2004, 10:36 PM
Well, they could start by repairing or replacing the "Ursula" barge. Next is to get the motor on the Columbia to run more reliably at the "Show Power" full-throttle setting so they don't have mid-show stall-outs and need to get pushed...

Other than the props and equipment that has deteriorated over the years, the show itself has held up remarkably well.

:fez: --<< Bruce >>--

Ghoulish Delight
05-25-2004, 10:54 PM
Remember when resort entertainment changed constantly, to stay new and fresh?

DisneyFan25863
05-25-2004, 10:58 PM
Remember when money wasn't the only factor in making new attractions and shows?

danyoung
05-26-2004, 07:09 AM
So I haven't seen anything about this in a while - have they fixed the problem with the Mark Twain after the rehab? In other words, is it back in the show where it should be?

ppmuse
05-26-2004, 08:38 AM
I'm not sure if this post is going to be allowed, but has anybody listened to the Fantasmic soundtrack and heard Ursula talk about her "tentacles", and it actually sounds like a males groin area (the part that rhymes with tentacles). My family all heard it and couldn't stop laughing, since then I've lost my copy of Fantasmic, but the family still talks about.

Anyways, back to the subject. My wife and I really enjoyed the MGM version of Fantasmic, and it seemed that it had been updated. There was a whole Pocohantes part, and it was really awesome (compared to the movie that is). MGM has it's own theater for Fantasmic, so maybe that's why their able to update it a little more.

mainstreet54
05-26-2004, 09:28 AM
I veiwed Fantasmic on 5/21 and there was no Ursula barge so maybe it is in rehab?

Explicit
05-26-2004, 09:31 AM
The Ursula barge has been gone for the past 5 or 6 years now. Thats a pretty long rehab.

ChipmunkStar
05-26-2004, 09:38 AM
No, no refurb. I don't think they're ever planning on putting Ursula back in. It's been several years since she's been in it already, so chances are mega slim that she's under rehab right now.

danyoung
05-26-2004, 09:39 AM
... has anybody listened to the Fantasmic soundtrack and heard Ursula talk about her "tentacles", and it actually sounds like a males groin area (the part that rhymes with tentacles).


It's so funny that you should mention that. I know exactly the part you're talking about, cuz I thought she said that too. There is actually a cymbal hit right there that comes out sounding like an "s". So in the word tentacles, the "n" gets a little overshadowed by this "s". I had to listen several times with headphones on to sort this out. Pretty funny!

sediment
05-26-2004, 09:44 AM
Remember when new and improved attractions and shows meant that more people showed up and then spent money since it might be the only time they go?

Bruce Bergman
05-26-2004, 09:47 AM
I'm not sure if this post is going to be allowed, but has anybody listened to the Fantasmic soundtrack and heard Ursula talk about her "tentacles", and it actually sounds like a males groin area (the part that rhymes with tentacles). My family all heard it and couldn't stop laughing, since then I've lost my copy of Fantasmic, but the family still talks about.

They did mean the word they said - after all, Ursula is an octopus and they do have tentacles. (But I'll bet the recording sessions were a riot, with several blown takes with the wrong word inserted, and a whole lot of laughing... :) Probably why the word is rather well enunciated on the soundtrack so there is no question... )


Anyways, back to the subject. My wife and I really enjoyed the MGM version of Fantasmic, and it seemed that it had been updated. There was a whole Pocohantes part, and it was really awesome (compared to the movie that is). MGM has it's own theater for Fantasmic, so maybe that's why their able to update it a little more.

MGM's is different only because they didn't have the Columbia or Mark Twain to work with as big set pieces (and they didn't have the several million each needed to build copies just for use in a show), so they had to build their own substitutes, and modify the show as needed.

I like it at Disneyland where the show just erupts out of the existing river, that's been bustling all day with other things happening - rather than at MGM, where you file into a theatre and sit on bleachers for an hour or more staring at an empty river and stage waiting for it to happen.


I veiwed Fantasmic on 5/21 and there was no Ursula barge so maybe it is in rehab?

The Ursula barge with the cold-air inflatable body Ursula has been out of the show for at least three years, and there are no signs of them actually doing something about it. Last I heard a source said the Ursula character was only built to last a year or two, had been repaired several times, and needed a complete rebuild. So get out the sewing machines and make a replacement body already! :mad: Sheesh.

:fez: --<< Bruce >>--

Kevy Baby
05-26-2004, 11:55 AM
So I haven't seen anything about this in a while - have they fixed the problem with the Mark Twain after the rehab? In other words, is it back in the show where it should be?Yes, the Mark Twain is back in the show. I've seen it twice in the past couple of weeks.

danyoung
05-26-2004, 02:56 PM
Thanks much, Kevy Baby - that makes me very happy!

danyoung
05-26-2004, 02:58 PM
They did mean the word they said - after all, Ursula is an octopus and they do have tentacles.

You may have missed the point, unless you read my response. There is a cymbal hit that makes it sound like they're saying "testicles" (hey, that's not a foul word - it's basic anatomy!). I think they could have positioned Ursula's dialogue just a bit to either side of the cymbal and it would have been OK. It's subtle, but there.

splashmtngurl
05-26-2004, 03:45 PM
ok first off i totally dont agree with shutting it down!!

but, i do believe that disney has put absoulutly zero thought into the show recently becuase every part of it seems to be going downhill!

i believe in order to make the show as spectacular as it should be, they need to fix ursala (her platform rotted trough several years ago and disney was just to lazy to fix it), they need to add some new movie cilps (the current ones are getting old) and they need to find away of making sure you cant see the coming and going of their electrical equipment!

personally, it pains me to see disney let this origanly spectacular show get down as low as it is!

innerSpaceman
05-26-2004, 03:49 PM
Though it's not going to happen, I think a show that has run for 12 years, even if successful, should make some marginal improvements around the edges.


Besides the obvious return of Ursula (boy is that section of the show dead without her), I think some quick fixes could be to use a couple of new barges to augment the Jungle Book monkeys (that rockin' part of the show would be better even rockin'er) and the Prince and Princess segment (Cinderella and Aurora could make appearances).

Other than that, I think they should put something else in place of the dead-stop Pinocchio-on-strings segment. And frankly, I wouldn't mind if they did some major modifications to the south end of Tom Sawyer Island (and yeah, spent a few zillion dollars) to come up with a better dragon than a head on a giant broomstick, and perhaps to have a "live" version of Chernobog appearing out of folded wings and some additional projections to make it look like the flying spirits are really coming out of Frontierland and NOS to flock to him.


Just my two scents. I still enjoy Fantasmic immensely ... but c'mon - it's time for a few improvements after a dozen years! The show really pulls in the crowds. That's Disney's rationale for not spending a further dime on it, and would be a true showman's rationale (cough)Walt(cough) to show some respect for that audience with some new stuff.

splashmtngurl
05-26-2004, 04:01 PM
do you remember when Disney rides and attractions were built first and then the payment worries were thought about later? the good old days!!!!

Explicit
05-26-2004, 05:23 PM
I agree with lots of the suggestions made. Although I always hated the Ursula barge. It just looked cheap to me. Something I noticed was that the Columbia comes out to early. For the past fours years now I've seen the ship come out far earlier then I think it should. I stand in the middle of New Orleans so my view of that scene is never obstructed, but when Captain Hook is swinging around at the end; the boat is half way down the canal. (Not sure what to call it sorry) Am I the only one who thinks this?

ChipmunkStar
05-26-2004, 05:48 PM
Um, the ship has to start coming out before it's initial blast so it will actually BE on stage when it does! And no, Captain Hook is supposed to swing exactly to the audio track, just barely before the ship is offstage. That's why he swings around the backside, so most of the audience can see him do so.

Disneyfreak
05-26-2004, 06:22 PM
I was in shock when Mark Twain barely made it out of the pyro. I was so nervous when mark twain was still in front of me blocking the view of tom sawyers island when the pyro and fire was going off. :eek:

splashmtngurl
05-26-2004, 08:03 PM
the other thing about fantasmic that i think should MAYBE be replaced or updated is that seemingly usless set of barges with the dancing junglebook monkies!! i personally dont really see what it adds to the performance!!!

i also always thought the ursala barge looked cheap!! i think they should re-do the ursala barge and make her more of an autioanimatronic style character so that 1) she could last longer and 2) she would look more realistic.

the other thing that i believe should be updated is that weird dancing phinnochio scene!! it adds absoutly nothing to the performance and is really kind of cheap!! they should make a new scene to replace that one!! they could still involve the little wooden puppet they just need to get rid of the ugly equipment!!!


I am really upset with disney and the whole fantasmic deal!! i mean do you remember when fantasmic was the best show around because it was so spectacular? now you look at it and the ursala barge has rotted away, they use a dragon attached to a giant broomstick with cloth wings *basically* and lots of other things which i wont even bring up cause i could talk about them for hours!!! but yeah!

Sorcerer Mickey
05-26-2004, 08:26 PM
the other thing about fantasmic that i think should MAYBE be replaced or updated is that seemingly usless set of barges with the dancing junglebook monkies!! i personally dont really see what it adds to the performance!!!

Man, I don't know... I really love that part of the show. The music is awesome... and I think those monkeys on the barges go right along with it. Now, If that "Jungle Drums" song could be extended... and something else added to the monkeys, that would be even better!

splashmtngurl
05-26-2004, 08:37 PM
yeah exactly i didnt really mean have it replaced by something else i just ment have it extended or have something else added to it becuase it just doesnt seem either meaningful enough or long enough!! they should have some more characters from the jungle book do something or something like that!

Cloud Buster
05-26-2004, 09:04 PM
Regarding F!, all I know is that there's something being done to the crocidile barge, and that they've been testing some pyro effects after hours on the river.