Disneyland's Fantasmic or WDW's Fantasmic

[Fantasmic!kid]

There's so many little things in WDW that could make it look good! If you had the characters in bubbles going by on the water. And maybe drop bubbles on the audience for the bubble sequence. But I have to admit... DL'S VERSION ROCKS!

[Buzz]

Disneyland's Fantasmic beats WDW's by a long shot... WDW's looks so low budget and uhmm sorry to say it doesnt entertain me as DIsneylands does. ooh and that Pochantas part SUCkS!! .. disneyland is better

[HollandBrynn1104]

I felt that Pocahontas was waaaaaay to involved in the WDW version. I mean, there was A LONG Pocahontas bit, which was kind of annoying, considering it replaced the best part of the whole show- Kaa & Monkeys, and Peter Pan. Plus, our verson used a lot more "puppets" (or whatever they're called) and they used the water screen too much. I was a little let down. DL rocks!

[xfkirsten]

Disneyland's. Hands down. I've seen both versions in person many, many times.

Here's what I don't like about WDW's version:
1) The stadium seating. As others have mentioned, it doesn't feel nearly as intimate. While it's nice not to have to battle for a seat, it feels more like a sporting event and less like a magial experience.

2) Too many mist screens! Now, I realize that mist screens are an essential segment of the show that allows the performers to change and get into place for the next scene. However, the way WDW's show is set up, there's too many of them. I think that the cast and show planning should have been done more carefully to eliminate the need for so many mist screen segments. Honestly, how long can we really stand to watch every villain in Disney history laugh maniacally?

3) The Pocahontas battle. I will admit, I like the idea that they're bringing in a new storyline to the show, a new element. And in that respect, I think Pocahontas is a very appropriate choice. What I take issue with here is the level of spectacle. In Disneyland, we see a battle staged on a pirate ship, passing right in front of us as the scene progresses. In WDW, we see a generic stunt battle on a stage that's too far away.

4) The Jafar snake scene. Contrary to what some of you said, I can see this fitting into the story. For the most part, the progression of the Fantasmic story is fairly loose. I see the confrontation between Mickey and Jafar fitting in well in that escalation from the Snow Queen's appearance to that final climax with Maleficent. However, I think it's just far too long. For a tiresome couple of minutes, all we see is the snake walking back and forth, and Mickey running around like a chicken with his head cut off. IMHO, this segment should stay, but with about half the length.

5) The final battle. "Whaaaaa?" you say? No, I don't feel like this scene should be cut out. However, I feel like it also got dragged out too long. While Mickey parades around on stage, the dragon just watches passively. Riiiiiight. Now, on the otherhand, I feel like DL's confrontation is a bit short. Mickey appears, nails the dragon, end of story - somewhat anti-climactic (although I understand that from a technical standpoint any kind of a real battle between the two would have been difficult, that would have been preferrable). This is where I think the show could use a happy medium between the two. Some sort of a limited battle would be neat.

6) Steamboat Willie. Cute idea, and I love that they tried to get that theming to the old cartoon. In practice... well, it's pretty uninspiring. Part of it could be tied to the "stadium" aspect. In a huge stadium, a small boat is dwarfed. When you look at the grandeur of the Mark Twain's appearance in Disneyland's version, then look at Steamboat Willie in WDW's version, it's like looking at Mt. Everest next to Mt. Shasta. No contest.

Now, that's not to say that WDW's version is completely wrong. What I do like:

1) The mountain. It's big, it's impressive, and it really gives Sorcerer Mickey that "high and mighty" feel.

2) The video of the princesses before the floats appear. It's a nice segue from the battle to the princess floats, without having to add any mist screen time.

3) The Lion King scene. This one comes with a god and bad side. I love the Lion King sequence idea. I think it's cute, and I'm glad they tried to bring it in. My only complaint here is that the scene looks like they just chucked a bunch of neon animals on the island. Clean that look up, and they've got a great scene in my book.

...okay. I've rambled enough, and I shall step off my soapbox for now.

[iluvdisney01]

I agree with what everyone else has said so far. Disneyland's is way better!!! Sure, I think it's cool that WDW has a special stadium built for their version. Also, the mountain was a great idea. But it doesn't give the audience the same experience as Disneyland.


One important thing that I think is lacking from WDW is the magic...

- When you walk to the bleachers, you see banners of the characters who
are in the show. It ruins the surprise, especially for first-timers since you
already know which characters to expect.

- WDW's audience is there to watch Mickey's imagination. DL's audience
is there to experience it.

- In WDW, you see the mountain and you know something "big" is going
to happen. In DL, you have the cabin and who would expect a dragon to
come out of it?

- And of course, seeing the area around the Rivers get transformed for
the show cannot be matched by the stadium.

[emma15677]

Is the video of Fantasmic! (complete) from RU42 from Disneyland? I think it is...because it looks a lot like what I remember.


Everyone seems to bag out WDW in general...I've only been to two of the parks and they're still quite good.

I love disneyland the most..but all the job oppurtunities are mostly available at WDW!

[Sesshomaru-sama]

I never seen Walt Disney World's Fantasmic! before. So far as I heard, Disneyland's Fantasmic! is better. If there's a way for me to see the show, could someone send me a video or send me a link of the website that has the video? Even if it's clips, send it to me.

[Robert Fuller]

I think the first five minutes of the WDW version are vastly superior to DL's. The beginning is much more exciting, and they got rid of the stupid Pinocchio thing and replaced it with the much more artistic Lion King scene.

And plus I prefer the stadium. I don't think it's less intimate. I guess it depends on where you view the respective Fantasmics from, but since I usually watch the DL show while standing in the back behind everyone, and I saw WDW's from an excellent seat near the front, the WDW version actually seemed a lot more intimate (not to mention more comfortable). And it makes it seem like more of an event. It's at the end of the day, practically everyone in the park is there in one big stadium, and you have to walk like a mile to get to it... it just seems like a big concert to end your day with, instead of something they just threw together in the Rivers of America.

However, since most of the rest of the WDW show sucks (enough with the water screens!), I have to say DL's is better. But I'm also getting sick of the DL version, and I don't think it's that good anymore. It's a bit like Star Tours... an attraction that was amazing when it first opened, but now seems tired and dated and in desperate need of improvement.

[k_peek_2000]

Does anybody have a video of WDW's fantasmic that they can post? I've never seen it and I really want to see how bad it is lol.

[Disneyland_Wolf]

geoffreynease

click videos and click WDW Fantasmic.

[k_peek_2000]

oh man i cant stand wdw fan sites like that lol.

Edit: It's 447mbs..... Is there a version of it where i dont have to wait seven hours to watch it.

Edit again:

Originally Posted by Robert Fuller

I think the first five minutes of the WDW version are vastly superior to DL's. The beginning is much more exciting, and they got rid of the stupid Pinocchio thing and replaced it with the much more artistic Lion King scene.

You did not just call our pinnochio part stupid. Boy if i were right there i would slap you.

EDIT: Robert Fuller? I think I know you. Do you go to foothill?

Edit: HA you live in tustin! Your Ricky Fullers brother.

[Robert Fuller]

Originally Posted by k_peek_2000

You did not just call our pinnochio part stupid. Boy if i were right there i would slap you.

But... it is stupid... isn't it? I mean, it's three cutouts that pop out of the ground and wave their limbs about while their lighted "strings" blink on and off, while everyone in the audience is smiling and nodding and thinking, "Is that all they're going to do?" The string thing doesn't even make any sense within the logic of the movie (how do the other two puppets move without their strings?). And plus it's always breaking down, leaving us with just a couple of fountains to watch while the music plays, making everyone who hasn't seen it wonder, "Is something supposed to happen?"

Robert Fuller? I think I know you. Do you go to foothill?

Edit: HA you live in tustin! Your Ricky Fullers brother.

Who?

[stevo505]

The one thing that's stupid about WDW's is, when mickey is creating that "Wall of Water" around the island, and putting out the flames, the dragon is just sitting there doing nothing. The dragon is probably thinking, "What the heck is Mickey doing?"

And in Disneyland's that dragon segment is too short. Mickey gets mad, kills the dragon, end of story. It's just not long enough. I really think they could have added just a few more seconds to that part of the show.

[disneylandkid]

Originally Posted by k_peek_2000

You did not just call our pinnochio part stupid. Boy if i were right there i would slap you.

HAHAHA lol i would do the same. how could someone bash DL's Fantasmic AND aladdin. i mean i know its his opinion and all but its pinnochio, how could you not love pinnochio

what is the world coming to these days

[Evan-500]

I loved the pinnochio segment.. soo cool this huge thing suddenly appearing there, with huge strings, and yeah!! very neat!