Some of the creative minds behind the exciting new nighttime shows coming soon to Walt Disney World have shared even more details about the magic they have in store for us!
Wonderful World of Animation
Coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios on May 1st, this newest laser light and projection show is part of the park’s 30th anniversary celebration.
According to managing producer Ray Coble, “it will be a catalog looking through the wonderful feature animation from Walt Disney Animation and Pixar Animation Studios.”
The visuals are projected on the facade of the pseudo-Grauman’s Chinese Theater and will take guests on a 90 year journey through Disney animation.
Coble says the 12-minute show “tugs at the heartstrings from romance to adventure.”
Films set to be featured in the show include Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Hercules, The Emperor’s New Groove, Lilo & Stitch, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Moana, and Coco. According to Coble, at some point there will be mention of every feature animation film ever produced by Disney and Pixar.
“It is a feat.”
Coble also says that they hope to continue to update the show as new films are released in theatres.
Wonderful World of Animation is being added to the lineup at Hollywood Studios, and is not replacing any of the existing entertainment. Coble says it’s possible that Wonderful World of Animation, Disney Movie Magic, and Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular could all be presented on the same night.
Awakenings: Lion King
This updated show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom begins Memorial Day weekend to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Lion King and the remake set to hit theaters July 19th.
The 145-foot-tall man-made Tree of Life turns into a storytelling canvas with state-of-the-art projection technology. Currently, four different Awakenings shows are presented each evening. This newest show will be following Simba’s journey.
According to Shaw Slater with Disney Parks Live Entertainment:
“You’ll see visual highlights of Simba’s journey. All of those moments from being born and presented to going off to live with Timon and Pumba to finding Nala again and taking his rightful place as the king. All of those little beats will play out visually.”
The four-minute show will run several times each night and is scheduled to play through the end of September.
Epcot Forever
With Illunimations: Reflections of Earth ending it’s 20-year run at Epcot this fall but a new IllumiNations show not set to debut until 2020, the folks at Disney Parks Live Entertainment have come up with a new limited-time run show called Epcot Forever.
The show will celebrate the history of the park with familiar songs, fireworks, lasers, and lighting effects.
Listen for songs from both current and former attractions, including favorites like “One Little Spark” from Journey into Imagination and “Magic Journeys” from that attraction.
Coble, who is also producing this show, says that while “pyro is the star,” they “need to make sure that the music [they’re] creating will complement the payoff that [their] guests will be seeing.”
Also part of the show are new special effects-enabled kites that are capable of airborne choreography. The kites will be controlled by eight 2-person teams of performers aboard Jet Ski-like personal watercraft, who will not only fly the kites, but also create enough wind to keep them in the sky.
As to the new IllumiNations show coming in 2020, the creators are asking themselves: “What can we do to really blow people away.”
According to Slater, the unnamed show will feature “immense floating set pieces, fireworks, LED panels that are huge, other special effects and lasers.”
Slater continues, “the big floating set pieces will have fountains on board that do different choreographed things. It’s amazing.”
According to Slater, they produce more live entertainment at Walt Disney World than at any other Disney resort.
“Now more than ever, there is so much live entertainment happening all over Walt Disney World. There is a lot going on.”
Source: Blooloop.com
Tom is the former host/producer of the Disneyland Edition podcast and is currently the co-host of the Connecting With Walt podcast, plus is also providing Disneyland content from the parks. He enjoys traveling with friends and spending time with family, including his son and grandson. In his spare time he volunteers with Scouts BSA and Cub Scouts, and helped found his son's former Cub Scout Pack. His favorite Disneyland attraction is Space Mountain.
