Originally Posted By AutoPost This topic is for Discussion of <a href="http://www.LaughingPlace.com/Latest.asp?I1=ID&I2=3104" target="_blank"><b>Latest: American Idol Experience at Disney's Hollywood Studios website</b></a> <p>Disney has launched a new website to promote the American Idol Experience which opens in January at Disney's Hollywood Studios. View it at <a href="http://DisneyWorld.com/idol" target="_blank">DisneyWorld.com/idol</a>. You can also view the "I'm Going to Disney World" commercial on the site. </p>
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Did you guys notice you can only compete between the ages of 16 and 28. This sucks harder than an industrial vaccuum cleaner (family friendly version ;-) Yep, I am sure Walt wanted a Teen/Gen X Kareoke Bar in his parks.
Originally Posted By leemac ^^ Dave that isn't correct. We had to abide by the rules laid down by Freemantle/19 Television that govern the show - which only allows for contestants that are aged between 16 and 28 (unlike Syco's X Factor show). The prize is the opportunity to audition for American Idol and therefore the winners need to meet the criteria laid down by Simon Fuller's group. However ANY guest can audition - they just can't win the Dream Ticket if they win the in-park contest. Same if you are not a US citizen or green card holder.
Originally Posted By Indigo Actually Leemac, that's not even true. The rules state they can win the "golden ticket" but they just can't use it. They can give it to someone else who would be eligible to use it. But they can't promote or otherwise sell it (so no putting your winning ticket on eBay Lee).
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Thanks for the correction Lee, that did not seem very clear on the web site. I personally think I would prefer WWTBAMPI still (I used to love that attraction). Oh well. Maybe I am no longer "relevent" in these hip and groovy days.
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 I have a feeling this attraction is going to crash and burn. The fact that American Idol has already hit its peak and is already losing its core audience doesn't help either.
Originally Posted By leemac ^^ I'm not convinced that is true - this series may have been down about 15% from last year but the final was watched by 31.7m viewers (slightly up on '07) and the demo was still strong for the key ABC1s (11.4/30 share). Nearly 40m were tuned in by the end - that is a lot of people who may wish to see their dreams fulfilled in the future on American Idol.
Originally Posted By leemac <<But they can't promote or otherwise sell it (so no putting your winning ticket on eBay Lee).>> I'll be first in line to audition anyhow.
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 - that is a lot of people who may wish to see their dreams fulfilled in the future on American Idol.<< But who are going to want to watch them fulfil their dreams? It may be neat for the performers, but I don't see how the average guest is going to want to watch people sing when there are rides and other attractions to do. American Idol won't last a year at Disney Studios...You heard it here first
Originally Posted By leemac <<It may be neat for the performers, but I don't see how the average guest is going to want to watch people sing when there are rides and other attractions to do. >> Well 40m people wanted to watch two total strangers go head-to-head. That is a decent slice of the US population. The theater has a prime spot in the park and I'm certain that the average guest will want to see the auditions - both good and bad to see who wins that day and then watch out for them on the TV show. These contests are still massive everywhere - Idol is a $2.5bn business globally and I'm sure the tourists will lap it up. Disney tells guests it is in the dreams fulfillment business - this is a natural extension of that.
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 Lee, even you can see that there is a huge talent difference between the two singers who performed last night and the performers Disney will get to sing. They won't even be in the same league as the top 10 on American Idol this year, let alone the top 2. So I don't see how your argument stands when it'll be people singing who are of limited talent.
Originally Posted By leemac <<So I don't see how your argument stands when it'll be people singing who are of limited talent.>> I disagree. People will specifically go to DHS to try to audition - that won't be the majority but don't discount kids wanting to audition - it will be perceived to be an easier way to audition. Also you have millions of guests flowing through WDW every year (even as the least visited of the four DHS is around 7m per annum) - are you trying to tell me that none of them have the singing capabilities of David Cook or David Archuleta? I'm sorry but the law of averages just aren't on your side with that argument. And isn't half the fun of the earlier rounds watching the mixed bag of auditions? You won't be able to convince me otherwise on this one William. I'm certain it will be successful and it is exactly what the company should be doing - taking other intellectual properties and putting a Disney spin on it. It worked for the Lucasfilm collaborations and would have also worked for Potter. The parks shouldn't just be the domain of Disney IP.
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 We'll re-visit this argument in a year Lee, I just think this is a very bad waste of space and finances. We'll find out if that's the case when Harry Potter Land opens and Disney counters with American Idol.
Originally Posted By X-san So what is this attraction, actually? Just people getting up to sing karaoke (like the real American Idol, I mean)? Snore. (that doesn't mean it won't be successful though, I think Lee is right...the show is extremely popular (to my UTTER amazement), so why not an attraction?)
Originally Posted By X-san Wow, looking at all the rules and restrictions and rather daunting audition process (sing once no track for Disney rep, move on to sing with track for different Disney rep...MAYBE get to actually do the "attraction), I'd think this will likely quash a whole lot more dreams than make any come true (aside from the pro-wannabes that Lee is expecting to show up, which would be no surprise and would probably ruin any fun for the rest of the guests).
Originally Posted By leemac <<I'd think this will likely quash a whole lot more dreams than make any come true>> X - you should see how hard it is to actually get into an American Idol audition - there is a lot more involved than what you see on TV. I've worked with Simon Fuller's 19 since the first season on the very first version of this show (Pop Idol in the UK) and it hasn't gotten any easier. The opportunity to sign in front of a live audience on an American Idol set will be alluring to a lot of kids no matter the audition process at DHS.
