Originally Posted By leemac <<That's basically like saying, "Therefore, all of this is terrible, and there's nothing to be done about it". >> A little melodramatic. It isn't necessarily terrible - it just isn't all linked together. I think there is an argument that MK's FL has never had a truly coherent theme but there definitely isn't one now - just the Avenue of the Stars (or whatever it is called) has Monsters, Inc. (set in Monstropolis), SGE (set in "space") and Buzz (set in Sector Z).
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<You put Fantasmic's ambiance on the same level as say, IllumiNations? Or Wishes? Where you are in REAL environments?>> Sure. I really have no preference. I'm waiting for something either way. Illuminations might be a little better because I ca drink before the show, but really, it's just waiting either way.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>A little melodramatic. It isn't necessarily terrible - it just isn't all linked together. I think there is an argument that MK's FL has never had a truly coherent theme but there definitely isn't one now - just the Avenue of the Stars (or whatever it is called) has Monsters, Inc. (set in Monstropolis), SGE (set in "space") and Buzz (set in Sector Z).<<<< Melodramatic or not, the rhetoric works. Linking things together is what makes the theme and overarching story of a land work. And I think it did work, at one point, probably with one exception, DreamFlight/Take Flight. From 1994-1998 we had Timekeeper, AE, Space Mountain, CoP, the AO, and the WEDWay all tied into the same "community". Now, I'm not saying that they should go back to those same attractions, but they certainly can and should attempt to make some sense of what attractions go in what places. Tomorrowland doesn't do that anymore.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Sure. I really have no preference. I'm waiting for something either way. Illuminations might be a little better because I ca drink before the show, but really, it's just waiting either way.<<< I doubt you'd be saying this if there was a night show you actually liked in WDW... I mean, besides the Foamheads running around on a stage a mile away. ;-)
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper Oh, EE, your hyperbole is killing me. <<I doubt you'd be saying this if there was a night show you actually liked in WDW...>> I'm fairly certain I love Illuminations. Considering I saw it 2 times my last trip. <<I mean, besides the Foamheads running around on a stage a mile away. >> Again, the hyperbole. It's far from a mile away. And there's like 1 faom head for the vast majority of the show. It's mostly face characters, puppets, and things of that sort. Does it need an upgrade? Of course it does.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper Oh, EE, your hyperbole is killing me. <<I doubt you'd be saying this if there was a night show you actually liked in WDW...>> I'm fairly certain I love Illuminations. Considering I saw it 2 times my last trip. <<I mean, besides the Foamheads running around on a stage a mile away. >> Again, the hyperbole. It's far from a mile away. And there's like 1 faom head for the vast majority of the show. It's mostly face characters, puppets, and things of that sort. Does it need an upgrade? Of course it does.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Oh, EE, your hyperbole is killing me.<<< Good, my evil plot is working. ;-) >>>I'm fairly certain I love Illuminations. Considering I saw it 2 times my last trip.<<< And you can honestly say that the "mood" and ambiance on WS Lagoon isn't different or at least better than the concrete arena and fanbois doing the wave? Were you awake for the show? LOL. >>>Again, the hyperbole. It's far from a mile away. And there's like 1 faom head for the vast majority of the show. It's mostly face characters, puppets, and things of that sort.<<< Despite that, it's still VERY far removed from you, "foamheads" or not. You know I'm using that as a blanket statement. Upgrades? I'd rather have something new.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<Despite that, it's still VERY far removed from you>> No more removed than how far the Illuminations globe is during that portion of the show.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer ^ Yeah, but since the refurb, you can actually SEE the video on the globe. Not to mention that that's when the fountains are going, as are the pavilion pin lights and search lights.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer Not at all... The show surrounds you, especially if you are not watching from WS Plaza, and watching right FROM a pavilion, where the lights, and some of the pyro launches.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper Sorry, man. I don't agree. Save for the very few seconds where there's a pyro shot off or some blinking lights, Illuminations is just as far away from you, if not farther, than Fant. Nothing wrong with that, just stating a fact.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer Not for me... Fantasmic feel like you are looking down a cone, at a point, and that it's it. IllumiNations, on the other hand feels much larger than that, there is more than one vista to it.. You can look around during the show.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo for me, the scale of IROE and it's ethos make it amazing. Add in great music and it is a real winner. My problem with F! is the commercial elements shoving toon based stuff in a hodge podge with an over reliance on the mist screens, it is not a fav of mine. Then the laughable scale compared to Disneyland, it is a bit of a joke if you have been to see the original. Most of the folks at WDW have not seen the original though, and therefore are in ignorant bliss. It is nice to have a seat however.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>for me, the scale of IROE and it's ethos make it amazing. Add in great music and it is a real winner. My problem with F! is the commercial elements shoving toon based stuff in a hodge podge with an over reliance on the mist screens, it is not a fav of mine. Then the laughable scale compared to Disneyland, it is a bit of a joke if you have been to see the original. Most of the folks at WDW have not seen the original though, and therefore are in ignorant bliss.<<< Agreed totally. Though, I haven't seen DL's version... and I still despise the show. Though, I will give it another shot when I get over to DL.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer Gahhh... I used two "though's" ...The writer in me doesn't like repeatability. :-/
Originally Posted By leobloom >> Space Mountain: I hadn't ridden it since the renovation. The queue and load areas are all fine but the music addition was entirely pointless. I could barely hear it until the final helix - a waste of time and money. << The man speaks the truth. >> DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS A park in desperate need for help. << Felt the same way when I visited at the end of December. I truly felt dreadful for wasting my time at this park. Thanks for the report, lee.
Originally Posted By leobloom <<Despite that, it's still VERY far removed from you>> >> No more removed than how far the Illuminations globe is during that portion of the show. << That's the primary reason I don't think highly of Illuminations. The globe. It's a lull in the show. And I honestly don't know why so many fans adore Illuminations. I simply don't understand it at all.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>And I honestly don't know why so many fans adore Illuminations. I simply don't understand it at all.<<< Probably because the score is amazing, as is the story of humanity told in the presentation. I love it. What I do not understand is why people will spend a fortune to fly 1000's of miles, pony up a shed load of cash, to stand with a teenage girl/20 something with a rubber head on, after waiting ages in a line. But they do. Heck, they are even ripping out an attraction in Florida for this.
