Show #06 – Disney’s What’s Next Presentation

Shaun — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 03:32:38 +0000

Disney’s What’s Next Presentation

Show #05 -World of Color Review

Shaun — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:56:20 +0000

This week we have a full audio review of World of Color as well as the Ariel’s Grotto dinning package.. I also wrote up a review in case you don’t have the time or means to listen to the podcast. My expanded review is below.

Show #05 – World of Color Review, What’s Next?

My Expanded Review

I made a reservation via the (714) 781-DINE two weeks in advance. The call went smootly enough and wasn’t too complex or frustrating. All in all, I had a party of six adults with reserved seating at Ariel’s Grotto and premium viewing for World of Color all setup and done in about 5 minutes. We did not need to pay for the package at the time of the phone call. So, not really much to review here other than to say it went smoothly.

When we arrived at Ariel’s Grotto at around 5:30pm (reservation was at 6:00pm) they took us right in and sat us immediately, even tho we were 30 minutes early. The staff was welcoming and friendly. A spiral staircase lead down to the main restaurant which lives under the Paradise Pier boardwalk. The restaurant was tidy and clean, although I did notice a few tears in the carpet and cracks in the ceiling within 5 minutes of arrival. Nothing a week-long refurbishment can’t fix tho. Upon seating at our table, I noticed several lighting fixtures above the tables themed to Jellyfish and various other sea creatures. This was a nice touch and the themeing was understated and executed with class. Not like places akin to Rain Forest Cafe, where the theming is fun, but cheesy. The place felt like a 4 star restaurant, rather than a family amusement. Although, family events like birthdays and anniversaries would be appropriate. As well as romantic dinners for two.

We were handed our World of Color Prix Fixe menus. We were able to choose one apitizer for the table, so we took a vote. We all agreed to the assorted cured meats. The meats came out on a tower of stacked plates. The top plate had prosciutto. The middle plate had cured shrimp and clams. The bottom plate was adorned with salad and fruit. The items were plated nicely and were prepared beautifully. I particularly enjoyed the prosciutto while my wife and two brothers liked the clams. I was a bit disappointed in the portion of the appetizer though. For six adults, it was not nearly enough for all of us. But, with the meal that would follow, this is not a big complaint.

Shortly after our appetizer, our main courses arrived. Unlike the appetizer, each person got to choose from one of several options. I chose the Tri-Tip. Over all the steak was very tender and full of flavor. I almost didn’t need A-1 sauce to spice up the dish. Almost! The steal was still missing something, so I asked for some A-1, which rounded out the flavor just the way I like it. Your tastes amy vary. I enjoyed the smashed potatoes very much. They made the dish for me. There were also several cucumbers and other veggies, but I was naughty and did not eat my veggies. No toy for me. The portions of the main course were fair and adequate. I was satisfied with the overall dish.

After our delicious dinner, we all got to vote once again to choose a desert for the entire table. We all agreed to go with the World of Color White Chocolate Film Strip. This was a World of Color evening after all. The desert is a mix of various forms of chocolate including tiramisu and a assorted mooses and cakes. The main element was the centerpiece white chocolate film strip adorned with the World of Color logo and a couple of stills from the show. I ate the film strip, ad it was good. Really good! I did not care much for the other items tho. They seemed sort of bland. Although the rest of my group enjoyed the assorted treats very much.

One note on the restaurant though is that is is famous for it’s character meet-n-greets. Usually, various Disney Princesses such as Ariel, Snow White and Aurora mingle with the guests, take photo’s and sign autographs. Not on this occasion, however. During our entire 2 hour visit, we had not seen a single disney character which was very disappointing.

After paid our bill and still had an hour or so to kill before we had to be at our World of Color viewing location. So we decided t kill time by shopping. I picked up my Annual Passholder exclusive World of Color sweater. We then headed back to our designated viewing area. Here is where things fall apart.

The viewing arrangement for the premium viewing was not really “premium.” We were basically herded in with the rest of the crowd without any direction or explanation of where to go, what to do, or who to see. We had to fight to find a spot and once we found it we had to defend it like those Navi folks in James Cameron’s Avatar. I asked several cast members if this was the correct area for Areil’s Grotto Premium Viewing, and they all said “yes.” Perhaps my expectations were too high, but my past experiences with Fantasmic’s premium viewing have been much different. With Fantasmic, we were seated in a roped off area with reserved seats (actual seats). We did not have to fight a crowd or defend our spot in any way.

With World of Color, we were pushed in with the rest of the crowd. Honestly, I felt a little lied to. To me, premium viewing implies a designated spot that has been reserved especially for me and my party. This was not the case. In the end, the spot we got was perfect. Being that I have seen the show form many different spots around the bay four times before this, I already knew where the “sweet spot” would be. I knew not to get too close or we would get wet. I also knew to get as much towards the center as possible. We decided that the south-west area of the play fountain would be the best place to view the show. It was!

World of Color is a spectacle of magic and imagination. The visuals and sound are mesmerizing and dreamlike. From the first sound of the drum roll to the final belt of the chorus, the show grabs your attention and does not let go, not for one second. Technology abound, the show dazzles every cell in your brain for a solid 26 minutes. Fountains skyrocketing 200 feet in the air seem to forget that gravity is a law of physics. The show is so grand, so big, and so colorful, your eyes will bleed from taking in too much visual data.

My only complaint about the show is that it was too “popular.” What do I mean by “popular?” The show is filled to the hilt with every popular Disney film in the last 80 years. It seems like the just through scenes into the show because it was a big money maker in theaters. Not because it had any emotional or story arch value. In fact, the show had little to no story what so ever. It was basically one big giant expensive compilation album on steroids. While many reviews online may knock points the show for exactly that reason, I will not. The show stands on it’s own two feet without a story. Need I remind everyone of the Main Street Electrical Parade? It too did/does not have a story, yet it is held in the highest esteem among fans. Why should World of Color be any different?

There are a few numbers I would have liked to see in the show. I would have been impressed to see a Jessica Rabbit segment a long the lines of “Why Don’t You Do Right?” I think there could have been some creative work done with the scene and even tie it into Dumbo, with the crows playing as the band, you could segue into “When I See an Elephant Fly.”

But, I digress. The show as it stands is nearly perfect. I highly recommend it to everyone to see. It is the pinnacle of Disney creativity and engineering blending seamlessly together to form a magical experience you must see to believe. Those are my thoughts, what are yours?

Show #04 – LIVE from the World of Color Premier

Shaun — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 21:16:10 +0000

We are pleased to bring you a special edition LIVE Podcast from the World of Color Premier at Disney California Adventure. The following podcast was recorded live on Thursday June 10, 2010. We will have our review of the show in our normal podcast this Tuesday, June 15.

Show #04 – WoC Live Podcast

To see photo’s from the event, please see our post HERE.