20th | Disney Magic on Parade!

[geekyjo]

There's little magic being broken here, Mickey is simply getting helped off the float because it is so high up. Correct me if I'm wrong but mickey can't fly, most kids know that? It's reasonable for him to get a bit of help?

With Meet Mickey we are going to go "backstage" to his makeup room. This is just another time Mickey is backstage going about his normal business...

I do see what you mean actually! Didn't think of it like that!

Mickey getting off a float using a crane may not break the magic and illusion of his character, but it does make the parade appear far less magical and far more mechanical.

I think that's what it is - it kind of distracts from the magical elements of it all. I know Mickey would need some help getting down but I wish he was getting helped down on a cloud or something by Donald and Minnie, instead of on a mechanical thing by two men, ya know?

[Lorum]

As I posted a backstage picture, it does shatter illusions.

As I wrote something about the actors, it does shatter illusions.

No! Don't think so! It makes me laugh.. Because everything is around my comments. I don't know why. If someone says the same, you don't make a comment. But if it is me, you do.

Ok, I am puzzled.

You really are taking things too personally.

You didn't post the picture of the lift which was taken from an onstage viewpoint of a cast member helping Mickey into position. There is no issue with that at all. A backstage area has not been photographed.

Neither did you initiate the discussion about illusions being shattered.

I presume the picture you are referring to is that picture of the inside of the dreams control room. I had assumed that matter had been settled and clarified some time ago.

With reference to the friends of characters. I did not quote your comment as more than one person had mentioned the point.

You had raised the valid point that a person can be friends with more than one character and not care which is their "best friend".

The point I was trying to make is that an actor will always believe in the character they are portraying whether it is Hamlet or Captain Hook. There is no difference between an actor in Hamlet and an actor in a Disney production.

The production can be on a stage or in a parade. The idea is to make us believe in that character.

In order for us to believe we have to anthropomorphasize that character. This is the only point where we disagree.

We should humanise the characters in the same way we humanise the cast of Eastenders.

Please do not assume that any post following something written by you is an attack on you. Surely the idea of a forum is to discuss different ideas.

It is perfectly possible to "attack a post". However I promise you that I will never attack the person posting it.

I will say it again, it is not personal.

OMG! I was joking!!!! I had a hydraulics exam today! That's the before-an-exam humor.

[ford prefect]

I hope your exam went well!

[Lorum]

So do I! Thanks!

[thebritishfrog]

I'm really shocked they're allowing this to be seen from within the park, talk about ruining the magic.



(Photo from DisneyCentralPlaza forum).

Wow... I know a few people have said this photo isn't "breaking the magic" because Mickey is simply being "helped off the float", but in my opinion it really does break the illusion, and is highly unprofessional. A company like Disney who value the importance of creating a magical on-stage world surely should not be letting this happen. We all know the extent that Disney goes to in order to ensure nothing considered "backstage" can be seen by guests. This photo is just really surprising! I'm sure this won't be the protocol every day. I'd like to think that they had a reason for doing this. Maybe there was something wrong with the float and the crew had to get the cast members off right away?

There have been "high" floats before and characters were never loaded on and off where the guests could see them. I'm sure it was just a one-off.

Mickey getting off a float using a crane may not break the magic and illusion of his character, but it does make the parade appear far less magical and far more mechanical.

Sorry to disagree but, if you stand in that position and wait after every parade you can see it. (Even some parades before they start..)
Fantillusions you see this, Princess Parade/wonderful world - you saw every princess do this, Once upon a dream - this and you saw the glass castle of the last float being lowered into the float, not great but hey. There is limited space back there... they do the best they can and if you watch mickey is still mickey until you can't see him at all!

It's not new at all, you just need to be inclined to look...

(source: 5 years working in the parade department )

[ford prefect]

I am sure I read somewhere they are planning to reverse the route. Perhaps this is one reason why?

(Edited for spelling)

[Lorum]

You mean to reverse? That's what happened to Fantillusion, if I'm right.

[ford prefect]

Whoops! Thank you! I did mean REVERSE instead of RESERVE.

I have edited the post!

[littlemermaid83]

I think the parade is already starting from Main Street, well thats what I heard anyway. I don't like the parade starting from there.

[Anthony]

I am sure I read somewhere they are planning to reverse the route. Perhaps this is one reason why?

Also probably to draw people back up into the park, to make sure they stay for Dreams, rather than guiding them to the exit as usual. At last, the afternoon parade will never mark the end of the entertainment day again.

[dagobert]

When is the parade usually shown? Around 16:00 or 17:00? Maybe it would be better to show it earlier, like 15:00, then people will definitely not leave the park.

[ford prefect]

I am sure I read somewhere they are planning to reverse the route. Perhaps this is one reason why?

Also probably to draw people back up into the park, to make sure they stay for Dreams, rather than guiding them to the exit as usual. At last, the afternoon parade will never mark the end of the entertainment day again.

It strikes me that you are storing up trouble if they want to draw people back into the park.

Several reasons why:
1) Assuming the parade is at 5pm ish and dreams is at 9.30 or even 10pm most people will be on a look out for food so will probably exit to Disney Village with a view to re entering at 8ish.

2) DLP really want people spending money in shops at a time when people will be wanting a break from the park and keeping people in Main Street is the best way

3) If the parade is closer to Dreams then there will be a three way crowding at central plaza. (Those following the parade, those already there and those coming up from Fantasy land after the parade. This does not benefit Disney as a large crowd will gather and not spend money

4) The most likely reason for starting the parade at Main St is to drive people out to the shops and restaurants, calming the park down to better prepare key areas. The parade roping will need to be changed to control pre show guest flow, Personally I think that guests will be channelled away from the castle side of central plaza.

Central Plaza will have a rope positioned at the castle entrance and cast members will stop people standing between central plaza and the castle bridge in an area extending to the the side paths to adventure and fantasylands.

This will force a "top fill" where the crowds automatically stand behind earlier arrivals.

BTW this is all guesswork, I have no firm information!

[dazzle_v2003]

I don't know if this is the right place to put this but I wanted to ask what are the technical problems and challenges that the entertainment team face putting on a brand new parade of this scale especially on a first day of a soft opening. Obviously there is plenty of rehearsal behind the scenes. Just wondered if anybody had any ideas?

[Lorum]

Timing, among others (e.g. guest flows controlling guests wanting to cross the parade route).

[Trekkie101]

I don't know if this is the right place to put this but I wanted to ask what are the technical problems and challenges that the entertainment team face putting on a brand new parade of this scale especially on a first day of a soft opening. Obviously there is plenty of rehearsal behind the scenes. Just wondered if anybody had any ideas?

I've never worked with a parade however I've worked on small scale live events, small concerts, large scale demonstrations/presentations and daily operations management and for the parade the three mega challenges that they will face technically/operationally would loosely fall into:

People:
Casting - I imagine there is a large contingent of duplication on characters, I don't think early parades will ever happen due to the ability of someone phoning at last minute to call in sick.
Guests watching will have the ability to throw things into a parade route, stand in unforeseen areas and basically as long as you allow the public enough time they will really surprise you to just how well they can do things you imagine to be impossible.


Equipment:
Floats seem key to failing here, a bad tyre, a bad motor, bad animatronics and lighting can all fail when booted up for the parade. (I would imagine they are started well ahead of time!).
Ropes may get lost/wet/damaged etc which would then allow crowd pollution into the show zone. (again they seem to take great care so probably fear this)
Buildings may oddly get in the way, think along the lines of moving parts, one day they may just be in the right position just by luck to snag on a poster or hanging basket.
Control room communication, on a new parade people like to get confused and send wrong information to speakers etc and send wrong music at the wrong times.

Product:
Guest reaction will help shape the parade, obviously as its a soft opening they may find half way through that people just don't like the parade or it needs a better order, or that its too long to serve as a parade.

Then theres the malicious intent, I don't know about the new parade for DLP but for MSEP in WDW's MK the parade changes the background music based on location, by tracking the frequency close enough i'd imagine you could trigger changes using a small antenna).

On an absolute technical level your dealing with electronics failing, motors not being strong enough to pull the parade in quick pace, music failures, lighting issues and ultimately correct orchestration of the event to make it seem magical rather than just dragging floats along a street.

I watched the videos, I'm not in love but then I've never really liked the day parades as much as the magic of the night parades. Fantillusion, MSEP and Spectromagic really make an impact to me - during the day just doesn't

[15MagicalYears]

Does anyone know why (if there is a reason) DLP runs their parade at the late start of 5, compared to other resorts that mostly run theirs at 3? Besides DLR who do two showings of Soundsational (4 & 6).

[Glstitch]

Does anyone know why (if there is a reason) DLP runs their parade at the late start of 5, compared to other resorts that mostly run theirs at 3? Besides DLR who do two showings of Soundsational (4 & 6).

I think because it's a tradition at DLP , and at that hour all entertainment ends (exept for Disney Dreams!). It may also be for 'economic' reasons , when the parade goes from Fantasyland to Main Street a huge amount of people follow and are going to eat something at Disney Village.

[Javey74]

Watched personally on Tuesday 27th March 2012, 5.00pm. I really liked it, especially since they called it the same name as my website..

Theme Tune: Magic Everywhere..


YouTube link


Anyway enjoy the Pics..

[littlemermaid83]

Thankyou for the photos Javey!

[geekyjo]

Great photos! I have a question that I have always wondered - how do the parade floats 'move'? Are they remote controlled?