On opening day of the Magic Kingdom, October 1, 1971, Fantasyland boasted the most attractions with eight. (Tommorowland, if you can believe it, only had one: the Grand Prix Raceway). Of those eight, only four remain today. The Mickey Mouse Revue isn't one of them. Except, as we'll see, it kind of is, at least in spirit.
Can you think of a better way to get guests into an air conditioned theater than a show featuring 24 beloved Disney characters singing a dozen hit Disney songs? It's probably not that hard a task in July, of course, but the Mickey Mouse Revue was a charming way to do it.
After guests entered the pre-show area, they were treated to an 8 minute film giving highlights of Mickey's career, from Steamboat Willie to Fantasia. They then entered the main theater for an animatronic extravaganza much in the style of the Country Bears. There was a main stage in the middle with side stages on both flanks. Mickey conducted the orchestra while various groups sang songs, and medleys of songs, from Snow White to The Jungle Book.
One fact about the show that makes you scratch your head, is that the theater was built to hold 500 guests, but the pre-show area was only designed for 300 guests. Yes, they got that sorted out later, but you wonder how everyone missed that not so little detail.
After the closing of Revue, the theater hosted the 3D film Magic Journeys, then the epic puppet show Legend of the Lion King. Currently in its spot, in both the Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland, is another 3D movie, Mickey's PhilharMagic. The latest film also features Mickey as a conductor and has various characters signing (mostly newer) Disney songs, much like the show that debuted in the theater. Which just goes to show that while the mode of delivery constantly changes, the best stories continue to entertain.
No comments:
Post a Comment