The evil queen from Snow White, Mickey, Belle and the Beast, are just some of the characters you'll see in this huge show.

This is simply one of the most dazzling shows DL has ever produced. It's enormous, (with a cast of over 50, and a support staff of over 150) and bone-rattling loud in its use of special effects. In a word, it's 22 minutes of WOW! I won't spoil it for you by telling you any more.

Keep in mind that the first show is ALWAYS over-crowded, with some silly souls staking out seats at 6 PM for a 9 PM show. (Most visitors end their DL day after this performance, which is why you should do all of the attractions in the Adventureland / Frontierland / New Orleans Square / Critter Country part of the park early in the day to avoid this mess.)

The first show is also the one most prone to glitches, i.e. effects not working, fireworks not lighting, boats missing cues, etc. (complex is the operative word here). Usually problems are fixed by the following show. It will be canceled if winds are high or if it rains, listen for announcements at river's edge during these kinds of conditions.

TIP: In order to get the best seating location, plan to see the final show of the night. The first wave of humanity has left by then, which makes access much easier. Arrive at the edge of the "Rivers of America" in Frontierland / New Orleans Square just as the current show is ending, and as the crowds move out, you move in.

If you are visiting the park with a group, you may want to send one member ahead in the middle of the preceding performance to stake out spots as it ends, and that way the show won't be spoiled for you. (In the Summer & holiday seasons, this can be tough, since prime seats are claimed right away.) Crowds between shows are usually routed out like cattle through Adventureland, and herded in through Frontierland. (You can also take the train from Main St. to the Frontierland station / New Orleans Square station to avoid crowds by entering the back way, just plan enough time to do so.)

The "sweet spot" for both sound and visuals is located at the river's edge facing the shack on Tom Sawyer's Island. You'll sit on the cobblestones around where a metal manhole cover is, between the river and wall. (Avoid sitting right on the metal cover, it's COLD!) Find it by looking for three tall hydraulic light towers, (which are hidden underground during the day) and heading for the center one, which is across from the "Pirates" entrance / bridge, on the second walkway tier above the river. (This tower is different from the others in that it has a control panel with tech people right at the base.)

This area can also be located by looking for the "Kodak Photo Spot" sign on the river's edge, and then sitting to the RIGHT between the next two light posts, as you face the island. Despite what the announcer says, unless it's windy, you won't get wet. (TIP: Make a mental note of where this location is early in the day by finding it ahead of time so you know right where to go.) When the show ends, stay put, listen to the three minutes of much-too-hyper exit music and wait till the crowds die down. Afterwards you can move easily to your next destination.

You can watch the performance from other locations, but you may have to stand for the entire thing, and / or the view may be partially obstructed. (Don't you hate it when people put kids on their shoulders blocking the view?) Also, all show action is timed to take place right at stage center. where the effects can literally envelope you, making this a much better experience.

Is any show worth all this hassle? (And writing about??) Like Ursula from "The Little Mermaid" says during the performance, "Just do it!" You won't regret it.

TIP: If you feel like being pampered, and are willing to pay for the privilege, the Disney Gallery above "Pirates" hosts a FANTASMIC VIEWING DESSERT BUFFET in the balcony at each performance. You and 14 other guests get reserved seats, (strictly on a first-paid, first-seated arrangement) all-you-can-eat desserts including wicked cheesecakes, wonderful coffee and their famous BLUE BAYOU non-alcoholic Mint Julep while being waited on hand and foot by terrific CMs. The view is spectacular, and it's relaxed and un-crowded. Just before show time you are handed a small little program / keepsake.

The big advantage here is that you can arrive at about 20 to 30 minutes before show time and not tie-up your whole evening. It's almost as expensive as admission to the park, but if you want to really live it up, short of being a Club 33 member, there's really nothing quite like it at DL.

Keep in mind the limited seating ensures this always sells out, and if Disney is hosting VIPs in the park, the first performance will be reserved for them. Attending the first performance will also get you the bonus of seeing the fireworks (if performed) from this location. Look for details on cost and how to book your reservations in the section: ENTERTAINMENT & EVENTS

ANIMAZEMENT - THE MUSICAL (Fantasyland ["WonderBra"] Theater)

TIP: At this time I would recommend that visitors with limited time in the park avoid this show for now and spend their time enjoying the many better quality things, that the park has to offer.

Under the Sea, they have colorful pantsuits

At least former park president Paul Pressler and I finally agree on something...  this show is just not what it should be, especially considering just how high the bar has been raised in the past at this theater.

In a nutshell, this is a bargain basement revue show, featuring the animated films since Little Mermaid with the "clever" [their word, NOT mine] idea of mixing them up all together. The connecting device used here is that we watch Disney animators whipping them all up. This is mostly shown on stage by a performer in a beret who runs out on one side of the stage waving a paint brush in the air at the general direction of whatever costumed character performer jumps on stage on the other side at that moment.

I guess I was hoping for more, [or at least the same level of effort put forth in the past] and quite frankly I was embarrassed watching it. The performers and everyone else were working very hard, but the problems lie beyond them, it appears to be a mess concept and direction-wise from the start.

The biggest problem with it was how unnecessarily complicated it all is. If you don't speak English - as many park visitors don't - it's then even harder to understand the whole "Disney Animators" framing device used. (Dan Steinberg [DanS3 online] has pointed out many times on newsgroups and correctly so I feel, that Disneyland needs to remember that it is an international tourist destination, so good portions of its audience need to be able to grasp what is going on. That means easy to understand show / parade concepts, along with additional stage / parade announcements in Japanese and Spanish, after the normal English ones.)

I clearly understood they wanted a revue of all the latest films - but they should have just kept it to that - a simple revue. The new Alan Menken penned open / close song is lackluster - and I'm being rather kind here. The ending, since they simply don't have one, is a real letdown. The show is even downright amateurish in key areas, such as costuming, the disjointed choreography and unappealing set design.   I'd expect this kind of production at other parks, but Disneyland has set much higher standards in the past [Dick Tracy, One Man's Dream, Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas] for this kind of presentation.

Sound is a mess, [a lot of that is aggravated by the new tent and how it bounces sound all around inside now] but even if this gets fixed - the way too rapid patter and endless explanation of the show's plot framing device is still a headache. A simpler concept [maybe Belle reading stories to the kids, and they then come to life?] and some kind of a "magic of Disney" finale would have been a better idea and leave many more visitors happy.

[As I also understand it, the budget was pretty much spent on another parade, with the few leftovers given to this show, many of those involved cite that as one of the reasons it's in the state it's in.]

After the massive effort that went into expanding this theater - with the intrusion of the roof tent now into the park - I was really hoping for so much more. [Goodness they really built it all up didn't they?] Instead we got a whole lot less. Maybe all the money spent on the tent, and then moving trees around to hide it, should have been better spent on what was presented on there?

The good thing is that it has its own stage and is not in the way of enjoying anything else in the park.

FANTASMIC!

ANIMAZEMENT - THE MUSICAL

Download MPEGs from Fantasmic! by clicking on the photos or links below!

Here are two brief clips from the finale of the show. The Mark Twain swoops by [top - 120 kb], and then Mickey lights the fireworks [bottom - 120 kb].