Welcome to Extinct Attractions. Next week, we’ll be getting a brand-new attraction at Disney California Adventure’s Hyperion Theater, so today let’s look at what was there previously.
Yesterday, Marvel Studios’ latest television show Secret Invasion debuted on Disney+ to a mild controversy over the partially AI-generated credit sequence in the show. As far as I know, Disney hadn’t yet experimented with AI to that extreme, so it was revolutionary at the very least. The show, following Nick Fury as he tries to uncover which characters are Skrulls (an alien race) or not, is the first show to Marvel show to hit Disney+ since She-Hulk: Attorney At Law almost a year ago as the studio looks to stop producing as much content with the series’ and film’s performances dropping off in recent years.
However, Marvel’s theme park presence hasn’t dropped off with Nick Fury in Secret Invasion garb debuting at Avenger’s Campus today and a brand-new show debuting next week at the Hyperion Theater, but before we get there, let’s take a look back at what used to call the Hyperion Theater home.
Via Wikipedia
In late 2015, I received the devastating news that a Frozen attraction would be replacing yet another of my favorite Disney California Adventure attractions. Just a year after For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration replaced Muppet*Vision 3D, Disney announced that Disney’s Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular would be closing in January 2016 to make way for a Frozen-themed show. Aladdin had been on the chopping block for a few years at that point, with rumors it would be replaced by a Toy Story or Tangled musical, but the show managed to fend them off until the juggernaut that was Frozen.
Disney spared no expense when it came to making Frozen happen at the Hyperion Theater, bringing in Tony nominees to direct, write and do the scenic design (though most of the show’s dialogue was lifted directly from the film, so I’m not sure how much that writer helped). Additionally, they built a 2,200 square foot LED screen that was used for backdrops in addition to set pieces that were able to move around the entire stage.
Debuting on May 27, 2016, Frozen – Live at the Hyperion immediately brought in big crowds, especially with the Sing-Along Celebration closing across the way as there was no need for two Frozen-themed shows 1,000 feet apart from each other. But that’s not all because Disney was so excited about the production that a nearly identical one opened on the Disney Wonder on the Disney Cruise Line a few months after California Adventure’s version on November 10, 2016.
The original version of the show was 75 minutes long, nearly the length of the entire movie. With that in mind, they decided to take a brief hiatus in 2017 and trim some parts of the show, namely the opening sequence of Frozen Heart (with the ice breakers) and most of the time spent at Oaken’s sauna and store.
The show itself was a really impressive spectacle with the giant screen and all the constant motion on stage. With a cast of over 20 performers, the show had the feel of a Broadway production, especially as you saw certain actors popping up throughout the whole course of the show as different characters. It just had a scope that you don’t generally see in Disney Parks shows (because it’s usually out of the budget).
They spared no expense with a great cast where each of the actors did a really great job making the characters they were portraying come to life. The show was cast racially blind, which helped find the best performer for each role regardless of their background. The costume design for Frozen – Live at the Hyperion was spot-on as well, with each of the characters looking like they could have come straight out of the film.
If you were looking for a show that felt like the movie, you were in the right place because very little was cut from the film except for the Frozen Heart, Oaken, and Marshmallow (the giant snow monster). It was as if the movie was brought to life, which could be a bit uninspiring, but also perfect for all the fans who had come just for that.
To me, there were three standout scenes, with the performance of “Let It Go” leading the way. A giant staircase rotated and extended over the guests sitting in the orchestra section. While on the stairs, the actress playing Elsa would perform a quick change on stage, “reversing” her dress to go from her royal queen garb to the Ice Queen in a three second flash of black.
Via Tumblr
The next standout scene came when Anna, Kristoff, and Sven were being chased by the wolves. As the sled launched into the air, the whole gang was attached to wires helping them float through the air and seem larger than life.
The final scene I wanted to mention was actually my favorite because of the creativity involved. To perform the song “Fixer Upper” with the trolls, there were actors on their knees dancing along with little puppets in the back and trolls on the giant screen, too. It was a great way to make 20 people feel closer to 100 trolls and really helped the show’s gravitas.
Overall, the show was very impressive, especially considering that the Broadway version hadn’t opened yet, making Frozen – Live at the Hyperion, the first “full-length” live-action version of Frozen. Bringing in so many Broadway creatives helped the show feel huge and impressive. The only issue was that the show was a bit too long, coming in at an hour even with the changes. It was a lot of time to commit to a show when there are so many fun things to do at a Disney Park.
The show rolled along swimmingly until all of the Disney Parks closed for the pandemic. With Disneyland Resort closed until April 2021, Disney had plenty of time to think of what was working at the park, so in October 2020, they announced that Frozen – Live at the Hyperion would remain closed once the park reopened. (However, the show remains on the Disney Wonder if you are really itching to rewatch it live.)
The theater has sat empty for over three years until this coming Thursday, when Rogers: The Musical will make its debut at the Hyperion Theater. Based on a gag in the Marvel show Hawkeye, it is a stage musical version of Captain America’s life that is intended to be corny and fun. I’m really excited to get to see it even if it’s just for a limited time this summer because the origins of the show are so funny and original that I’m hopeful it’s going to be a fun time.
It won’t be able to match the scope of Frozen – Live at the Hyperion, but then again, which shows can?
Our Top 10 Favorite Disney World Memes – WDW Magazine
Via WDW Magazine
As always, don’t forget to check out my interactive maps of the Disney Parks throughout the years where you can watch or learn more about all the attractions from every Disney park around the world.
Thanks for reading and have a magical day!