Editor's Report - Mar 14, 2003

Editor's Report
Page 3 of 4

Theme Park Parades & Shows
This is the hardest category for me because I love Disney entertainment. I spend much more time watching parades and shows than I do going on attractions. And I'm a fan of almost all of them (keep in mind, I go to Disneyland much more than Walt Disney World). In the interest of picking only the faves of faves, I'm leaving shows off of this list that I actually enjoy more than some of the attractions above ... and the list is still long! If you knew how many times I've seen each of these, you might start to wonder about me.

The Big Stuff


Illuminations: Reflections of Earth

  • Lion King Celebration: Simply amazing. Immersive beyond anything that's been done before or since. Watching it from Town Square with the show stop literally surrounding you was awesome.
  • The Spirit of Pocahontas: I never saw Beauty and the Beast at the Fantasyland Theater, so I guess this is my version of it. Much larger in scope than Mickey's Detective School but not trying to be an Aladdin. For that in-between-type show, I can't imagine much better.
  • Festival of Fools: Disney tried something different (something I always applaud) and it worked extremely well. While it'd be great if they used that location for shows again, the fact that they haven't makes this show remain one-of-a-kind. "To vexilate is to bear flags"
  • Fantasmic!: When I made my first adult trip to Disneyland in 1995 and had no clue what I was doing, I showed up for Fantasmic! a half hour before show time. I ended up seeing it from the French Market with an awful view. But the view was enough to know I needed to come back and see it for real - and soon. Fantasmic!, more than anything else, is why I got an Annual Pass two days later.
  • Believe ... In Holiday Magic: I'm not big on fireworks shows. But the original Believe changed all that .Then the holiday version took it to the next level. Conveying emotion and story using music and fireworks is another amazing Disney feat. And the snow creates hundreds of magical moments every night.
  • Illuminations: Reflections of Earth: I was never a fan of Illuminations, not at all, until this version of it. The music alone is so emotional and uplifting.
  • Tapestry of Nations/Dreams: The music for this is perhaps my favorite piece of instrumental music period. Some parades are meant to be spectacular (see Lion King Celebration). Some are just meant to be enjoyed. That's what this was for me.
  • Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular: Once again, Disney tries something different. Once again, I applaud. What a perfect show to pick if for no other reason than the opportunity to have Genie make sure no two shows are the same. The performances are always amazing. I've seen it probably 30 times so far and still look forward to every one.
  • Underrated: Eureka!: The opening day entertainment at California Adventure was exactly what it was supposed to be - different, a little more modern, but still Disney. And very much to my liking (especially when I could get traditional Disney across the esplanade). For what California Adventure was back then (and what it's slowing - or perhaps quickly - moving away from), this was the perfect parade. I saw it dozens of times and still miss it.