Once Upon A Time

[AlexanderMBush]

Starting November 4th, "Celebrate The Magic" will be replaced by a brand new projection show, inspired by the TDL Projection show of the same name; "Once Upon A Time".

Today we’re happy to announce that a new nighttime projection show, “Once Upon a Time,” will debut at Magic Kingdom Park on November 4.

In this new show, Mrs. Potts from “Beauty and the Beast” shares bedtime stories with Chip, taking them (and all of us) on a magical trip through the most adventurous scenes from favorite Disney films like “Cinderella,” “Peter Pan,” “Alice in Wonderland” and “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.”

Scenes that are expected to be guest-favorites include a flight with Peter Pan from London to Never Land, the Mad Hatter’s whimsical tea party, and a daring duel between Gaston and Beast. Mrs. Potts and Chip end their bedtime story with a grand finale that includes appearances by characters from even more Disney films.

The show, which was inspired by one of a similar name at Tokyo Disneyland Park, uses projection mapping technology to cover every nook and cranny of Cinderella Castle in vibrant images that appear almost three-dimensional.

“Once Upon A Time” will replace the current “Celebrate the Magic” projection show, which will end its run on November 3. Check your My Disney Experience app for times and more information.

Are you excited to see a show that is 'inspired' (which I call BS on inspired and that it'll probably be the exact same show that TDL has but in English) by the Tokyo Disneyland Nighttime spectacular? Comment Below!!

 

[Yabbadabba Doh]

Hey, anything to refresh the nighttime offerings is a good thing, especially since there is currently no talk of a replacement nighttime parade now that MSEP is gone.

 

[Nick]

I trust Entertainment on this. Not only because MK Entertainment has been pretty on-point over the past 3 years or so (Hocus Pocus, Muppets, MRFF, Festival of Fantasy, and Hopefully continuing the trend with the new Christmas Show this year). They've also been pretty good about updating the Castle Projection show over the years, so I trust it'll be good.

However, it sounds like the show will focus strictly on more of the *classic* animated movies. I liked Celebrate the Magic as it was a good mix of new, old and obscure. We'll see though, I don't overly care too much. It's pretty much a 10 minute pre-show to Wishes so i'm open to change.

 

[Nick]

Also, if any are interested, here's the Tokyo Disneyland version of the show, which this version will be based on. It's a 19-minute show there... I have to imagine they'll condense it down a bit to the 10 or so minutes they've been doing for these projection shows ever since they started in the US Parks. I could be wrong though.

 

[Teebin]

Odd how the show switches back and forth from Japanese to English. Sorry to be a broken record, but this projection stuff leaves me cold. It must be more "cost effective" than fireworks.

 

[Nick]

Odd how the show switches back and forth from Japanese to English. Sorry to be a broken record, but this projection stuff leaves me cold. It must be more "cost effective" than fireworks.

I don't understand how you come to this conclusion. I could see maybe if it ran simply this show only and no Wishes, but this is in addition to a full-fledged Pyro show. This isn't meant to be a pyro show, it's meant to be a projection show that uses some pyro and other things like lasers, fire, etc. It's a completely different kind of show.

Also, at the time the Projectors were installed in 2011 (there's 4 of them around MK's Hub), they cost $500,000 each. Each projector just got upgraded over the summer and I heard the upgrade cost around $4M.

 

[Teebin]

Because I really really like big fireworks. That is why.

 

[Nick]

Because I really really like big fireworks. That is why.

Then wait until Wishes starts... or go to Epcot on NYE

 

[Teebin]

Then wait until Wishes starts... or go to Epcot on NYE

I didn't realize they were bringing Wishes back... What is the reason for this interruption?

 

[Nick]

I didn't realize they were bringing Wishes back... What is the reason for this interruption?

Huh? Wishes never left and isn't leaving (although there are plans for a new show for the 50th anniversary). This is simply a pre-show of sorts, just as Celebrate The Magic was.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Also, if any are interested, here's the Tokyo Disneyland version of the show, which this version will be based on. It's a 19-minute show there... I have to imagine they'll condense it down a bit to the 10 or so minutes they've been doing for these projection shows ever since they started in the US Parks. I could be wrong though.

I could see them keeping it at it's length of 19 minutes but if it's one thing I hope that they do keep; it's the use of lasers and spotlights.

To be honest, I somewhat wish they do something similar in projection mapping like how Disneyland had Disneyland Forever on the Main Street buildings as that was a really unique use of projection mapping that I quite enjoyed.

 

[Mad Dog]

Also, if any are interested, here's the Tokyo Disneyland version of the show, which this version will be based on. It's a 19-minute show there... I have to imagine they'll condense it down a bit to the 10 or so minutes they've been doing for these projection shows ever since they started in the US Parks. I could be wrong though.

Looks really good. I'd like to see the full 20 minute show at MK, instead of a 10 minute annotated version, though......I "Wishes" Universal would finally do a HP projection & HP music show at Hogwarts or London/Diagon. It's been rumored and I hope it gets finalized. The boffo night shows is the one area that Disney is superior to Universal. A Potter show could be really good to keep people in the park after dark and take Universal to the next step.

 

[Nick]

Looks really good. I'd like to see the full 20 minute show at MK, instead of a 10 minute annotated version, though......I "Wishes" Universal would finally do a HP projection & HP music show at Hogwarts or London/Diagon. It's been rumored and I hope it gets finalized. The boffo night shows is the one area that Disney is superior to Universal. A Potter show could be really good to keep people in the park after dark and take Universal to the next step.

The more I think about it, the 20 minute version from Tokyo may actually be what we get. We just lost the MSEP, so to help try and keep people entertained on Main Street, it would be adding double the time we currently get from a castle projection show per night (2 shows per night).

Obviously the park still needs a new light parade, but the show is a longer, pre-existing show that's already fit to run to the EXACT SAME CASTLE already, so it just makes sense.

And I agree about a Harry Potter Projection show... as long as it's not the main nighttime show for the park. Otherwise that's pretty much like what DHS does in using a single IP in Star-Wars to serve as their fireworks/projection show.

 

[Jon84]

Also, at the time the Projectors were installed in 2011 (there's 4 of them around MK's Hub), they cost $500,000 each. Each projector just got upgraded over the summer and I heard the upgrade cost around $4M.

Much of the cost is probably the bulbs!! It's clever how they can cover every inch of the castle with 4 projectors (unless it's 4 locations and multiple projector angles?

 

[Nick]

Much of the cost is probably the bulbs!! It's clever how they can cover every inch of the castle with 4 projectors (unless it's 4 locations and multiple projector angles?

4 different locations is definitely what I meant.

There's one on top of Cosmic Ray's, One each side of the Main Street shops and there's one on top of the First Aid location, which is near Casey's Corner.

 

[Nick]

According to Disney's website, the show will be 14 minutes. The calendar lists it as only performing once nightly. When I search during November, it either comes up as a 9:45 showing or a 10:45 showing. Those times are AFTER fireworks, meaning there has been a cut in the projection show, too. I've looked at the Celebrate the Magic schedule online and I guess I didn't notice it's only been performing once daily of late so it's not a cut with this change, but it's still a cut.

The main change though is that right now they are showing CtM BEFORE the fireworks while Once Upon a Time will be shown AFTER, which I assume is to try to make up for the loss of MSEP and to have something to keep people from just leaving after Wishes.

Once Upon A Time Castle Projection Show | Walt Disney World Resort

 

[Nick]

Here's the website description:
Top off your day at the park by taking in a dazzling mix of special effects and moving music.

Join animated hosts Mrs. Potts and her son Chip for a captivating bedtime story that recounts cherished moments from tales that begin with the classic line—“Once Upon A Time.”

Get swept away to far-off lands as scenes from some of your favorite Disney animated films―Cinderella, Peter Pan, Frozen, Alice in Wonderland and Beauty and the Beast―are cleverly projected onto the iconic palace.

This show runs approximately 14 minutes.

 

[Jon84]

4 different locations is definitely what I meant.

There's one on top of Cosmic Ray's, One each side of the Main Street shops and there's one on top of the First Aid location, which is near Casey's Corner.

Theres no doubting it's clever tech, I'm always impressed with projection mappings on any building.

I think I'm always the only person that has a glance back to look at the locations!

Something else new to look forward to next month

 

[Nick]

Theres no doubting it's clever tech, I'm always impressed with projection mappings on any building.

I think I'm always the only person that has a glance back to look at the locations!

Something else new to look forward to next month

Yeah, if nothing else, there's a lot of entertainment changes that have taken place this year at WDW, most of them for the better i'd say (other than losing a parade and it not being replaced).

Also, from everything I hear Disney Springs should be a beauty to look at with it's Holiday decor up. I've heard especially good things about what they plan on doing in Town Center, too.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Spoiler: Some tidbits from the first show:

• From what it seems, the order of scenes are this:

- Intro, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Frozen, Alice in Wonderland (condensed), Winnie The Pooh, BatB, Finale

• No Tangled or Snow White
• Devoted two songs from Frozen into the show (First time in Forever and Let it Go)
• Pyro and Spotlights are in the show but there is a lack of lasers