Mickey's PhilharMagic
Mickey's PhilharMagic is a 4-D film attraction found at the Magic Kingdom theme park in the Walt Disney World Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Park (Paris), and Disney California Adventure. The film was directed by George Scribner, who is best known for directing Disney's 1988 animated film, Oliver & Company. Mickey's PhilharMagic is a 12-minute-long show featuring 3D effects, scents, and water, as well as a number of characters from Disney movies.[1] Despite Mickey Mouse being the title-bearing character, it is Donald Duck who stars in the show. It is shown on the largest purpose-built 3D screen ever made, at 150 feet wide.
| Mickey's PhilharMagic | |
|---|---|
 Entrance at Tokyo Disneyland | |
| Magic Kingdom | |
| Area | Fantasyland (Castle Courtyard) |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | October 8, 2003 |
| Replaced | Legend of the Lion King |
| Hong Kong Disneyland | |
| Area | Fantasyland |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | September 12, 2005 |
| Tokyo Disneyland | |
| Area | Fantasyland |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | January 24, 2011 |
| Replaced | Mickey Mouse Revue |
| Disneyland Park (Paris) | |
| Area | Discoveryland |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | October 1, 2018 |
| Replaced | Star Wars: Path of the Jedi |
| Disney California Adventure | |
| Area | Hollywood Land |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | April 26, 2019 |
| Replaced | • For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration • Muppet*Vision 3D |
| General statistics | |
| Attraction type | 4-D film |
| Designer | Walt Disney Imagineering Walt Disney Feature Animation |
| Model | Movie theater |
| Theme | Animated Disney films |
| Duration | 12 minutes |
| Director | George Scribner |
| Creative Consultants | Alex Mann Rick Schneider-Calabash |
| Sponsor | Kodak (2003–12) Japan Airlines (Tokyo) TVB Pearl (Hong Kong) Air France (Paris) Alfred Music (California) |
 | |
 | |
 | |
Locations
At Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Mickey's PhilharMagic is located adjacent to Peter Pan's Flight and the Fantasy Faire shop in Fantasyland. This is the fourth attraction to utilize this show building. The theatre originally hosted the Mickey Mouse Revue. Later, it was the home to the 3-D film Magic Journeys, after it left Epcot's Journey into Imagination pavilion to make way for Captain EO. Most recently, it was home to the stage presentation Legend of the Lion King.
At Hong Kong Disneyland, Mickey's PhilharMagic is located adjacent to Royal Banquet Hall in Fantasyland.
At Tokyo Disneyland, it takes the place of the Mickey Mouse Revue, which was originally located at Walt Disney World before moving to Tokyo Disneyland as one of its original attractions.[2]
At Disneyland Paris, it takes the place of Discoveryland Theatre, taking over from previous attractions like the Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival, Honey, I Shrunk the Audience! and Captain EO.
At Disney California Adventure, it takes place at Sunset Showcase Theater in Hollywood Land, taking over from previous attractions like the For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration and Muppet*Vision 3D.[3]
Development
The attraction is unique in being one of a very select number of attractions in the Disney theme parks in which Walt Disney Imagineering has collaborated with another division of The Walt Disney Company – in this instance, it was Walt Disney Animation Studios. This same partnership developed the Fantasmic! shows at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios. Between the two companies, some of Disney's top talent worked together. Including Disney veteran Alex Mann, who was instrumental in developing and scripting the final story.[4] Legendary Disney animator Glen Keane re-animated Ariel from The Little Mermaid in 3D, returning after animating her in 2D in the original film. Nik Ranieri, supervising animator of Lumière in Beauty and the Beast, also returned to animate that character in 3D. Most of Donald Duck's dialogue is actually archival recordings by his original voice actor, Clarence Nash.[5] Tony Anselmo, Donald's current voice actor, recorded only five new lines for the character in this attraction (such as the scene where Donald hums to the tune of the song "Be Our Guest" from Disney's Beauty and the Beast).
Plot
The theater doors open. Mickey Mouse is performing with his PhilharMagic Orchestra at the Fantasyland Concert Hall (Sunset Showcase Theatre at DCA and Discoveryland Theatre at Paris). Inside, there are posters advertising the Concert Hall's past productions and performers, such as Hades from Hercules, Ariel from The Little Mermaid, Genie from Aladdin, Wheezy from Toy Story 2, Willie the Whale from Make Mine Music, The Three Caballeros, The Big Bad Wolf and The Three Little Pigs. Upon entering the theater's lobby, guests pick up their "opera glasses" (3D glasses). During their wait, guests hear orchestral music from Fantasia, Fantasia 2000, and other Disney animated films.
Goofy, the Concert Hall's stage manager, admits the guests into the main theater, where final preparations for the performance are underway. Minnie Mouse then tells the guests to put on their "opera glasses." Minnie then realizes that Donald Duck has gone missing and goes to tell Mickey. Goofy then raises the curtains (despite Mickey protesting that they aren't ready yet) to reveal that the stage is empty, except for a conductor's podium and Donald, who is sleeping in a box. Mickey races onto the stage in a hurry, quickly telling Donald to unpack the instruments. Mickey places his famous Sorcerer's hat on the podium, then leaves, telling Donald, "Don't forget the orchestra. And don't touch my hat!"
After Donald unpacks all the instruments, including a grand piano, from the small box, he is tempted to try on the Sorcerer's Hat himself. He does so, which causes the magical instruments to come to life and play an extremely unpleasant melody. However, when Donald picks on and taunts a small flute, the other instruments rise up against him, creating a chaotic whirlwind of magic and music. Donald loses the hat in the storm and passes through different scenes from different movies while trying to retrieve the hat. After the whirlwind passes, Donald finds himself in the dark with Lumière, the candelabra, who begins to sing "Be Our Guest" from Beauty and the Beast. Guests can smell the food, triggering hidden smell cannons in the theater, and when the bottles pop, they feel a quick blast of wind in their faces surrounded by cakes, which triggers hidden air cannons in the back of the seats. The dark comes back for a second. When the light focuses, the guests find themselves in The Sorcerer's Apprentice, where Donald has shrunk. The walking brooms come in, spilling water on Donald. Guests feel the water on their laps, which triggers hidden water sprayers in the back of the seats. A broom Donald's size comes in, carrying a big bucket. Donald snatches the bucket away, but only gives it back when a giant broom comes in. The giant broom spills water on Donald, taking guests to The Little Mermaid, where Ariel is singing "Part of Your World". At the end of the song, an electric eel shocks Donald while trying to kiss Ariel. Guests are now in The Lion King, where Simba is singing "I Just Can't Wait to Be King". After that, guests go to Peter Pan, where the chorus is singing "You Can Fly" from. Peter uses Tink to sprinkle pixie dust on Donald, which gives him the ability to fly. Finally, guests go to Aladdin, where Aladdin and Jasmine are singing "A Whole New World." This time, Donald retrieves the hat, by Jasmine placing it on his head. Unfortunately, the hat gets knocked away by Iago, and Donald jumps after it.
He encounters the magical whirlwind from earlier. Donald gets sucked inside, finding himself back onstage, still in the whirlwind. Mickey returns, puts on the hat, and uses its powers to restore order. As Mickey conducts the orchestra, Donald gets stuck in a tuba, which launches him across the theater so that he lodges headfirst in its back wall. Donald, in audio animatronic form, is stuck in a hole in the back of the theater. Only his rear end and legs are visible. After struggling from falling in, he eventually falls into the hole and is no longer seen. It is not shown in the Paris version however. In the end, Goofy tells the audience to return their "opera glasses" in the bins outside of the theater and says goodbye to the viewers.
See also
References
- Rafferty, Kevin P. (2019). "Mickey's Philharmagic". Magic Journey: My Fantastical Walt Disney Imagineering Career. Disney Books Group. ISBN 9781368045148.
- "New Attraction at Tokyo Disneyland Park" (PDF). Oriental Land Company. November 5, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 19, 2009. Retrieved November 5, 2008.
- Ramirez, Michael (March 28, 2019). "'Mickey's PhilharMagic' Premiering in April at Disney California Adventure Park". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
- Alex Mann IMDB, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2090267/?ref_=fn_al_nm_2
- Kevin Rafferty. "With a Little Help from His Friends". Tales from the Laughing Place #15. pp. 5–11.