As has been discussed here repeatedly Disneyland Paris late this spring decided to replace the badly ageing, rather un-popular 4D movie “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience” with a return of the former fan-favourite “Captain EO” – a 3D musical space extra-vaganza featuring Michael Jackson.
So several weeks into the attractions second run at Disneyland Paris it is time for a look at the results of this short-notice move. How is the experience for guests? Was it worth it for the resort? We take an in-depth-look in a special “Sunday afternoon” post…
Let’s start with the guest experience … as already reported the resort decided to use the attraction’s / movie’s original title “Captain EO” instead of “Captain EO Tribute” as at Disneyland Anaheim. Therefore first-time guests will receive the first hint about the “historic” importance of the attraction in the darkened pre-show area. After a short (new) spot for Kodak as the attraction’s sponsor (which staid on from “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience” but was already the original sponsor of “Captain EO” in 1992) it is announced that in the following – for the first time ever at Disneyland Paris – the original pre-show movie as seen 1986 in Disneyland Anaheim will be presented (certainly with subtitles in various languages). This is the first and only time guests are carefully informed that they should not expect a state-of-the-art 3D movie. The pre-show movie itself gives a rather interestingly look into the making of the movie and the work that went into the (back then) state of the art special effects. It also gives Disney fans a short look at some today iconic Imagineers in one of their earlier projects.
But on into the main theater. The movie (presented in English with the exception of the first introductory lines of the narrator that are in French) is projected from a near pristine print and entertains just as much as in 1992, when it opened in Disneyland Paris for the first time. However, there might an increased factor of “cheesiness” for some guests. Unfortunately some special effects such as the star-field in the auditorium and the green lasers shooting over the heads of the guests haven’t made a comeback – but first time guests won’t notice. What they will notice though is the movement of the floor. The moving floor had been installed for “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience” and is (unfortunately) heavily used for “Captain EO” now, thumping up and down (more or less in rhythm) for both song and dance numbers – a bit less might have been more in this time. However, overall Michael Jackson fans will love the nostalgic experience offered now again at Disneyland Paris. While other guests may notice a bit more the age of the movie they are still well entertained and treated in particular to two great song and dance performances by Michael Jackson and his performers. So, it is a definite “must” during the next visit … no matter whether as a nostalgic trip back in time to an earlier visit or as a first time experience.
When leaving the theater guests are exiting toward the Star Traders Boutique found opposite the theater’s exit. Star Traders is the “fan central” for Captain EO offering (as sole location) a choice of various merchandise, including t-shirts (including one with the “rainbow”-logo as worn by Michael Jackson in the movie), mugs, posters and pins (the latter also being available in other selected shops).
But what about the second question – was it worth it for the resort? The answer so far is mixed and can’t be given as a definite answer, not the least since there is no information available regarding the costs involved in the return of “Captain EO”. Press coverage of the return was (to word it politely) limited at best and attendance levels in the theater so far seem to be near identical to the numbers that the ageing “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience” managed to pull in (based on personal experiences on several dates as well as word of mouth). But, then there was no “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience” available so the sales of the “Captain EO” merchandise (which however didn’t look to brisk during the most recent visits) should be noted as a plus.
Still, the question remains: why didn’t the guest numbers at the theater increase with the return of “Captain EO”? Afterall reports from Disneyland indicate a positive effect there and Michael Jackson in the recent years was more popular in Europe than in the US. The resort has updated all the posters and signs at the building’s exterior, so once in this part of Discoveryland the attraction is hard to miss. In addition several posters advertising “Captain EO” have popped up between the two parks and on the information billboards opposite the resort’s train station. Unfortunately, that’s it. As the media team have to plan their advertising campaigns early in the year and assign their available budgets accordingly don’t expect any advertising announcing the return of “Captain EO” anytime soon. Unfortunately the park maps handed out in the resort are also prepared and printed early in advance. In other words: all maps to be handed out till late this fall had already been printed before the decision to bring back “Captain EO” had been made. Therefore, the park maps currently (and for the coming summer season) are still announcing “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience”. Only the separate entertainment program includes a note regarding “Captain EO” – at the bottom of its front page, right under the list of currently closed attractions (and in the same font and size) guests are informed that “Captain EO” has replaced “HISTA” – however, no further details. This is a rather unfortunate location since first time guests not necessarily know what type of attraction “Captain EO” is and also often flip the program around right away to get fast access to the actual show / entertainment schedule and therefore easily miss the information.
I really wish Disney wouldn’t push their merchandise in your face like that, by having it actually outside the shops, on racks. It makes the parks look like a street market, giving them a cheap and desperate feel. Disneyland Park has lots of spacious shops, so please Disney, put your merchandise IN your shops, not outside them. You’re better than that.