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Combine the energy of seven lightning bolts, the electrical power of a fleet of 2,000 highway trucks and a sprinkling of pixie-dust. Then turn down the lights in the Magic Kingdom. It's showtime for the Walt Disney World nighttime wonder "SpectroMagic."
Designed as a moving gallery for
audiences along a darkened parade route, the show uses a
techno-workshop full of lighting effects to re-create pixies and
peacocks, sea horses and flying horses, flower gardens and fountains
-- all the whimsical creatures and environments of Disney's worlds of
wonder and fantasy.
Some "SpectroMagic" highlights:
The Genie from Disney's "Aladdin" is the eccentric conductor of an
orchestra producing a rainbow of music notes that flow into the air.
Practical Pig, poised before the magical world of Disney's characters (a parade segment more than 100 feet in length and featuring castle towers, a carousel, a bejeweled coach and other dreamlands), flicks a paint brush to change the colors of the characters' world into silvery white.
Chernabog, memorable for his role as the monstrous demon figure in "Fantasia," is portrayed in dark and eerie colors as he dramatically spreads his wings to a 38-foot span.
The Three Good Fairies in Sleeping Beauty's garden create the sparkle of day among the flowers and insects...and magically transform the scene to the mystery of night.
"SpectroMagic" borrows from the
prismatic holographic industry, military lighting developments,
electro-luminescent and fiber-optic technologies, and tosses in
light-spreading thermoplastics, clouds of underlit liquid-nitrogen
smoke and good old-fashioned twinkle lights. The visual spectacle is
choreographed to music produced for the show and presented over an
array of 204 speakers with 72,000 watts of power.
It is the Disney entertainment wizards' 21st-century show to rival the
charm and splendor of the "Main Street Electrical Parade," which ended
an encore engagement in March 2001. "SpectroMagic" is presented on
select evenings at the Magic Kingdom.
Mickey Mouse in glistening lights with "a confetti of light" sparkling
in the air around him heralds the 20-minute production. Dressed in an
amber and purple grand magician's cape, he plays the role of a
light-controller capable of altering colors, brilliance and types of
lighting effects.
Title float, proclaiming "SpectroMagic" in flowing fiber optics, is
surrounded by SpectroMen atop spinning, darting whirlyballs. Effect is
a ball of energy, alive with blue and purple mini-lights and twinkle
lights. SpectroMen are robed in rope lights (points of light inside
transparent ropes), mini-lights, fiber optics and twinkle lights.
Electro-luminescent panels make dragonfly wings as bright as day and
costumes enchanting.
Project lighting designer John Haupt is aglow as he talks about the "SpectroMagic"
"confetti of light effect" that uses xenon flashlights and mirror
balls. "It produces six-million-beam candlepower," he says. "With a
normal flashlight, you MIGHT have 125 candlepower. It is so brilliant
you may actually see little beams of light glancing through the air --
thousands of them -- like when sun rays come through the clouds." The
effect showers the air with color at the beginning and end of "SpectroMagic."
Banks of deep-cycle batteries -- 75 tons of them -- provide the
awesome power to light and move "SpectroMagic" through the Magic
Kingdom. The battery supply is equivalent to that of a fleet of 2,000
trucks.
Approximately 100 miles of fiber-optic cables and threads become
conduits for shimmering lights that create everything from the strands
of "hair" on King Triton's beard...to giant, four-foot hibiscus blooms
and three-foot daisy petals.
Some 600,000 miniature lights chase in wild patterns, moving in
perfect concert with sound effects and music. Goofy's xylophone keys
dance with light at his touch. Mickey's cape transforms in a 24-step
cascade of color sweeping from shoulder height to the base of the
float and upward to 17 feet above his head. It's a "first" for a
float, accomplished through a custom computer.
In fact, "SpectroMagic" is a marvel of the computer age. For lighting
alone, approximately 30 mini-computers are utilized. Audio is stored
digitally on state-of-the-art micro-chips. A sequence of electronic
triggers activates the visual effects and audio effects, and
electronic cross-references synchronize the show.
And with all those batteries, "SpectroMagic" just keeps on going . . .
and going . . . and going -- at night in the Magic Kingdom.
TOTAL # OF FLOATS: 31 plus 6
Whirly Pods
TOTAL LENGTH: 592’ (with Tow Bars – 664’)
EST. TOTAL WEIGHT: 258,000 lbs./ 117 Tons
LONGEST FLOAT: Unit 5-F; Chernabog, total wing span – 30’6”
Unit 1-B; Title Unit – 25’6”
SHORTEST FLOAT: Unit 4-D; Bubble Fish – 7’6”
WIDEST FLOAT: Unit 3-A; Peacock – 14’0”
THINNEST FLOAT: Unit 4-D; Bubble Fish – 3’11”
TALLEST FLOAT: Unit 6-E; Carousel – 24’0”
LARGEST FLOAT: Unit 1-B; Title Unit – 286 Sq. Ft.
TOTAL # OF FLOAT BATTERIES: 948
TOTAL WATTAGE FOR 1 PARADE: 442,260 watts
TOTAL # OF AUDIO SPEAKERS: 204
TOTAL AUDIO WATTAGE: 72,000 watts
TOTAL # OF AUDIO BATTERIES: 112
TOTAL # OF MINI-LIGHTS: 342,270
TOTAL # OF MINI-LIGHT COLORS: 11 including Clear
MOST USED COLOR (BESIDES CLEAR): Blue
FLOAT WITH MOST MINI-LIGHTS: Unit 6-E; Carousel – 54,892
FLOAT WITH LEAST MINI-LIGHTS: Unit 4-G; Sebastian – 2,722
FLOAT WITH MOST COLORS: Unit 6-E; Carousel – 11 colors
TOTAL CAST 118: Includes performers, float drivers and
coordinators
Latest News
29 March 2001: 2 Cast reports from the full rehearsals of SpectroMagic
"Just wanted to let you know I saw SpectroMagic tonight for in it's first performance in two years, it ran twice tonight and it will run twice more tomorrow from 11:00 till 1:00 long after the park closes. It was so beautiful, and brought back so many memories. The additions are few and far between but the floats look gorgeous all rehabbed. The Genie is a nice touch, but Roger Rabbit worked better. Besides that the new Sebastian and Jiminny Cricket audio animatronics are awesome and the new Spectroman Heads are great as well. The parade premieres Monday and we are expecting a full park."
"The Spectro-men have new faces, they are now different flourescent colors. Also, Roger Rabbit has been eliminated from Spectro and replaced with Genie.
The mermaid float has added an animatronic Sebastian, appears to be the same as the Magical Moments Sebastian. The had a dress
rehearsal on March 28th. Everything else appears to be the same. Looks Great."
2 March 2001: SpectroMagic Update
When the show returns April 2 2001, look for new fiber optics, redesigned heads for the Spectro-Men, an animatronic Sebastian on the Little Mermaid float, complete with a new bubble system coming from the float.
20 February 2001: No Fantillusion for Spectro
It was rumored a while back that WDW may receive the floats from Tokyo's Fantillusion. It has now been confirmed by several Spectro performers that this is not the case. The Fantillusion parade is now strongly tipped to go to Disneyland Paris.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- It’s time to say “good bye” to a cherished favorite.
The “Main Street Electrical Parade,” one of the most beloved attractions in Disney history, will close its run at the Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom April 1, 2001. After more than 500 performances before hundreds of thousands of guests, the parade’s lights and music will dim, making way for another spectacle of nighttime entertainment and music, “SpectroMagic.”
The “Main Street Electrical Parade” is a beloved procession of Disney stories brought to life in shimmering colored lights and bouncy, bubbly music. “Alice in Wonderland,” “Cinderella,” “Peter Pan,” “Dumbo,” “Snow White” and “Pete’s Dragon” are featured during the 20-minute spectacle.
“The ‘Main Street Electrical Parade’ has had an enormously successful return to the Magic Kingdom,” said Erin Wallace, vice president for Magic Kingdom. “We wanted to let its fans know the parade is going away so they can catch one of the final performances.”
Magic Kingdom guests can share in the delight of the “Main Street Electrical Parade” every night of the week beginning Feb. 16. Show times will vary.
“Historically, the ‘Main Street Electrical Parade’ has been a Disney favorite,” said R.K. Kelley, Walt Disney Entertainment senior show producer for Magic Kingdom. “Our six-week finale will give many fans an opportunity to enjoy it one last time.”
Sweet Dreams on Main Street
After leaving Disneyland in 1996, the “crown jewel of summer”
underwent a dazzling makeover of 575,000 glittering new lights and a
2,400-mile transcontinental journey before its return to the Walt Disney
World Resort in June 1999.
Longtime fans may recall a version of the “Main Street Electrical Parade” that was crafted for the Walt Disney World Resort in 1977. It bid farewell after 15 seasons to begin an engagement at Disneyland Paris. Fans of that parade will recognize some units from the original Disneyland “Main Street Electrical Parade,” including the Blue Fairy from “Pinocchio” as the “grand marshal” aglitter in a winged gown of more than 10,000 blue, amber and crystal lights.
The “signature” unit for the parade, the Casey Junior Circus Train (from “Dumbo”), has Goofy at the controls of the engine, pulling a huge bass drum that announces in lights, “The Magic Kingdom Presents Main Street Electrical Parade.” The memorable float finale honors America with a flowing red and white field of lights, “fireworks” and a golden eagle.
The Homecoming of “SpectroMagic”
Combining the energy of seven lightning bolts, the electrical power of a
fleet of 2,000 highway trucks and a sprinkling of pixie dust,
“SpectroMagic” returns to the Magic Kingdom on April 2. Like the
“Main Street Electrical Parade,” “SpectroMagic” takes beloved
Disney characters and decks them out in sparkling detail. The parade
features a glittering array of flowing fiber optics; holographic images;
clouds of underlit, liquid-nitrogen smoke; and old-fashioned twinkle
lights, precisely choreographed to an emotionally charged, original
soundtrack which uses dashes of classic Disney tunes.
Some “SpectroMagic” highlights:
- Mickey Mouse in glistening lights with “a confetti of light” sparkling in the air around him heralds the 20-minute production. Dressed in an amber and purple grand magician’s cape, he plays the role of a light-controller capable of altering colors, brilliance and types of lighting effects.
- The title float, proclaiming “SpectroMagic” in flowing fiber optics, is surrounded by SpectroMen atop spinning, darting whirlyballs.
- Practical Pig, poised before the magical world of Disney’s
characters (more than 100 feet in length and featuring castle towers,
a carousel, a bejeweled coach and other dreamlands), flicks a paint
brush to change the colors of the characters’ world into silvery
white.
- Chernabog, memorable for his role as the monstrous demon figure in “Fantasia,” is portrayed in dark, eerie colors as he dramatically spreads his wings to a 38-foot span.
- The Three Good Fairies in Sleeping Beauty’s garden create the sparkle of day among the flowers and insects...and magically transform the scene to the mystery of night.
22 October 2000: SpectroMagic Returning!
Please note - this information is not yet official.
MSEP's last day is March 14th 2001.
Starting February 1st 2001, they'll start a large media campaign, running the parade every night until it ends.
March 21 2001, SpectroMagic returns, with another media blitz, with the parade running every night.
Now for a great bit of news - Tokyo DisneyLand's Fantillusion will
close over there, and all the sections except for the villains will be
used to almost double the length of SpectroMagic when it comes back.
(This is not confirmed - but is being strongly rumored)
On another note: Cynthia Harris, President of Disneyland, was recently
spotted in a VIP Section in WDW's Magic Kingdom watching the current MSEP.
(3 November 1998) The last showing of SpectroMagic is on May
21 1999, and MSEP starts nightly on May 28 1999.
A captivating display of more than 700,000 twinkling bulbs returns to the streets of the Magic Kingdom -- and to the hearts of millions -- when the original "Main Street Electrical Parade" lights up the night beginning summer 1999.
Direct from Disneyland, 26 floats depicting Disney fantasy themes, including Peter Pan, Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland, Pete's Dragon and Cinderella's Pumpkin Coach, will give guests an opportunity to relive Disney experiences and share fond memories with friends and family who may not have seen the nighttime parade.
It is still not clear whether SpectroMagic will be down for the whole year, move to another park (MGM), or only appear on busy nights.