World of Color

For the television series with the similar title, see Walt Disney anthology television series.

World of Color
An overview of some of the show's 1,200 fountains.
Disney California Adventure
Land	Paradise Pier
Designer	Walt Disney Creative Entertainment
Attraction type	Hydrotechnic show
Theme	Disney's animated and live-action films and television series
Opening date	June 11, 2010
Music	Arrangements by Mark Hammond and David Hamilton
Venue	Paradise Bay
Show length	25 minutes
Fastpass available

World of Color is a nighttime show at Disney California Adventure, part of the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. The entire show cost US$75,000,000 to design, manufacture and build.^[1] The process of assembling, installing, and testing the show's numerous components and equipment in Paradise Bay spanned a period of approximately 15 months. It premiered on Friday June 11, 2010 as part of "Summer Nightastic!". Designed by Walt Disney Creative Entertainment, under the direction of VP Parades & Spectaculars, Steve Davison, the show has more than 1,200 fountains^[2] and includes lights, water, fire, fog, and lasers, with high-definition projections on mist screens. Mark Hammond and Dave Hamilton arranged the music, which was performed by the London Symphony Orchestra.^[3]

Construction and development

The show's hidden control room backstage.

The show was first announced as part of the Disney's California Adventure expansion in the fall of 2007. Construction for the water show began with the draining of the lagoon on November 3, 2008. Construction on the platform began on January 5, 2009. The water was refilled in Paradise Bay in November 2009. Testing began during and after park hours in January 2010. A 25-minute video of sequences from the show was posted on YouTube by a hotel guest staying at Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel, on April 7, 2010. The first public performance was held on June 5, 2010 for the creators of the show and guests. In the week leading up to June 11, private viewings for cast members, contest winners, and a celebrity-filled World Premiere took place.

Early plans also called for a small orange fountain, named Little Squirt, that was meant to embody Walt Disney's artistic and mischievous spirit,^[4] and it appears at the very end of the after show, (the post-show that plays after the main World of Color show). After all the other fountains turn off, the little orange fountain remains on for a couple seconds as it bows to the audience, then disappears.

Show elements

"Hellfire" scene. Pyrotechnics are combined with colored water fountains to create the show.

The show uses 1,200 fountains that can shoot water up to 200 ft (61 m) in the air. Each fountain is equipped with an LED light ring. Other water features include a 380-foot (120 m)-long mist screen on which images are projected (similar but smaller screens are used in Fantasmic! at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida). Fire nozzles are capable of shooting flames up to 50 ft (15 m) in the air.^[5] Fog and lasers are used.^[6] Projection domes emerge from the water atop telescopic masts and feature lighting effects and video projected onto the inside surface of the domes.^[7] A 65' tall telescopic mast^[8] was installed in the lagoon to create Chernabog of Fantasia, but the tower has not been used since May 2010. Mickey's Fun Wheel has its lights synchronized throughout the show.

Searchlights and other light towers rise from boxes bordering Paradise Bay. Special animation sequences were created using paper animation by paper artist Megan Brain, who created many characters for the show.^[9] The music was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, England with over one hundred musicians. Australian Choreographer Joshua Horner created a unique interpretation of the music for the Disney Creative Entertainment team thus serving as another source of inspiration for the movement of the water fountain sequences. The show presents footage from the Disney library, including films from; Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures. The viewing area, known as Paradise Park, is situated along the northern shore of Paradise Bay, and can hold up to 4,000 spectators at full capacity. It is multi-tiered, similar to the viewing area for Fantasmic at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. It features trellises, flowers, and an interactive play fountain during the day. Hidden fountains located in the flower beds in the viewing area are incorporated into the stampede scene from The Lion King, as well as the finale.^[10]

Show summary

The Little Mermaid scene

WALL-E scene

Up scene

Aladdin scene

The World of Color logo projected via laser onto a water screen.

This is a list of films, television series, and songs that appear in World of Color:

• Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color intro
• The Little Mermaid
  • "Part of Your World"
  • "Under the Sea"
• Finding Nemo
• Fantasia 2000
  • "Pines of Rome"
• WALL-E
  • "Define Dancing"
• Toy Story and Toy Story 2
• Up
• Aladdin
  • "A Whole New World"
  • "Friend Like Me"
• Fantasia 2000
  • "Spring Sprite"
• Pocahontas
  • "Just Around the Riverbend"
  • "Colors of the Wind"
• A Bug's Life
• The Old Mill
• Bambi
  • "Little April Showers"^{[Note 1]}
• Pirates of the Caribbean
  • "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)"
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides^{[Note 5]}
    • "My Jolly Sailor Bold"
    • "Mermaids"
  • "He's A Pirate" (from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl)
  • "Drink Up Me Hearties" (from Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End)^{[Note 5]}
• "Firebird Suite" (from Fantasia 2000) and "Hellfire" (from The Hunchback of Notre Dame)^{[Note 1][Note 2]}
• "Night on Bald Mountain" (from Fantasia)^{[Note 2]}
• "Hellfire" and "Firebird Suite" (closing verse)^{[Note 2]}
• The Lion King
• Enchanted
  • "So Close"
• Bambi
• Dumbo
• Tarzan^{[Note 3]}
• Tangled
• Lady and the Tramp
• The Princess and the Frog
• Beauty and the Beast
  • "Beauty and the Beast/ Beast's Transformation"^{[Note 1]}
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
• Sleeping Beauty
• Cinderella
• Tinker Bell
• Alice in Wonderland
• Lilo & Stitch
• Fantasia
  • "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"
• Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color finale

Notes:

• Note 1. ^ Instrumental version is played.
• Note 2. ^ Temporarily suspended for the extended Pirates of the Caribbean sequence^[11]
• Note 3. ^ Replaced by Tangled on May 20, 2011.
• Note 4. ^ Ran October 29, 2010 — March 23, 2011
• Note 5. ^ Part of the sequence that was extended on May 20, 2011 to feature clips from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Leaked version notes and rumors

A video of a run-through of the show leaked onto the Internet on April 7, 2010. There had been a few changes to the show from the synopsis that had been disclosed for Disney fans in September 2009. Sequences featuring Alice in Wonderland, the Firebird, and Dr. Facillier were missing, the Pocahontas/Heimlich/Little April Showers segment was placed after "A Whole New World," and new Hercules and Pirates of the Caribbean segments had been added.^[12] It was also rumored that Disney CEO Robert Iger wanted a more contemporary soundtrack and that the show was being reworked.^[13] Many of these changes were confirmed when a second video of a run-through leaked onto the Internet.^[14]

Disney launched a website for World of Color containing interactive features, pictures of on-site testing, and videos. The theme song to "World of Color" has also been posted on the Disneyland website.^[15] Although videos of testing have been leaked online, the site shows both the extensive Alice in Wonderland and The Princess and the Frog segments of the show that were said to have been cut. The site was launched after leaked videos of testing were posted.^[16] Even more edits have been made, including extending "Part of Your World" and "A Whole New World" to include the verses, cutting "Go the Distance" in favor of "Friend Like Me," and the return of the "Firebird."

Encore scene additions

On October 29, 2010, previews for an encore scene promoting Tron: Legacy began, using additional projections and effects on the California Screamin' structure along with improved used of Paradise Park and Mickey's Fun Wheel lighting in a reworked trailer sequence. The scene was added to the show on November 1, 2010 and was discontinued in March 2011. On May 20, The Pirates of the Caribbean segment was expanded to include scenes from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

For the 2011 Fourth of July season, from July 1 to July 4, a special Independence Day preshow was added.^[17] The Independence Day preshow utilizes fireworks, which the normal show does not use. In addition, the music for the preshow borrows selections from Disney's Celebrate America: A 4th of July Concert in the Sky, the Fourth of July fireworks show that is presented at the adjacent Disneyland Park and Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom park.

On November 11th, Disney unveiled a holiday themed intro based on Prep & Landing for the 2011 Christmas season, and to commemorate their 1000th show.^[18][19]

Ticketing system

World of Color Fastpass

Disney's World of Color show uses Disney's Fastpass as the only method of getting tickets for entering the Paradise Park viewing area unless individuals have gotten reserved seating vouchers through a World of Color dining package at select Disney California Adventure table service dining locations or a World of Color picnic package. Tickets are distributed for three sections, labeled Blue, Red, and Yellow.^[20] The Fastpasses are available at the Grizzly River Run Fastpass machines at park opening. The dinner packages are available at Ariel's Grotto and the Wine Country Trattoria. Those at Trattoria are available in limited supply. The lunches may be eaten anywhere in the park and are given to the purchaser immediately. They include a group appetizer, entree, dessert, and a voucher for premium viewing (which may be used at the time listed on the voucher). A simpler picnic package is available online, as well as day-of.

Park guests may view the show from the front with either a Fastpass or a boxed picnic lunch. Without these options, they must watch the show from the rear, near Toy Story Midway Mania!, on the balcony between the bridge and Ariel's Grotto, or from the far right, near the Golden Zephyr.

References

1. ^ Barnes, Brooks (June 10, 2010). "Disney Hopes to Revive Park With a Fountain Display". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/10/business/10disney.html?src=busln. 
2. ^ "Innovative Entertainment Technology Drives ‘World of Color’ – the Next Milestone in Expansion of Disney’s California Adventure" (Press release). Disney. July 16, 2009. http://www.disneylandnews.com/press+releases/world+of+color.htm. Retrieved September 14, 2009. 
3. ^ World of Color, MouseInfo, August 28, 2009, http://www.mouseinfo.com/World_of_Color#Fun_Facts, retrieved March 5, 2010 
4. ^ "Sneak peek: Scene-by-scene preview of World of Color water show at Disney's California Adventure". Los Angeles Times. http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/world-of-color-disne-4925/. 
5. ^ Davison, Steven (January 8, 2010). "World of Color – Behind the H2O – The Journey Begins " Disney Parks Blog". Disney Parks Blog. http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/01/world-of-color-behind-the-h2o-the-journey-begins/. Retrieved January 31, 2011. 
6. ^ "Details emerge about World of Color water show at Disney's California Adventure". Los Angeles Times. http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/world-of-color-disne-4914/. 
7. ^ MouseTimes. "Photo". SmugMug. http://mousetimes.smugmug.com/photos/686770974_vD9te-L.jpg. 
8. ^ Darkbeer. "Photo". SmugMug. http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/Theme-Parks/Disneyland-ResortVetera-111109/DSCF2182/710848897_ZTSr2-M-2.jpg. 
9. ^ Sukovaty, Valarie (March 19, 2010). "Paper May Fold into the Waters of ‘World of Color’ " Disney Parks Blog". Disney Parks Blog. http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/03/paper-may-fold-into-the-waters-of-world-of-color/. Retrieved January 31, 2011. 
10. ^ "Disneyland Resort Update (Disneyland Resort Update) by MousePlanet Staff". Mouse Planet. July 27, 2009. http://www.mouseplanet.com/8922/Disneyland_Resort_Update. Retrieved January 31, 2011. 
11. ^ "Youtube video of extended Pirates of the Caribbean sequence". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Buug042Uq_Q&feature=player_embedded. 
12. ^ laughingplace (April 9, 2010). "World of Color full test recorded from the Grand Californian". Video. YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii9v5-uEXyI. Retrieved January 31, 2011. 
13. ^ Barnes, Brooks (April 10, 2010). "Is Disney's Iger Having a Cinderella Moment?". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/11/business/11iger.html. 
14. ^ AllEarsNet (April 17, 2010). "World of Color Full Run-Through - Part 1". Video. YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlq3oWPdXPo. Retrieved January 31, 2011. 
15. ^ Disneyland. "MP3". Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. http://adisneyland.disney.go.com/media/dlr_v0200/en_US/special/woc/media/music/theme.mp3. 
16. ^ Rivera, Heather Hust (April 20, 2010). "The Date You’ve Been Waiting For: ‘World of Color’ Water Spectacular Debuts June 11 at Disney’s California Adventure Park " Disney Parks Blog". Disney Parks Blog. http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/04/the-date-youve-been-waiting-for-world-of-color-water-spectacular-debuts-june-11-at-disneys-california-adventure-park/. Retrieved January 31, 2011. 
17. ^ Glover, Erin (June 21, 2011). "Celebrate America with Special Independence Day Shows at the Disneyland Resort " Disney Parks Blog". Disney Parks Blog. http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/06/celebrate-america-with-special-independence-day-shows-at-the-disneyland-resort/. Retrieved July 2, 2011. 
18. ^ http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/11/world-of-color-celebrates-1000th-performance-tonigh/
19. ^ http://disneyland.disney.go.com/events/holidays/?CMP=VAN-FY12Holidays_Holidays
20. ^ Rich, Andrew (June 14, 2010). "Disneyland Resort Update (Disneyland Resort Update) by Andrew Rich". Mouse Planet. http://www.mouseplanet.com/9280/Disneyland_Resort_Update. Retrieved January 31, 2011. 

External links

• Official website