Disney has launched a stunning drone spectacular that pays tribute to Essential Road Electrical Parade. This shares a primary have a look at the awe-inspiring nighttime gentle parade within the sky, together with our record of 6 explanation why one thing comparable is probably going on the horizon at Walt Disney World. (Up to date February 22, 2024.)
Disney Symphony of Colors kicked off with Disney Electrical Sky Parade, giving company at Disneyland Paris the possibility to expertise a nighttime drone parade within the sky! This feat has been made doable via an distinctive new nighttime sequence combining synchronized drones, lasers, video projections, lights and fountains throughout Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant or Sleeping Magnificence Fortress.
This drone show pays tribute to the Essential Road Electrical Parade, the beloved gentle parade that has run at just about each Disney theme park world wide over the course of its 5 decade yr historical past. The parade was final seen at Disneyland in California two years in the past for its fiftieth Anniversary. Earlier than that, it made earlier stops (a number of) in California, together with Florida and Tokyo. After all, Essential Road Electrical Parade (MSEP) additionally had a decade-long run at Disneyland Paris from 1992 till 2003.
Disney Electrical Sky Parade provides nostalgic company an opportunity to relive their childhood, and youthful ones the chance to find this iconic Disney Parks expertise in a brand-new, never-seen-before format. Greater than 500 drones parade throughout the evening sky within the type of illuminated floats, symbolizing the assorted icons of the Essential Road Electrical Parade.
Drone imagery throughout Disney Electrical Sky Parade contains Mickey Mouse and the enduring MSEP practice, Elliott the Dragon, Blue Fairy, and Cinderella’s Carriage. The unforgettable electro-syntho-magnetic music, which has been remixed for the event, is as soon as once more setting the tempo for this dazzling drone demonstration.
Right here’s a video of Disney Electrical Sky Parade in motion:
To develop Disney Electrical Sky Parade, the Disneyland Paris Leisure groups have as soon as once more collaborated with Dronisos, official expertise provider of Disneyland Paris and European chief in drone exhibits. This new sequence is following within the footsteps of current nighttime productions at Disneyland Paris, such because the award-winning and nominated exhibits Disney D-Mild, Avengers: Energy the Evening and the unbelievable Bastille Day drone present.
If you happen to’re fascinated about planning a visit to Disneyland Paris, the Disney Electrical Sky Parade is presently scheduled to run till September 30, 2024. This isn’t the one providing for Disney Symphony of Colours in 2024, both. Beginning February 10, company will have the ability to get pleasure from A Million Splashes of Color, a musical daytime present celebrating the animated movies from Disney and Pixar, with a number of characters and 30 dancers. There will even be different stuff for Disney Symphony of Colours, however that isn’t actually the purpose of this publish.
We’re actually trying ahead to getting again to France (and would suggest our 2024 Disneyland Paris Planning Information to anybody contemplating a visit, however we all know most of you’re in all probability studying this for the potential Walt Disney World implications. So with out additional ado, listed below are the 6 explanation why we expect a drone-driven nighttime spectacular will come to Walt Disney World quickly.
One is Being Examined – It’s been somewhat over a month for the reason that Symphony of Colours drone present debuted and we first revealed this publish, and we’re again with an replace (and new sixth cause) as of February 22, 2024. It now looks as if this prediction goes to return to fruition.
That’s as a result of Walt Disney World has been doing drone testing throughout current evenings at Disney Springs, with WDWMagic sharing images and movies of the testing as seen from Saratoga Springs Resort. In line with that reporting, the drone made a number of loops across the Disney Springs lake earlier than returning to its launch pad within the parking zone behind Cirque du Soleil. The drone was illuminated with a vibrant purple present gentle and carried out a number of take-offs and landings as a part of the check.
If you happen to’re questioning why Walt Disney World would do the testing at Disney Springs, it’s in all probability a matter of comfort–avoiding areas within the parks with individuals or having to check throughout the in a single day hours to keep away from company. That’ll undoubtedly come later, as soon as growth of drone-driven leisure is additional alongside. Regardless, we’d count on this to be for one of many parks and not Disney Springs. Though there’s been a drone present there earlier than (see beneath), that was nearly a distinct period. It’s extremely unlikely the current-day Walt Disney World would placed on an “ungated” drone present.
WDW Poached Paris’s Folks – This information flew underneath the radar, however late final summer season, David Duffy was named to the position of Vice President, Stay Leisure at Walt Disney World. Duffy beforehand served in what’s primarily that very same position at Disneyland Paris previous to this, so shifting to the flagship trip vacation spot with 4 parks as an alternative of two ought to be a promotion.
That’s debatable. It actually relies upon upon how critical Walt Disney World is about leisure. The act of bringing Duffy aboard (“poaching” is mostly a sturdy phrase because it’s all the identical firm) means that they’re pretty critical, however the proof might be within the pudding. (Taking ~10 months to reimagine a Little Mermaid puppet present that’s been lacking for 4 years isn’t gonna lower it.)
In any case, Duffy is answerable for the spectacular thirtieth Anniversary program at Disneyland Paris, together with various different exhibits, celebrations, and leisure enhancements at Disneyland Paris. The 2 parks in France have managed to run circles across the flagship Florida resort in terms of leisure in recent times.
Optimistically, Duffy is being promoted to Walt Disney World exactly due to his success at Disneyland Paris, and there’s an inner want to duplicate these ends in Florida. That administration in Burbank sees the distinction in high quality, and is bringing Duffy aboard to ‘rebuild’ the dwell leisure roster at Walt Disney World. That’s our hope and expectation–that Staff Disney Orlando’s angle in direction of leisure will change with Duffy on the helm, and he’ll carry one of many massively profitable drone exhibits from Paris to the skies above Walt Disney World.
WDW Obtained Paris’s Tech – Talked about within the aforementioned launch about Disney Electrical Sky Parade is Dronisos, the official expertise provider of Disneyland Paris and European chief in drone exhibits. Dronisos can be on the precipice of turning into the American chief of drone exhibits, too.
Listed here are related excerpts from a December 1, 2023 press launch by Dronisos:
Ever since its creation in 2016, Dronisos has proudly referred to as Bordeaux, France, residence. Cherishing its roots, the corporate has fostered a vibrant native ecosystem via quite a few partnerships within the area. Nonetheless, recognizing the complexities of working globally from France, Dronisos took a strategic leap in 2023, opening two further workplaces: one in Orlando (Florida) and the opposite in Dubai.
Leveraging its experience in everlasting drone exhibits for amusement parks, Dronisos strategically selected Orlando for its first U.S. workplace. Already a supplier for numerous amusement parks within the Southeastern United States and the proximity to current shoppers, together with Dollywood, made Florida a super alternative.
Orlando, because the heartbeat of the amusement park business, emerged as a strategic location for Dronisos’ American enlargement. With an airbase close to Orlando, the corporate can conduct exams and demonstrations, inviting each current and potential shoppers. A longstanding member of IAAPA, Dronisos actively participates in business occasions, together with the IAAPA Expo in Orlando, and engages in quite a few native occasions.
It ought to go with out saying, however Dronisos wouldn’t have opened an Orlando workplace only for the sake of Dollywood, a theme park in Tennessee. The transfer to Central Florida is to serve one or two shoppers: Disney and/or Common. It’s solely a matter of time earlier than one or each get drone exhibits–the higher query is which is able to debut theirs first.
Given the established relationship with Disney (in Paris) and David Duffy, it stands to cause that Dronisos has the sting on working with Walt Disney World now. We’d wager they’re already in talks with Common Artistic, too.
WDW Already Did Drones – It’s simple to overlook, however Walt Disney World already did a drone present! No, it wasn’t some random one-off media occasion (though the New Fantasyland dragon was means forward of its time, and the X-Wings for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance have been actually cool).
It’s now been nearly a decade in the past that Walt Disney World went to nice lengths to get waivers on their no-fly zones. In November 2016, the Federal Aviation Administration granted Walt Disney Parks & Resorts a waiver to make use of “small unmanned plane system (sUAS) operations” inside its restricted airspaces. These sUAS are drones, and Disney has dubbed the expertise Flixels (per a 2014 patent submitting), which it has deliberate to make use of in nighttime exhibits.
The no-fly zones above Walt Disney World and Disneyland have been each obtained in 2003 on the request of Disney because the U.S. ready to go to battle with Iraq. Considerably sarcastically, with the intention to fly the Flixels drones for nighttime exhibits as Disney wished, it had to return to the FAA to get a waiver by itself 2003 request.
On condition that the no-fly zone was at Disney’s behest and since the usage of small drones would “not interrupt nationwide airspace exercise” it appeared like a foregone conclusion that Disney would obtain the waiver. They did. Primarily based on the approval, the flight paths of drones have to be 100 toes away from visitor areas always, and that they might primarily fly over water and restricted areas, maxing out at 150 toes above the bottom. The one query was how and the place Disney would use this Flixels expertise.
To the shock of many people, the primary reply to that was: Disney Springs. Solely a pair weeks after the waiver, Walt Disney World launched a free-to-view Christmas drone present over the water. It was short-lived, resulting in the “apparent” conclusion that it was early testing for Rivers of Mild at Animal Kingdom or Home windows on the World, the working title for EPCOT’s Illuminations substitute.
Each of these assumptions have been incorrect. They in all probability shouldn’t have been fallacious, although, as each Rivers of Mild and Harmonious would’ve benefitted immensely from drones, and may nonetheless be round at present had they used drones as an alternative of barges. We’ll by no means know the why behind that not taking place, however it’s secure to imagine a free 2-month drone present at Disney Springs was the start line of testing and never the top sport. Regardless, there hasn’t been a drone show at Walt Disney World since 2016.
Animal Kingdom Wants One thing – Annually when ticket costs enhance, Walt Disney World highlights how 1-day admission nonetheless begins at solely $109 and has for the reason that introduction of the date-based system again in October 2018. You may also discover that Animal Kingdom at all times has the bottom Genie+ value of any of the parks. For good cause, as there’s the least visitor demand for DAK.
Common readers of this web site know this, as we’ve hammered residence time and time once more that crowds and lengthy traces are the best to “beat” at Animal Kingdom (outdoors of 1 week per yr–between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve when it’s a literal and figurative zoo), so that you don’t have to pay further to skip the traces. That is mentioned in numerous posts, together with in our Greatest Time-Saving Methods for Walt Disney World, which says all you might want to know for DAK is “don’t go throughout the center of the day.”
The explanation for that is additionally fairly simple, which is that attendance is considerably decrease at Animal Kingdom than every other park at Walt Disney World. Decrease attendance reinforces the fact that Animal Kingdom is the park with essentially the most pressing want for additions. The post-Pandora bump ended some time in the past, Animal Kingdom is the park furthest faraway from the final growth cycle, and badly wants extra ASAP. Within the meantime, there’s likelihood that the opposite parks begin cannibalizing Animal Kingdom attendance.
That is exactly why Tropical Americas was formally introduced for Animal Kingdom. That’s a fast repair that’ll give DAK a shot within the arm, and assist revitalize the flailing park. The issue is that “fast repair” is a relative time period–it’s by Walt Disney World requirements. From what we perceive, DINOSAUR is perhaps “secure” for round one other full yr. That places the opening of the brand new space into 2026.
Animal Kingdom wants one thing within the meantime–and that’s doubly true now that Park Hopping guidelines have been relaxed and lots of company might be out and in of DAK earlier than midday, opting to do this park and EPCOT within the same-day.
A drone present at Animal Kingdom would remedy quite a lot of issues. It wouldn’t require infrastructure within the notoriously troublesome Discovery River lagoon. It might make use of the superb amphitheater constructed for Rivers of Mild that now sits unused. A drone present could be mesmerizing with out loud pyro that’s a nonstarter attributable to it disturbing the wildlife.
Equally as essential, it will be an eye catching leisure providing, extra prone to maintain individuals within the park previous sunset. Lastly, it will make the choice not to make use of drones in Luminous at EPCOT make extra sense–the ace up Disney’s sleeve that’s extra precious when performed at DAK.
2025 Wants One thing – We’ve been over this earlier than, however there’s presently nothing on the official timeline for Walt Disney World in 2025. Tropical Americas nearly actually received’t be prepared by then and there are not any yet-unannounced brand-new additions that would conceivably be prepared by then. C’mon. You’ve seen the tempo at which Walt Disney World builds. You actually suppose it’s believable that one thing that hasn’t even damaged floor might be completed by 2025?!
WDW diehards hate after we say this, however it seems more and more probably that Walt Disney World goes to “sit out” 2025 and not attempt to compete with Common’s Epic Universe. Not less than, not within the conventional sense of the time period. Walt Disney World will undoubtedly do one thing, it simply received’t be on the identical degree as brand-new theme park. And truthfully, that is sensible–no main brand-new addition goes to measure as much as a brand new park, so why try to inevitably fall quick?
Nonetheless, that doesn’t imply that Walt Disney World will do nothing in any respect. They’ll need one thing to market, to seize a number of the company drawn down by Epic Universe. I stay of the assumption {that a} reimagined Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster would be the tentpole addition of 2025. Check Monitor 3.0 has already been introduced, so it stands to cause that might be prepared by 2025. Add to that perhaps a pair extra redone issues in EPCOT, and you’ve got the marketable experience roster.
Equally as probably is that Walt Disney World leans on leisure or different additions that don’t require infrastructure and prolonged development timeframes. As soon as once more, that is the place a drone present is the ace up Walt Disney World’s sleeve. Though they’re turning into more and more widespread, drone exhibits nonetheless have a sure wow-factor not present in fireworks or fountain exhibits on a lagoon. A Walt Disney World drone present might be the key sauce to someway competing with Common for eyeballs in 2025–the form of factor that manages to resonate on social media as a lot as Mario.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Do you suppose a drone show is on the horizon at Walt Disney World? Do you agree or disagree with our causes as to why one is unlikely–or fascinating–within the foreseeable future? Suppose this would be the ace up Disney’s sleeve to “compete” (air quotes) with Epic Universe? If a drone present involves Walt Disney World, at which park would you prefer to see it? Some other ideas or commentary so as to add? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
