Lite-Brite in the sky
Disney Dreams That Soar drone show sparkles
To folks in the States, happy 4th of July. I’ll be taking the holiday week off and won’t be publishing next Tuesday or Thursday. I hope you have a lovely holiday. It’s a great time to go out and support your local theme parks and amusement parks!
Tomorrow (Friday, June 28) I’ll be presenting the monthly “What’s the Attraction” discussion thread that is exclusively for paid subscribers. What is your favorite summertime park memory? That’ll be the topic of tomorrow’s thread. Please gather your thoughts, and plan to share your story.
4 (out of 5)
The first live show featuring drones that I saw was Starbright Holidays, which lit the sky above Disney Springs at Walt Disney World for a few weeks back in 2016. The novelty of the relatively nascent technology impressed me at the time. My, how the art form has improved since then.
Disney has returned to the shopping, dining, and entertainment complex with an all-new drone presentation, Disney Dreams That Soar. And it positively sparkles.
The lively scenes that shine high above the theme park resort’s Sassagoula River are considerably larger, more colorful, and more dramatic than Disney’s first attempt to capitalize on the aerial vehicles. There are big, bold representations of Peter Pan, Buzz Lightyear, Dumbo, and other characters. The drones appear to be capable of more subtle maneuvers. For example, whereas the previous show displayed limited movement, the formations now enable the balloons from Pixar’s “Up” to slowly rise as the house that is tethered to them slowly sways to and fro.
The sheer number of drones gives the Imagineers a broader palette with more creative possibilities from which to create the show. The company says that Disney Dreams That Soar incorporates 800 whirring vehicles, each outfitted with a vivid LED light that can shift colors. Compare that to the 300 that were used in Starbright Holidays. The presentation includes a 213-foot-diameter Death Star and a 354-foot-tall Dumbo, which both fill the sky to the delight of Disney Springs’ onlookers.
But it’s not just the size of the scenes that’s impressive. The increased number of drones allows the Imagineers to render them with more detail (or less pixar-lation if you will).
“It’s kind of like animation in the sky,” says Tony Giordano, Disney Live Entertainment show director and one of the presentation’s architects.
Still, the rendered scenes don’t have the fidelity or the resolution of, say, digital projections. They are relatively rudimentary and resemble giant Lite-Brite creations.
The show clocks in at around ten minutes. That’s about double the length of the 2016 performance. I believe that’s a testament to improved battery capacity, which allows the drones to remain powered longer. The stronger, more durable batteries as well as evolving LED technology are likely responsible for the drones’ brighter and more versatile lights.
Disney Dreams That Soar doesn’t present a linear story. Instead, there are a montage of scenes featuring characters that either fly or dream about taking flight. It’s an “homage, a love letter to everyone who has a dream,” notes Tom Vazzana, Disney Live Entertainment executive creative director.
One particularly enchanting moment features the ragtag rocketeers from the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. Set to one of the vintage songs favored by Star-Lord, the characters dance and toss off one-liners. Rather than using the drone lights to outline the characters, they appear in silhouette against colorful columns that pulsate to the music. So, it’s the absence of light that forms Gamora, Rocket, and the rest of the gang. It’s a widly inventive use of the medium and demonstrates the pinpoint accuracy of the drones as well as the programmers’ ability to turn their lights on, off, and change color in a flash.
There is no attempt to hide the tech. In fact, the show celebrates the drones by lighting them as they fly from their staging site and into position. The introductory procession is accompanied by a lovely Disney-esque song that was created exclusively for the presentation. The speaker system, which was likely installed for the inaugural drone show in 2016, sounds crisp in the dedicated viewing area located on the West Side at Disney Springs (near the Cirque du Soleil theater). The soundtrack helps provide context for the scenes and offers emotional cues.
I better appreciate the need to present drone shows in locations where there would be no people under the vehicles. During one of the scenes, one of the drones sputtered out and dropped into the river eliciting unintended “oohs” from the crowd.
Other than the soundtrack, the only other elements of Disney Dreams That Soar are bright spotlights that are located across the river. They trace and help light up the action. The drones are entertaining and, for most folks, they are still somewhat novel. But I’m not convinced they are ready to carry a show on their own. For Disney Electrical Sky Parade, the nighttime spectacular that debuted earlier this year at Disneyland Paris, drones complement colorful fountains, castle projections, and other media. That makes more sense to me. Still, the technology is mighty impressive and will likely only improve.
Weather permitting, Disney Dreams That Soar is presented twice nightly. Plan to arrive early for prime viewing spots. The show kicked off May 24 and is scheduled to continue through September 2. And get this: Because it is located at Disney Springs and not one of the theme parks, admission is free.
Have you seen a drone show in person? Do you think they are ready for prime time?