This show has everything
CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular wows at Universal
4 (out of 5)
Disneyland first exploded fireworks above Sleeping Beauty Castle in the 1950s with Fantasy in the Sky and ushered in the theme park nighttime spectacular. The genre has evolved considerably since then with productions such as Fantasmic! and the Magic Kingdom’s Happily Ever After sending guests home with a multimedia-infused goodnight kiss. Universal Orlando has largely ceded the pyrotechnics crown to Disney, partly because local regulations limit the scale of the fireworks the theme park resort can employ. (It remains to be seen whether Universal’s under-construction park, Epic Universe, which is located a few miles away from its existing campus, will have similar restrictions.)
But the folks creating nighttime shows have much more than just fireworks at their disposal now, and Universal’s talented team has crafted a compelling presentation for the resort’s newest entry, CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular. Yes, it includes fireworks, albeit not the razzle-dazzle kind that fill the sky with blazing light and thunderous booms. But, as SNL’s Stefon might say, this show has everything. In addition to the pyro, it’s got lights, dancing fountains, mist-screen projections, lasers, 4K digital mapping projections, and–you still with me?–drones. As its name suggests, this Symphonic Spectacular choreographs the whole shebang to a rousing medley of movie music.
It’s presented in and around the lagoon at Universal Studios Florida. For the most part, the show highlights the theme park resort’s movie-based attractions of the present, past, and future. Animated and live-action films such as “Jurassic Park,” “Shrek,” and “How to Train Your Dragon” inspire the proceedings. Clips dance across the mist screens and are projected onto the buildings behind the lagoon. It’s a nonstop barrage as a frenzy of lights, lasers, and 228 colored fountains, some shooting over 130 feet into the air, complement the action.
I believe this is Universal’s first show to feature drones, which briefly punctuate some of the sequences. For example, a drone version of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man momentarily appears in the sky during a Ghostbusters scene. A montage of romantic couples includes Shrek and Princess Fiona, who initially embrace on a mist screen and then move in for a kiss courtesy of drones. With 600 of the mobile, lighted vehicles, Universal has 75% of the number that its crosstown rival has in its arsenal for its drone presentation, Disney Dreams That Soar. Drones are the primary focus for the Disney Springs show, whereas they are but one of many elements for CineSational and are used judiciously. They aren’t nearly as fluid or expressive as the ones at Disney. Nevertheless, the drones were a huge hit with the audience and elicited copious oohs and ahs when I experienced Universal’s show.
There is a stirring sequence honoring Universal’s monster movie heritage that showcases the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, and others. Comic relief comes courtesy of the Minions, who momentarily shut down the production only to hit the reset button and get the party restarted. Characters from Super Mario Brothers, who will be part of the Super Nintendo Land at Epic Universe, join in the fun as well.
The music, which includes lush orchestral pieces as well as pop songs, hits the right emotional notes. As would be expected, John Williams is prominently featured, with his memorable melodies from films such as the Harry Potter series, “Jaws,” and “E.T ,” but other composers, such as Jerry Goldsmith (“The Mummy”) and Alan Silvestri (“Back to the Future”) get their due as well. The lovely song, “True Colors,” plays behind a Trolls scene.
In addition to its fireworks limitations, Universal doesn’t have the same luxury of space in which to present its nighttime show as Disney does at its parks. EPCOT’s massive lagoon, where the scale of Luminous the Symphony of Us boggles the mind, dwarfs Universal’s lagoon. The show is therefore somewhat compressed into a comparatively tight footprint. This makes CineSational more intimate, but also more in-your-face. In a relatively narrow field of vision, guests experience a nonstop onslaught of lasers, soaring fountains, hyperactive projections, exploding shells, and more. In-your-face is kind of the Universal ethos, though, so the show is on point.
CineSational will be presented on select nights through August 25 and then go on hiatus (presumably to make way for a Halloween Horror Nights lagoon show). For best viewing, head to Central Park in the New York area of the park at least 45 minutes prior to the start of the show.
Have you experienced Universal’s nighttime shows? Do you typically stick around for the kiss-goodnight shows at parks?