Pocahontas show at Disney's Animal Kingdom closing

All topics relating to Disney theme parks, resorts, and cruises.
User avatar
blackcauldron85
Ultimate Collector's Edition
Posts: 16689
Joined: Sat Jun 17, 2006 7:54 am
Gender: Female
Contact:

Pocahontas show at Disney's Animal Kingdom closing

Post by blackcauldron85 »

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business ... 6138.story

Pocahontas show at Disney's Animal Kingdom closing
Scott Powers | Sentinel Staff Writer
6:13 PM EDT, July 10, 2008
After a 10-year run, the live 'Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends' show at Disney's Animal Kingdom will close Sept. 27, Walt Disney World announced Thursday.

No immediate replacement is planned for the amphitheater. The Pocahontas character will remain in the park, though three actors must audition for other shows.

The remainder of the 28-member cast and crew will be reassigned, said spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez.



I wonder what the animals will be doing. Surely they'll stay at Animal Kingdom, right?!?

I always have thought that this was a cute show...I'll be a little sad to see it go. The animals are cute, and Pocahontas actually sings in it!
Image
User avatar
AwallaceUNC
Signature Collection
Posts: 9439
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2003 1:00 am
Contact:

Post by AwallaceUNC »

This is big news, as the attraction has been a staple (even if a minor one) since the park opened. The show was always a little underwhelming but better than I had first expected. Part of me will be sad to see it ago, but if it's replaced with something less lame, then I'll be happy. Unless I had a full day at DAK, I would almost always cut this show out of the schedule anyways.

-Aaron
• Author of Hocus Pocus in Focus: The Thinking Fan's Guide to Disney's Halloween Classic
and The Thinking Fan's Guide to Walt Disney World: Magic Kingdom (Epcot coming soon)
• Host of Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod, the longest-running Disney podcast
• Entertainment Writer & Moderator at DVDizzy.com
• Twitter - @aaronspod
User avatar
PeterPanfan
Diamond Edition
Posts: 4553
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2007 1:43 pm
Location: USA
Contact:

Post by PeterPanfan »

I actually have never seen this show, despite attempts. I always end up seeing The Lion King one instead.

Oh, well, I was never that interested anyway. Let's hope someting even better replaces it!
User avatar
Escapay
Ultimate Collector's Edition
Posts: 12562
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2004 5:02 pm
Location: Somewhere in Time and Space
Contact:

Post by Escapay »

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

The Pocahontas show was one of my favorites from the "lesser attractions/shows" categories! I don't visit DAK often (for example, my entire 2005 CP program I visited all the parks but DAK), and it's not one of my favorite parks, but the Pocahontas show was always one of those reliable "see it to pass time when waiting for your Fastpass time to come up" shows. If I had known it was going to close, I would have forced Kram and Jane to see it yesterday (it was two-to-one regarding seeing Pocahontas or getting lunch...I was the one).

Dammit!

Albert
WIST #60:
AwallaceUNC: Would you prefer Substi-Blu-tiary Locomotion? :p

WIST #61:
TheSequelOfDisney: Damn, did Lin-Manuel Miranda go and murder all your families?
User avatar
JiminyCrick91
Platinum Edition
Posts: 3930
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2004 8:39 pm
Location: ont. canada
Contact:

Post by JiminyCrick91 »

Unlike 'Tarzan Rocks!' which left before I could sneak a peek, I HAVE seen this show at one point yet remember it to be fairly basic. Though nice Disney can do leagues better.


-Sky
Image
User avatar
Escapay
Ultimate Collector's Edition
Posts: 12562
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2004 5:02 pm
Location: Somewhere in Time and Space
Contact:

Post by Escapay »

Skyler wrote:Unlike 'Tarzan Rocks!' which left before I could sneak a peek,
"Tarzan Rocks" Rocks!

Albert
WIST #60:
AwallaceUNC: Would you prefer Substi-Blu-tiary Locomotion? :p

WIST #61:
TheSequelOfDisney: Damn, did Lin-Manuel Miranda go and murder all your families?
User avatar
Prudence
Anniversary Edition
Posts: 1975
Joined: Sun Feb 04, 2007 5:27 pm
Location: The Kingdom of Perrault

Post by Prudence »

AwallaceUNC wrote:This is big news, as the attraction has been a staple (even if a minor one) since the park opened. The show was always a little underwhelming but better than I had first expected. Part of me will be sad to see it ago, but if it's replaced with something less lame, then I'll be happy.
Agreed with all I've quoted above.
Image
That's hot.
User avatar
blackcauldron85
Ultimate Collector's Edition
Posts: 16689
Joined: Sat Jun 17, 2006 7:54 am
Gender: Female
Contact:

Post by blackcauldron85 »

Escapay wrote:
Skyler wrote:Unlike 'Tarzan Rocks!' which left before I could sneak a peek,
"Tarzan Rocks" Rocks!
Tarzan Rocks totally rocked! I miss it so much!
Image
User avatar
PeterPanfan
Diamond Edition
Posts: 4553
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2007 1:43 pm
Location: USA
Contact:

Post by PeterPanfan »

And why exactly was "Tarzan Rocks!" closed again? :?
User avatar
JiminyCrick91
Platinum Edition
Posts: 3930
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2004 8:39 pm
Location: ont. canada
Contact:

Post by JiminyCrick91 »

PeterPanfan wrote:And why exactly was "Tarzan Rocks!" closed again? :?
From what i've heard there is A) Tarzan: A Broadway Musical and B)Finding Nemo: The Musical.

-Sky
Image
User avatar
Prince Charming 12
Gold Classic Collection
Posts: 101
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 7:09 pm
Location: The Castle

POCAHONTAS SHOW

Post by Prince Charming 12 »

Like a few of the other responders, I have never made time in my schedule for this show. Honestly I never even considered watching it, especially when the Lion King and the recently opened Finding Nemo stage shows are there to choose from. I will always put one of those shows on my "to do list".

I would be interested in reading about what might replace it, but I rather doubt anything other than a minor attraction will take its place.
Remember the Magic!
User avatar
David S.
Special Edition
Posts: 773
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 5:23 pm

Post by David S. »

Wow, surprising and sad news.

While I enjoy the Lion King and Nemo shows, Pocahontas and Flights Of Wonder are actually my two favorite shows at DAK, because they actually feature animals! I'm a big fan of animals and I enjoy seeing them scurry across the stage on cue and appreciate the training that goes into these things...

Also, Pocahontas the film just really clicks with me and I love the song Colors Of The Wind so hearing it live in the context of a Disney show combined with all the animals was always a nice treat.

I also would watch the Animal Training Session at 12:55 at this same venue on my AK visits which is a fun way to see the animals practice for the show.

I feel lucky that I've been living in Orlando seasonally since Hurricane Katrina and got a chance to see the Pocahontas show many times.

(I also had the chance to power-ride El Rio Del Tiempo and Pirates Of The Carribean right before they went under the knife for their recent make-overs, and saw the last ever "Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade" at the Studios park, which I prefer over Block Party Bash)

I wonder if this could be a sign of Beastly Kingdom coming to the park. For those who don't know, BK was the original themed land planned for the space currently occupied by Camp Minnie-Mickey.

Just as most of the park focuses on real, current, animals, with Dinoland representing extinct animals, BK was going to represent imaginary, fantasy animals, like dragons and unicorns. The concept art looked FABULOUS.

Due to budget cuts, BK was obviously not completed for park opening, and Camp MM was designed as a "temporary" placeholder. But the Lion King show proved so popular this land stuck around longer than expected.

With the popularity of Everest causing a significant attendance boost to DAK, notably it's ability to get people to stay in the park after dark (when the hours are extended), there have been rumors of the BK plans being taken off the backburner and replacing Camp MM, with Poca closing and the LK show possibly being moved to Africa...

(BTW, for anyone else who enjoys animal shows and finds themselves at Sea World, DO NOT MISS Pets Ahoy, the most underated and IMO best show in the park)
"Feed the birds, tuppence a bag"- Mary Poppins
"How high does the sycamore grow? If you cut it down, then you'll never know"- Pocahontas
"I do not make films primarily for children. I make them for the child in all of us, whether he be six or sixty. Call the child innocence." - Walt Disney
User avatar
kbehm29
Anniversary Edition
Posts: 1184
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2006 7:49 am
Location: Too Far Away from Disney
Contact:

Post by kbehm29 »

I just heard about this today. :( I am lucky my family saw this show last year in May 2007 during our last trip to Disney World. We typically go to Disneyland more frequently. I really liked the show and am sad I will never get the opportunity to see it again. On the flip side, maybe they'll replace it with something totally awesome. I'm not holding my breath, but here's hoping...
Disneyland Trips: 1983, 1992, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, Aug 2018
Walt Disney World Trips: 1999, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2016, ~Dec 2018~, ~Apr 2019~
Favorite Disney Movies: Peter Pan, 101 Dalmatians, Tangled, The Princess and the Frog, Enchanted, FROZEN
User avatar
blackcauldron85
Ultimate Collector's Edition
Posts: 16689
Joined: Sat Jun 17, 2006 7:54 am
Gender: Female
Contact:

Post by blackcauldron85 »

On Friday, I was at Animal Kingdom, and watched the training session for this show- I've seen the show before but never the training show. A cast member talked about some ways the animals are trained (using food rewards, for example), and some animals came out, and Pocahontas was there. It wasn't anything earth-shattering cool, but it was cute to see the animals.
Image
User avatar
stewie15
Gold Classic Collection
Posts: 283
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 2:57 pm

Post by stewie15 »

I saw the show on sunday and was glad i did. It wasnt super great but was a fun little show. My favourite part was the turkey. :)
User avatar
Poody
Anniversary Edition
Posts: 1268
Joined: Tue Nov 14, 2006 9:31 pm
Location: San Diego
Contact:

Post by Poody »

Wow I never even knew about it. Is it similar to the one they had at Disneyland?
Image
User avatar
toonaspie
Anniversary Edition
Posts: 1438
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2003 7:17 am

Post by toonaspie »

AwallaceUNC wrote:This is big news, as the attraction has been a staple (even if a minor one) since the park opened. The show was always a little underwhelming but better than I had first expected. Part of me will be sad to see it ago, but if it's replaced with something less lame, then I'll be happy. Unless I had a full day at DAK, I would almost always cut this show out of the schedule anyways.

-Aaron
It's a younger kids show. And yes it was a good staple for that age demographic.

One of my big beefs with Animal Kingdom is that most of their attractions are too intense for younger kids. I dont have kids myself but it makes the park less appealing for families when you do that. The only thing that younger kids can really do in the park are the animals shows/trek and the triceratops spin.

The fact that they have no plans to add anything new to DAK and to replace that show is bad.

The rumored possibility that Camp Minnie Mickey might finally be replaced with the originally intended Beastly Kingdom is good.
JaceDisney91
Member
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:45 am
Location: Hertfordshire, England, UK
Contact:

Post by JaceDisney91 »

Pocahontas...the first movie I ever went to see theatrically...I didn't even know they had a stage show based on it! I'm off to Florida next year!

Oh man, what a shame! I'm going to miss out on a lot of fun stuff there. xP
User avatar
slave2moonlight
Diamond Edition
Posts: 4427
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 11:33 pm
Location: TX
Contact:

Post by slave2moonlight »

I'm really sad because I didn't get to see this. I've only been to Animal Kingdom twice, both in the same summer (in 2000 or 2001, took a trip with my family, which went really badly, then I took a trip there with my best friend, though it was a bit rushed compared to a previous trip we had taken; In 2004, we took a quick, surprise trip to Disney, but didn't make it to Animal Kingdom, and that was my most recent trip to Disney).

The only shows I've seen at Animal Kingdom are Tarzan Rocks, Festival of the Lion King, and the Bird Show (I was crushing big on the girl who was hosting that show).
User avatar
Ariel'sprince
Platinum Edition
Posts: 3244
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 6:07 am
Location: beyond the meadows of joy and the valley of contentment
Contact:

Post by Ariel'sprince »

Finally when she gets some attention? :( she's the most underrated Princess.
Image
Post Reply