Minnie's Fly Girls

[DLRFanatic]

This is a 19 minute video and Minnie doesn't actually appear until 14:30. The girls are talented, but the dialogue is über cheesy. Is this supposed to be the 40's now since Walt is said to be one of Minnie's regular customers?

I'm glad DLR is using these talking characters more, but these little shows should focus more on the characters. Even as a fan I got bored of this show about 5 minutes in. Live performers should come secondary to the "stars".

[1FoolishMortal]

I vehemently disagree. Groups like the Dapper Dans and others have been gracing the Disney stage since the beginning, and the Dapper Dans don't rely on characters at all to drive the performance. I have seen shows where the Minnie's format doesn't work, though, like the Firehouse band on Main St. that only has a crowd when characters appear, otherwise nobody is watching.

Fly Girls, on the other hand, had a consistent crowd even with Minnie not making an appearance until the end. The performers were very engaging, and the music catchy, which kept a crowd. Drawn to the Magic had a similar format and drew similar crowds. I don't see anything wrong with the show at all. If anything, the resorts needs more of these types of shows and not ones like Disney Dance Crew.

[dlfreak]

Here's a better video. Only better because I took it.



I absolutely LOVED this show. It's exactly the type of entertainment that has been missing in DCA. I did think it was odd that Minnie came in for the last 5 minutes, that's basically how it goes in Disney Dance Crew and in my much beloved Drawn to the Magic. DLR seems to tend to use the characters as last minute bangs in all their productions now-a-days.

Still, the uber cheesy dialogue (unlike painfully horrible excuses for entertainment like the Candy Corn Rap) is exactly fitting for this type of show. The jingle they wrote for the Airline is so period and perfect, too.

In-jokes and cross references also really rounded out this simple "streetmosphere" act with echoes of Chance to Shine and Drawn to the Magic... Sorry, I'm a fan!

That said, I do not like her entrance, it is really awkward that they need to move the audience to clear a path for her. It's handled well but it's too bad she can't emerge from behind the Fly N' Buy.

[DisneySquirt]

Thanks for posting the vids! I think I will wait to watch until I can see it in person {3 weeks and counting!!!} I think this looks like a show I will love! It is too bad that Minnie is only out for the last 5 minutes, my guess is it may have to do with how long the "stars" are allowed to be out if you catch my drift...

[DLRFanatic]

I vehemently disagree. Groups like the Dapper Dans and others have been gracing the Disney stage since the beginning, and the Dapper Dans don't rely on characters at all to drive the performance. I have seen shows where the Minnie's format doesn't work, though, like the Firehouse band on Main St. that only has a crowd when characters appear, otherwise nobody is watching.

Fly Girls, on the other hand, had a consistent crowd even with Minnie not making an appearance until the end. The performers were very engaging, and the music catchy, which kept a crowd. Drawn to the Magic had a similar format and drew similar crowds. I don't see anything wrong with the show at all. If anything, the resorts needs more of these types of shows and not ones like Disney Dance Crew.

I get what you're saying. I just wish DCA would get more "Dream Along with Mickey"-type stuff like at MK. I just feel there would've been more of a connection to the audience with more Disney characters, rather than 15 minutes of these Disneyfied Pan-Am girls. Even in the video I posted you can hear a mom at the beginning go "Look, it's Minnie! Oh...no, it's the fly girls. Look honey, it's...them." If I was in charge, I would've had a talking Goofy show up talking about crash landing one of his Sky School planes (smoke appearing from behind the stage), had Lee try and help him out, then an arrival with Minnie and the Fly Girls promoting her airline, etc.

I did like the bit of audience interaction/improv, followed by the "We fly there!" It could've used more. I'm not saying this is a horrible show, it's definitely one of the best streetmosphere additions the park has had. I just feel that money is being spent in the wrong way when things like Disney Dance Crew and Disney Channel Rocks keep being produced when that money could go to better entertainment for guests.

Also, dlfreak I think the reason they want to clear a path is because when people are close enough to the talking heads you can hear the buzzing/whirring of the mask. I'm not sure how they fixed it with the new speaking Mickey at MK, but I'm thinking the Minnie being used here is one of the 1.0 versions that I heard first hand at WDW. It's awkward how they have to make the announcement that Minnie has to go away for 5 minutes before making appearances by her plane so they can bring out the static Minnie head.

[dlfreak]

It's the same at Disney Dance Crew, it's not really five minutes, it's a different person that comes out just as soon as the other is backstage for the hand-off.

Definitely agree that the characters are underused. It's interesting Dream Along was axed after a while? Maybe shows like the ones we wish for (and remember from the past) just don't rate well, any more. I remember as a kid I absolutely LOVED Fantasy Follies at the Carnation Gardens...

[tcsnwhite]

"Dream Along" as in the one at MK (the castle show)...was axed? When?
I thought they were still running that show constantly?

[dlfreak]

I stand corrected. I hadn't heard anything about it in years and figured it was gone! Glad to hear it's still there.

I feel I remember reading that Anaheim felt that using the characters, oddly, were cheesy. That's why Florida gets the cute backstory of Cinderella's dream of a castle as sparkling as her slipper for Christmas whereas Disneyland gets the horribly mundane "artsy" and ineffective voice of a random child wishing for snow.

It's Disneyland for goodness sake, why would they be ashamed by them? Considering how often people are pushing their children in front of them it would seem the evidence to the contrary that people want to gobble them up.

[tcsnwhite]

Oh, I'm not positive...I don't keep up on WDW stuff all that much... but I hadn't heard of them cutting their castle show any time recently. That's why I asked. Plus, the castle show is one of those things they seem to keep around for years and run pretty consistently (compared to other things..well, maybe not.. it is WDW after all. LOL).


I agree with you...I don't know what DLR has going with not using the characters as personalities, particularly in entertainment offerings (other than parades). They use them like it's a cameo appearance...

The only thing I've been told by folks in Entertainment is that they like to treat the characters like "stars" and not overdo it with them. I think what happens is that they hold back far too much, and seem afraid to use them appropriately and to their full potential in various entertainment offerings (other than Parades).
I mean, even Steven Davison uses them quite a bit in fireworks shows now. Look at his backstory to believe (the mother and little boy concept)...and then look at his show concepts that followed with Wishes, Remember, and Magical...even the Holiday shows with Halloween Screams and Hallowises. They ALL use characters as narration or intros to show segments...and I think those shows are MUCH stronger because of it.

Personally, I think audiences would respond much more to things like "Dream Along" and the Tokyo Disney style offerings.
Like that stage in the WOC viewing area - perfect for a Tokyo DisneySea style "Meet and Smile" character show in period specific early 1900s seaside pier costumes... I mean, it's a no brainer.
For Wintertime Enchantment at Sleeping Beauty Castle...why not have Flora, Fauna and Merryweather narrate?

[dlfreak]

It's not like they've never been up there!