Disney just debuted its newest nighttime spectacular – and it hasn’t actually received the warmest welcome.

From Anaheim to Shanghai, Disney is known for its outstanding nighttime entertainment. What started with Fantasy in the Sky back in the 1950s has evolved into an array of fireworks displays, drone shows, and impressive water projections, all inspired by the magic of Disney.

Sleeping Beauty Castle at night with red fireworks illuminating the sky above Disneyland Park on the 4th of July
Credit: Disney

These have become even more impressive in recent years, with the likes of the Disney Electrical Sky Parade—the drone show inspired by the classic Main Street Electrical Parade—at Disneyland Paris taking entertainment to a whole new level.

Earlier this week, we saw a brand-new show debut at Tokyo Disney Resort. Reach for the Stars, a nightly show that “brings beloved characters to life as they reach for the stars in pursuit of their dreams” and combines “dazzling projections, pyrotechnics and lighting at Cinderella Castle,” officially premiered last night, but hasn’t received the best reviews.

Tokyo Disneyland nighttime show featuring Disney, Pixar and Marvel characters
Credit: Tokyo Disneyland

The biggest critique seems to be the same thing that drags down a lot of recent Disney nighttime shows: it acts more like a clip show for popular Disney projects than a coherent show.

“It’s technically impressive, colourful, & beautiful,” explained @TDRExplorer. “The fog, lasers, & fire are great. I enjoy the song. But, it lacks a story and emotional connection.”

For some, this – combined with the relative lack of pyrotechnics – made the final product slightly boring. “Reach for the Stars, but it’s still boring with so few pyros,” said @BND_GUSton3208. “I think it is difficult to create the best mapping show in the world in Tokyo due to strict regulations. To be honest, the content is a bit boring throughout.”

While the technical elements are impressive, the score hasn’t managed to impress guests quite like some of Disney’s most iconic shows (such as Happily Ever After and Wondrous Journeys).

NEW Reach for the Stars fireworks shows at #tokyodisneyland
The show celebrates beloved Disney and Pixar characters, and for the first time EVER in a Tokyo Disney Resort show even Marvel superheroes!
Our opinion:
10/10 projections
10/10 spotlights
7/10 musical score
6/10 pyros

Most notably, the show features the debut of Marvel characters at Tokyo Disney Resort (with more to come from the upcoming “it’s a small world with Groot” overlay). While Marvel isn’t as big a draw at the box office in Japan as it is in the U.S. and other territories, @thehappyzan noted that this section drew the biggest cheers.

Reach for the Stars is… fine. It’s a Disney+ ad projected on the castle. It rarely transforms the castle and mostly plays movie clips. Interestingly the only real cheer from the crowd was for Marvel, so welcome to Tokyo, Tony and Co.

Reach for the Stars will run twice per night at Tokyo Disneyland through Halloween, Christmas, and beyond. The show’s regular fireworks show, Sky Full of Colors, will also continue alongside the park’s seasonal displays: Night High Halloween and Starbright Christmas.

Check out Reach for the Stars for yourself, and let us know what you think!

Do you think Reach for the Stars is on par with other Disney nighttime spectaculars?

 

 

The post Disney’s New Nighttime Spectacular Is Kind of a Flop appeared first on Inside the Magic.

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