World of Color – Winter Dreams is now bringing Christmas cheer to Paradise Bay as the Disneyland Resort celebrates Holiday Time. On Thursday November 14, 2013 members of the media were invited to experience the premiere of World of Color – Winter Dreams. This premiere offered the press and select Disney Parks Blog readers and Disneyland Annual Passholders an opportunity to see the show before the general public would get that opportunity a day later.
The event took place throughout the day and members of the media were given the opportunity to experience Jingle Cruise, It’s a Small World Holiday, Haunted Mansion Holiday, and A Christmas Fantasy Parade before being ushered over to Disney California Adventure to wait for the main event. As guests arrived to see the show, Glow with the Show Mickey ears were being distributed. These were slightly different with a new strap that is adjustable rather than stretchy. It did cause some consternation for those with bigger hats… or trilbys.
Josh Gad & Steve Davison – World of Color PremiereWorld of Color – Winter Dreams Introduction
Finally the moment of truth arrived. The are music quieted and Steven “Steve” Davison is Vice President, Parades and Spectaculars for Walt Disney Creative Entertainment, was invited to a little stage that was erected in front of the media risers. The area surrounding him glowed with guests sporting their red and green glowing ears. Davison gave a wonderful introduction to World of Color – Winter Dreams and shared some facts and details about the show. The highlight however, was when he was joined by a not so frozen snowman named Olaf in the form of Josh Gad. The two of them then proceeded to share more about the show with Steve Davison providing the information and Olaf providing the comic relief. The introduction was charming and ended with Olaf introducing World of Color – Winter Dreams.
World of Color – Winter Dreams PremiereWorld of Color – Winter Dreams Premiere
The lights went down and Steve Davison and Olaf exited the stage. Thousands of Mickey ears glowed as the premiere of World of Color – Winter Dreams began. The show starts with an internet choir written a song named Glow, written by Eric Whitacre. The song was written by Whitacre and thousands from around the country auditioned to be a part of this show by recording themselves singing this song from the comfort of their own home. He then compiled these videos to create a beautiful choral opening for the new show. The show is hosted by Olaf the Snowman from the upcoming Disney animated feature Frozen. Throughout the show there are moments with Tinker Bell, Mickey, Bambi, the Toy Story gang, and Santa Mater. The song Let it Go from Frozen is also beautiful showcased. The music is a beautiful collection of Christmas and holiday classics coupled with more modern favorites as well.
As Olaf explores his winter dreams, he explores not only winter but also summer. He also leads the holiday viewers through a sing-a-long before the spectacular grand finale. He even continues to entertain with his antics after the show as people exit.
Disney ¡Viva Navidad!
After the premiere showing of World of Color – Winter Dreams, the media was invited to experience the new Latin holiday experience Disney ¡Viva Navidad!. This experience features the Three Cabelleros: Donald Duck, Panchito from Mexico, and Jose Carioca from Brazil. They bring an energetic street party to Paradise Gardens that is sure to make the grinchiest of grinches smile. There is also food, character interactions, and other themed experiences to add holiday cheer to the Disney California Adventure experience.
The World of Color Fountains and Lights
The evening also included an interview with imagineer Jason Badger, the guy behind the lights and fountains of World of Color – Winter Dreams. The interview can be found here and was a lot of fun as I learned about the process of creating the fountains and lighting effects for the show. I then was able to play with the fountains as well, with the help of an iPad.
Final Thoughts
World of Color – Winter Dreams definitely exceeded my expectations. It is a beautiful show that captures the feel of the holidays. The choral song at the beginning was stunning and perhaps my favorite part of the show. Let it Go is beautiful as well. I also found Olaf to be endearing and a wonderful host for the show. The new effects that have been added to the show really do enhance the World of Color experience. Once again, the Glow with the Show ears really do add a level of magic to show… providing there are enough of them. So… if you have them, wear them!
Overall, this is a great holiday time addition to the Disneyland Resort. World of Color – Winter Dreams could easily become a yearly tradition at Disney California Adventure, as couldDisney ¡Viva Navidad!. Guests visiting both will be in for a wonderful holiday experience.
Your Thoughts
What did you think of World of Color – Winter Dreams? What was your favorite part? Share your thoughts in the comments section below and also take our poll!
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