anyone else think that American Idol = Fail ??

[funkehouse]

I may be wrong, but i dont see this being around for more than 2 years. It just seems silly to me. I could see maybe locals or regulars participating, but if only at wdw once every few years, im not gonna waste a huge portion of my day to sing in front of what i think will be a small crowd. I also think that a TON of people will audition, get selected and then never come back for the finale or later shows. Maybe their friends or family get tired and leave, they have ADR's they are tired, or just plain decide they arent interested. I also agree with the podcast crew, watching the Bad singers is like 80% of the fun. the crazy costumes, the psychos, that is the only part i even care about anymore really. it gets boring once they are done with the auditions. If the TV show ONLY showed the good singers and they didnt have a mean guy like simon, this show would NEVER have made it past the first season, what makes them think an atraction at EPCOT will be any different. I may be wrong, but to me this is a huge , big, gigantic FAIL !!! but then again, i would love for it to work, it will keep 1000 people or more out of the rest of the park !

 

[Kimberle]

It's at Studios, not Epcot.

I don't know how well it will do. It may just suprise us. I don't think the target for auditioning is for the casual WDW visitor. I think the folks that REALLY want to be on AI are the target. Each daily winner gets a golden ticket to place them up high in the regular AI audition process. For someone who wants to be on AI, this is BIG.

We'll see.....

 

[safetymom]

It's actually called a dream ticket that you get when you win AIE. I think it will open and then close after a bit for retooling. You can sign up online but I don't see that many people auditioning every day to keep it going.

 

[lorax123]

It's at Studios, not Epcot.

I don't know how well it will do. It may just suprise us. I don't think the target for auditioning is for the casual WDW visitor. I think the folks that REALLY want to be on AI are the target. Each daily winner gets a golden ticket to place them up high in the regular AI audition process. For someone who wants to be on AI, this is BIG.

We'll see.....

I agree with you. They certainly get a lot of people at the auditions for the show, those are the people that will be saving the money for the trek to florida to try out.

There are a lot of people that know they have talent and want all of us lucky people to see it! lol But even then, I do wonder... how many of those people will come out on a daily basis?

It won't be the typical WDW vacationer trying out. The finale is the show for the park visitors. How well will that do, thats the big question?

I don't think anybody that makes it past auditioning and gets into the finale show would let ADRs or a nap get in their way of getting up on stage. Getting selected for AIE would be a momentous occasion!

I agree though. I only watch to see the freak show. But my wife... She watches the whole darn season and just can't wait for it to come back in January (meanwhile I'm anxiously awaiting Battlestar 4.5 and Terminator:SCC). It was the number one show the past few years.

I have 0 interest, but I know I would get roped in to see it.

It's an interesting concept... but I can't see this live show having staying power either.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I don't get the whole thing. I understand A.I. is popular, but I don't think the concept even fits at Disney and I think Disney has tons of it's own material that it could have developed instead. It's definitely not something I will be making time for and I don't think it's going to last long at DHS.

 

[simonkodousek]

I don't think it will be around very long, or at least shut down for reworking. I love American Idol, but this seems so much different than the actual show that I don't really know what to think.

 

[funkehouse]

Im and idiot, i new it was at the Studios... i dont know why i typed Epcot. And your right, i can see the Die Hard AI fans loving this, no doubt, but the rest of us i dont think will enjoy this much. The finale each night is the ONE show i could see being worth it. and from what i gather it has only 1000 or so seats? thats not very many. So very few people will actually get to experience the ONE semi-cool thing about this show... and im CERTAINLY not standing around for an hour or 2 to make sure i get a seat, my time is too valuable for that. Oh well, we shall see.....

 

[Donald_Quackers]

I don't see the appeal in this attraction either. I would rather see them resurrect Who Wants to be a Millionaire -- Play It!

 

[lorax123]

If there's only a 1000 seats, I wouldn't waste valuable time waiting to get into a show either!

This just seems like a pavilion they'll continue using to move shows in and out of. If it last 2 years, then crowds drop off, they'll just look fir the next big property to move in. No big deal. I never saw millionaire or the drew carey thing. Both those shows had zero appeal for me.

 

[Decorated_Dust]

I don't see the appeal in this attraction either. I would rather see them resurrect Who Wants to be a Millionaire -- Play It!

You took the words right out of my mouth. THAT was a brilliant execution. This...not so much. Then again, how would you make a show like AI into a theme park attraction? I am at a loss as to how else they would have done it.

It seems that they spent a long time trying to figure how to make this work, and in the process, AI went out of style, or at least went on the down-slope. I hope this is not like when Ryan Seacrest hosted the Emmys (trying to use the AI name to get ratings, which failed because they were oblivious to the fact that no one watched AI for Seacrest, but that's another diatribe). I could be wrong about if this will succeed, but it seems way too anti-Disney to be in Hollywood Studios.

 

[ADP]

This attraction will draw people to the park just for the try-outs. There will be online audition times so people who intend to try-out can get a timeslot via the AIE website. This will help fill try-out slots.

My understanding is that the group that owns American Idol basically paid for the refurbishment of the theater. So, Disney got a completely renovated theater at no cost. If the attraction fails Disney is left with a nice new theater with brand new infrastructure. A good deal for them.

Whether this attraction survives greatly depends on the audition and performance process and the popularity of American Idol. It will probably need to be retooled at some point. From what I heard and saw on the AP backstage tour some people who try-out might be a bit intimidated.

 

[Launchpad11B]

You would think this might have been a better idea several years ago. How much longer is American Idol going to be popular? Either way, as Aaron said, Disney got a free renovation out of the deal.

 

[funkehouse]

You would think this might have been a better idea several years ago. How much longer is American Idol going to be popular? Either way, as Aaron said, Disney got a free renovation out of the deal.

thats what im saying !! this attractrion would have been WAY more popular around season 2 or 3. I think AI is on the way out, it gets less ratings every year now. this year it might get a bump because of the new 4th judge , we shall see.

 

[MomofKatie]

While I have absolutely no interest in the AI attraction and will not be wasting any time on it, I hope it does well and takes crowds away from TSMM and RnR- that way, those lines will be shorter for me!!

 

[auroralark]

While I have absolutely no interest in the AI attraction and will not be wasting any time on it, I hope it does well and takes crowds away from TSMM and RnR- that way, those lines will be shorter for me!!

Agreed. And I'm a big idol fan.

I don't know, my whole thing is why am I going to watch a show on vacation that I could realistically watch at home? Yeah, it might be fun to vote and stuff, but I would definitely not wait on line for it.

I still miss Superstar Television.

 

[Cyrano]

I'm hoping that it is popular. Although can't understand why
Will take away some of the crowds from TSM

 

[medicjch]

I'm catching up on some older podcasts........December was way too busy and after listening to the 12-17 show I just can't see how this is an "attraction". I may be wrong, but I just don't see this thing being a draw. I think they are about 5 years behind on the whole American Idol thing. I'm with the other folks on this thread that maybe it will pull some folks away from TSM, RNR, and ToT, which would mean more time on those for me. What I really don't like is the scaling back of Fantasmic so guests are somewhat "forced" to go to Idol. We shall see how this all plays out, but I really don't see it sticking around.

 

[funkehouse]

I'm catching up on some older podcasts........December was way too busy and after listening to the 12-17 show I just can't see how this is an "attraction". I may be wrong, but I just don't see this thing being a draw. I think they are about 5 years behind on the whole American Idol thing. I'm with the other folks on this thread that maybe it will pull some folks away from TSM, RNR, and ToT, which would mean more time on those for me. What I really don't like is the scaling back of Fantasmic so guests are somewhat "forced" to go to Idol. We shall see how this all plays out, but I really don't see it sticking around.

WHAT ???!!!! they are scaling back Fantasmic ?? because of this American IDLE attraction?? that is so not good. you are going to replace a GREAT GREAT attraction with one that a lot of people could care less about? great. Fantasmic is SO great. what a shame.