It is unanimous!

[laceemouse]

I sooooo agree! I get teared up too when I see other families enjoying their magical moments!

I will admit to being a sap when it comes to Disney

 

[LilGMom]

I will reserve my final opinion until I see it in person but going on what I saw on the video I was impressed and liked it. Originally I was very against it and thought it would fail miserably when they first announced it. But I must say that I enjoyed the video and thought it was well done. Yes, it is like a big commercial for how great a WDW vacation can be but, realistically, what in WDW isn't like a commercial. You can't step out of a ride without walking into a gift shop, there are people selling balloons, flashing swords and trinkets every fifty feet but that is part of the big picture/experience. Whenever I wear my WDW necklace or carry my WDW mug into work or have a co-worker comment on my Star Wars Mickeys that I have on my desk I know that I am advertising for WDW but I'm ok with that.

I have always enjoyed watching other people experience WDW. Seeing a child's eyes light up when they see their favorite character or watching an older person or couple smile and dance like they are in their twenties again makes me smile because at one time I was that child and one day I will be that older person. And I actually enjoy looking at pictures that our friends share of their WDW vacations. It isn't so much about being interested in the people but I can relate to their joy and that gives me a warm fuzzy happy feeling.

I'm looking forward to seeing it in person and plan on having a tissue ready since I tend to get very sentimental about WDW. If they start playing "When You Wish Upon a Star" I know that'll do me in - it does every time.

 

[skater]

I love it...my dd3 asks to watch this on the computer everyday. I love seeing the pictures of others having fun at Disney...makes me tingly and mushy as others have posted. I especially love the old footage when it sounds like an old movie playing right before Walt comes on
I just love seeing people on Disney rides and with the characters...my people, or other people!
A from this disser

I liked the old footage too. And the way they mixed animations in with the lights and photos. I thought it all made a great combination. And since I love watching people enjoy WDW (as I said before), the photos just seem to be an extension of that. Its interesting to me though how the feelings seem to be so extremely one way or another. Sort of like politics .

 

[JenniBugInPink]

...FYI, the show preceeds Wishes, it does not replace it...My son, who is a bit of a technology freak, wants to go just to see if he can figure out how they do it. I have agreed to take him if he can light my house out like that...

I am so glad to read that it doesn't replace Wishes!! I had been trying to find out about that, and had been oddly unsuccessful. That was my #1 concern, so I don't know why I had so much trouble finding information! And if your son could do home lighting like THAT, he would be a very, very rich man indeed. Ya'll should be set for life, LOL!

We saw it from Poly beach tonight - not much to see from that far away - I kinda missed peacefully watching the castle change colors while waiting for Wishes. But I'm reserving judgement for seeing it in person. That said, I will probably avoid the show on nights when I've had Photopass pictures taken - I really don't want to see myself up there.

I am the least photogenic person in the known universe. There is a less than zero chance of my Photopass pics showing up on the castle. But I'm the kind of person who would jump up and down and shout, "That's me! That's me!", dork that I am (at 52, no less).

That's what it all boils down to.....there are those of us who LOVE seeing others have joy and happiness and those who think anyone but themselves is boring. I get teared up seeing other families grinning from ear to ear when they meet Mickey. To me, people watching is one of the very BEST things about Walt Disney World, and this is the ultimate in people watching
I also agree a home video on youtube can not do anything justice, I can't wait to see it in person.

I think it's a technical marvel and a thing of beauty, and I love seeing other people's pictures. We don't have kids cz DH and I met too late and I likely would never have conceived anyway (long medically interesting story, completely irrelevant here). I LOVE seeing other people's kids glowing and showing their excitement at the wonder at the Most Magical Place. I have, with parental permission (ALWAYS!), captured their fascination and cuteness on film (digital ) to enjoy back home.

My only real problem with the production is height. Mine. I'm 5' tall. Unless we line up hours ahead of time (and we will, I assure you), I would have no chance of seeing anything, since a full view of the castle is necessary in order for it to be visible at all. Unlike a fireworks show, which can be seen by everyone for some distance, this cannot be seen by the whole "throng". [When I reread this it looked like I was saying something about viewing a thong - ] I wish there were some magical way to elevate the castle, since I know nobody is going to elevate me...now wouldn't that be nice?

 

[jettyspagetti]

I'm looking forward to seeing it in person. I've watched it with the family from on online webcast. I love it and so do the rest of the family- we've watched it at least once a day since its debut. It always tears me up, of course I also tear up at every WDW commercial with the kids jumping up and down excited to go to Disney.

 

[maxiesmom]

That's what it all boils down to.....there are those of us who LOVE seeing others have joy and happiness and those who think anyone but themselves is boring.

I don't think it is your intention, but please note that saying others think anyone but themselves is boring makes it sound like those people who don't like it are just selfish and self-centered. We are not. I would find it boring if it was just a bunch of people I knew. It is like a giant home movie. Even watching movies of your dearest friends gets to be a bit much after a while. At least, I think so.

I too tear up at Disney commercials. This just doesn't move me the same way.

 

[selina4disney]

OK ... I went and watched the video. The way the colors and lights are placed on the castle is beautiful and the photos are not overwhelming so...I am going with an open mind and look forward to seeing it in February. It might be OK, not the disaster I was picturing in my mind when they first announce it!

 

[marenian]

We saw this last Saturday night from the Wishes Dessert Party. Even with that pretty good vantage point it was hard to see the pictures clearly so unless you are standing right in front of the castle, you may not even be able to make out that it is your family up there. And, as another poster mentioned, there are 3 ways that you can 'opt out' of having your photopass pictures included.

I enjoyed the show. The effects on the castle are really pretty neat in person. And, what else are you going to do while waiting for Wishes? The pictures, to me, were really a secondary part of the overall show.

 

[Rhonna]

I was originally on board with the whole "celebrating a WDW vacation" thing at first. Now it feels, I dunno, a little like advertising. "Isn't it great to be on vacation here? Don't you want to do it again and again?"

That's not a sentiment anybody here would probably disagree with, but I still feel a little used by it. Celebrating the fact that WDW exists and that people like it feels reductive and a little too post-modern, especially for Disney. It comments on immersion and magic rather than BEING immersive and magic.

I also feel this way. I also don't like the home movies of surprising the kids with a WDW trip that are showing as TV commercials lately - a new one came on the other day and I turned the volume down (almost turned the channel lol).

Yes, disney DOES advertise. But the whole point for me in going to disney is to escape from reality. I think that's true of most people and why disney is so successful is because they do escapism VERY well. So I like to see the fantasy commercials, like the disney movies I grew up on. Not someone's home movies that I wouldn't want to sit through in their home.

I also feel like disney is taking the cheap route because for this campaign they don't have to pay actors, directors, script writers, camerapersons, film on location, etc, etc, all that is entailed in filming new commercials for a new campaign. They just used regular people's home movies (did any get paid?) and photos and disney reaps all the financial benefits.

Give me fake over reality when it comes to disney! lol!

 

[linzbear]

The projections look awesome, but I could do without the pictures. Didn't tear me up and I'm 7mo pregnant, so I don't think it's a hormonal thing