Seen them live? How does Happily Ever After stack up to Wishes?

[AngiTN]

I wouldn't be surprised if the HEA's over-reliance on projections was intentional, to keep guests inside the park to watch the show instead of trying to watch it outside of the park.

But then they added all the extra, sort of what I consider "surround sound" effects that are almost better viewed from further away. So for that reason, this show can be as good from afar as it is from close up. Just different.

 

[MagicalMicycles]

While I 1) am a Disneylander, not so mucha WDW-er; 2) never cared much for Wishes; and 3) love Happily Ever After, I feel like maybe it came about a little bit too soon. I feel that WDCE really wanted to follow Disneyland Forever at Disneyland with a dual fireworks and projection show (not just one with elements of the other that already existed at Magic Kingdom). But the thing is that it sort of was announced out of the blue, came at sort of a random time of year, and looks too permanent to be seasonal. I get that is came just about at the start of Summer, but it is definitely not just a Summer show the way that Magic, Music and Mayhem/Summer Nightastic was or the way Magical was. Think about this though, because here's why I think it was just created because the Imagineers were bored: Disneyland Forever came due to the 60th anniversary. HEA doesn't really commemorate anything. WDW's, more specifically, MK's 50th is in a few years and while it is still I while, I feel like this show would have been much better suited to debut THEN rather than now. They are probably going to want to do an anniversary show at that time so then why create such a big show like this one? I feel if they really wanted to replace Wishes with a projection/fireworks show, this wasn't really the right time, or should have made a smaller show. Let's face it, HEA is a huge show, not a place holder until the 50th. So are we to expect something bigger at that time? Are we to expect something completely different or just longer version? Also, is this show going to be running through the rest of the year or will it give way to the Holiday/Seasonal shows? Will those shows get update projections the way that DLR's did? I don't really know. We'll have to wait and see. Once again, I don't dislike Happily Ever After, in fact it is my second favorite show of all of the Disney Parks' fireworks shows (nothing will replace Remember... Dreams Come True) but part of me can't help but think that maybe Disney jumped-the-gun a little with this one.

 

[MagicalMicycles]

Sometimes before, sometimes after. But yes, there is still a separate show, called Once Upon a Time

I think it's really neat that both nighttime shows kind of play off of each other "Once Upon a Time" and "Happily Ever After." I like to think that someone suggested named HEA to intentionally keep OUaT around.

 

[EeyoresTwin]

• Does the music and dialogue move you? I wasn't as moved by the dialogue, but the music certainly tied together much of what was going on with the projection show to the fireworks.
• Is it a suitable replacement? Yes, absolutely. It was different in a good way. They showcased a new group of Disney characters/movies and brought in new technology.
• Is it far better, far worse, somewhere in between? I would say it is better technologically and visually but it didn't tug on my heart strings the same way Wishes did.
• Too much going on? Not enough? I would almost say too much. I was torn on whether I should be looking at the castle or the sky. One almost took away from the other, but still an awe inspiring presentation.

 

[VicarJT]

We just got back, loved "Wishes", and are not fans of the new show at all. The technology is impressive, but we missed having a cohesive narrative, and we were not particularly fond of the music. The hub was insanely crowded, and although we were standing in what would normally be a great viewing spot, we could only see the top 2/3rds of the castle, so missed many of the projections. Then standing that close, we didn't get the full effect of the fireworks.

The next night, we were at the party and watched Hallow-wishes and it was perfect. I agree with those who would prefer a separate projections show rather than this sensory overload experience.