True or not? Spectromagic Dead?

[skier_pete]

Just saw this as part of a post by Kevin Yee over on Miceage.

Just recently, they announced that the promised return of SpectroMagic is impossible, and the parade floats are badly decomposed and must be destroyed.

Link Here

This was the first time I have heard of this from a semi-official/second-hand source. Has anyone heard tha this is actually true?

SkierPete

 

[WebmasterCricket]

Photos were just posted 2 days ago of 3 or 4 of the floats along with other defunct "vehicles" and it seemed to be both under a roof (which was falsely reported in the past as not being true) and in decent condition. That being said, all of the other vehicles pictured are parts only and that might be why these photos were "leaked" knowing it isn't coming back.

Let me see if I can post them...

 

[dcibrando]

Photos were just posted 2 days ago of 3 or 4 of the floats along with other defunct "vehicles" and it seemed to be both under a roof (which was falsely reported in the past as not being true) and in decent condition. That being said, all of the other vehicles pictured are parts only and that might be why these photos were "leaked" knowing it isn't coming back.

Let me see if I can post them...

where were the pics?

 

[WebmasterCricket]

On this magic night...

As the original poster stated and I will respect, no furthur information will be given.

A few more to follow..

 

[WebmasterCricket]

 

[Spacedog1975]

I only had the opportunity to see this once, and I didn't know what I was seeing. I'd love to see it more intentionally at least once more.

Certainly Disney knows that the parade is popular.

 

[skier_pete]

Hmmm...I can't say those photos coroborate the death of Spectromagic though - they don't LOOK in bad shape. Kevin Yee's article made it sound like Disney said something official.

Honestly, I don't really care THAT much one way or the other. I personally prefer Spectromagic over the current MSEP as this one feels much more dated to the '70s versus Spectro being more timeless and I like the music better. However, if they don't bring it back I will not be crushed or anything, I just was always hoping that it would eventually make it's return. I can't say I really want to bother waiting to see MSEP after the first couple of times.

 

[Spacedog1975]

Hmmm...I can't say those photos coroborate the death of Spectromagic though - they don't LOOK in bad shape. Kevin Yee's article made it sound like Disney said something official.

Honestly, I don't really care THAT much one way or the other. I personally prefer Spectromagic over the current MSEP as this one feels much more dated to the '70s versus Spectro being more timeless and I like the music better. However, if they don't bring it back I will not be crushed or anything, I just was always hoping that it would eventually make it's return. I can't say I really want to bother waiting to see MSEP after the first couple of times.

For me, it would be perfect if they could somehow rotate them.

I understand why some find MSEP to be dated, but for me it's one of those moments that returns me sqarely to being a 5 year old in 1980 on my first visit to the park.

I remember loving Spectromagic, but MSEP is an enduring classic.

 

[skier_pete]

I remember loving Spectromagic, but MSEP is an enduring classic.

And this is why it really doesn't bother me THAT much if they keep MSEP around - lots of people LOVE it, not just you, and it is not something I feel so strongly about that I begruge that. (I went as a child in the 70s/80s, but still don't ever remember MSEP - Spectro is linked to my daughter's childhood!)

It is too bad they couldn't alternate, but that would never happen.

 

[DuffGT06]

Thanks to a fellow poster I had just read this article. Sounds like it's in pretty rough condition if the source can be trusted and that it's not coming back.

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201304/3462/

 

[WebmasterCricket]

The barbed wire is what's bothering me the most. That's not used in most backstage areas. This looks like it's offsite or at a remote storage location onsite.

Also shown but not pictured here is a stripped CTX rover, a dumbo car (good condition), a stripped monorail hull segment and a TL speedway go-cart (good condition). If that CTX shell wasn't there I would feel better about it but that can mean it's not at WDW at all. Why would a DHS part be anywhere near any MK stuff??

I've looked for the building(s) using bing/google sat views and can't locate them.

 

[Spacedog1975]

It is too bad they couldn't alternate, but that would never happen.

While it's probably logistically impossible for them to alternate during the week, I would think it would be feasible for them to alternate seasonally. It would be a draw for visiting at different times during the year for people like me.

This is all a moot point if the materials are in such disrepair that WDW sees no value in refurbishing them. I would think they could easily market "Back by popular demand: Spectromagic!"... especially if they included the phrase "for a limited time".

Christmas/New Years week would be a perfect time for a surprise "Limited Time (Spectro)Magic".

Not that there is enough time to make that real.

 

[Lewisc]

Assume some of the floats are too far gone to be refurbished. I don't know exact numbers but it wouldn't bankrupt Disney if they had to rebuild some of the floats from scratch.

 

[Spacedog1975]

Assume some of the floats are too far gone to be refurbished. I don't know exact numbers but it wouldn't bankrupt Disney if they had to rebuild some of the floats from scratch.

Bankrupt, no. But always with Disney it's going to be a spend vs. benefit analysis. MSEP is popular and working.

It's always hard to get a sense of what's generally popular vs. what's popular on a board like this. Disboards taught me that Spectromagic exists and that I have seen it. I was otherwise wondering why MSEP didn't turn white and why Chernabog had disappeared from the finale.

 

[ParrotBill]

Maybe "poor" Disney needs a Kickstarter fund set up to help them bring back Spectromagic. I know I would donate... I love Spectro far more than MSEP.

 

[TheMermaidII]

The barbed wire is what's bothering me the most. That's not used in most backstage areas. This looks like it's offsite or at a remote storage location onsite.

Also shown but not pictured here is a stripped CTX rover, a dumbo car (good condition), a stripped monorail hull segment and a TL speedway go-cart (good condition). If that CTX shell wasn't there I would feel better about it but that can mean it's not at WDW at all. Why would a DHS part be anywhere near any MK stuff??

I've looked for the building(s) using bing/google sat views and can't locate them.

This is the shop area behind Magic Kingdom. Due to the creative nature and the value of construction materials and expensive equipment, the entire area is surrounded by barbed wire fences. They maintain the show pieces and ride elements for all 4 parks, waterparks, hotels, and DTD. This area backs up to the drydock area for MK watercraft. The floats have been sitting here for over two years in the same kind of tents you can rent from rent-a-center which provide little shelter from the elements. They've been moved back and forth between the tents and the Ferryboat maintenance shed (the tall building pictured above) occasionally for evaluation and their wooden supports and electrical systems have not responded well to the elements. On my last Keys to the Kingdom tour a year or so ago, I noticed that several spectro floats had shared the back of the parade building with MSEP, which might explain why a few floats look in better shape than others.

 

[ParrotBill]

MermaidII, welcome!
Sounds like you know what you are talking about, and we truly appreciate hearing from those who really know.

 

[monorailrabbit]

Oh Mylanta! Was that a FANTASIA FLOAT?!?!?!?! SO sad I never got to see this!! MSEP seems to be the exact same now as it was when I was a kid (or at least what I remember) I love and hate that it seems the same... maybe an update with some more movies thrown in? From what I have seen/read Spectro seemed to incorporate more movies & themes than MSEP

 

[Gingerg11]

On the KTTK Tour. They were under cover off stage in the same covered shelters in the picture and in another warehouse type building directly next to it. If I recall correctly, it was behind PotC, but across the little road. We accessed the backstage area where the parade comes out next to Splash Mtn. They looked fine then.

If you ever have the opportunity, take the tour, it was very interesting.

 

[WebmasterCricket]

The two areas mentioned are very different locations. The current float house is in fact behind Splash Mountain but it is not this building (flat vs. sloped roof for starters and curtain walls). Ferryboat maintenence in on Facilities way to the Norteast of MK. This structure pictured isn't there anywhere I can see from sat view in either location. The building layout and construction doesn't match anything that is in view in that area that I can see. I also still don't see any barbed fenced-in areas backstage. Does someone else want to take a shot and try and identify it using birds eye from Bing or other sat view? I wish I posted the other pics along with these since they showed the surrounding structures way better. I cannot retrieve them anymore