The Disneyland Book of Secrets 2014: One Local's Unauthorized, Rapturous and Indispensable Guide to the Happiest Places on Earth (166 page)

Guests
are provided with a very brief period of time to rehearse their lines.  Then the scene rolls, and Guests must say or sing their part, trying to match their words to the character’s mouth movements.  The real fun is when the Guests’ voices, having been captured, are played back in synch with the animation.  Much laughter and enthusiastic chatter can be heard emanating from the diverse recording nooks as Guests enjoy the playback!

For some Guests, particularly those that
gravitate toward performance arts,
this
is the highlight of the
Disney Animation
attraction.  Hearing their own voices issuing from the mouths of
Beast
,
Belle
,
Nala
, or other
Disney
characters is a fun bonding experience for family members performing together.

After the scene is played back,
Ursula
returns Guests’ voices–thank goodness!  If there’s not a queue of waiting Guests, why not perform a second scene with your group?  If there is a queue, however, etiquette dictates that you’ll want to depart the grotto for now, following the exit corridor back to the
Courtyard Gallery
.  (Guests who visit the grotto right after the park opens in the morning can record multiple sessions with little-to-no waiting.)

All in all, the
Sorcerer’s Workshop
presents a rich array of
Disney Animation
activities.  Not to be missed by aspiring animators and performers.

Turtle Talk with Crush

[
FastView:
 
The whole group—but especially little ones—will enjoy talking in real time with
Finding Nemo
’s
Crush
.
]

Every 30 minutes, Guests can experience
Turtle Talk with Crush
in the
Animation Screening Room
, where
Crush
has been appearing since 2005.  Announcements in the
Courtyard Gallery
alert Guests when it’s time to queue for the next show.

Crush
was one of the most popular characters in
Disney-Pixar
’s 2003 computer-animated hit
Finding Nemo
. 
Crush
is a sea turtle, and although he navigates the waters around Australia, he speaks in an amusing California surfer dialect (“Hey, little dude,”) that audiences, particularly kids, find delightful. 
Crush
’s accessible, laid-back persona made him a great choice for this interactive show, in which an animated
Crush
seems to be able to hear, understand, and respond to Guest comments and questions.

Disney
has been pushing the envelope with its
Audio-Animatronic
and animated characters in recent years, making them as seemingly autonomous and alive as possible.  Although it’s remotely controlled, eight-foot tall
AA
creature
Lucky the Dinosaur
appears to roam more or less independently on its tours of various
Disney Theme Parks
.  An
AA
Roz
greets Guests at the end of
DCA
’s
Monsters, Inc.
attraction, and an
AA Mr. Potato Head
heckles Guests in line for
Toy Story Midway Mania
.  Both
Roz
and
Mr. Potato Head
seem able to discern details about Guests, whether, for example, they’re wearing white shirts or glasses or
Ear Hats
, and the interactive
AA
figures make sometimes startlingly accurate comments to Guests based on those observations.

Crush
is a fully animated creature,
not
an
Audio-Animatronic
figure and therefore yet another step removed from the real world.  This makes it all the more impressive when he seems to be able to comprehend Guest comments and questions, to address Guests by name–even to swim in their direction and look at them! 
Crush
appears to be swimming in an aquarium.

Guests
who wish to meet
Crush
sit in a theater (the
Aquatorium
), with small children encouraged to sit on the floor right in front of the
Window on the Pacific
through which we see
Crush
.  A Cast Member facilitates the dialogue between the sea turtle and Guests.
Crush
’s words are audible to us thanks to a
hydrophone
(a pseudo-invention first popularized by
Disneyland
’s original submarine attraction).

Turtle Talk with Crush
debuted at
Epcot
in November 2004, and was quickly installed at
DCA
in July 2005.  So, how does
Crush
really interact with Guests?  Concealed cameras feed pictures and voices of the audience members to an actor/animator
backstage
.  He or she then moves
Crush
’s image, like a cyber marionette, in
real time
, and responds in
real time
to Guest questions.  The technology that allows instantaneous animation that matches the actor/animator’s movements and words is impressive.  For those not in the know, it seems as if
Crush
is
magically
interacting with you!  Kids of all ages are enchanted by the experience.

Guests who are f
ans of
Crush
or are interested in advances in animation and interactive entertainment should definitely build
Turtle Talk with Crush
into their itinerary. 
Did You Know?
  Although
Walt
drew cartoons from the time he was a child, and studied art and animation as a young adult, he admitted that he was never a great animator.  His genius was in developing ideas that advanced the science of animation, and in creating fascinating stories and characters that would engage audiences.  As soon as he could afford it,
Walt
hired talented animators like
Ub Iwerks
to handle the actual animation. 
Walt
had an eye for talent, and was supportive of his hard working animation team.  Animators that proved their mettle were advanced into positions of greater responsibility.  Many top-flight artists and animators found themselves moved to the discipline of
Imagineering
in the 1950’s, to animate
Walt
’s titanic new toy,
Disneyland
. One of the reasons
Disneyland
succeeded (and continues to succeed) is that it was designed in large part by talented film artists who understood how to submerge Guests in a living film.
FastPass:
  No. 
Disney Animation
features self-guided, self-paced experiences and scheduled shows, none of which require a
FastPass
.  Except on very crowded peak days, Guests can enjoy the
Disney Animation
attractions without unduly long wait times.

Disney Junior
– Live on Stage!
(Formerly
Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!
)

[
FastView:
 
Toddlers and small children love seeing their favorite
Disney Junior
stars perform live!
]

By the start of 2010, with few exceptions, most
DCA
attractions were geared toward Guests of all ages.  One exception is
Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!
This attraction (rebranded
Disney Junior
in early 2011) is a live show designed for toddlers and their parents or caregivers.  Unless you have toddlers in your party, this attraction probably will hold little interest for your group and you can safely bypass it.  If, however, there are little ones in your crew, this is a must for your
DCA
itinerary.

Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!
opened in April of 2003, a little more than two years after
DCA
launched. 
“a bug’s land”
was introduced in 2002 to provide attractions for children, and
Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!
was a successful continuation of that effort, giving families with young children yet another kid-friendly attraction at
DCA Park
.

Anchoring the southwest corner of
DCA
’s
Hollywood Boulevard
, the show building–renamed the
Disney Theater
in early 2011–is the first structure on your right when you leave
Buena Vista Street
.  The theater’s marquee and bright signs, rendered in the cheerful primary colors of childhood, make it instantly identifiable, even at night, when the signs glow with neon.

You’ll see railings that
wind back-and-forth in front of and around the building; that’s where Guests queue.  Each
Disney Junior
show lasts almost 25 minutes, so depending on when you join the line, and how long the line is, you could experience a wait of half an hour or more on peak days.

The exterior queue is open to the elements
for the most part, so If it’s sunny and hot, be sure you and your little ones are protected with sunblock and hats or visors, and that you have water on hand so you can keep hydrated.  If it’s winter or early spring, be sure you and the kids are well bundled against the cold (California gets colder than out-of-state visitors realize).  Parents will be happy to learn there are rest rooms nearby; little ones who suddenly need the potty can be taken next door while someone holds your place in line.

Playhouse Disney
was a popular block of
Disney
television programs scripted and performed for pre-schoolers.  It first aired in 1997 and ran every morning, seven days a week, on the
Disney Channel
, usually for four hours on weekdays and up to six hours on weekends.  Largely commercial-free, shows were interspersed with
Disney
promotional spots and brief
Disney
shorts and videos instead of standard advertisements. 
Playhouse Disney
’s hours and lineup changed periodically.  In 2007 it was substantially refreshed, and on Valentine’s Day 2011, it was reborn as
Disney Junior
, initially airing on the
Disney Channel
and then receiving its own channel,
ABC
’s former
SOAPnet
, in March 2012 (though
SOAPnet
continued to air on some carriers).

Even Guests without kids might recognize
Disney Junior
shows.  Popular with pre-schoolers and their families, these programs have entered the popular consciousness over the decade-plus since
Playhouse Disney
launched.  High-quality shows that interweave pre-school-level lessons about colors, numbers, letters, and problem-solving skills, the programs blend education with entertainment.  While by no means a substitute for pre-school, the shows reinforce the lessons toddlers learn at pre-school and at home in a fun way.  For many children these shows are their introduction to
Disney
characters and the
Disney
philosophies of imagination, play, hard work, persistence, creativity, friendship, and inclusivity.  They are also an introduction, for many kids, to
Disney
merchandising.

Disney Junior
’s programs include relatively new offerings like
Sofia the First
,
Doc McStuffins
,
and
Jake and the Never Land Pirates
,
as well as popular classic favorites
Handy Manny
,
Imagination Movers
, and the
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
. 
Disney Junior
is intended to be less academic than
Playhouse Disney
was, focused more on entertainment and social proficiencies.  (For more about
Disney Junior
and its programs, visit
http://disney.go.com/disneyjunior
.
)  This perspective shift seems to be widespread; “Sesame Street” announced in late 2013 that it too will be focus more on social skills and self-regulating behaviors for small children than it has in the past.