As you may or may not have heard, January 10th marked the ending of Disney’s Aladdin, a Musical Spectacular at Disney’s California Adventure. While it is always sad to see a show/attraction leaving the parks, I know that Aladdin’s departure will make way for new and exciting changes at DCA. In this post I’d like to share what I remember and loved about the Aladdin musical, and what I hope is in store for the space that was used to host this event.
Disney’s Aladdin, a Musical Spectacular was a 45-minute theatrical production held at the Hyperion Theater in Hollywood Land at DCA. I had the pleasure of viewing Aladdin on multiple occasions over the past few years, especially enjoying the cool, dark theater on a hot day. The show opened in 2003, and had a very successful run over the years. By the time of Aladdin’s closing, the musical had reached nearly 14,000 shows, delighting millions of viewers in its 13 year run.
I was always very impressed with Aladdin, a Musical Spectacular. Having been a theater major in college, I usually flock towards anything and everything musical theater related, and this show was no exception. Aladdin had all the trademarks of a Broadway show, just brought down with a smaller time frame. I found the length of the show to always be perfect. Just long enough for a nice break from walking/standing, but not too long that children would start to get fussy.
The show followed the basic premise of the Disney movie, Aladdin, but contained enough differences to make it unique and original. I absolutely loved the song To Be Free, written by Alan Menken just for this show, along with the other compositions from the Disney film. Every time I saw Aladdin, a Musical Spectacular the talent was exceptional, both in the ways of dancing and singing. Not to mention, the Genie was always on point with his adult humor, making fun and pointing jokes at modern events.
Aladdin was also very impressive when it came to stunts and technology. From flying carpets to Jafar’s transformation into a giant cobra, the props and technology were exceptionally advanced. I am always amazed at Disney’s journey through modern times, and I can only imagine what the technology will hold for the next show at the Hyperion Theater!
That being said, Disney’s Aladdin, a Musical Spectacular will be missed greatly, but I do believe it is time for a change. A Frozen musical experience will be taking Aladdin’s place this summer, and is already generating a lot of buzz. I think summer is a great time to open this new production, and I can already imagine the lines will be very long! There isn’t a little girl out there today who isn’t obsessed with everything Frozen, so I am not surprised that they are choosing to do a musical based on the movie. I can only hope that the show will be over the top, elaborate, and very impressive. It has big shoes to fill as it replaces Aladdin, a show that was beloved by many and will not soon be forgotten.
– Cassie
Categories: Rumors and Commentary
I loved watching the Aladdin show though it depended on which one you watched… some were better than others but maybe that is how it goes with all live shows. Sometimes we’d say “Jafar was definitely better last time we were here” or “I like this Genie much more than the past one.” Hopefully Frozen will have more of a consistency. That being said, my husband and I both LOVED the show and enjoyed it every time we saw it. At least it’s still on one of the cruise ships!