Mickey's PhilharMagic
Encyclopedia
Mickey's PhilharMagic is a 4-D film
attraction found at the Magic Kingdom
theme park in the Walt Disney World Resort
, Hong Kong Disneyland
and at Tokyo Disneyland. The film was directed by George Scribner
, who is best known for directing Disney's 1988 animated film, Oliver and Company. Mickey's PhilharMagic is a 12-minute long show featuring 3D effects, scents, and water as well as a number of characters from Disney movies. It is shown on the largest purpose-built 3D screen ever made, at 150 feet wide.
and the Fantasy Faire shop in Fantasyland
. This is the fourth attraction to utilize this show building. The theatre originally hosted the Mickey Mouse Revue
. Later, it was the home to the 3-D Magic Journeys
film after it left Epcot's
Journey into Imagination
pavilion to make way for Captain EO
. Most recently, it was home to the stage presentation Legend of the Lion King.
At Hong Kong Disneyland, Mickey's PhilharMagic is located adjacent to Royal Banquet Hall in Fantasyland.
At Tokyo Disneyland, it takes the place of The Mickey Mouse Revue
, which was originally located at Walt Disney World before moving to Tokyo Disneyland as one of its original attractions.
in which Walt Disney Imagineering
has collaborated with another division of The Walt Disney Company
- in this instance, it was Walt Disney Feature Animation
. This same partnership developed the Fantasmic!
shows at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios
. Legendary Disney animator Glen Keane
re-rendered Ariel from The Little Mermaid
in 3D, returning after rendering her in 2D in the original film. Nik Ranieri, supervising animator of Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast
, also returned to animate that character in 3D. Most of Donald Duck's dialogue is actually archival recordings by his original voice actor, Clarence Nash
. Tony Anselmo
, Donald's current voice actor, recorded only five new lines for the character in this attraction (such as the scene where Donald Duck hums to the tune of the song "Be Our Guest".)
is performing with his PhilharMagic Orchestra at the Fantasyland Concert Hall. Inside, there are posters advertising the Concert Hall's past productions and performers, such as Hades from Hercules, Genie from Aladdin, The Big Bad Wolf, and The Three Little Pigs. Upon entering the theater's lobby, guests pick up their "opera glasses" (3-D glasses). During their wait, guests hear orchestral music from Fantasia
, Fantasia 2000
and other Disney animated films.
Goofy
, the Concert Hall's stage manager, admits the guests into the main theater, where final preparations for the performance are underway. Minnie Mouse then tells the guests to put on their "opera glasses." Minnie then realizes that Donald Duck has gone missing and goes to tell Mickey. Goofy then raises the curtain to reveal that the stage is empty, except for a conductor's podium and Donald, who is sleeping in a box. Mickey races onto the stage in a hurry, quickly telling Donald to unpack the instruments. Mickey places his famous Sorcerer's hat on the podium, then leaves, telling Donald, "And don't touch my hat!"
After Donald unpacks all the instruments, including a grand piano, from the small box, he is tempted to try on the Sorcerer's Hat himself. He does so, which causes the magical instruments to come to life and play an extremely unpleasent melody. However, when Donald bullies a small flute
, the other instruments rise up, creating a whirlwind of magic and music. Donald loses the hat in the storm and passes through different scenes from different movies while trying to retrieve the hat. After the whirlwind passes, Donald finds himself in the dark with Luemire, the candlebrara, who begins to sing "Be Our Guest." You can smell the food, and when the bottles pop, you feel a quick blast of wind in your face. The dark comes back for a second. When the light focuses, we find ourselves in "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," where Donald has shrunk. The walking brooms come in, spilling water on Donald. You feel the water on your lap. A broom Donald's size comes in, carrying a big bucket. Donald snatches the bucket away, but only gives it back when a giant broom comes in. The giant broom spills water on Donald, taking us to "The Little Mermaid," where Ariel is singing "Part of Your World." At the end of the song, an electric eel shocks Donald while trying to kiss Ariel. We are now in "The Lion King," where Simba is singing "I Just Can't Wait To Be King." After that, we go to "Peter Pan," where the chourus is singing "You Can Fly." Peter sprinkles pixie dust on Donald, which gives him the ability to fly. Finally, we go to "Aladdin," where Aladdin and Jasmine are singing "A Whole New World." This time, Donald retrieves the hat, by Jasmine placing it on his head. Unfortuantly, The hat gets knocked away by Iago, and Donald jumps after it. He encounters the magical whirlwind you remember from earlier. Donald gets sucked inside, finding himself back onstage, still in the whirlwind. Mickey returns, puts on the hat, and uses it's powers to restore order. As Mickey does the performance, Donald gets knocked into a tuba. As a fitting end, Donald gets shot from the tuba and into the theater's back wall.
(The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin) and lyricist Tim Rice
(Aladdin, The Lion King), who arranged the music for each song they had worked on since some verses or lines of these songs were omitted for this attraction.
4-D film
4-D film is a marketing term that describes an entertainment presentation system combining a 3-D film with physical effects in the theatre, which occur in synchronization with the film...
attraction found at the Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
theme park in the Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
, Hong Kong Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland is located on reclaimed land in Penny's Bay, Lantau Island. It is the first theme park located inside the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and is owned and managed by the Hong Kong International Theme Parks. The park opened to visitors on 12 September 2005...
and at Tokyo Disneyland. The film was directed by George Scribner
George Scribner
George Scribner is an artist, director and animator known for his work at Disney.Scribner was born and raised in the Republic of Panama, where he attended grade schools and drew his way through most of his classes. After high school in Florida, he majored in film at Emerson College in Boston and...
, who is best known for directing Disney's 1988 animated film, Oliver and Company. Mickey's PhilharMagic is a 12-minute long show featuring 3D effects, scents, and water as well as a number of characters from Disney movies. It is shown on the largest purpose-built 3D screen ever made, at 150 feet wide.
Locations
At Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Mickey's PhilharMagic is located adjacent to Peter Pan's FlightPeter Pan's Flight
Peter Pan's Flight is a suspended dark ride at the Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Park theme parks. Located in Fantasyland, it is one of the few remaining attractions that was operational on Disneyland's opening day in 1955...
and the Fantasy Faire shop in Fantasyland
Fantasyland
Fantasyland is one of the "themed lands" at the many Magic Kingdom-style parks run by The Walt Disney Company around the world. Each Fantasyland has a castle as well as several gentle rides themed after Disney movies...
. This is the fourth attraction to utilize this show building. The theatre originally hosted the Mickey Mouse Revue
Mickey Mouse Revue
The Mickey Mouse Revue was an indoor stage show acted by audio-animatronic performers in the Fantasyland area of Magic Kingdom park and was one of the three original attractions on its opening day and was also an attraction at Tokyo Disneyland...
. Later, it was the home to the 3-D Magic Journeys
Magic Journeys
Magic Journeys is a 3-D film created by WED Enterprises for presentation at Disney theme parks. It was featured at four different parks over the course of its 11-year run.-History:...
film after it left Epcot's
Epcot
Epcot is a theme park in the Walt Disney World Resort, located near Orlando, Florida. The park is dedicated to the celebration of human achievement, namely international culture and technological innovation. The second park built at the resort, it opened on October 1, 1982 and was initially named...
Journey into Imagination
Imagination!
Imagination! is a pavilion on the western side of "Future World", one of two themed areas of Epcot, a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida USA...
pavilion to make way for Captain EO
Captain EO
Captain EO is a 3-D science fiction film starring Michael Jackson and directed by Francis Ford Coppola that was shown at Disney theme parks from 1986 through the 1990s...
. Most recently, it was home to the stage presentation Legend of the Lion King.
At Hong Kong Disneyland, Mickey's PhilharMagic is located adjacent to Royal Banquet Hall in Fantasyland.
At Tokyo Disneyland, it takes the place of The Mickey Mouse Revue
Mickey Mouse Revue
The Mickey Mouse Revue was an indoor stage show acted by audio-animatronic performers in the Fantasyland area of Magic Kingdom park and was one of the three original attractions on its opening day and was also an attraction at Tokyo Disneyland...
, which was originally located at Walt Disney World before moving to Tokyo Disneyland as one of its original attractions.
Attraction development
The attraction is unique in being one of a very select amount of attractions in the Disney theme parksWalt Disney Parks and Resorts
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is the segment of The Walt Disney Company that conceives, builds, and manages the company's theme parks and holiday resorts, as well as a variety of additional family-oriented leisure enterprises...
in which Walt Disney Imagineering
Walt Disney Imagineering
Walt Disney Imagineering is the design and development arm of the Walt Disney Company, responsible for the creation and construction of Disney theme parks worldwide...
has collaborated with another division of The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
- in this instance, it was Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Animation Studios is an American animation studio headquartered in Burbank, California. The studio, founded in 1923 as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio by brothers Walt and Roy Disney, is the oldest subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
. This same partnership developed the Fantasmic!
Fantasmic!
Fantasmic! is a Disney nighttime show at Disneyland in the Disneyland Resort, Disney's Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World and Tokyo DisneySea in Tokyo Disney Resort. The show features fireworks, live actors, water effects, fire, music, several boats, decorated rafts and projections onto large...
shows at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort. Spanning 135 acres in size, its theme is show business, drawing inspiration from the heyday of Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s...
. Legendary Disney animator Glen Keane
Glen Keane
Glen Keane is an American animator, author, illustrator and director. Keane is best known for his character animation at Walt Disney Studios for feature films including The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Tarzan, and Tangled...
re-rendered Ariel from The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid (1989 film)
The Little Mermaid is a 1989 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of the same name. Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, the film was originally released to theaters on November 14, 1989 and is the twenty-eighth film in...
in 3D, returning after rendering her in 2D in the original film. Nik Ranieri, supervising animator of Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)
Beauty and the Beast is a 1991 American animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirtieth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series and the third film of the Disney Renaissance period...
, also returned to animate that character in 3D. Most of Donald Duck's dialogue is actually archival recordings by his original voice actor, Clarence Nash
Clarence Nash
Clarence Charles "Ducky" Nash was an American voice actor, best known for providing the voice of Donald Duck for the Walt Disney Studios...
. Tony Anselmo
Tony Anselmo
Tony Anselmo is an Animator, cartoon voice actor and, since 1985, the voice of Donald Duck. Anselmo was trained by the original voice of Donald, Clarence Nash. Anselmo has also shared voice-over duties for Donald's nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie since 1999. He voiced the nephews on Mickey...
, Donald's current voice actor, recorded only five new lines for the character in this attraction (such as the scene where Donald Duck hums to the tune of the song "Be Our Guest".)
Plot synopsis
Mickey MouseMickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
is performing with his PhilharMagic Orchestra at the Fantasyland Concert Hall. Inside, there are posters advertising the Concert Hall's past productions and performers, such as Hades from Hercules, Genie from Aladdin, The Big Bad Wolf, and The Three Little Pigs. Upon entering the theater's lobby, guests pick up their "opera glasses" (3-D glasses). During their wait, guests hear orchestral music from Fantasia
Fantasia (film)
Fantasia is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released by Walt Disney Productions. The third feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film consists of eight animated segments set to pieces of classical music conducted by Leopold Stokowski, seven of which are...
, Fantasia 2000
Fantasia 2000
Fantasia 2000 is a 1999 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was the 38th feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series and a sequel to 1940's Fantasia...
and other Disney animated films.
Goofy
Goofy
Goofy is a cartoon character created in 1932 at Walt Disney Productions. Goofy is a tall, anthropomorphic dog, and typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled fedora. Goofy is a close friend of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck...
, the Concert Hall's stage manager, admits the guests into the main theater, where final preparations for the performance are underway. Minnie Mouse then tells the guests to put on their "opera glasses." Minnie then realizes that Donald Duck has gone missing and goes to tell Mickey. Goofy then raises the curtain to reveal that the stage is empty, except for a conductor's podium and Donald, who is sleeping in a box. Mickey races onto the stage in a hurry, quickly telling Donald to unpack the instruments. Mickey places his famous Sorcerer's hat on the podium, then leaves, telling Donald, "And don't touch my hat!"
After Donald unpacks all the instruments, including a grand piano, from the small box, he is tempted to try on the Sorcerer's Hat himself. He does so, which causes the magical instruments to come to life and play an extremely unpleasent melody. However, when Donald bullies a small flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, the other instruments rise up, creating a whirlwind of magic and music. Donald loses the hat in the storm and passes through different scenes from different movies while trying to retrieve the hat. After the whirlwind passes, Donald finds himself in the dark with Luemire, the candlebrara, who begins to sing "Be Our Guest." You can smell the food, and when the bottles pop, you feel a quick blast of wind in your face. The dark comes back for a second. When the light focuses, we find ourselves in "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," where Donald has shrunk. The walking brooms come in, spilling water on Donald. You feel the water on your lap. A broom Donald's size comes in, carrying a big bucket. Donald snatches the bucket away, but only gives it back when a giant broom comes in. The giant broom spills water on Donald, taking us to "The Little Mermaid," where Ariel is singing "Part of Your World." At the end of the song, an electric eel shocks Donald while trying to kiss Ariel. We are now in "The Lion King," where Simba is singing "I Just Can't Wait To Be King." After that, we go to "Peter Pan," where the chourus is singing "You Can Fly." Peter sprinkles pixie dust on Donald, which gives him the ability to fly. Finally, we go to "Aladdin," where Aladdin and Jasmine are singing "A Whole New World." This time, Donald retrieves the hat, by Jasmine placing it on his head. Unfortuantly, The hat gets knocked away by Iago, and Donald jumps after it. He encounters the magical whirlwind you remember from earlier. Donald gets sucked inside, finding himself back onstage, still in the whirlwind. Mickey returns, puts on the hat, and uses it's powers to restore order. As Mickey does the performance, Donald gets knocked into a tuba. As a fitting end, Donald gets shot from the tuba and into the theater's back wall.
English cast
- Wayne AllwineWayne AllwineWayne Anthony Allwine was an American voice actor, a sound effects editor and foley artist for The Walt Disney Company. He was born in Glendale, California. He was the voice of Mickey Mouse for 32 years, narrowly the longest to date, and was married to voice actress Russi Taylor.Allwine was the...
as Mickey MouseMickey MouseMickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves... - Tony AnselmoTony AnselmoTony Anselmo is an Animator, cartoon voice actor and, since 1985, the voice of Donald Duck. Anselmo was trained by the original voice of Donald, Clarence Nash. Anselmo has also shared voice-over duties for Donald's nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie since 1999. He voiced the nephews on Mickey...
as Donald DuckDonald DuckDonald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
- Clarence NashClarence NashClarence Charles "Ducky" Nash was an American voice actor, best known for providing the voice of Donald Duck for the Walt Disney Studios...
(Archival recordings)
- Clarence Nash
- Russi TaylorRussi TaylorRussi Taylor is an American voice actress. She is the current voice actress of Disney's Minnie Mouse character. She has held this role since 1986, longer than any other voice actress...
as Minnie MouseMinnie MouseMinerva "Minnie" Mouse is an animated character created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney. The comic strip story "The Gleam" by Merrill De Maris and Floyd Gottfredson first gave her full name as Minerva Mouse. Minnie has since been a recurring alias for her. Minnie is currently voiced by actress Russi... - Bill FarmerBill FarmerWilliam "Bill" Farmer is an American voice actor and comedian, best known for being the current voice of the Disney characters Goofy, Pluto and Horace Horsecollar.-Early life:...
as GoofyGoofyGoofy is a cartoon character created in 1932 at Walt Disney Productions. Goofy is a tall, anthropomorphic dog, and typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled fedora. Goofy is a close friend of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck... - Jerry OrbachJerry OrbachJerome Bernard "Jerry" Orbach was an American actor and singer. He was well known for his starring role as Detective Lennie Briscoe in the Law & Order television series and as the voice of Lumière in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. As well, Orbach was a noted musical theatre star...
as Lumière
- Jodi BensonJodi BensonJodi Marie Benson is an American actress, voice actress, soprano singer, and Disney Legend. She is best known for providing both the speaking and the singing voices of Disney's Princess Ariel in The Little Mermaid and its sequels. In 2002 and 2006, she reprised the role of Ariel in the English...
as Ariel - Jason WeaverJason WeaverJason Michael Weaver also known by his stage name J-Weav, is an American actor and singer. He is perhaps best known for his television roles as a pre-teenage Michael Jackson in the Emmy Award-winning 1992 miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream, and as the older brother Marcus Henderson on the...
as SimbaSimbaSimba is a lion character and the protagonist of Disney's most successful animated feature film, The Lion King. He is the son of Mufasa and Sarabi, nephew of Scar, mate of Nala, and father of Kiara. He has golden fur and when he grows into an adult, he has an auburn mane... - Rowan AtkinsonRowan AtkinsonRowan Sebastian Atkinson is a British actor, comedian, and screenwriter. He is most famous for his work on the satirical sketch comedy show Not The Nine O'Clock News, and the sitcoms Blackadder, Mr. Bean and The Thin Blue Line...
as Zazu - Brad KaneBrad KaneBradley Caleb Kane is a singer, actor, and writer.-Career:Kane began to act when he was three years old, with a small role in the movie Six Weeks. At the age of eight, he obtained the role of one of the four chorus boys in the Broadway musical Evita...
as Aladdin - Lea SalongaLea SalongaLea Salonga-Chien is a mezzo-soprano singer and actress from the Philippines well known for originating the lead role of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon, for which she won the Olivier, Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics and Theatre World awards.She was the first Asian to play the roles of Éponine and...
as Princess JasminePrincess JasminePrincess Jasmine is a fictional character and one of the main characters of the 1992 film Aladdin and its sequels, The Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King of Thieves . She is voiced by Linda Larkin, with her singing voice performed by Lea Salonga in the first film and Disney Princess... - Gilbert GottfriedGilbert GottfriedGilbert Gottfried is an American actor, voice actor and stand-up comedian, best known for his trademark comedic persona of speaking in a loud, grating tone of voice. He has played numerous roles in film and television, perhaps most notably voicing the parrot Iago in Disney's Aladdin , and...
as Iago
Japanese cast
Most of the original voice cast reprised their original character roles in each of their own respective Disney films, excluding Peter Pan (who had a different voice), Donald Duck, and Simba (with archival recordings). According to Disney staff members at Walt Disney World, an estimate of about 80 talented musicians and/or background singers performed the music for the film as well as the return of famed composer Alan MenkenAlan Menken
Alan Menken is an American musical theatre and film composer and pianist.Menken is best known for his numerous scores for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. His scores for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas have each won him two Academy Awards...
(The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin) and lyricist Tim Rice
Tim Rice
Sir Timothy Miles Bindon "Tim" Rice is an British lyricist and author.An Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, Rice is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus...
(Aladdin, The Lion King), who arranged the music for each song they had worked on since some verses or lines of these songs were omitted for this attraction.