The American Idol Experience
Encyclopedia
The American Idol Experience is a theme park attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios
at the Walt Disney World Resort
. Inspired by the popular American television
series American Idol
, the attraction invites park guests to audition in front of live audiences who will vote for their favorite singers.
The attraction was announced on February 7, 2008, although specifics were not made public at that time. American Idol season six winner Jordin Sparks
unveiled its official name and projected opening date during the American Idol season seven finale on May 21, 2008.
Disney licensed the show's logos and set design from American Idols production companies, 19 Entertainment and FremantleMedia
. The attraction is located in the "Superstar Television Theater" (formerly the "ABC TV Theater"), which originally was home to Superstar Television, one of the first attractions to open at the park in 1989. The show took place of Doug
Live!, which ran from 1999 to 2001.
The attraction's grand opening took place on February 14, 2009, with occasional preview performances in the weeks leading up to the official opening. A press event just prior to the official opening featured many "Idol" celebrities, including all seven winners, numerous finalists, host Ryan Seacrest
, judge Paula Abdul
and "American Idol" creator Simon Fuller
.
The American Idol Experience has been promoted by winners of the American Idol from Season seven onwards by appearing in commercials and announcing "I'm going to Disney World!".
Park guests age 14 and older audition before a Disney "casting director" who judge singers based on their ability to sing and perform in front of an audience. As with the auditions for the television show, initial auditions are a cappella
. Selected singers advance to a second round for an audition with a "producer", where they select from a song list (see photo right) provided by the producers which include pop, country, rock, Latin, R&B as well as Disney songs and then audition again, this time with pre-recorded music; to ensure that guests hear a wider variety of songs, singers may only select songs that have not previously been chosen that day. Those who pass the second audition will be scheduled into one of the preliminary shows each operating day.
, had advanced to the American Idol finals. Kelly finished fifth in the 2010 season. Another winner includes Nolan Sotillo , who sang " What Hurts The Most " by Rascal Flatts. Sotillo is notable for starring in Disney's PROM. A previous 'Dream Ticket" Winner from South Africa Mark Haze advanced to the top 15 in the South African format show of Idols.
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...
at 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...
. Inspired by the popular American television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
, the attraction invites park guests to audition in front of live audiences who will vote for their favorite singers.
History
Jordin Sparks
Jordin Brianna Sparks is an American pop / R&B singer-songwriter and actress. She hails from Glendale, Arizona who rose to fame as the winner of the sixth season of American Idol. Sparks won when she was 17 years old, making her the youngest winner in Idol history...
unveiled its official name and projected opening date during the American Idol season seven finale on May 21, 2008.
Disney licensed the show's logos and set design from American Idols production companies, 19 Entertainment and FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia, Ltd. is the content and production division of Bertelsmann's RTL Group, Europe's second largest TV, radio, and production company...
. The attraction is located in the "Superstar Television Theater" (formerly the "ABC TV Theater"), which originally was home to Superstar Television, one of the first attractions to open at the park in 1989. The show took place of Doug
Doug
Doug is an American animated sitcom created by Jim Jinkins and co-produced by his studio, Jumbo Pictures . Doug centers on the surreal and imaginative exploits of its title character, Douglas "Doug" Funnie, who experiences common predicaments while attending middle school. The series lampoons...
Live!, which ran from 1999 to 2001.
The attraction's grand opening took place on February 14, 2009, with occasional preview performances in the weeks leading up to the official opening. A press event just prior to the official opening featured many "Idol" celebrities, including all seven winners, numerous finalists, host Ryan Seacrest
Ryan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, network producer and voice actor. He is the host of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show that airs on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Canada on Premiere Radio Networks,...
, judge Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul
Paula Julie Abdul is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality.In the 1980s, Abdul rose from cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers to highly sought-after choreographer at the height of the music video era before scoring a string of pop music-R&B hits...
and "American Idol" creator Simon Fuller
Simon Fuller
Simon Fuller is a British artist manager, television producer and creator of the Idol franchise, first seen as Pop Idol in the UK. Fuller is also the co-creator and executive producer of the Fox TV reality show So You Think You Can Dance and other U.S...
.
The American Idol Experience has been promoted by winners of the American Idol from Season seven onwards by appearing in commercials and announcing "I'm going to Disney World!".
Operations
Auditions
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
. Selected singers advance to a second round for an audition with a "producer", where they select from a song list (see photo right) provided by the producers which include pop, country, rock, Latin, R&B as well as Disney songs and then audition again, this time with pre-recorded music; to ensure that guests hear a wider variety of songs, singers may only select songs that have not previously been chosen that day. Those who pass the second audition will be scheduled into one of the preliminary shows each operating day.
Preliminary shows
The attraction features a number of preliminary shows each day, with one finale show in the evening. At each preliminary show, guests perform before a live audience inside the attraction's main theater, designed to resemble the television show's stage. Using electronic keypads at their seats, the audience votes for their favorite singer, who will return for the final show of the day.Finale show and "Dream Ticket"
The last show of each operating day features the winners of that day's preliminary shows. Again, the live audience votes for the performer they like the best. During the show, the audience is prompted to encourage the contestants and heckle the judges. Each day's final winner receives a "Dream Ticket" that will allow him or her to bypass the queue at one of the regional American Idol auditions for the television show, provided he or she meets the show's age and residency requirements. If the winner is not eligible, he or she will be allowed a "one-time" transfer of the "Dream Ticket" to another person, or can save the ticket until the age limit is met.Winners
As of May 2010, one "Dream Ticket" winner, Aaron KellyAaron Kelly (singer)
Aaron Wayne Kelly is an American singer from Sonestown, Pennsylvania who finished fifth on the ninth season of American Idol. Prior to Idol, Kelly was a finalist on America's Most Talented Kid at age 11.-Early life:...
, had advanced to the American Idol finals. Kelly finished fifth in the 2010 season. Another winner includes Nolan Sotillo , who sang " What Hurts The Most " by Rascal Flatts. Sotillo is notable for starring in Disney's PROM. A previous 'Dream Ticket" Winner from South Africa Mark Haze advanced to the top 15 in the South African format show of Idols.