Here is a Shanghaî Disneyland video i was waiting for. I've always thought that the SDL Fantasyland attraction Voyage to the Crystal Grotto - unique to Shanghaî Disneyland - had to be done at night. Not that i don't like it at daytime but considering that it is a fountain attraction the use of colors on the fountains would probably enhance the effect and make it more magical, and i was right. Thanks to Disney Dwayne we have a first video showing the ride at night, and even if you don't like the ride, give it a second chance and watch this nighttime video. The fact that it was filmed at night give also a better view of the "Grotto" sequence as the camera didn't had to adapt itself when going from daylight to a darker place. If only Dwayne hadn't moved so much from one side to another during that scene, it would have been perfect...
However, it was filmed recently, a Friday evening, and there was no queue at all and probably not more than ten people in the boat, which is not specially good news for the park, let's hope there was more people in others lands.
Now, Spiro a faithful D&M reader sent me this comment:
Hi Alain, I enjoyed Shanghaî Disneyland Voyage to the Crystal Grotto Night Video.
Every time I look at any video of the "Voyage to the Crystal Grotto" I keep on saying something is missing.
Maybe there was a budget issue?
Now granted I haven't been on the ride and probably be looking at it differently
Or I don't have a translation of the ride inside the castle part that maybe I don't understand.
I keep on saying where is the spectacular ending. Just like a firework finale over the castle.
I like the map projections on the walls.
But I am wishing for a spectacular moment finale like the "attached image" proposed by WDI.
Because water fountains was use outside there is a little used inside.
If they carried the water jumping on and over the boat. Playful water with the ride boat.
Use of fiber optics.
Other special effects, fog, magical rain, etc.
Maybe a musical tune to remembered the ride like "its a small world" or "Electrical Parade" the ties the the different floats together but original song that you can come off the boat singing.
Look at "The Adventure of Sinbad" at Tokyo Disney Seas how the music carries with a grand finale and the tune.
I don't believe the ride is a let down. It just need something.
These are just my thoughts and hopefully they will plus the ride in the future. Or if I ever get there and experience the ride for myself I could see it differently than on the videos."
I have to say that i agree with him, the Voyage to the Crystal Grotto ride don't need a lot to be a really great ride, and a great song theme would help indeed, though it's a bit difficult to place because of the music of each scenes. Another reader - see his comment below - sais that the same ride indoor with moving Animatronics would have been awesome, and it surely would be the case.
The real thing which is missing is indeed Audio-Animatronics characters but if it's not the case it's simply because SDL Imagineers have thought there was no way they could have outdoor AAs without having never ending maintenance issues. By the way, even without AAs they already have some maintenance problem as you'll see in the Tangled scene where the lanterns don't go up or down as they should. So, the lack of characters AAs is mostly a technical problem and i'm afraid they won't be able to resolve this one.
That said, personally i like the ride and i'm sure it's even more enjoyable when you see it in real, i'll let you know soon, after i have been myself to SDL.
Video: copyright Disney Dwayne
