Save Off Kilter !!

The WDW Powers-That-Make-Decisions recently released this message:

Over the coming months, we’ll be introducing new entertainment acts at Epcot, refreshing some of our existing acts and retiring a few others.

Namely: Off Kilter (Canada),  Mo'Rockin (Morocco),  The World Showcase Players (United Kingdom),  Spirit of America Fife and Drum Corps

.... their final performances the week ending September 27. We thank them for all they’ve done to make the Epcot Guest experience enjoyable and memorable.

 The Disney Parks Blog announced their replacements:  

B'net Houariyat, a traditional Berber music and dance troupe in Morocco;  Sbandieratori Flags, a corps of dynamic flag-waving performers in Italy; a 'thrilling' lumberjack-inspired show in Canada; Scottish Musical trio, a Celtic folk music ensemble at the United Kingdom .... more." 

Whoa whoa whoa ...  Wait a minute....
Off Kilter is a very very popular act. Very. Popular.
They are just about the only reason I go to Epcot in the afternoon. Sorry, Disney-Powers-That-Make Stupid Decisions, I just don't think that a lumber-jack inspired show will ever replace Off Kilter, no matter how 'thrilling' it might be.

 

There's a grassroots campaign going on Facebook to save Off Kilter.   The Facebook page is called "Save Off Kilter"

The petition can be found here:

https://www.change.org/p/the-walt-disney-company-keep-off-kilter-in-epcot-s-canada-pavilion

Today !!

Disney Festival-of-Fantasy parade steps off at MK park

Cannot wait to see THIS :

Photos: Disney Parks Blog

Festival of Fantasy

This is the name of the new parade that will debut at the Walt Disney' World's Magic Kingdom park this spring, which will feature this wonderful 'steampunk' Maleficent Dragon:

Pictures: Walt Disney World/Orlando Sentinel

Disney-Maleficent-float-Festival-of-Fantasy

I can hardly wait!!

And just in case you haven't heard  ...

"Maleficent"

... Starring Angelina Jolie as Maleficent, will be released July 2, 2014. It looks to be incredible!

Photo: Disney

Maleficent trailer

Yehaa! Bob

I've blogged about 'Yehaa Bob' Jackson before and my opinion remains the same.   He's great!

We caught his show the other night in which he started out with several Holiday tunes and I thought oh no, I hope the whole show isn't going to be holiday tunes, because I love his 'regular' show.  It wasn't.

But I have to say that Bob's version of the 'Twelve Days of Christmas' was the most fun I've had in a long time. Judging by the reaction of everyone else, they loved it, too.

Yehaabob

15 Years of Off Kilter Music

 
 Off Kilter   has been playing its rockin'-out bagpipe Celtic rock at Epcot's Canada Pavilion in the World Showcase for 15 years today.

Congrats and Thanks, Jamie, Mark, Randy, Tony, and Scotty!

If you haven't heard these guys yet, you really are missing out.

More here:  Off Kilter

Note from the Disney parks Blog: "If you’re lucky enough to hear Off Kilter play “Farewell to Nova Scotia,” don’t be surprised if it suddenly sounds a whole lot like “Mickey Mouse Club March.” "

 Kickin' it!

Photo: Allears.net

So, what DO they wear under the kilts, hmmm?

 JAMIE (laughing): We get that question a lot and we have a couple different answers. I like to say we wear white socks and Doc Marten boots under our kilts. But, of course, the real answer is bike shorts.      (H/T: Allears.net)

Eat to the Beatles

Epcot's Food and Wine Festival is one of my most favorite things at WDW and the Eat to the Beat concerts are part of that.

There are some that I enjoy more than others (Richard Marx!),

some that I miss (The Ventures),

and some that have never been, but would absolutely love to see (The Everly Brothers, Huey Lewis and the News).

Have you heard the rumor that the  sons of the Fab Four  might form a band? Can you imagine the crowds that THEY would draw? Of course, they would more than likely play the Amway Center before America Gardens Theater, but wouldn't it be great if they would come over and sing some of their dads' songs?

 James McCartney, Dhani Harrison, Zak Starkey, Sean Lennon

Bye, Bye British Invasion

After 15 years at Epcot, the British Invasion has sung their last at the U.K. pavilion in the World Showcase.

Photo: Orlando Attractions Magazine

On the band’s Facebook page:

To Our Fans.
First thanks to all the fans of the British Invasion for all their support over the years!!
It has been an honor to perform for you and Disney all these years!
We have given our notice to Disney Talent and Casting that we wouldn’t be playing after April 30th some time ago. We will be back to play at Disney from time to time and you will find those future dates posted on the British Invasion Facebook page!! Stay tuned for a British Invasion fan appreciation party in May and details of our first concert appearance in downtown Orlando on May 14th.
Sincerely,
The British Invasion 2011

On May 3rd, a new band will begin playing tunes Dave Clark Five, Led Zeppelin, The Who and Beatles (and more) tunes.

UPDATE:

The new band's name is .... British Revolution

Confession # 11: I Miss the Great Fright Way

The Ghostbusters vs Beetlejuice was my favorite street show over at Universal Studios until February 19, 2005, when it was closed after a 15-year run.

In every on-line survey I've taken for Universal Orlando, I've mentioned how much I miss these guys.

I'm not the only one. There is an on-line petition   to bring this show back.

YeHaa Bob!

Yehaa Bob is one of WDW's hidden treasures.

If you've ever been over at Port Orleans-Riverside on a Wednesday-Saturday night and walked past the River Roost Lounge, you've seen and heard Bob Jackson in action.

If you've stopped to watch and listen, you already know what I'm talkin' about.

And I hesitate to educate any one who doesn't because Bob's shows are already pretty crowded.

Here's Bob's website

Peter and the Noonatics

If it's Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot, it's Flower Power time!

If it's Flower Power time, I gotta see Herman's Hermits!

These guys always put on a good show.
No, wait. A great show!

They always look like they are having as much fun as the audience.

H H always pack the America Garden Theatre.
And part of the pack are the Noonatics, members of Herman/Peter Noone's fan club.

The first several rows, stage right, are reserved for these folks, and let me say this, they are almost as much fun to watch as Peter/Herman and the Hermits.

Photo from Peter's website: PeterNoone.com

Progress, Bah

They say that progress is a good thing.
But with progress comes change.

And here are some things I wish would not have changed.

At Disney's Animal Kingdom:

Then: Tarzan Rocks
Now: Finding Nemo, the Musical.

Nemo is a great show, but I sure do miss Tarzan's Phil Collins' tunes and the skaters.

At Disney's Hollywood Studios:

Then: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire-Play It
Now: Toy Story Mania

TSM is a great attraction! I just wish they had put it elsewhere and kept WWTBAM, my co-favorite thing at DHS and one of the very few adult-oriented attractions at WDW.

Then: Residential Street
Now: Lights! Motors! Action!

Residential Street was bulldozed to make way for the Stunt car stadium. When it comes time for the Osborne Lights, you really miss it. Now those millions of light are crammed into the Streets of America. It's a bit over-whelming.

Toy Story's Green Army Men
The guys used to do a really cute street show.
Now the guys only show up in the Block Party Bash and to sign autographs.

Over at Universal Studios:

Then: Kongfrontation
Now: The Mummy.

I have to admit that I missed Kong all together. We moved back to Florida when this attraction was just closing. But from what I have read about it, I'm pretty sure that I would have liked it better than the Mummy.

Beetlejuice vs The Ghostbusters.
This was my favorite street show and I never missed seeing it when we were at US.
Please, please bring them back!!!

Experiencing the American Idol Experience

I attended the first Passholder Preview show of Disney's brand-new American Idol Experience at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

I am not a fan of the television show, have watched it only two or three times, but I'll admit that I really enjoyed the Disney version. But then I do like Disney World's live shows ... The Festival of the Lion King is a MUST SEE ... and I still mourn the passing of Tarzan Rocks.

But I digress.

The 3 performers at my show varied in age as well as musical genre, which made it very entertaining, IMHO.

Yes, I'll be going again. Soon.

MVMCP

I attended my first
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
this year.

The parade was fun; the hot chocolate was hot and plentiful; snow fell on Main Street; the dance parties were great fun to watch; the fireworks were spectacular (Tink flew right over our heads); and the castle was absolutely stunning.

And I loved the special Cast Member Mickey Mitts (red instead of white)!

We (sis & I) missed seeing 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, tho, because after the 1st show (which was so packed, there was not even standing room in the back), one of the performers became ill and the next show was canceled. Then we got busy with the rest of the festivities and didn't to check if the show was back on.

Maybe next year!

Photo: Deb Wills / Allears.net

Oh La La, La Nouba!

La Nouba ... "Live it up" ... "Where two worlds collide" ... is Cirque du Soleil's resident company at Disney World.

You can't miss the big white building at the very end of DownTown Disney's West Side.

After a couple of years saying 'we really gotta see it', we experienced La Nouba for the 1st time yesterday evening.

Yes, experienced, because that's what it is. An experience. It's more than a show. Much more.

Hubby's favorite character was the 'Green Bird' who appears throughout, mostly in the background (and who is not green).

My favorite character was 'Le Titan' (aka the Muscle Man) who also appears throughout and does his thing in the last act.

My favorite act was the Diabolos.
The Diabolo is a musical wooden spool on a string.

Little Chinese girls spun, twirled, and tossed them.
Then they spun, twirled and tumbled while spinning, twirling and tossing the diabolos.

And there was more. So much more.

Here's the Disney World website.

Here's the offical La Nouba website.

Shortchanged

'Four for a Dollar', the great a cappella group who perform the Beauty and the Beast preshow at Disney's Hollywood Studios, will join Kristos, Imaginum, and Andy Mation in the realm of former Disney performers after their last performance on September 20th.

Photo: Steve Soares