The company that has brought Immersive Van Gogh to tens of thousands of visitors across the country has a new experience using much of the same technology but targeting a completely different audience.
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Disney Animation: Immersive Experience will put audiences in the middle of many of their favorite Disney classics and modern favorites.
The show opened in Toronto last month and will open in nine U.S. cities over the first four months of 2023: Boston, Cleveland, Columbus, Denver, Detroit, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Nashville, and San Antonio.
“It’s a dream to bring the best of animated storytelling together with the top experts in the immersive art experience,” Clark Spencer, president of Walt Disney Animation, said in a release. “We can’t wait for audiences around the world, of all ages, to experience the great moments from our legacy of feature films in this incredible way.”
Spencer certainly knows something about animated storytelling, having won Academy Awards for his work on both Encanto and Zootopia, two of the films featured in the immersive experience.
The Experience
Much like the Van Gogh experience, visitors to Disney Animation: Immersive Experience will be surrounded by walls of visuals and sounds.
Visitors will find themselves in the casita from Encanto, at Pride Rock from The Lion King during sunrise as Rafiki presents Simba to the animal kingdom, or on a magic carpet with Aladdin and Jasmine.
Visitors can sing along with classic songs and become part of the show thanks to wristbands that light up in a variety of colors at points during the experience.
“Trailblazing in a new medium is always exciting, and this is truly going to be the most challenging and rewarding project of my career,” said J. Miles Dale, an Oscar-winning producer leading the creative team, a role he calls a tremendous responsibility. “With such a wealth of material and a treasure trove of memorable characters, it will be a thrill to bring the work of all the great Disney animators and performers to life in a 360-degree immersive environment.”
Organizers note that the bright flashing lights, huge displays, and at times loud music can be overwhelming to those sensitive to such stimulation.
They also advise that the experience is meant for all ages, or as they put it, from Bambis to Geppettos.
Opening Dates
While the Toronto experience is ongoing, the U.S. portions begin soon, and tickets are already on sale in all nine locations:
- Boston: Show opens February 23
- Cleveland: Show opens January 19
- Columbus: Show opens April 6
- Denver: Show opens February 16
- Detroit: Show opens February 9
- Las Vegas: Show opens March 30
- Minneapolis: Show opens March 23
- Nashville: Show opens February 9
- San Antonio: Show opens February 28
Tickets
There are a variety of ticket levels, starting with basic tickets that run $39.99.
The show also has family-and-friends group tickets, premium tickets, and VIP tickets. Each level includes extra items, ranging from seat cushions to interactive wristbands to Disney animation prints, and more.
Ticket information, dates, and availability can be found by choosing your preferred city on the Disney experience website.
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