So, as you may already know, my official home park is Hollywood Studios. I may be biased, but I do believe that I could not have had better luck when I was placed in a park. The staff and attractions and guest interactions are all so incredible. My actual job is to capture and create magical moments, and I cannot believe that I wake up every morning and get to go put smiles on faces for a living.
As a Hollywood Studios employee, I am encouraged to visit and get to know our park so that we can best relate and help our guests. When my roommates and I visited Studios a few days ago, we decided to spend the rainy part of the evening (welcome to Orlando) watching the Pixar LIVE show, and I decided to write a review.
1. What even is this?
Pixar LIVE is a 45 minute show in which an orchestra performs a composition of classics from the hit Disney Pixar movies Toy Story, Cars, Up, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc. while clips from the movies play on a screen behind the orchestra. Clips from all the movies are artfully compiled so that even if you've never seen the movies, you still get the total gist of what the movies are all about. The show even features some of my personal favorite characters from the movies, such as Buzz and Woody, Doug the dog, and the Incredible family! Talk about an overall good time and a great way to get out of the rain (welcome to Orlando, friends).
2. The Music is the MAIN Attraction
Multiple times, I totally forgot I was even listening to a live orchestra; the composition was so well timed and beautiful that I was totally immersed in the experience. With such talented musicians, it was so exciting to catch a glimpse of which instruments play a key part in major soundtrack sound effects that occur in most movies to create emotions that have the most impact (looking at you, clarinet from Up). It was also really refreshing to be reminded of how big of a part musical score plays in the emotions of a movie, not just the words that are said. Entire story lines weren't used, but I was still just as impacted emotionally as if they had been. I laughed and cried felt anxious just like I had when I saw the movies for the first time.
3. Picture This, If You Will.
A few of the movies used in the performance were sequel films, and clips from all the movies were featured, giving the audience so much story in so little time. They showed key scenes from each movie to enhance story line, and even changed the colors of the entire amphitheater to match the mood of the music and movie. One speaker in the show notes that music and lighting work seamlessly to create a mood and emotion in a film experience, and this performance thoroughly proved their point. Different color schemes in different movies very effectively impacted my tear ducts (again, looking at you Up). Brings me to my next point:
4. You WILL CRY.
If you have a heart, you will. That's the end of that. Especially for Up. And, if you're like me or a CP, for the karaoke version of "You've Got A Friend In Me".
5. You Will Learn So Much.
The speakers throughout the performance offer insight to key themes throughout all the movies and how the music was used to execute those themes and emotions. I left feeling so much more in love with each character and movie than I did at the beginning of the performance or than I did when I very first saw the films.
ENDS IN SEPTEMBER, SO SEE IT WHILE YOU CAN
Do not hesitate! If you visit soon, or if you're a CP coming to live here with us soon, you HAVE to see the show because it's phenomenal. end of story.