‘World of Color’ Meet-Up Guests Get Inside Scoop

Heather Hust Rivera

by , Vice President, Consumer Products

Yesterday, guests at our “World of Color” Meet-Up at Disney California Adventure park were treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of “World of Color.” The event kicked off at 7 p.m. in Stage 17 at Disney California Adventure park, with a different kind of world of color as the stage was filled with multi-colored lights and music.
Inside the ‘World of Color’ Meet-Up room
Guests participated in a panel discussion with Steven Davison, a Disney Parks Blog author and Vice President of Parades and Spectaculars, Sayre Wiseman, Director of Production at Walt Disney Imagineering and Mary Niven, Vice President of Disney California Adventure park and Guest Services.
‘World of Color’ Meet-Up Panel
Steven Davison gave guests a look at concept ideas for “World of Color.” He shared a never-before-seen animatic that was created back in 2008 and showed some of the early planning that went into the show.

Sayre Wiseman, who helped bring “World of Color” to life, shared some interesting stories creating the show. She also showed some home videos that she and Steven shot of the production process.

Mary Niven talked about some of the unique challenges she and her team faced in trying to create the best possible experience for guests. Mary said that she thought this nighttime spectacular was a real “game changer” for guests and the Park. She also shared some funny stories about her conversations with guests and her granddaughter’s first impressions of the show.

After the panelists finished, we turned the event over to our guests and let them ask our speakers whatever was on their mind. There were a few particular insights from the show that I really enjoyed. When asked how the team created “glitter,” Steven replied that it was actually a “magical discovery” that happened almost on accident. During special effects tests, they learned that the glitter effect happened when lasers hit water in a certain way.
Josh Latka from Newnan, Ga.
While walking around and talking with our meet-up guests, I learned that we had guests from as far away as Minnesota and Georgia. Josh Latka, 21, from Newnan, Ga., never thought he’d get in to the meet-up and said he faced a dilemma when he got in: “I was trying to figure out what to do. My parents said, ‘This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. You have to do it.’ So I bought a ticket and came out.”

We also had some other super-fans in attendance. Three members of the audience participated in all our blog-related events at Disneyland Resort: Toy Story Mania Meet-Up, ‘World of Color’ Premiere Trivia Contest and last night’s “World of Color” Meet-Up. To thank these superfans, we gave them an exclusive blanket that was only given to the “World of Color” opening team.

Meet-up guests were also treated to a few gifts, including the special Disney Park Blog pins a glossy 8×10 “World of Color” photo shot by Disney Parks Blog author Paul Hiffmeyer, and a “World of Color” candy apple.

To end the event, guests were escorted to Paradise Park for a viewing of “World of Color.” After the show guests were free to enjoy the Park till closing.

I hope our speakers and guests had as much as fun as I had. Thank you again, Steven, Sayre and Mary, for giving our meet-up guests such a great experience last night, and thanks to all of our guests for coming and following us on the Disney Parks Blog, Facebook and Twitter.

Destinations: ‘World of Color’ Meet-Up Guests Get Inside Scoop

Comments

  • Thanks again to Heather, Sayre, Steve and Mary for hosting this wonderful event! I had a great time!! Can’t wait for the next one!!

  • I was just wondering if anything was mentioned about a possible soundtrack release for World of Color sometime later this year? I really loved the show’s music!

  • Thank you Heather for such a wonderful meet up and it was awesome getting to see World of Color once again. I’ve seen it over 20 times now (I was even there opening day, Friday June 11th 9PM show!) and still find something new every time!

    I wanted to ask a question there at the event but I wasn’t picked to ask a question. I love the different music that is used around Disneyland (I even have the 6 CD set from the 50th!) but what is the chances of a World of Color soundtrack coming out anytime?

    Thanks again, I hope I get the chance to attend another meet up sometime soon! 🙂

  • Thank you for such a wonderful evening!! I brought my older brother along (unlike myself, he rarely visits the parks, even though we live about fifteen minutes away) and we had a great time! It has been a couple of days since the meet-up and show and he is still talking about how amazing everything was… Now, he is considering buying a pass just so he can watch World of Color whenever he wants!!! Thank you again for a memorable night AND the possibility of sharing more disneyland fun with my brother!! 🙂

  • The meet-up was great! My boyfriend and I had a fantastic time. For anyone who wasn’t able to make it, the meet-up was lots of fun. You can also read my event coverage at our website Chip and Company :)I put a special thanks in there for you, Heather!

  • Hi Heather, I cannot begin to say thank you for the special night that my grandson Ben and I shared. I know it was short notice and that it was a rush to find a signer but your team was so wonderful and the biggest gift for us was that all of the extras you put into making our evening so memorable were done with such grace and compassion. We never felt like we were “asking too much” or that our request was out of the ordaniary, although it clearly was. As someone else on the panel said that night, “Walt would be proud.” You are a leaving such a legacy and we, Ben and I are forever grateful! Disneyland has alway held a special place in our hearts and now that place is soooo much bigger. Please tell Betty thank you for us!

  • Hi Heather, I just wanted to say thank you SO much for this wonderful experience. It was a great early birthday treat for my mom and I was so happy to be able to ask the last question of the night! It was really nice to hear everyone’s favorite scenes and then to be able to see them live for the first time.

    I know I will come back again and again to see this amazing show and I can’t wait for the next event.

    Thank you!

  • It was so nice meeting you Heather. My husband and I had a wonderful time. The meet-up was well worth the trip from N.Cal. It made our first veiwing of World of Color SO special because of the experiences Steve, Sayre and Mary shared about the show. I do believe the glitter effect is my favorite also… And I will never see Dori the same way again ;). What an exciting night! Thank you Disneyland for this opportunity.

  • My friend and I were some of those who hadn’t seen the show yet, so we were thrilled to get to come. (And since we collect pins, those were a wonderful bonus.)

    I just blogged about it over on my blog.

  • Hi Heather, how does one get selected for these types of events, or this one in particular?

  • Thank You Heather for an amazing time and it was great meeting you last night! My friend and I were so ecstatic about the whole event and Steven was just simply hilarious :’)

    I can’t wait to meet you guys again in the near future! (=

  • I’ve already posted on the facebook page, but felt I needed to thank you again. My son is nearly 16 and way too cool to hang out with his mom anymore. It was so great to revisit the memories of the Disney movies and moments we’ve shared since he was a baby. I could tell he was trying to be too cool for the WOC show, but he was oohing and ahhing with the rest of the crowd! It was such a special event!!

    World of Color is so amazing. Learning about the development and technical side was a treat. It was also very cool to see something in the show and say ‘Hey, that’s what they were talking about!!’. So much fun!!!

    • Susan, I love that. Thanks for sharing

  • Heather, Tim and I had so much fun last night! He had raised his hand to ask a question, and the last question of the night was what he had wanted to ask! What an incredible experience! I look forward to many more meetups in the future, and hope I get the opportunity again to enjoy the parks this way and learn more about the wonderful world you all work so hard to make Magical for us fans! I have visited Disneyland and DCA over 200 times in my life, I’ve even been to Club 33, and this meetup was every bit as special as dining in Club 33!!

    btw. It was the first time for both of us to see WOC, and I have to say that it was everything I had imagined, and Mary’s Granddaughter was absolutely spot on in saying that the “magic” is her favorite part… it’s certainly my favorite part too!!

  • Wow, this meet-up event sounds incredible, a dream-come-true for any long-time Disneyland fan! I wish I had read about it before the guest list was already full! I’ll be watching very closely for the next announcement!

    Thanks, Steph

  • I haven’t been to one of these special meets that Heather puts together and hosts, but HOW GREAT IS IT THAT THIS HAPPENS FOR US DISNEYLAND FANS?!?

    This latest meet for World of Color sounds like it was a real doozy! I can’t wait to see what is coming up in the next 12 months for Disney Parks Blog events for Haunted Mansion Holiday, Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, Christmastime, the new Soundsational Parade, Star Tours 2.0, Little Mermaid ride, Goofy’s Sky School ride, new DCA restaurants, etc., etc. The rest of 2010 and into 2011 have lots of exciting things coming up, and I’m sure Heather and the Disney Parks Blog will have some surprises for us!

    Disneyland fans sure get the VIP treatment here!

  • Thanks, Heather for organizing such a wonderful event. The never before seen footage was great and learning some much inside information of the show was a lot of fun.

    I had the chance to talk to you for a little while before the show started!

    I hope there are many more meetups in the future.

    Thanks again 🙂

    • It was great chatting with you, Arcadio.

  • We had such an amazing time Heather! My friend was bouncing around like all night she was so excited.

    Thank you to the panel also for taking the time to do this for us, it was a magical night for all the Disney geeks in the room!

  • Thanks, Heather! It was a fun evening and to see WOC in such a good spot was AMAZING!!

  • What an AMAZING show. A sensual feast for the eyes, the ears and the soul. I found myself smiling through the whole show. Thank you Disney. 🙂

  • Thank you so much Heather and the whole team!! We had an AMAZING time and treats were INCREDIBLE!!! World of Color is phonomenal!! Thank you again from Dan and I for the extraordinary opportunity!!

  • Thank you Heather for a wonderful evening! Enjoyed the informative panel discussion immensely.

    Saw Steven Davison @ The D23 Expo last year. What he showed us then of what would be has come to pass and then some!! Congratulations to the whole World Of Color Team for a job well done! Can’t wait to see what’s next.

    Hope I am able to attend future meet-ups.

    Thanks again!

  • Hey Heather! Is there any chance of fixing the spelling of my last name? Latka, Sorry! Had a blast last night and thank you all so much!

    • Thanks, Josh! Sorry about that. It’s fixed.

  • Last night was amazing! But, I have to ask… I was so excited about finding the hat under my chair, that I missed when Mary was telling us about them. So what is special about my sweet, new hat?

    Everything was so great! The show blew my mind. I felt like I was a little kid, and after every scene I said “this is my favorite…wait no this is my favorite…no this is…” You get the point. I LOVED it.

    Thank you Disney Blogs for doing this!

    • I’m glad you had a good time. Mary said these are fun hats that you can’t purchase in the Park. Sayre brought them as a fun giveaway for you guys.

  • I really enjoyed the event. The panel discussion was awesome. It was great to see the early animatic of the show, and all the changes that occurred. Its always fun to get a taste of the creative process.
    I’m glad that California Adventure now has a great nighttime spectacular of its own, and as Steve hinted, I’m looking forward to possible updates to the show in the future.

    I have to say, I would love to see Bolt on the show someday. It was a great movie.

    Thanks again for the meetup! 🙂

  • Thanks Heather for a great time last night. I have attended all three events and this one was by far the best. I truly felt special and welcome. Thanks again.

    • Thanks for coming out! Great to see you again.

  • Thanks Heather! My mother and I had a really wonderful time last night 🙂

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