For The First Time In Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration

May 2015 – April 2016

LOCATION

Hollywood Land – To reach the Sing-Along Celebration, guests followed the main path from Buena Vista Street, toward the Hyperion Theater. The Crown Jewel Theater was to the left, behind the seating area for Award Wieners.

BACKGROUND

For The First Time In Forever: A Sing-Along Celebration was originally one part of Frozen Fun, a temporary overlay in the rear section of Hollywood Land. Frozen Fun had a number of different shows and mini-attractions, all of which were originally slated to end in May 2015. During it’s springtime run, the Sing-Along show became massively popular, so much so that it survived the transition from Frozen Fun back to the Mad T Party setup. For almost a year, the Sing-Along show is the only Frozen-themed attraction at the Disneyland Resort, and the Crown Jewel Theater was California Adventure’s gateway to the magical kingdom of Arendelle.

EXPERIENCE

The grand tour of the Crown Jewel Theater began in its foyer, complete with large murals, stained glass, and floral decals. Inside the theater, guests met the royal historians, who retold the history of their beloved kingdom. The retelling was interrupted a few times, by sing-along song breaks, Princess Anna and Kristoff scheming to surprise each other, and the newer historian’s overwhelming nerves. In the end, Anna, Kristoff, Elsa, and the historians came together on stage to sing Let It Go, and Elsa used her magical powers to conjure a magical snowfall inside the theater.

CLOSURE

When Disney announced plans to bring a Frozen show to the larger Hyperion Theater, it seemed inevitable that the smaller sing-along would close. Disney closed the Hyperion’s previous show, (Aladdin) in January 2016, and the Crown Jewel theater closed its doors about four months later. The theater was quickly refurbished to house a preview of Alice Through the Looking Glass, the sequel to Tim Burton’s 2010 Alice in Wonderland live action film.

TRIVIA

My original rating: I am a HUGE Frozen fan, so I couldn’t wait to see the Sing-Along show when it opened in California Adventure. The whole buildup to the show is awesome; the lobby is decorated exactly like the castle, and you feel like you’ve stepped directly into Arendelle. Like in the It’s Tough To Be A Bug! theater, the Sing-Along lobby has movie posters with Frozen-related puns to entertain you while you wait. The show itself is a huge disappointment. The “retelling” is effectively a slideshow of moments from the movie, and you barely see Anna, Kristoff, or Elsa. Going in, I expected the characters to sing their own songs, but they don’t. The Sing-A-Long is literally video from the movie with the lyrics on the screen so you can join in, as the historians stand on the side of the stage and encourage the audience to sing. There are definitely cool moments in the show, like when Elsa uses her powers to start a snowfall and blast ice onto the stage, or Anna and Kristoff’s cute banter. Even so, the show is pretty boring, and you will definitely be disappointed by how little time the characters spend on stage. There is so much potential for an awesome Frozen show in the parks, but the Sing-Along isn’t what it could be. (★★☆☆☆)

The Sing-Along Celebration replaced Muppet Vision 3D, which had occupied the theater since California Adventure’s Opening Day in 2001.

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