June 1996 – April 1998
LOCATION
Frontierland – The Hunchback of Notre Dame Festival Of Fools completely took over the back staging and picnic area in the land, known as Big Thunder Ranch. Guests could find the festival by following the Fantasyland path by the Casey Jr. Circus Train, or by walking along the Rivers of America next to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
BACKGROUND
The Hunchback of Notre Dame opened in 1996, and Disneyland added a number of features to commemorate its release. A Festival-themed parade float joined the procession, Esmeralda and friends conducted meet and greets with guests, and the park introduced a brand new attraction: the Festival of Fools. This show transformed Big Thunder Ranch into a French square, complete with Esmeralda’s cottage and Renaissance-style facades. For almost two years, the Festival of Fools took on a life of its own, almost like a mini land within a land.
EXPERIENCE
Like in the film, the Festival of Fools takes place on Topsy Turvy Day, an event celebrating everything strange, zany, and all things foolish. The show began with performers hopping onto the central stage, waving flags and announcing the start of the festival. The jesters began dancing, with Esmeralda performing a solo. One of her gypsy friends impersonated Frollo, scoffing at the event from a throne.
The show officially started with the arrival of Clopin, everyone’s favorite gypsy and storyteller. Clopin retold the story of the film, which included many of the songs and iconic moments, mixed with improve and off-the-cuff jokes. The show came to a dramatic finish with a battle in the bell tower, a final song, and massive confetti streamers raining from the sky. The 25-minute performance captured the spirit of the Hunchback of Notre Dame and brought huge excitement to the quietest region of Frontierland.
CLOSURE
The Festival of Fools had a relatively short run, with its final performance coming less than two years after its debut. The hype around The Hunchback of Notre Dame was dwindling among park guests, and the parade float dedicated to the film was already absent from the lineup. Despite a very loyal following, the Festival of Fools held its last performance in April 1998, and the entire staging area was closed to the public for almost a decade.
TRIVIA
While all of the performers sang live, they sang alongside pre-recorded background vocals at different points in the performance.
Esmeralda’s garden had a mysterious blue orb tucked along the plants. The orb was actually an ornament from Main Street USA’s holiday tree.
I remember this festival very well. I loved that the actors really did sing their parts; it wasn’t a lip sync show. It was filled with action as well.
awesome