Disneyland Hotel's Dancing Waters, September 1983
Long ago, GDB friend Sue B. sent me some scans of photos that her father, Lou Perry, took at the Disneyland Hotel's "Dancing Waters" show in 1983. Colored lights, music, sycronized fountains... what's not to like? At the time I felt like I couldn't make them look good, but I took another crack at it, and I think they are worth a gander. You be the judge!
Here we can see some ghostly images of Old Glory above the words "Dancing Waters", maybe "Stars and Stripes Forever" was the tune being played. There are even some stylized fireworks (in lights).
From what I can glean, Dancing Waters was at the Disneyland Hotel starting in 1970 - other versions of the same (or similar) show appeared around the country, including one at Radio City Music Hall in New York.
One website stated that The original show at the hotel lasted from 1970 until 1979 when it was updated when the “Water Wonderland” opened at the hotel. Mostly consisting of horseshoe waterfalls, grottos, and koi ponds just outside of the Bonita tower, the closest tower to where Dancing Waters show took place.
In 1988 The Walt Disney Company acquired the Wrather corporation, and with it, the Disneyland Hotel. In 1991, the Dancing Waters show was significantly changed (though the mechanics stayed the same) to become Fantasy Waters, which featured a soundtrack set to Disney Music, and light-up characters in the upper portions of the stage.
Fantasy Waters ran until 2007. The "Water Wonderland" area remained at the Hotel until 2011, when it was removed for major changes to the grounds. I've seen photos of those grottos and waterfalls, and it looked really neat, it's a shame that it's gone now.
Here's one last colorful photo of those Dancin' Waters!
THANK YOU, Lou and Sue!
18 comments:
Major-
The idea of water synchronized to music always struck me as such a grand idea, but I've always been disappointed when it came to the execution, unfortunately. But those grottos and waterfalls did not disappoint; I always found them quite wonderful.
Thanks to Lou and Sue for providing these images.
I never saw these "Dancing Waters" in person, so it's hard for me to get the impact of what the show was like. I concede that the fountains are pretty and colorful. Maybe I need to see the motion of the water and hear the music to appreciate it fully. I am a sucker for colorful nighttime lights, and the last photo is certainly that!
Thank you, Lou for capturing more of Disneyland's rarely photographed sights, and thanks to Sue and Major for bringing them to us.
I was able to see the Dancing Waters at the Hotel. It was before the name change and the Disney makeover to the show. I seem to remember one of the songs being "Stop In The Name Of Love."
I believe that the Hotel's "Dancing Waters" is the exact same system that was at the 1964 World's Fair, and operated indoors. I think I've also read that it "played" in Vegas, the L.A. Pan Pacific Auditorium, and the L.A. County Fair. That show's been everywhere, man!
Thank you Lou, Sue and Major, too!
The Disneyland hotel DANCING WATERS was produced by AMERICAN RAIN JET and MUZAK. In fact early literature and advertising mention that the DL HOTEL show even had its own theme song created by MUZAK. I know by 1972 Jack Wagoner - the official voice of DL/WDW was producing the show soundtracks for DANCING WATERS / FANTASYWATERS. The last time I saw FANTASY WATERS it included music from Captain EO. The water pool and curved DANCING WATERS stood until not very long ago. Even the sign remained long after the show was no longer being presented. But I know that often for nite time convection events they often had the fountains working with lights as a festive decorative backdrop… but nothing was animated or synchronized…
Nanook, it sounds like Dancing Waters was kind of like “Laserium” - cool in concept, but a bit disappointing in reality! Though it is fun to watch cheesy lasers while listening to “Dark Side of the Moon”.
JB, I’m sure the water show was perfectly nice, if not exciting. I like fountains in general, even without lights and music. I guess the “World of Color” show over in DCA is just a glorified Dancing Waters!
TokyoMagic!, it’s interesting that so many Dancing Waters shows were performed all over the country. I did not expect Supremes songs - I thought it would be more along the lines of patriotic tunes, or Tchaikovsky, or something. Why not “Muskrat Love”, greatest song ever?
Mike Cozart, somehow the fact that the Muzak corporation was involved checks out! And from what TokyoMagic! said, they had a hit on their hands, for many years. Music from Captain Eo, well OK. I never saw that attraction, but you could watch the film on YouTube, and let’s just say that I don’t feel like I missed much. I did like that blue elephant though, and wish he was in every movie.
I remember knowing of this show, but never watched it. Thank you, Lou, Sue and Major for recording these pics, historical interest indeed. Major, the scans look great.
The idea of synchronized music and fountains goes back at least the Renaissance, Villa d’Este has fountains coordinated with a water-powered organ, it’s quite a show, but no colored lights.
We did see a similar show in DCA when it first opened, very impressive. The whole soundtrack and video projections were all Disney shows and music. I remember thinking how easy it must have been to assemble from such an enormous back catalog.
Major, re Captain EO, the show was resurrected for a while and we saw it (again) in 2015; I think. I remember my son (early 30’s) coming out saying “WTF did I just see…”. He didn’t remember seeing it as a kid. It was just as awful as I remembered it.
JG
JG, I feel like I can vaguely recall some other water/light/music show. I kind of remember watching some of the fountains in the water rotating. What a fabulous memory (ha ha)! I've been to the Villa d'Este and have the pictures to prove it. Please send me $10,000 if you'd like to see those. Did DCA have a Dancing Waters-type show before "World of Color"? I went to that park so rarely, and it closed early so I probably wasn't there when it got dark. Captain Eo: I'm glad that fans of MJ loved it, but yikes, it is pretty terrible.
Major-
I saw Captain EO at an early, 'soft opening' of some sort; at that time it certainly seemed fine-enough - right down to MJ's declaration: We're going in-! The next time I saw it, that line garnered a hand full of titters and chuckles. A later viewing only produced further disappointment.
I guess that's what happens when too much talent is thrown together, but there's "no there, there" - all the talent in the world won't save it. Or... Too many chefs spoil the broth.
These photos of the water show at the Disneyland Hotel are wonderful. Lou & Sue bringing us the best. I love it.
"World of Color" was another water show that I was greatly disappointed in. Pure promo of IP and not much more. It left me cold. Fantasmic! is by far superior. The live performers and props elevated that show.
I couldn't agree more with you about Captain EO, Major. I hated that show and felt it didn't belong in Disneyland.
Thank you Lou & Sue for the wonderful pics and thank you Major for hosting.
Dean, thanks for that Wasserspiele link. Hearing those 'trumpets' sound was exciting and eerie.
Nanook, I would imagine that seeing a highly-anticipated movie might sway one’s opinion at first. I remember seeing “The Phantom Menace” and thought, “Well, that was pretty good”. Now I despise that movie. It’s really something to consider that, at the time, Captain Eo was the most expensive movie (per minute) ever made. It looks ghastly.
K. Martinez, I’ve seen videos of World of Color, and admit that you can’t really tell from a video, but I thought it looked OK. It’s true that you can sense when you are just being preached to rather than entertained. Which is unfortunate.
Dean Finder, I know about the big lights/fountains/music show at the New York World’s Fair - it sounds like a MUCH bigger, more impressive affair. I have photos of it on my blog, somewhere. The Wasserspiele looks like it was pretty incredible! I miss Tom Scott’s videos.
JB, if you think trumpets are exciting, wait until you hear a harmonica! ;-)
Another AMERICAN RAIN JET product was the Sea World Water Fantasy shows …. San Diego and Ohio were double sided theaters that could fit right into Tomorrowland 1967. The Florida show was a single sided stage and may have been relocated from some other venue .
During the early planning of Shanghai Disneyland the carousel was to be located at the end of International Street and in front of the castle in the center of a giant fountain in which fountains danced in time with the band organ music. The designers made so many references to the extremely popular San Diego Sparklets Water Fantasy show from Sea World in the 60’s and into the 80’s… and it was funny because when I talked about the Disneyland Hotel water show nobody at WDI remembered it or even believed me at first !! I had to get Dave Owens from the Disneyland sound dept to send them sone proof!! It was weird that something that was still there not long ago so many people within Disney had no recollection of it. Think how much will be forgotten in the next decade!!
If I knew about this post I could have sent major some images of a vintage table talker sign I have letting Disneyland Hotel guests know about the new dancing waters show and the evening’s show times. It also boasts about MUZAK’s involvement . It’s with All
My Disney park menus and restaurants related stuff in storage at my moms so I’ll have to retrieve it during a future visit.
Major, I can't come up with $10K unless I sell part of my Avon bottle collection.
Best I can do on short notice is 500 cardboard beer coasters from Honolulu brew pubs (gently used).
Can we work a deal to see "some" of the Villa d'Este pics?
JG
Thanks Lou and Sue for the Dancing! Is Dancing with Waters like Dancing with Wolves? Or is it like John Waters brother Dan? Dan Sing Waters III? I think I made it CLOSE to the Dancing Waters: I have vague memories, and there was a Disneyland event where my guests were put up at the Disneyland Hotel (whilst still in Wrather possession) and there was a special performance of the Dance of the Water. I remember very little. I don't think it was terribly exciting: but as I kid I LOVED the water show at Sea World! It was an indoor show, presented by Sparkletts, and I thought at the time (I was around 10) the show-values were very spot on. I even noticed that in the seating area it had carpeting...so the sounds of the show were also very controlled. Later, as an Disneyland employee visiting the hotel: "let's go have drinks at Sgt. Preston's and then watch Dancing Waters...I think most of the time the bar took precedence, and we took a look at the water, and then headed to the next watering hole: which was usually the Sheraton Castle (not the name: it was a Sheraton...and looked like a castle: it's still there...) on Ball...then "Friday's" at The City Mall in Orange (for these drinks called "Adios Mother"...basically it was a Long Island Ice tea with MORE ingredients...and it was blue..." ...and on Thursday's it was down to Newport to go somewhere at the Marina that had a live band....we had some stamina! I think sometimes we would start early with the intent on going over to the Dancing Waters after cocktails...but were always way-layed into some other adventure/diversion. There was this one place that had a slide from the restaurant that went directly down to the middle of the dance floor...What was that place called? hmmmm....the Dancing Waters brings back great memories of things that had nothing to do with the Dancing Waters. While in Salzburg visit Hellbrun: where there are trick fountains from 1615...a 400 year old predecessor of Dancing Waters and so very lovely. Thanks Major.
Thanks, everyone, I enjoyed your comments.
Mike, PLEASE share that Dancing Waters table sign on GDB - whenever you do locate it. Thank you.
Thanks, Major, too.
Bu, the name of the restaurant/bar with the slide that went down to their dance floor, was called the "Cattleman's Warf." It was located around the corner from DL, on Ball Rd. There were a couple other locations, including one in Hacienda Heights and another in La Verne. The Anaheim location was torn down and replaced with a hotel sometime between 2011 and 2014, but the restaurant had closed long before that:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.8179545,-117.9263571,3a,46.9y,200.37h,89.97t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sueFYvM5SPZQUDn8wHt6rgw!2e0!5s20110501T000000!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu
Oops, I forgot to mention that I found the article I had read years ago, about the Dancing Waters performing indoors at the 1964 New York World's Fair. It was shown inside an "inflatable bubble building" in the Lake Amusement section of the fair. Apparently, the same show also played at Freedomland, prior the New York World's Fair.
https://ochistorical.blogspot.com/2010/07/dancing-waters.html
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