In the 1996 animated film Toy Story, cowboy Woody rudely dismisses the serendipitously acrobatic entrance of his rival Buzz Lightyear by decrying, “That wasn’t flying, that was falling with style”.
From July 15, the delightfully self-deluded space ranger soars to the rafters of the Studio Theater at Disneyland Paris when Together: A Pixar Musical Adventure takes up permanent residence in the production courtyard of Walt Disney Studios Park.
Masterminded in just six months by directors Arnaud Feredj and Matthieu Robin, producer Astrid Gomez and an army of more than 100 creatives, the 33-minute multi-sensory performance is included in the French resort’s general admission ticket price (subject to availability) and augments state-of-the-art video, live actors, music, puppetry and water effects with attention-grabbing theatrical flourishes such as a certain intergalactic action figure defying gravity in an aerial harness.
Writer Thomas Maurion introduces the show’s lead character – a child called Charlie, who dreams of conducting their own orchestral composition at their school’s end-of-year gala – in mixed-reality video.
The musically gifted urchin loses the sheet music on the eve of the concert, heralding a speedy transition from 2D to 3D for the on-stage arrival of Woody, Bo Peep, Buzz, Jessie, Bullseye, Lotso, Rex and Green Army Men to search every nook of Charlie’s digitally rendered room for the missing pages.
The toys’ gung-ho quest unwraps melodic interludes with Miguel from Coco, Carl, Russell and Dug from Up, Sulley, Mike Wazowski and yellow hazmat-suited operatives from Monsters, Inc., and clownfish Nemo, his worrywart father Marlin and forgetful Dory.
Sign language is cleverly integrated into character responses although younger audiences who don’t speak French may yearn for audio description or supertitles to slingshot sweetly around bilingual dialogue that is weighted heavily towards native speakers.
Performed five times daily, Together: A Pixar Musical Adventure goes un poco loco for technical innovation and heart-warming sentiment to celebrate the enduring power of community spirit.
It’s one of the most ambitious shows in any Disney theme park, with movable floor-to-ceiling LED screens that glide across a 650sqm stage to facilitate the fluid scene changes and full-sized set decorations that stretch up to 30 metres wide and 6.2 metres high including a marigold bridge connecting the worlds of the living and dead.
Up to 38 artists and Pixar characters are on stage at any time, quick-changing more than 120 dazzling costumes created in collaboration with Paris-based workshop Bas et Hauts.
Two hundred spotlights magnify movements choreographed by Romain Rachline-Borgeaud and Céline and Cain Kitsaïs, including overhead footage of floor-based dancers in a Finding Nemo vignette which projects a kaleidoscopic clam shell fantasia à la Busby Berkeley onto a rear wall.
Adding to the complexity, multimedia and performance elements flirt with a soundtrack recorded with 54 musicians at studios around Nashville, enriched by a conductor-led ensemble of eight musicians live on stage.
Their accompaniment on piano, violin, trumpet, cello, guitar, drums, saxophone, trombone, tuba, double bass, clarinet and percussion deepens symphonic swells of an original score infused with familiar Pixar film themes.
A euphoric new earworm, “Together We Are One” composed by Austin Zudeck, Justin Thunstrom, Tony Ferrari and Noemie Legrand, proves irresistible as the toe-tapping closing refrain.
The arrival of Together: A Pixar Musical Adventure emboldens the most impressive roster of theatrical productions and parades at a single Disney property, led by the spellbinding Mickey And The Magician at Animagique Theater in Walt Disney Studios Park, which melds large-scale illusions and special effects with song and dance numbers from Cinderella, Beauty And The Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin and Frozen.
Soaring chants across a sun-scorched savannah distinguish The Lion King: Rhythms Of The Pride Lands at Frontierland Theater in Disneyland Park, which has been exclusive to the French resort since 2019.
Staged atop giant African drums (one of which tips forward to provide Scar with a fittingly grand entrance), the reworked rites-of-passage drama scavenges elements from the Oscar-winning 1994 film and Tony Award-winning 1997 stage show to chronicle Simba’s grief-fuelled odyssey from cub to benevolent ruler.
The two parks in Chessy, located about 20 miles east of Paris, have been home to attractions and shows based on Pixar’s Oscar-winning back catalogue since April 2006 when the Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast dark ride unholstered in Discoveryland.
The interactive shooting gallery straps intrepid explorers into two-person space cruisers mounted with infra-red laser guns. Direct hits at targets emblazoned with Emperor Zurg’s insignia score between 100 points (circular targets) and 10,000 points (triangular) although trigger-happy recruits should aim at the centre of Zurg’s armoured chest in the first and last scenes to collect a secret 50,000 points.
A short walk away, behind the Hyperspace Mountain rollercoaster, Mickey’s PhilharMagic 4D experience now includes a scene from Coco replete with a hidden Pizza Planet truck – an Easter Egg in almost every Pixar film.
Floats dedicated to Toy Story and Finding Nemo take pride of place in the daily Disney Stars on Parade, while Joy from Inside Out, Miguel from Coco and Woody and Jessie from Toy Story put their best feet forward for the rainbow-coloured Dream… and Shine Brighter! daytime show as part of the 30th anniversary celebrations.
Over in Walt Disney Studios Park, a hulking statue of Buzz Lightyear dominates the Worlds of Pixar area festooned with seven family-friendly attractions.
Jessie from Toy Story meets and greets fans and poses for rootin’ tootin’ photographs next to Crush’s Coaster. The spinning rollercoaster is exclusive to Paris and one of the resort’s most intense rides, propelling four-person turtle shells into the depths of the Coral Sea at the mercy of the swirling East Australian Current.
In stark contrast, guests of any age and height can enjoy the gently looping undulations of Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin.
Cars Road Trip takes a leisurely drive along Route 66, pausing briefly for a simulated earthquake and flash flood in Cars-tastrophe Canyon (sit on the left-hand side of the ride vehicle if you’re happy to get wet during the deluge). Cars Quatre Roues Rallye is a family-friendly spinning teacup ride inside cute, anthropomorphic automobiles.
Strong stomachs are required for RC Racer, which accelerates back and forth along a half-pipe track and hangs almost 80 metres in the air at its highest point.
Simulated 25-metre plummets on the Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop elicit stomach-lurching screams, while Remy the rat cooks up his favourite dish on the Ratatouille: The Adventure 4D dark ride, heightened by delectable aromas of oranges and freshly baked bread in kitchen scenes.
Together: A Pixar Musical Adventure also stimulates audiences’ senses with scents. Comforting base notes of childhood wonder complement candyfloss wafts of sweet harmony. Breathe deeply.
How to plan your trip
Disneyland Paris (disneylandparis.com/en-gb/; 0344 800 8898) offers a two-night/three-day stay at Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe, including direct return economy flights with Easyjet from London Gatwick to Paris Charles de Gaulle, from £1612 for two adults and two children (ages 3-9), including park tickets. Price based on September 15, 2023 departure date.