Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy Club

[Figment!]

3/19/07

As of 3/17/07, the Laugh Floor appears to have started an indefinite period of regular public previews. A clapper board outside the attraction has listed the attraction as "now open" while conducting previews of the attraction (set to officially open April 2, 2007) continuously. It is currently unknown how long this type of preview will last, although it seems likely they will be conducted until the exclusive previews start circa March 28, 2007.

3/7/07

New Passholder Preview Dates Announced

3/2/07

Disney has announced that the new Grand Opening date for the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy Club is April 2, 2007. At this time new AP / DVC Preview dates have yet to been released.

1/2/07

DVC Previews are confirmed to be delayed.

This means both Passholder and Disney Vacation Club previews will happen near the attraction Grand Opening in "Spring 2007".

Formal Announcement Delaying DVC Previews


12/28/06

The Orlando Sentinel has reported (via a Walt Disney World Resort Spokesman) that Passholder previews have been delayed along with the Grand Opening.

No confirmation yet it the announced Disney Vacation Club member previews have been delayed as well. Passholder and Vacation Club Member previews typically happen together.

12/20/06

The Grand Opening of the attraction has been reportedly delayed. Despite official promotional material listing a January 24th opening as recent as last week, this is only now expected to be another preview near this date.

The attraction has now been internally reported to have a Spring 2007 Grand Opening.

This extension of the preview period is not expected to effect the Disney Vacation Club or Passholder preview dates. This may mean that the attraction sees a 60+ day period of General Public Previews (aka Soft Openings)--or it may mean more of these "early rehearsal" type previews--or a combination of the two.


12/12/06

"Early rehearsal" type previews now also include the pre-show segment of the attraction.

12/11/06

Some promotional material now lists a Grand Opening date of January 24th, 2006. This falls in line with the preview dates. This would also be during the same time period as the Finding Nemo--The Musical Grand Opening Press Event.

12/8/06

Disney Vacation Club Member previews have been announced as January 19 - 21, 2007. Passholder previews are expected to be held the same weekend.

The official Grand Opening of the attraction is anticipated for the week of the 22nd.

Due to the "early rehearsal" type previews to hone the show's material and presentation, General Public Previews (Soft Openings) may be limited to a few days or may not be conducted.

12/4/06

The Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy Club Sign has manifested outside the site of the new attraction. The signage is similar in style to the one for Stitch's Great Escape, The sign features a 2-D mike cut-out holding a laugh canister and a microphone standing on top of the sign. Currently the sign has a coming soon banner across most of the sign, such that only "Monsters Inc." and "Comedy Club" is clearly readable.


11/20/06

Orlando Sentinel Article on Previews

11/14/06

Laugh Floor blurb has been added to the Magic Kingdom Monorail Spiel

11/12/06

The Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy Club held an unexpected preview on 11-11-06.


Following are some notes of interest based off of reports of that preview:

• The new seating added to the theater is in the form of benches.
• A slight slope has been added to the theater for improved visibility, but it is not to the degree of a "typical" theater.
• The front of the theater is comprised of three screens, big screen in the center and two smaller screens on the side. One of the smaller screens is a "closet door".
• There is planned to be a pre-show, however it was not previewed.
• It has been confirmed that guests can text message jokes via cell phones and PDA's .
• The show is split into three segments
  • 1) Various audience members are shown on the big screen and are either given a humorous caption and/or are shown with a Monster (no true interaction here though)
  • 2)Mike and three other Monster comics perform a stand-up session that fully interacts with the audience. Cast Members give individual guests a microphone to interact while being seated. The interacting guest is shown on the big screen.
  • 3)The Monster Comics each share one or two jokes submitted by the audience along with the name and hometown of the sendee.
• As expected, all of the Monsters are animated on the screens in the same style as Turtle Talk, there are no audio-animatronics used in the show.

Full previews are still expected to be at least 30 days off; however, there more early previews like this are planned to be held in the coming weeks in order to hone the show.

[tundramom]

What, where? My DH said he heard a blurb about this on one of the monorail spiels, but we never heard it again, do tell please.

[Rosanne]

OOOOHHHH I can't wait for this!! I honestly think that it will be a really amazing attraction!

I LOVE NEW STUFF!

[CanadianWDWFan]

Here's hoping it will be showing when we go in 50 Days!

[Coleby]

To me it still sounds incredibly cheesy. I have a hard time sitting on benches so I guess I will be "sitting" this one out. I do wonder how long each show will be though. Just from reading about it though I don't feel the Disney magic. I could be wrong. I will try to keep an open mind.

[Figment!]

What, where? My DH said he heard a blurb about this on one of the monorail spiels, but we never heard it again, do tell please.

It's a new Tommorowland attraction at the Magic Kingdom--the replacement for the Timekeeper.

[tundramom]

It's a new Tommorowland attraction at the Magic Kingdom--the replacement for the Timekeeper.

Thank You!

[ktflisa]

yay! I'm hoping we get a sneak preview. I love Turtle Talk, so this should be great!

My customized map I received today says it is opening 1/23/07. We will be there Dec 15-19 and will be checking the area closely each time we are in MK.

As for the text messaging, a lot of shows are doing that. We saw Blue Man Group recently and they had an ongoing text ordeal. We pay a very small amount for unlimited text messaging on our Verizon plan, so I'll be thinking up jokes *just in case* !!

[mrsgaribaldi]

DH and I were there on 11/11 (his 40th birthday) and got to see the show. Some of it was extremely slow but some was hilarious(IMHO). The inside looked really good. We were asked to stay behind and offer ideas and opinions about the show and what they could do to improve it. I'm looking forward to seeing it when it's 100% ready.

[MCFantasia]

Sorry if this has been posted already--I'm at MK right now and didn't have time to scan the thread from my phone. Those wishing to catch a glimpse of the Laugh Floor... its lobby can be seen from the "outside" windows while you are on the TTA.

[Figment!]

Humor Put on Hold

Monsters, Inc. attraction to get more fine-tuning

Scott Powers | Sentinel Staff Writer
December 28, 2006

A comedy club show based on the popular Monsters, Inc. movie apparently isn't quite ready for the big time.

Walt Disney World has confirmed that the opening of its next big attraction -- The Monsters, Inc. The Laugh Floor Comedy Club show -- will be delayed a few months so that Walt Disney Imagineering can make adjustments now that test audiences got to try it out earlier this month.

The Magic Kingdom attraction draws on characters from the 2001 Pixar Animation movie, Monsters, Inc., and uses new technology to give audiences an interactive, sometimes improvisational, robotic comedy show. The attraction was built into the old Timekeeper location in Tomorrowland.

The Laugh Floor Comedy Club was slated to have passholder previews, then a grand opening, in January. But now those won't happen until sometime in the spring, said Disney spokesman Jacob DiPietre.

The delay will give staff members a chance for more training in the complex technology being used, and writers a chance to re-script parts of the show based on audience feedback, he said.

DiPietre would not elaborate on what script changes would be made or why. However, audiences reportedly have been lukewarm to the humor.

Chris Eliopoulos, who was in one test audience, said he thought the overall structure was sound and the crowd found the technology exciting, but the humor was a bit flat and the jokes didn't hit their marks. However, Eliopoulos, 39, of New Jersey, himself a humor writer and cartoonist, respectfully pointed out that humor is hard work.

"Humor that is funny for all ages is even harder," he conceded.

The Laugh Floor Comedy Club is one of three attractions that Disney World expected to open in short order during the early part of the Year of a Million Dreams promotion that began in October. At Epcot, a ride called The Seas with Nemo and Friends opened in November. At Disney's Animal Kingdom, a stage show called Finding Nemo -- The Musical had a soft opening this month and prepares for an official premiere in January.

So it appears that at least the Passholder previews have been delayed.


Have any Disney Vacation Club Members received word that the previously announced DVC previews have also been delayed?

[dlpmikki]

So it appears that at least the Passholder previews have been delayed.


Have any Disney Vacation Club Members received word that the previously announced DVC previews have also been delayed?

Nothing heard from them but it is not mentioned on the member website (however it was not on there even before this delay was announced) The only mention has been in the monthly email that came 8th December.

[Ian]

I read about a week ago that the entire opening was going to be delayed several months while WDI went back and retooled the show. Apparently, guest response was tepid at best and WDI didn't feel like the show was ready to be opened yet.

Apparently, they're considering re-doing large portions of the show to try and make it play better for audiences who, by and large, seemed very underwhelmed by the whole thing.

Frankly, I think this concept is a little thin to hold up an entire attraction. Turtle Talk is more of an interesting diversion ... I'm not sure this idea can hold up long term.

[ariel03]

[*]It has been confirmed that guests can text message jokes via cell phones and PDA's .

Do they really expect us to pay to send a text message to participate in the show. I know it is only 20 cents a message but wow. Hope it is something they are handing out. I won't be one sending a text message.

[Coleby]

I just thought of something, if the jokes come from the audience, what happens if no one can think of any?

[DizneyFreak2002]

Not all the jokes come from the audience. I think Jason said 1 or 2 per comic, which turns out to not be many if you think about it. I think I like the sound of this. However, I say it is only a matter of time before someone sues Disney over showing them on the screen with a funny caption. Sooner or later, someone will take offense since everything now-a-days offends people.

[PixiePrincess]

I'm excited about this attraction! Can't wait!

[The Funbunch]

Any chance that previews available to us during first week of Dec?

[Figment!]

I just thought of something, if the jokes come from the audience, what happens if no one can think of any?

The audience jokes are only used for the third segement of the show, which appears to typically contain 4-8 jokes. Further, it is only stated that submited jokes might be used, so there are likley some "default" jokes as well.

Any chance that previews available to us during first week of Dec?

Too early to tell, stay tuned to INTERCOT for the latest.

[The Funbunch]

Thanks We'll keep tabs.