Captain EO!

So what better than to start off with Disneyland’s big event that made headlines the other week? The return of Captain EO! It is a 3D short film that was first released in the eighties starring the unforgettable Michael Jackson as Captain EO. It was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by George Lucas. People were lined up outside the park several hours before it opened to try to be one of the first to see its return. While I did not line up early in the morning to see Captain EO, I did manage to watch it twice after work including the showing that was the last of the night.

Not having seen it when it was at Disneyland in the past, I was thrilled that it was coming back to the park. It replaced Honey I Shrunk the Audience and while I did enjoy watching Wayne Szalinski and the mishaps caused by his inventions, it was nice to have something new to see at the often empty theater in Tomrrowland. When I got to Disneyland that night, the line was not nearly as bad as I’d feared. I waited no more than 15-20 minutes and that included the pre-show. The theater is very large holding around 500 people so the line moves a lot between showings.

The film is so much fun to watch!!! Definitely something you should save some time to do on a visit to Disneyland. It is like stepping back in time and you get to watch Michael Jackson at the height of his career. In the film, Captain EO and his crew of aliens and robots are on a mission to deliver a gift to the Supreme Leader played by Anjelica Huston. There are 2 Michael Jackson songs in the film- “We are Here to Change the World” and “Another Part of Me”. The seats in the theater moved with the spaceship and bounced to the beat of the songs. Since it was on the opening day that we saw it, there was a lot of energy in the theater as the audience cheered on Captain EO. There were several people dressed up in Michael Jackson clothing for the film as well as several people who already bought some of the new Captain EO merchandise that Disneyland is now selling. (I myself ended up purchasing a sweatshirt, hat, buttons, and a poster! I’m hoping that they release some stuffed animal Fuzzballs from EO’s crew too!)

If you are a big Michael Jackson and 80s fan, or if you’ve been waiting for a reason to visit the park, now is the time! There is no end date yet to how long Captain EO Tribute will be at Disneyland so if you’re planning a trip to the park, Captain EO is something you definitely want to see! And that is So Disney for today!

Captain EO Quick Notes:

Where: Tomorrowland theatre next to Space Mountain and Red Rocket’s Pizza Port

Length of Film: 17 minutes

Suitable for kids. The Supreme Leader could be a little frightening for younger children but really is not that bad. Seats move and bounce but there not a lot of motion besides that.

Link to Video (Not the same as watching at the theater but if you can't make it to Disneyland, here are some links to video of Captain EO!):

Captain EO: Part One

Captain EO: Part Two