‘Zootopia: Better Zoogether!’ is cute, but a step backward for Disney’s Animal Kingdom | Review
The citizens of Zootopia have come together to celebrate Zoogether Day in “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!,” a new 3D show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom which permanently replaces “It’s Tough to be a Bug!”
Photo courtesy of Disney
Progress in the Disney parks is something I am very in favor of. Losing old attractions is always quite sad, especially when you grow up with them. Watching the parks evolve with new offerings each year helps keep things fresh and relevant. “Zootopia” is significantly more relevant today than “A Bug’s Life,” making the replacement of “It’s Tough to be a Bug!” a no-brainer in theory. In reality, “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!” leaves a lot to be desired and feels like a step backward in the legacy of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Photo courtesy of Disney
Within the lore of the new show, Zootopia citizens across all of the city’s biomes have come together to celebrate their unity, predator and prey, with special acts and even a concert from superstar Gazelle! In the Tree of Life Theater, guests come in to watch a livestream of the celebration presented in “CarrotVision 3D,” which explains why you are wearing 3D glasses. Things soon go awry when it appears the festivities are being sabotaged! It’s up to Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps to solve the case before anything else goes wrong!
The waiting area before you enter the theater is the inarguable highlight of the “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!” Stunning prop work, from the Pawdora jewelry display cases to the lemming entrance with their own tiny 3D glasses, is absolutely precious. The design team of this area enhanced what was present with its predecessor with an extremely charming environment with plenty of Easter eggs to uncover. I wish I had more time in here to take it all in, but the show was starting so we were all ushered in quite quickly.
Photo by Omark Eyes / Disney
When Disney announced “Better Zoogether” around two years ago, I was instantly skeptical, yet very excited to see these characters apart of a fun 3D show. “It’s Tough to Be a Bug!” had reached the end of its lifespan: effects out of order, blurry screen resolution, and perhaps the most notable reason, it scared little kids (and a lot of adults too!). In contrast, here comes “Zootopia,” a bright, friendly, new-ish IP that’s well-loved with an easy replacement for an attraction that is just no longer popular. It seemed like a no-brainer!
“Zootopia: Better Zoogether!” is a cute show, but it feels like a big ad for “Zootopia 2,” not a permanent attraction in a park where it arguably does not fit. Is there really any argument for “Better Zoogether” to be in Animal Kingdom other than “they are animals”? As previously mentioned, we are traveling through the different biomes of Zootopia for the Zoogether Day celebration via livestream, but we don’t learn anything about them, as all of the presentations are sabotaged. Animal Kingdom is supposed to be a park where you learn about the human connection with animals, the circle of life, with an overarching theme of conservation. “It’s Tough to Be a Bug!” was so great (despite its decline in quality) because it was entertaining while also teaching guests about why bugs are so important and our relationship with them.
You won’t be learning anything here. Instead, I did a lot of questioning. I can suspend my disbelief long enough to overlook why we can feel certain effects. Why are we getting wet from spit while watching a livestream? You got wet from acid in “It’s Tough to Be a Bug!” because you were in the same room as the termite-ator. The explanation is that CarrotVision 3D can have the audience see, feel, and smell effects … alright, I won’t think too hard about it. What I can’t wrap my head around is a scene where Judy Hopps first shows up and starts talking to the Clawhauser animatronic to the right of the screen. How is she talking to someone who is in a completely different biome than her?! It would make more sense if she was talking to the cameras that were live-streaming the event, but talking directly to the animatronic off screen? That’s a tad nitpicky, but it truly made no sense to me.
Photo by Omark Reyes / Disney
Thankfully, the resolution of the show is a lot clearer than it was in the previous attraction. The animation looks incredible, though a tad dim due to the material used in the CarrotVision 3D glasses. The voice cast of “Zootopia” returned to reprise their roles and they all do just as great as they do in the movies; no sound-alikes here, or at least none I could notice.
Then-theater effects are very silly, and kids will love them way more than the sheer terror of “It’s Tough to Be a Bug!” The most notable is the Clawhauser animatronic to the right of the screen for almost the entire length of the show. He is a very impressive Audio-Animatronics figure animating the entire time, and looks even better than his predecessor over in Shanghai Disneyland’s “Zootopia: Hot Pursuit!” queue, thanks to replacing projected eyes with practical ones.
Photo courtesy of Disney
The main issue I have with “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!” really boils down the attraction’s placement. If this show replaced “Awesome Planet” (another show about biomes by the way) over in The Land pavilion at Epcot, I would be gushing with praise! It just does not fit in Animal Kingdom in my opinion. It feels like a step downward to be watching a livestream instead of watching a show be put on by the bugs canonically inside of the Tree of Life. Listen, “It’s Tough to Be a Bug!” was not much better, we all know that.
I love new attractions and change at Walt Disney World, but in a park so rooted in its themes and messaging, it almost feels like when Disney’s Hollywood Studios went from “active movie studio and backlot, inside the Hollywood that never was and will always be” to “step inside this immersive land themed to your favorite franchise.” Maybe I’m more apprehensive on what “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!” means for the future of the park, and I’m sure I’ll grow to like it a little more on some repeat viewings. For now, it’s a cute show to rest your legs for a few minutes and will inarguably be a huge hit with guests!
Are you excited to see “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!” at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
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