New reporter, Scruffy Foxwell, here with a review of Zootopia: Better Zoogether (or as abbreviated here, ZBZ). ZBZ a wonderful, rip-roaring, hoof-stomping, NIGHT-HOWLING good time! It certainly is a treat for all Zootopia fans, old and new alike, and while not every guest may be in favor of this show replacing It’s Tough to Be a Bug, it establishes good reason to be present within Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Surely, most guests of the animal-themed theme park will enjoy it for its storytelling, and for Zootopia fans, it’s a small but meaningful way that helps expand the world of Zootopia.
Having been able to preview the show a week before its official public opening, this ZNN reporter enjoyed seeing various props and puns throughout the small waiting area in the queue. The outdoor queue has mostly stayed the same, although it’s still unknown as to why wooden canopies have been constructed along the queue; but perhaps in due time, it will be clear. There are obvious references within the queue such as “Pawdora” (a in-universe pun to our real-world counterpart, Pandora jewelry), National “Giraffic” (National Geographic), runZootopia (runDisney, the name of Disney hosted running marathons across Disney Parks), and of course, more of Duke’s “totally legit” bootleg DVDs with more Disney films used as puns, and references to the original film and Zootopia+!
ZBZ also establishes early on within the queue about the attraction’s presence from a story perspective. As Disney often emphasizes its theming in most everything within the Disney Parks, the heaviest theme within Disney’s Animal Kingdom is conservation, which has often been a big topic of debate on whether Zootopia is a proper property to include within the theme park. The conservation theme actually does go “paw-in-paw” with its theme and is established before entering the inside of the Tree of Life (where the show resides), and the mammals of Zootopia came “Zoogether” to form the now iconic city. There are even pictures depicting the very speech a young Judy Hopps once spoke in the opening of the original film. The notion that the conservation of togetherness is reinforced even within the indoor queue, making the message clear every step of the way.
As for the show itself, this reporter won’t spoil too much, but let’s just say he was surprised to find that this was more than just a show about smaller shows showcasing polar bears, deer ice skating, seals swimming and dancing, and more. There is a small side plot involving our favorite new ZPD detectives, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, and a newspaper article that alludes to this small plot within the queue line, so keep an eye out for it!
From what I could tell, effects from the Bug’s Life show were recycled into this new show, and they made fantastic use out of them, although it’s surprising they didn’t use certain effects in certain areas of the show. All-in-all, this is a “foxtasticly” fun show that should have kits (kids) of all ages laughing, howling, and clapping along for the first Zootopia attraction in Walt Disney World! This reporter gives it a 9.5 out of 10 “pawsicles” due to certain effects that could have been used within the show but weren’t; nonetheless, it’s still a great time and a great show! This has been Scruffy Foxwell, telling you to stay Wilde and TRY EVERYTHING!
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