Also new at Disney World: Pixar music show, Chinese Theater projections

The debut of Pandora – The World of Avatar over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom has gotten the lion’s share of attention lately at Walt Disney World, but there are a couple of new happenings at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as well.

Enhancements at DHS are a good thing these days as the park is in a bit of visual disarray, at the very least, as work on the future “Star Wars” and “Toy Story” lands are apparent on several fronts.

“The Music of Pixar Live!” is now playing three times a night at the theme park’s Theater of the Stars, home of the attraction’s long-running “Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage” show. Front and center – and, well, dominating the whole stage – is a live orchestra that works its way through selections from six Pixar films and franchises.

The vibe reminded me of the overture of the orchestra before Epcot’s Candlelight Processional. Live music is such a treat these days.

The backdrop is a giant, wide screen, which shows clips from the corresponding movies and talking heads about the making of the music. This is supplemented by appearances by walk-around characters on stage and in the crowd.

Unless you’re a soundtrack fiend, you might not recognize the tunes without visual reinforcement, and at least one of the selections blends music from multiple flicks — all three installments of the “Toy Story” series.

Spoiler: Yes, they show that makes-grown-men-cry scene from “Toy Story 3” when Andy goes to college (gulp) and the wonderfully gut-wrenching love story from “Up.” (There’s something in my eye).

If they’re trying to prove the power of music, well, mission accomplished. It’s mostly lighter than that though. Other movies heard from: “Cars,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Finding Nemo” and “The Incredibles.”

It’s a 45-minute show, and Disney is smart to intersperse the segments with on-stage appearances from the characters. That breaks it up nicely for impatient kids and parents. There are also prerecorded music-education-driven interviews with composers and directors, who talk about chords (that’s an F major 7th, boys and girls) and things like how the 5/4 time for Dory’s theme conveys that she’s joyful. Pixar mastermind John Lasseter appears in two segments.

Bonus points for the padded seating now in the theater, although after awhile it begins to sweat back at you, if you know what I mean. Still, they and the giant overhead fans are to be appreciated.

It ends with an all-characters-on-deck crowd-sourced singalong for “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.”

“Pixar Live” is on the schedule three times a day (afternoon/early evening) through Aug. 27. The “Beauty and the Beast” show also has multiple showings a day at this venue this summer.

Meanwhile, Disney had another projection show up its sleeve. “Disney Movie Magic” has been showing since Friday, despite not being on the park’s times guide, on the website or My Disney Experience app or having any warning. (When I asked three cast members about it Monday night, they all acted … tentative.)

Sure enough, at 8:50 p.m., it was announced that the production would be shown on the exterior walls of the Chinese Theater. Folks were still in “Fantasmic,” while others were camped out for “Star Wars” fireworks.

It’s still a neat trick though. This show has a foot in old school (“Mary Poppins”) and old-school-reimagined (recent incarnations of “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Jungle Book,” “Tron”). I like how 3-D-esque these things can look, particularly when shown on the adjacent buildings. And I like how the center part of the Chinese Theater “screen” can showcase a vertical moving image like Snapchat gone big time.

Also old school: The narration of “We welcome you to a Hollywood that never was and always will be.”

Among the dozens of films featured: “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Groot got the biggest applause from the audience.

It’s a quick, 10-minute deal with a double dose of Dick Van Dyke. And I liked the meta finale: a projection of the castle being projected upon the theater, with (virtual) fireworks in the air.

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