It's Tough to be a Bug! is a nine minute 3-D (or 4-D, as Disney likes to call it)
movie starring the characters from Pixar's A Bug's Life. Of the four
Disney 3-D movies at WDW, this is the most intense. In addition to the usual
flying items from the screen (in this case, acorns) and water sprays, there are
animatronics in the theater itself, and a number of physical effects that add
greatly to the experience, but often frighten young children.
History
It's Tough to be a Bug! is one of the original Animal Kingdom attractions,
having opened on April 22, 1998. Interestingly enough, the attraction opened a
full seven months before its inspiration, Pixar's A Bug's Life, opened in
theaters.
Perhaps because the two films were developed essentially in parallel, Disney was
able to get Dave Foley (Flik) and Kevin Spacey (Hopper) to voice the same roles
they have in the theatrical film.
Review
It's Tough to be a Bug! is an enjoyable show, and the physical effects surpass
anything at WDW since Alien Encounter closed down (don't even mention Stitch).
The jokes are as corny as you would expect, the 3-D gags are clever, and the
storyline includes a crisis and resolution without getting too preachy. However,
the intensity of the bug attack makes this attraction a tough call for parents
of younger children. The Hopper audio-animatronic is large and quite complex,
and is nearly in the lap of some audience members. The hornet and spider
attacks occur in the dark with loud noises. All in all, parents should consider
their children's fear of the dark, fear of bugs (especially bees and spiders),
and fear of loud noises when deciding if they should ride.
But for those who won't be driven out, this is really a good show, Disney 3-D
magic at it's best.
Touring Tips
If you are unsure about how your child will react, choose a seat near the back and across the theater. This will have you close to the exit doors.
Just outside the exit are the "crying benches" where your young ones can settle down. We recommend heading to Camp Minnie-Mickey or another character greeting spot for a low-key wind-down if you had to leave the movie early.
Hidden Treasures
If you make it to the end, don't get up from your seat until you are told to. The last gag is worth waiting for.
Walkthrough
The
queue winds past several Tree of Life animals and movie
posters for bug movies. When you are admitted to the theater, you are given your "bug
eyes" (3-D glasses) and, as usual, are asked to (say it with us) move all
the way across the row before sitting. The narrator's voice admonishes you to
avoid buzzing, stinging, pollinating, etc. during the show.
Flik makes his appearance through a hole in the ceiling and introduces the bug
kingdom. He starts the show, causing the "curtain" to dissolve into a
flock of butterflies who (eventually) clear the way, revealing the stage. Flik
then introduces the first three acts, which are:
A Chilean tarantula who fires quills at acorns. Both types of object come right
at you. This usually causes the first exodus from the theater.
A soldier termite - a.k.a. the Termite-ator - who sprays the audience with acid.
A stink bug, who aims at a flower, but before she can fire, a pesky mosquito
brings the flower out over the audience.
So to this point, you've had things flying at you, you've gotten wet, and you've
experienced Disney's magic of smell.
Now comes the part that generates the most screaming and fleeing. Hopper (the
head grasshopper and chief villain from A Bug's Life) comes out and
berates Flik for making friends with humans. "Friends don't exterminate
friends, do they?" He then coordinates an attack on the audience. The
theater goes dark, and Hopper calls a squadron of hornets to sting the humans (you'll
get a dull prick in the back and probably jump just from the surprise of it).
Dozens of black widow spiders descend from the ceiling in just enough light to
see their hourglass markings. When this doesn't work, Hopper takes over the
battle. Fortunately for us all, before he can finish his monologue, a chameleon
snaps him up ... then spits him out ... then chases him away.
This allows Flik to return for the big production number at the end. A cast of
honey bees, dung beetles, and dragonflies sing the finale:
We're pollinators!
We're pollinators!
If you like vegetables, fresh fruit and flowers,
It's thanks to us bugs for our marvelous powers!
If it weren't for the fact that we like the taste,
You'd be out there wallowing in shoulder high waste!
Shoulder high waste!
And if all bugs were wiped off the planet,
There'd soon be no humans around here to man it!
The best thing about us,
You can't live without us,
Still it's tough to be a bug!
After Flik wraps up the show, the narrator asks you all to wait for the "beetles,
maggots, and cockroaches" to exit. Wait for it.
This YouTube video appears to be a true capture from the projection system, so
you don't get the blurry double images. Enjoy.
Hidden Mickeys
No Hidden Mickeys are known in It's Tough to be a Bug!
