American Idol Experience Press Event 2/12/2009

Hi everyone!   I was able to attend the American Idol Experience press event on February 12th.  It was a great time, and I whittled my photos down to the 350 you see here.   This is the second time I've covered the opening of this new attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios, the first is here (which is the first day that guests were admitted).

This is the first blog article I've had up in 3 weeks, due to a Joomla issue.   Thank you to Jeff Lange at site partner JeffLangeDVD.com for hosting my photos in the interim!  You can find several updates there on the front page.

Back to American Idol.  The show is solid and fun, but I'd rather see spontaneity from the judges.   That is the one weak link for me – and that is saying a lot, since I was initially skeptical of an attraction based on a franchise that is nearly 7 years old.  I think it's going to be a huge winner for the Disney Studios.   These photos span nearly 12 hours – from the time the carpet was being laid down, to the time the carpet was being stripped at the end of the evening.  Interested in some video clips from the show?   When I wasn't taking photos, I took a little video with my camera.  Jeff has my video of Carrie Underwood and David Cook singing "Go Your Own Way"!  Just scroll down to near the end of his update.    

Media packet pickup:

 

 

A sign advising of taping:

 

 

There was a blue carpet put down for the American Idol motorcade:

 

 

The media center:

 

 

Setting up around Disney's Hollywood Studios:

 

 

The blue carpet host getting warmed up: