Food Rocks was an animatronic show in The Land pavilion at Epcot. It opened in 1994, replacing Kitchen Kabaret. It closed in 2004 and was replaced by Soarin' (later renamed Soarin' Around the World, set to become part of World Nature).
Development[]
When The Land pavilion underwent its mid-1990s re-imagining, Kitchen Kaberet was selected for replacement and update to more contemporary-styled music. The process for recruiting the rights to different musicians and their tracks began with producing a variety of potential demo tracks for the parodies and approaching artists for their approval and potentially having them re-record, though many were impressed enough by the soundalikes to decline doing it themselves. Acts that were considered, but passed on during development included an Elvis Presley parody named "Elvis Parsley", Tina Turner as "Tina Tuna" (who would be repurposed for Cher), and having the villains be played by the band KISS, though the team would ultimately choose to write an original villain song for The Excess instead.
The new show incorporated much of the old set-pieces and utilized simpler animatronics, though still retaining the figure of Mr. Dairy Goods. When it closed in 2004, the animatronics were sold on eBay but would re-emerge and be displayed at a Disney fan event at the Disneyland Hotel called Marvelous Mechanized Magic Kingdom in 2010.
Synopsis[]
The show was themed as a benefit concert for good nutrition hosted by Fud Wrapper, who was voiced by real-life rapper Tone Loc. However, it was continually interrupted by Excess, a junk food heavy metal band that detests nutrition. In the end, Excess lost their power as Fud Wrapper exclaimed "No power? You guys have been unplugged! There's plenty of foods out there that are good to eat, but remember, always eat with moderation".
The Audio-Animatronic characters were food items with human features. The music was based on popular songs by well-known performers, with lyrics adapted to the topic of nutrition. For example, The Peach Boys, singing "Good Nutrition", was based on The Beach Boys' song "Good Vibrations". Five of these acts used the voices of the parodied musicians themselves: Tone Loc, Neil Sedaka, Little Richard, The Pointer Sisters, and Chubby Checker. (Jess Harnell voices Pita Gabriel.) Most of the characters returned for the finale.
Future World Universe of Energy • Journey Into Imagination (Journey Into Imagination • Upstairs Image Works • Magic Journeys • Captain EO) • Imagination! (Honey, I Shrunk the Audience • Captain EO Tribute • Journey Into Your Imagination) • Ellen's Energy Adventure • Horizons • World of Motion • Wonders of Life (Body Wars • Cranium Command • Goofy About Health • The Making of Me) • CommuniCore • The Land (Symbiosis • Kitchen Kabaret • Food Rocks • Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable) • Splashtacular • The Living Seas • Innoventions
World Celebration Odyssey (The EPCOT Experience Center)
World Showcase China Pavilion (Wonders of China) • Norway Pavilion (Maelstrom) • Mexico Pavilion (El Rio del Tiempo) • Canada Pavilion (O Canada!) • Epcot Forever • Harmonious • IllumiNations • IllumiNations 25 • IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth • The Soul of Jazz • Agent P's World Showcase Adventure • Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure Seasonal:Millennium Village • Tapestry of Nations
