During the hot summer months, it’s always nice to find a place to cool off and rest for a bit at the Disneyland Resort and It’s Tough to Be a Bug! in Disney California Adventure is perfect for just that! The attraction is a fun 3D show featuring Flik and some new friends. The audience is made honorary bugs and learns just exactly why it’s tough to be a bug. (It’s a lot tougher than you think.) The characters are amazing, such as Claire de Room and Chili who talk about bugs and the tricks up their sleeves…err, wings.
For a movie about such little bugs, this show based on the movie Bug’s Life, makes a big impact! It’s Tough to Be a Bug! is a 3D show that may seem like the perfect fit for little ones may be better suited for the older bugs in your family. Young children may be frightened by the in-your-face bugs and the 3D effects.
Families who will be enjoying the show with young children should park strollers to the side of the attraction where a Cast Member will direct you down into the anthill. On the way down, don’t forget to admire the tree. Does it look familiar? It is the tree on Ant Island where all the adventures that Flik, Atta, and Dot have that summer. Inside the anthill, mushrooms gently glow and guests see advertisements for upcoming performances from other bugs. I was hoping for “Ladybug and the Tramp”, but you won’t be disappointed at the “punny” posters .
Cast Members hand out honorary bug glasses as guests enter the theater. The seating is on wood benches, and I prefer to sit toward the center. There really are no bad seats, but sitting in the middle really works for our family.
Be aware that the 3D experience can get uncomfortably real at the end. The theater is completely dark at several points. Hopper does come to raise a stink about humans mistreating bugs, and he is truly a technologically scary wonder. Hopper does call on some spider friends to “take care of the humans” as well as some wasps that “sting” you. The benches you are sitting on have some hidden surprises and this is one that makes the threat of the wasps all the more real. Young children may enjoy this attraction more while sitting in mom or dad’s lap.
Tip for guests with special needs: Please talk to a Cast member if you are concerned about your child and their ability to sit through the show. My little guy wouldn’t keep the glasses on at all. We were practicing in the waiting area, but without positive results. Only recently have we gotten him to wear them for 3D things and only by springing them on him unexpectedly after the movie started. Different things work for different kiddos. Try to sit near an exit for a quick getaway in case the show is too stimulating.
And as the summer heats up, don’t forget to check out these great ideas on how to stay cool when it’s hot, hot, hot! Suggestions for cool DCA ideas are at the bottom. Our family loves to check out Disney Junior-Live on Stage and Aladdin-A Musical Spectacular!
