Lion King is impressive for about, um...10minutes. Then it sets in that the songs suck, the acting is minimal, and nothing lives up to the opening.
And, in Tarzan they have swinging around and above the audience.
In Mary Poppins, She flys over the audience and, well, she flys period. Also, Bert has a "crazy" tap moment.
So to say the other Disney shows aren't relying on spectacle is wrong. They are. That's what makes them Disney shows. When Disney does something small and intimate, then I'll applaud them.