Rumor New nighttime show at Epcot

[tirian]

They don't want them to appreciate anything else. That's why they are destroying the nighttime show experience at the park formerly known as Epcot.

It sells toys.

 

[Disneyson]

Kind of a side-tangent, but does this subtly indicate that HEA is getting at least a minor soundtrack change? Considering that Go The Distance and How Far I’ll Go feature quite heavily in HEA, and Disney often spreads it’s IP around in nighttime spectaculars, hardly any repeats across the four parks.

 

[christine7257]

Apologies for the bad quality of my sketch - I made it on my phone in the queue for philharmagic.
...
The big projection fins I expect to be laid out like this, so anyone, anywhere can see at least two. Right in the center should be the spinning LED disc screen

Thank you so much! In my haste, I missed the details. Thank you for taking the time to sketch out. Hope you’re having a great trip!!

 

[Thelazer]

I don’t understand what WDI is thinking; this looks like it’s been spun through a marketing machine with “old fart Exec ideas” tossed into the mix.

I really like HEA but think the songs could’ve been better selected and edited. I love Illuminations: ROE but concede the spinning earth barge segment lasts too long. I enjoy Fantasmic in Florida and California. World of Color is a “Greatest Hits” clip show but doesn’t clash in a park that doesn’t have an ID anyway.

Regardless of the tech used, this new Epcot show looks like a boring, unimaginative use of Disney clips.

But that’s not the worst part.

In a park which has spent over three decades celebrating traditional cultures, Disney is hosting a show that pretends its animated movies are just as relevant and significant as civilizations and cultural contributions that developed over hundreds of years. The multicultural musical celebrations of the first two Illuminations — and the sweeping story of humanity in ROE — are replaced with Disney’s Greatest (and Not-So-Greatest) Karaoke.

The corporate cynicism is astounding. This show is talking down to the public. If this were in the Magic Kingdom or the Studios, it would be great; but by placing it in World Showcase at Epcot, Disney is quietly stating the public is too stupid to appreciate anything other than its own animated movies.

WELL SAID.
(But sadly the corporate machine doesn't care... unless this thing bombs and no one sticks around to see it and those shops / restaurants loose money.. that is)

 

[doctornick]

So, I'm going to be that guy and say I'm withholding judgement until the final product hits. I know many are hardcore against any IP in Epcot and I get that. But I'm at least slightly encourage by the use of live action footage in the preview. If they can actually pull off linking Disney IP to various nations around the world and showing how that culture inspired the music of Disney and creativity in general -- well, it might be a fit (albeit an imperfect one) for Epcot. I dunno. I think it's possible to make it work.

I'm skeptical, but I'm not just going to blanket rip on it because it has IP. Execution matters.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

but I'm not just going to blanket rip on it

You obviously don’t know how the internet works...

 

[tirian]

You obviously don’t know how the internet works...

That’s true about many websites, but some of us are on these boards because we work in the industry. Our opinions are based on inside knowledge, and we can smell creative bankruptcy a mile away.

 

[tirian]

WELL SAID.
(But sadly the corporate machine doesn't care... unless this thing bombs and no one sticks around to see it and those shops / restaurants loose money.. that is)

They won’t lose money. The public will eat this up. They’ve been conditioned to accept whatever Disney’s marketing machine throws at them. For many fans, disagreeing with a company has become equal to disagreeing with God.

 

[jt04]

Apologies for the bad quality of my sketch - I made it on my phone in the queue for philharmagic.

View attachment 326765
The big projection fins I expect to be laid out like this, so anyone, anywhere can see at least two. Right in the center should be the spinning LED disc screen

I thought it was a voodoo doughnut at first glance. Sorry.

 

[tirian]

I'm skeptical, but I'm not just going to blanket rip on it because it has IP. Execution matters.

I think the biggest concern is that Epcot has never done IP-driven entertainment particularly well. “Surprise in the Skies” was good, but the character appearances and balloons were overlays to a fantastic aerial show.

Have you seen videos of Barbie or the Communicore Circus during the EPCOT Center years? Remember the horrific wand that loomed over SSE?

IPs often clash with the overall Epcot aesthetic because the park is either too realistic or too monumental to blend with cartoons. WDI should know this. Perhaps they’ll nail the execution. We’ll see.

 

[Speedy71]

I don’t understand what WDI is thinking; this looks like it’s been spun through a marketing machine with “old fart Exec ideas” tossed into the mix.

I really like HEA but think the songs could’ve been better selected and edited. I love Illuminations: ROE but concede the spinning earth barge segment lasts too long. I enjoy Fantasmic in Florida and California. World of Color is a “Greatest Hits” clip show but doesn’t clash in a park that doesn’t have an ID anyway.

Regardless of the tech used, this new Epcot show looks like a boring, unimaginative use of Disney clips.

But that’s not the worst part.

In a park which has spent over three decades celebrating traditional cultures, Disney is hosting a show that pretends its animated movies are just as relevant and significant as civilizations and cultural contributions that developed over hundreds of years. The multicultural musical celebrations of the first two Illuminations — and the sweeping story of humanity in ROE — are replaced with Disney’s Greatest (and Not-So-Greatest) Karaoke.

The corporate cynicism is astounding. This show is talking down to the public. If this were in the Magic Kingdom or the Studios, it would be great; but by placing it in World Showcase at Epcot, Disney is quietly stating the public is too stupid to appreciate anything other than its own animated movies.

This. It's also a spit in the face to the ACTUAL countries that's being represented there.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I don’t understand what WDI is thinking; this looks like it’s been spun through a marketing machine with “old fart Exec ideas” tossed into the mix.

I really like HEA but think the songs could’ve been better selected and edited. I love Illuminations: ROE but concede the spinning earth barge segment lasts too long. I enjoy Fantasmic in Florida and California. World of Color is a “Greatest Hits” clip show but doesn’t clash in a park that doesn’t have an ID anyway.

Regardless of the tech used, this new Epcot show looks like a boring, unimaginative use of Disney clips.

But that’s not the worst part.

In a park which has spent over three decades celebrating traditional cultures, Disney is hosting a show that pretends its animated movies are just as relevant and significant as civilizations and cultural contributions that developed over hundreds of years. The multicultural musical celebrations of the first two Illuminations — and the sweeping story of humanity in ROE — are replaced with Disney’s Greatest (and Not-So-Greatest) Karaoke.

The corporate cynicism is astounding. This show is talking down to the public. If this were in the Magic Kingdom or the Studios, it would be great; but by placing it in World Showcase at Epcot, Disney is quietly stating the public is too stupid to appreciate anything other than its own animated movies.

It's the Judy Dench script of nighttime shows.

 

[Joesixtoe]

The different disney characters represent different cultural backgrounds. So I can see why using the IPs for the new show is a reasonable way they can go. Maybe even use a Tron character to represent the future? However with saying this, I am not looking forward to this, I am just trying to be a bit understanding.

 

[Magic Feather]

I too am giving this show the benefit of the doubt. Admittedly, having a slightly greater understanding of the show than most has helped that, and I do expect there to be a bigger tie to global themes than many are expecting. No, this is not a pure exploration of global themes, but it’s no Fantasmic either.

Apologies for the bad quality of my sketch - I made it on my phone in the queue for philharmagic.

View attachment 326765
The big projection fins I expect to be laid out like this, so anyone, anywhere can see at least two. Right in the center should be the spinning LED disc screen

There is A LOT more going on than that diagram depicts.

 

[GlacierGlacier]

I too am giving this show the benefit of the doubt. Admittedly, having a slightly greater understanding of the show than most has helped that, and I do expect there to be a bigger tie to global themes than many are expecting. No, this is not a pure exploration of global themes, but it’s no Fantasmic either.


There is A LOT more going on than that diagram depicts.

Most definitely more. I was trying to lay out the main screen fins we saw in the video so the other user could see.

 

[tirian]

I too am giving this show the benefit of the doubt. Admittedly, having a slightly greater understanding of the show than most has helped that, and I do expect there to be a bigger tie to global themes than many are expecting. No, this is not a pure exploration of global themes, but it’s no Fantasmic either.


There is A LOT more going on than that diagram depicts.

I’m glad to hear your take on it.

 

[Stripes]

I've been trying to form a devil's advocate argument defending the premise of the show. I'm having some trouble creating a sound argument.

 

[Marc Davis Fan]

I too am giving this show the benefit of the doubt. Admittedly, having a slightly greater understanding of the show than most has helped that, and I do expect there to be a bigger tie to global themes than many are expecting. No, this is not a pure exploration of global themes, but it’s no Fantasmic either.

Thanks for your input. I can safely say that we all greatly appreciate it here.

May I be so bold as to ask your thoughts on the interim show? In particular, do you think it will do a good job expressing Epcot’s values of human achievement and global community?

 

[Magic Feather]

Thanks for your input. I can safely say that we all greatly appreciate it here.

May I be so bold as to ask your thoughts on the interim show? In particular, do you think it will do a good job expressing Epcot’s values of human achievement and global community?

Epcot Forever is the “RIP Revue” for Epcot. At best, it would get one little shout out.

 

[disreport]

Martin - any idea if we'll get Showcase-wide speaker replacements with the new show?