EPCOT Epcot Forever to debut as interim show before full Reflections of Earth replacement

[hpyhnt 1000]

Most conversations I overheard said RoE is better, And they’re not wrong

To be fair, that's a tough, really unfair, comparison. The show isn't intended to be the direct replacement for RoE; that's what HarmoniUS is for.

Why are there so little fireworks in this show? Why aren't there more lasers and search lights and special effects. Oof, sitting at home contemplating this show is not good. There are tons of missteps that need to be fixed and fast or this is gonna flop harder than ROL.

Have to wonder if all that was a consideration as this show was created. Design it to be "good enough" and a solid diversion for a year but also make sure it doesn't eclipse HarmoniUS (and, by extension, blunt some of the griping about the theme/music of HarmoniUS from EPCOT fans because at least it's a better visual spectacle than Epcot Forever).

 

[jrhwdw]

Can someone explain to me the purpose of a temporary show? If this is just placeholder for the new show, why not just run RoE until the permanent show is ready? Why spend money to develop something that is going to be very short lived?

We've been told by insiders that it's not possible to keep ROE running while HMUS is getting built. And, WSL Restaurant owners(good for them!)didn't want WSL to be dark for one night so we have Epcot Forever. Someone PLEASE Correct me if I don't have that right.

Thinking back, I think Whole New World/EF is better than Circle Of Life/I25A.

Anyone know if ROE Got the SADCT Theme(actual song, not Parade theme) For NYE during 100 Years? MK got Celebrate for Millenium, Studios got SADCT for 100 Obviously. Point is sometimes other Park Songs do sneak into WSL

 

[TJJohn12]

OK, so prefacing this with the fact I am a deep fan of classic EPCOT music - listen to the 1982 Entrance Area Music about once a week, can listen to the original souvenir album on repeat - owned it on cassette and would in the back seat of the car on headphones as a kid...

This felt meaningless. And I think it was because it was a nostalgia driven clip show for which the intended audience is swiftly shrinking. If you hadn't ridden most of the classic future world attractions, you'd have been lost. Even if you had - you could still get really lost.

It's not very hard for nostalgia to fall flat in this case, either. Horizons died 20 years ago. World of Motion died 23 years ago. Kitchen Kabaret died 25 years ago. There are parents who weren't alive when "Veggie Veggie, Fruit Fruit" echoed through the Land pavilion now bringing their young kids to EPCOT. Hell, Magic Journeys - and thereby Makin' Memories - ended it's original run before I turned 1 year old. I know Makin' Memories more from my repeated listening of the soundtrack album than from seeing the film when it ran again in MK.

This was destined to fail. And frankly - maybe it should. Old EPCOT didn't die when they put the walls up a few weeks ago or drained the Fountain of Nations. It's been gone for decades. This show is nostalgic for a moment long past and largely forgotten.

Again, I love EPCOT. I love Robert Moline. I love the music. But this underlined just how gone those EPCOT attractions are. It felt like a seance waking the long dead to stir for no real reason.

Ironically, the part that *did* seem to say something to me? "A Whole New World" paired with the elements of Walt's EPCOT pitch. That was the only part of this that had a narrative thread and was saying anything other than, "Hey, look! 'Member EPCOT? 'Member how good things used to be!" It was the only button of hope.

*dons flame retardant suit*

 

[JohnD]

We've been told by insiders that it's not possible to keep ROE running while HMUS is getting built. And, WSL Restaurant owners(good for them!)didn't want WSL to be dark for one night so we have Epcot Forever. Someone PLEASE Correct me if I don't have that right.

Thinking back, I think Whole New World/EF is better than Circle Of Life/I25A.

Anyone know if ROE Got the SADCT Theme(actual song, not Parade theme) For NYE during 100 Years? MK got Celebrate for Millenium, Studios got SADCT for 100 Obviously. Point is sometimes other Park Songs do sneak into WSL

Acronym overload. Huh?

 

[Surferboy567]

Acronym overload. Huh?

I’m really not liking the acronym for HarmoniUS. Everytime I read it I think it says hummus. Think we may need to workshop that one.

 

[VJ]

Another hot take after rewinding the live stream and watching the show again:

BIG missed opportunity to finish with "We've Just Begun to Dream" after that last Walt quote about Epcot always in a state of becoming. While I don't like the inclusion of "A Whole New World" towards the end, I can see how it "fits" into the idea of the show, and I'd be more accepting of it if the show ended on an actual piece of EPCOT music. And WJBTD was the perfect song for that.

Seriously, imagine this re-recorded as the ending finale to the show. Can't emphasize what a huge swing and a miss this is the more I think about it.

And it would have been the perfect bookend to the opening.

 

[AndyS2992]

Anyone got a song list for the show? My knowledge of classic Epcot music isn't too great. If I know where songs are from I think I'd appreciate the show a bit better. Thanks.

 

[jrhwdw]

OK, so prefacing this with the fact I am a deep fan of classic EPCOT music - listen to the 1982 Entrance Area Music about once a week, can listen to the original souvenir album on repeat - owned it on cassette and would in the back seat of the car on headphones as a kid...

This felt meaningless. And I think it was because it was a nostalgia driven clip show for which the intended audience is swiftly shrinking. If you hadn't ridden most of the classic future world attractions, you'd have been lost. Even if you had - you could still get really lost.

It's not very hard for nostalgia to fall flat in this case, either. Horizons died 20 years ago. World of Motion died 23 years ago. Kitchen Kabaret died 25 years ago. There are parents who weren't alive when "Veggie Veggie, Fruit Fruit" echoed through the Land pavilion now bringing their young kids to EPCOT. Hell, Magic Journeys - and thereby Makin' Memories - ended it's original run before I turned 1 year old. I know Makin' Memories more from my repeated listening of the soundtrack album than from seeing the film when it ran again in MK.

This was destined to fail. And frankly - maybe it should. Old EPCOT didn't die when they put the walls up a few weeks ago or drained the Fountain of Nations. It's been gone for decades. This show is nostalgic for a moment long past and largely forgotten.

Again, I love EPCOT. I love Robert Moline. I love the music. But this underlined just how gone those EPCOT attractions are. It felt like a seance waking the long dead to stir for no real reason.

Ironically, the part that *did* seem to say something to me? "A Whole New World" paired with the elements of Walt's EPCOT pitch. That was the only part of this that had a narrative thread and was saying anything other than, "Hey, look! 'Member EPCOT? 'Member how good things used to be!" It was the only button of hope.

*dons flame retardant suit*

Is It sad that I remember Makin Memories more form Sing Along Songs: Disneyland Fun than Epcot Center? Was Makin Memories even around for my first trip in 92?

The Mickey part of me would have fall over if they used the Magical/Splashtacular Theme! Why That show only ran for half a year, I'll never know. Granted I never saw it in person but what I saw online, it was a piece of TDL Magic in WDW. Maybe not in the right park but still...

 

[TJJohn12]

Is It sad that I remember Makin Memories more form Sing Along Songs: Disneyland Fun than Epcot Center? Was Makin Memories even around for my first trip in 92?

I'm actually not entirely sure if Makin' Memories was still the preshow when Magic Journeys played in the Magic Kingdom (through 1993). @marni1971 - any insight on that one?

 

[brb1006]

I don’t know how long ago it was, but I’m pretty sure Martin warned us about the Whole New World part.

Got a link to Martin's hint from a while ago?

 

[Jeremy Geertsema]

What was the pre-show like for the show? Did they use the same loop as ROE?

 

[trainplane3]

The "whole new world" thing was part of the background music for the D23 panel for announcing the Epcot portion of the parks panel. Also, it was heard in most of the testing videos too.

 

[trainplane3]

What was the pre-show like for the show? Did they use the same loop as ROE?

Nope. It just seemed like slightly louder and different WS music.

 

[wdwmagic]

Here is our video - shot from the Norway area.

 

[JohnD]

I’m really not liking the acronym for HarmoniUS. Everytime I read it I think it says hummus. Think we may need to workshop that one.

Seriously:
HMUS
I25A
SADCT

What?

 

[Donaldfan1934]

Come on guys, we need to bring the criticism down a bit here. Even with A Whole New World slapped on at the end, you have to give Disney credit for going this deep with the fan service. Sure, it’s no RoE, but for what it is, it packs the right emotional punch overall. If there’s anything that should taken away from EPCOT Forever, it is to appreciate the calm before the inevitable IP storm that will be HarmonioUS.

 

[Musical Mermaid]

Got a link to Martin's hint from a while ago?

https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads...-one-of-those-soundtracks.959159/post-8884475
I’m not sure if this works. It was the second post in the thread.

 

[brb1006]

@Figments Friend and @marni1971 will having interesting thoughts on this show.

 

[Crazydisneyfanluke]

Break down of songs used and when: @AndyS2992

Spaceship Earth Theme
One Little Spark ("We call it EPCOT")
???? (I forgot the name of it)
We've Just begun to Dream
If We Can Dream It
Universe of Energy Theme song
Listen to the Land
Horizons Theme

Entrance Theme
Soarin' Theme
Tapestry of Nations/Dreams
Magic Journey
Tapestry of Nations/Dreams
Tomorrows Child

One Little Spark
Makin' Memories
Veggie Fruit
Fun to be Free

Tapestry of Nations/Dreams
Golden Dreams
Celebrate Hand in Hand (Should have been Finale IMO)
Tapestry of Nations/Dreams

One Little Spark
A Whole New World/Finale ()

One of the main voices you hear (Magic Journey, part of Whole New World) is a VOL and Voctave performer.

 

[dreamfinder912]

So I stayed home tonight to watch the live stream...on purpose and not out of laziness. I knew I'd have to have a good yell about it with quite a few not disney park appropriate words sprinkled in. Not only was I completely right in my own reactions, but I noticed on the live stream even the crowd seemed...meh. Though I did cheer with the rest when the torches were rekindled. Got chills and everything.

My opinions on the show, for what they're worth having only seen the recording and for knowing the Epcot music from my dad but having grown up with only vague memories of Imagination and Food Rocks rather than Kitchen Kabaret:

1)I do not appreciate at all the "innocent childrens voices" singing songs they weren't even alive to know...songs their parents may not have been alive to know. It's not the endearing "let there be peace on earth" or even "wishes" children's voices it's just bad...it's made me territorial of my own past and my own ty child singing voice singing along with my dads unending disney soundtracks. like who are you to come in here and quote this to me ya little brat, you think Nigel Channing invented Figment

2) It felt so jumbled and disjointed. They got stuck between going chronologically and having any sort of flow at all. It also seemed really weird that each song was like...15 seconds. "here's a blip from magic journeys...aaand now it's gone" I expected it to be more like a tribute and less like someone clicking through the Epcot parks album on random trying to find a song they liked

3) WHO IN THE WORLD PUT THAT IP CRAP IN OUR TRIBUTE this was teased to us as a tender and loving celebration of all Epcot was...and it just feels so much like "ohhh you miss this? well don't worry here's SOME DISNEY PRINCESS MUSIC TO REMIND YOU OF WHAT'S COMING" Like I get the message, but we have so SO many Epcot Original songs that could fit there...Tomorrow's Child, Promise, Celebrate the Future, I mean cmon. You could've told the story much better with a song made for Epcot...hell you could've actually composed something instead of just cobbling together a rehash of everything you already had.

I'm sure I'll drop in eventually to see it in person, if only to have that moment of chills when those torches light. I was there yesterday and stayed to watch them blow out...hoo...not the point ANYWAY I'll see it eventually, and I'll likely see The Glorious Tribute to All Nations but Mostly Our Movies at some point too...I just wish something at Disney told an original story again...not just a regurgitation of everything they've ever sold in the hopes that something sticks and people buy the new tee shirt.