EPCOT Reflections of Earth confirmed to be replaced by Harmonious

[cookiee_munster]

I think the fact that it's just full of really clunky looking machinery just really didn't have that wow factor I was expecting. You can draw something and make it look incredible, but turning it into reality may be a little more difficult...

Honestly, the arm things going up and down with the lights and the jets actually made me laugh.

I know world of colour is essentially just a load of sunken lights and fountains but there's something about how all the tech is fairly hidden away and how understated it is and not so over the top and in your face that just makes it more enjoyable and dare i say it, more "magical".

 

[TTA94]

I think one of the biggest issues is how large these barges are and how sparse the fountains are. Had there been more fountains and closer together that would’ve made a big difference, and also been more of a disguise, somewhat, for the barges.

As for wow moments… Will there even be any? Or any surprises?

 

[lightningtap347]

I still don't understand taking away the 360 view from the 360 lagoon. I didn't understand it then, I don't understand it now, and I won't understand it in the future.

 

[MaximumEd]

All I heard from the people talking in the video was “characters, characters, characters”.

 

[Little Green Men]

Looks great, can’t wait to see the full show

 

[gerarar]

This transition from projection/screen to lasers is so clean and nice ngl.

 

[Little Green Men]

It's not so much that people don't like it. I get it, they have their own reasons.

It's that if you do like something on these boards, you are treated like the village idiot!
Some of the ribbing is done in fun, some of it...isn't.

Lucky for me I have endless enthusiasm and it's hard for me not to be positive about all the new stuff that's coming.
Unlucky for most others who see my posts I suppose.

In the end, we will all enjoy or not enjoy the show as we see fit. And life will go on.

Don’t feel bad, you just have zero standards and bad taste

 

[trainplane3]

WDI once again proves they don't know how water works:

 

[Sir_Cliff]

This transition from projection/screen to lasers is so clean and nice ngl.
View attachment 575083

It does look nice, but how visible will it be around the lagoon? That's a big question mark for me from seeing the video. If you have to be in a viewing area where you're looking at the ring straight on and all the effects and projections from the ring are lost if you're standing on the sides of the lagoon, that would be a pretty big design flaw.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

WDI once again proves they don't know how water works:

Oh dear!

Kind of gives me this vibe

 

[MrPromey]

I still don't understand taking away the 360 view from the 360 lagoon. I didn't understand it then, I don't understand it now, and I won't understand it in the future.

I sort of thought that the tacos were in part, poor-man's screens to show the imagery for those who couldn't get a spot for the perfect view at the mouth of World Showcase but a number of the cuts shown in that video show nothing on those screens at all while stuff is happening in the middle or those only having accent stuff while the main screen shows the story.

I mean, I sort of get it: Directing a show with a point and meaning intened to work at many different angels is hard and not something that a lot of people have a lot of experience in doing but Disney used to do it and it feels like they've given up totally, not just here but with the castle shows, with the shows at Hollywood Studios, and when they had to build stadiums to perform to when they tried to do Rivers of Light.*

Instead of making shows designed to fit their spaces like they used to, it feels like more and more, they are trying to force people into configurations those spaces were not designed for so that they can present more traditional stage-like directional shows.

HEA was/is impressive but incredibly problematic and unsafe feeling** in the kinds of crowds it creates in front of the castle and again, this is after they destroyed the hub for over a year for what we were told, was a plan to improve the already problematic crowds during nightime shows and parades in that area that didn't focus people there.

That courtyard area at Hollywood studios was always a troubled area during nighttime shows even before they added projections that required you to be right there in it to see everything but they doubled down with that and built projection towers that block views from spaces you used to be able to see shows from.

I just don't get the thinking with this stuff. It feels like they are developing them all in a bubble without consideration of the real-world experience.


*I know this was also in part, about trying to create space for people to see it and not just the design of the show.

**I have a personal story about trying to get my son to first aid through a "desert party and emergency-only" corridor they maintain in the crowd, one time prior to the start of an HEA performance that went horribly bad so I have skin in this particular argument.

 

[J4546]

well i must admit if that daytime fountain video is the finished daytime fountain product, it sucks during the daytime.

 

[CaptinEO]

Oh give me a break Some people have standards.

I can say my personal experience is I've only been to Epcot 3 times, and all were within the last decade, and even I'm so saddened hearing that this will block the lagoon's view permanently. I saw Epcot Forever the other night and it was nice but my wife and I agreed illuminations was much better.

After seeing a video of this replacement I'm convinced they are ruining Epcot.

So once again, I have no nostalgia to speak for the place and never went during the 80s, and it's plain to see this is a huge downgrade.

 

[dreday3]

WDI once again proves they don't know how water works:

Ooof.

Even I will say that's not very good.

 

[lightningtap347]

WDI once again proves they don't know how water works:

I'm excited to see these things in the wind when I get there in November!

 

[FigmentsBrightIdeas]

Not as silly as those who complain about any and everything because of "muh nostalgia". I agreed with the initial barge complaints but now it just seems like everything is a problem with some people. I guarantee you, once HarmonioUS debuts, there will be people looking for even the tiniest of things wrong with the show. Was there a light that was slightly less bright than a light used in Illuminations? Failure! Did that one firework seem smaller than the other one from Illuminations? Failure! If it rains on October 1st (god forbid), it's the barges fault, it NEVER rained when Illuminations was around. Failure!

I loved Illuminations too but come on now lol.

You’re misunderstanding people’s complaints/frustrations. It’s not “Muh Nostalgia”. It’s “wrong central focus”. The focus should be on the actual people, culture, and countries. ‘Not’ the characters & same songs from the movies simply dubbed in different languages to makeup for “representation”. The characters should’ve been a “compliment” to the world showcase theme if they had to use them, not the focus.

 

[CaptinEO]

I sort of thought that the tacos were in part, poor-man's screens to show the imagery for those who couldn't get a spot for the perfect view at the mouth of World Showcase but a number of the cuts shown in that video show nothing on those screens at all while stuff is happening in the middle or those only having accent stuff while the main screen shows the story.

I mean, I sort of get it: Directing a show with a point and meaning intened to work at many different angels is hard and not something that a lot of people have a lot of experience in doing but Disney used to do it and it feels like they've given up totally, not just here but with the castle shows, with the shows at Hollywood Studios, and when they had to build stadiums to perform to when they tried to do Rivers of Light.*

Instead of making shows designed to fit their spaces like they used to, it feels like more and more, they are trying to force people into configurations those spaces were not designed for so that they can present more traditional stage-like directional shows.

HEA was/is impressive but incredibly problematic and unsafe feeling in the kinds of crowds it creates in front of the castle and again, this is after they destroyed the hub for over a year for what we were told, was a plan to improve the already problematic crowds during nightime shows and parades in that area that didn't focus people there.

That courtyard area at Hollywood studios was always a troubled area during nighttime shows even before they added projections that required you to be right there in it to see everything but they doubled down with that and built projection towers that block views from spaces you used to be able to see shows from.

I just don't get the thinking with this stuff. It feels like they are developing them all in a bubble without consideration of the real-world experience.


*I know this was also in part, about trying to create space for people to see it and not just the design of the show.

I wanted to say that the first time we visited Magic Kingdom (this was only a few years back). We found a nice spot to wait at behind the castle and camped out there. Little did we know that we could only see half the show from the direction we were looking. We had to keep turning 180 degrees throughout the show to see all the firworks.

The cool thing I like with Epcot is even though I've been lucky enough to get dining views each time I went, is the fact that you can see the show from anywhere.

 

[MrPromey]

I wanted to say that the first time we visited Magic Kingdom (this was only a few years back). We found a nice spot to wait at behind the castle and camped out there. Little did we know that we could only see half the show from the direction we were looking. We had to keep turning 180 degrees throughout the show to see all the firworks.

The cool thing I like with Epcot is even though I've been lucky enough to get dining views each time I went, is the fact that you can see the show from anywhere.

This was an issue with the last show but it was made worse with HEA and it's reliance on projection for major elements.

At that point, they would do a couple purely projection shows a night before and after the actual fireworks show which helped considerably since it spread out the crowds for those which were already lighter than everyone gathering for the main show.

Back then, you could chalk up that 180 view as a different and unique experience, especially if you'd already seen it in front of the castle but with HEA, there is no denying it's a much reduced experience.

 

[MrPromey]

WDI once again proves they don't know how water works:

I have to say the water, imo, actually makes it look worse than having them sit there.

Instead of an unfortunate eyesore that your eyes are naturally drawn to, it feels like they are trying to pull your attention to them now in the most awkward way.

Maybe, if they're able to run video all day with something subtle on repeat, they could improve it a little, though.

In that video it just looks like a fat guy* trying to hide (unsuccesfully) behind a light pole to me.


*spoken as someone who could stand to eat less and swim more and not meant to offend anyone except maybe, the people that decided leaving something like this in the lagoon all day was acceptable.

 

[UNCgolf]

It does look nice, but how visible will it be around the lagoon? That's a big question mark for me from seeing the video. If you have to be in a viewing area where you're looking at the ring straight on and all the effects and projections from the ring are lost if you're standing on the sides of the lagoon, that would be a pretty big design flaw.

I just posted something similar without seeing your comment first. The vast majority of guests won't be able to see the water screen very well, so I think we have to wonder what it will be like for all those guests.