News 2023 EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays

[Disone]

the center tree is Voices of Liberty, who while yes are technically cast-members as well, they are also getting paid to sing and are professional singers as their full-time job. Those in gold robes for the 7:00 and 8:30 shows are volunteer cast-members from all over the company, from Cruise Line, Executives, Housekeeping, every role. The 5.15. show is a visiting high school choir.

The show is still nice but it's certainly watered down from what it used to be. It used to be that the Christmas tree in the middle was in fact the volunteer cast members from the Walt Disney World resort. Flanking it on both sides or the volunteer choirs of which were used for all of the shows, not just the first one, and were a couple hundred voices strong on both sides.

Today what you hear is mostly the Voices of Liberty. Each one has their own mic while the volunteer choirs have a few mics hanging above them from the rafters.

 

[Comped]

The show is still nice but it's certainly watered down from what it used to be. It used to be that the Christmas tree in the middle was in fact the volunteer cast members from the Walt Disney World resort. Flanking it on both sides or the volunteer choirs of which were used for all of the shows, not just the first one, and were a couple hundred voices strong on both sides.

Today what you hear is mostly the Voices of Liberty. Each one has their own mic while the volunteer choirs have a few mics hanging above them from the rafters.

Yep - that's what I remember. Was apparently a change made last year which I dislike quite a bit. I did get to see last year's changes to the ending, and didn't hate them surprisingly. (Didn't watch last year because the list of narrators wasn't great for when my pass level had availability.) But if they're going to attempt to summarize One Solitary Man without actually reading it, just bloody read it. It's certainly worded better than what we got at the end there.

Also - Eva Longoria's family was lovely (was sitting in front of them when I saw the 5:15 show last night). Interacted with them by accident (didn't realize they were anyone special besides occasionally seeing a plaid walk over to them with popcorn), and they were very down to earth. Until Eva mentioned them at the end and they went nuts haha.

 

[castlecake2.0]

Interesting change as now they’re paying double the amount of Voices compared to the previous set up

 

[Brian]

Interesting change as now they’re paying double the amount of Voices compared to the previous set up

They're not cheap to begin with, but especially not when compared to other CMs that will do it for free.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Interesting change as now they’re paying double the amount of Voices compared to the previous set up

They make up for it in volume.

 

[Disone]

Interesting change as now they’re paying double the amount of Voices compared to the previous set up

That's a good point. Perhaps the motivation here is to pay a little bit more for the talent and make it up for it with lower cost of the logistics. It's anyone's guess whether the cost of those logistics is greater or less than the cost of eight additional voices of liberty.... I'm sure there can be a healthy debate about that, but either way I feel it resulted in a less impressive current version than what they were previously doing.

 

[Gringrinngghost]

For anyone who hasn't seen but wanted to see Branden Fraser, I did make this one, and the show is about 98% subtitled. Interesting note on the last show for Branden Fraser, there was a wider soundstage on the orchestra, and I think they were a bit too hot in the mix, especially with the trumpets, but considering they were counteracting the wind...



Not to mention, as the show appears to have bigger crowds it seems these days, the trees in the theatre are more starting to feel more like a nuisance, then an aesthetic benefit, especially as they had reserved seating line go all the way back to France, while the standby was apparently at one point back to Norway.

 

[Tori]

Not to mention, as the show appears to have bigger crowds it seems these days, the trees in the theatre are more starting to feel more like a nuisance, then an aesthetic benefit, especially as they had reserved seating line go all the way back to France, while the standby was apparently at one point back to Norway.

I really wish they would get rid of the trees and extend the roof

 

[Brian]

It doesn't make sense to get rid of the trees for an event that takes place for roughly one month out of the year, while demand isn't nearly as high the rest of the year.

If they'd like to accommodate more people, they should look at hosting the event somewhere larger, like World ShowPlace.

They could also do a virtual queue for the show.

 

[Comped]

It doesn't make sense to get rid of the trees for an event that takes place for roughly one month out of the year, while demand isn't nearly as high the rest of the year.

If they'd like to accommodate more people, they should look at hosting the event somewhere larger, like World ShowPlace.

They could also do a virtual queue for the show.

Or, dare I say it, bring the show back to MK. Where we know how many Main Street can hold. Terribly idea logistically, but certainly faithful to the show pre-1994.

 

[Gringrinngghost]

It doesn't make sense to get rid of the trees for an event that takes place for roughly one month out of the year, while demand isn't nearly as high the rest of the year.

Dining package pricing says otherwise.

 

[Brian]

Dining package pricing says otherwise.

Pricing isn't always indicative of demand. The three other concert series aren't known for their lengthy standby queues. Certainly you won't see a queue stretching back to Norway for Mandy Gonzalez and Michael James Scott.

 

[Gringrinngghost]

Pricing isn't always indicative of demand. The three other concert series aren't known for their lengthy standby queues. Certainly you won't see a queue stretching back to Norway for Mandy Gonzalez and Michael James Scott.

All I am saying is that, the larger the show, the bigger the trees in the theatre feel more like a nuisance then an aesthetic choice. Candlelight is honestly at the point that if they were to have built the theater in MK, I could have seen them move it there.

 

[Touchdown]

Not with the Christmas Party also occurring at MK. I suspect they much prefer to sell dining packages due to seat scarcity then build a theatre where there is enough seats that you don’t need a dining package. As it stands right now you can hear everything from the plaza in front of AA anyways.

 

[James Alucobond]

I would rather see them kill the America Gardens Theatre than expand it. They could easily put a more substantial theater somewhere else that doesn't block the lagoon and the Golden Dream.

 

[DisneyDreamerxyz]

someone mentioned putting screens up that would show video to those who can't see well or are not in the first few rows and I think that would be amazing!

For those wondering, these are the changes to the show in the last few years...

1) Let There Be Peace On Earth added as finale song (was cut over a decade ago)
2) Do You Hear What I Hear added back into the show (was cut over a decade ago)
3) The French Carol il est né le divin enfant was cut (replaced by Do You Hear What I Hear)
4) Joy To The World and Handels Messiah was merged into a one song medley (most likely for time)
5) In 2022, Voices sung a medley at the beginning of the show that was actually the originally from 1994 (see below), however in 2023, it was cut for time, but a new medley was put in the show they sing at the end.
6) The Cast Choir used to sing Hark the Herald Angels Sing, this year it was cut for time. However Voices of Liberty does sing a verse of it in their end medley.
7) New in 2023 is a new arrangement of Away in the Manger (it's not actually new but a different, more upbeat version that what was sung previously)


Phylicia Rashad was the first narrator at Epcot, and her version was recorded for the CD that used to be sold in stores around Epcot. Hear is a video of her narrating (unsure if this is from 1994 or later, because she came back a few times after as well)