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

[Rteetz]

 

[Joesixtoe]

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Just watched the videos and for me there are some good things and some bad with this new show.

The good: Better pyrotechnics, more use of lasers (which reminded me of the 80s/90s), and I thought the kites were a neat touch. Also, with ROE, the potions of the show involving the globe in the middle of the water where sometimes hard to see if you weren't watching the show from an ideal location - I'm glad this show remedies that.

The bad: I greatly prefer ROE's music. And I agree with others, the kiddie narrator is grating.

I do look forward to seeing it in person though.

I'm watching a video of it now and its definitely much better in person, like way better. Yeah the music for ROE is hard to beat..

 

[Joesixtoe]

I have a feeling the kid narration is because they are trying to have Epcot appeal to kids as well

 

[KevinPage]

Waiting to see it again and so far I am loving the pre show loop. I missed it Tuesday evening. It feels very World Showcase! Not as memorable as the original music but still fun

i saw the show opening night and was in position 90 minutes prior and didn’t notice any specific theme to the music, just seemed like “park music” that was being played.

Then again it was the 3rd day of 3 loooong days in the parks and 1 day removed from ROE, so I wasn’t thinking clearly

 

[HoldenC]

i saw the show opening night and was in position 90 minutes prior and didn’t notice any specific theme to the music, just seemed like “park music” that was being played.

Then again it was the 3rd day of 3 loooong days in the parks and 1 day removed from ROE, so I wasn’t thinking clearly

I feel ya. I had been to Epcot every night for the last week of ROE so I was utterly worn out Tuesday

 

[KevinPage]

I feel ya. I had been to Epcot every night for the last week of ROE so I was utterly worn out Tuesday

Is there a link to the preshow music or list or something?

 

[TTA94]

Are those two Harmonius barges larger than the RoE barges? And do we know how many barges Harmonius will have?

 

[HoldenC]

Is there a link to the preshow music or list or something?

Not yet. I'm sure there will be soon

 

[EPICOT]

I was definitely underwhelmed when I watched the video the first time, but it is growing on me a bit. After a couple views you can tell what they were trying do with the combination of songs in each section. Obviously the problems of too short of segments, children singing, and the glorious IP ending continue to limit the potential of the show.

 

[RSoxNo1]

 

[HoldenC]

Remarkably well done!!! THIS would have been a runaway hit!

 

[trainplane3]

It's quite funny. Cutting out the squeaky choir and the finale song instantly made me enjoy it more. Funny how that works. Still like RoE more but I would've stayed and watched it a full 3 times instead of watching the full debut show and then watching up until "Whole new world" starts the next night and walking at the (patent pending) trainplane3 hilariously fast walking pace to the monorail.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

It's quite funny. Cutting out the squeaky choir and the finale song instantly made me enjoy it more. Funny how that works. Still like RoE more but I would've stayed and watched it a full 3 times instead of watching the full debut show and then watching up until "Whole new world" starts the next night and walking at the (patent pending) trainplane3 hilariously fast walking pace to the monorail.

Ditto. Definitely would have kept my holiday trip on the calendar if it had been more like this!

 

[tomast]

Aerial look at demolition of the signature globe of Illuminations Reflections of Earth. 6 days after the final show.
twitter bioreconstruct

 

[note2001]

Aerial look at demolition of the signature globe of Illuminations Reflections of Earth. 6 days after the final show.
twitter bioreconstruct

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A little heartbreak comes with change. I remember when they first introduced us to the globe and screens - at the time, the technology seemed amazing.

Here's to hoping HarmonioUs show will reuse the barge and reconfigure it into something incredible.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Remarkably well done!!! THIS would have been a runaway hit!

It's quite funny. Cutting out the squeaky choir and the finale song instantly made me enjoy it more. Funny how that works. Still like RoE more but I would've stayed and watched it a full 3 times instead of watching the full debut show and then watching up until "Whole new world" starts the next night and walking at the (patent pending) trainplane3 hilariously fast walking pace to the monorail.

Appreciate the kind words. It also shows that what they put out there isn't that far off from being worthwhile. Changing the last 2 1/2 minutes to something and making fireworks tweaks would be more than satisfactory.

 

[TTA94]

A little heartbreak comes with change. I remember when they first introduced us to the globe and screens - at the time, the technology seemed amazing.

Here's to hoping HarmonioUs show will reuse the barge and reconfigure it into something incredible.

Maybe they are going to remake the globe barge into the new compass for Harmonius?

 

[999th Happy Haunt]

I don't know why, but I really love the rendition of the Universe of Energy theme here. Kind of hoping it shows up somewhere in Guardians.

 

[SoFloMagic]

I finally made it over to EPCOT to see it tonight. I thought the use of "a whole new world" at the end was fine - it spoke to the massive changes EPCOT is seeing. It just seemed a little empty to me. No real story or emotional tie. I think for what it is (a temp show in a park under a complete overhaul), it's pretty good. I enjoyed the kite segments, and I liked that the finale actually had some pop. Overall a worthy temp show that makes me excited about HarmUS (and I never thought I'd say that based on the videos).

 

[180º]

And I still think a Whole New World in EF isn’t as jarring as Circle of Life in IllumiNations 25. Is it even as jarring as Circle of Life in Rivers of Light? In that context if feels like it’s taking a shortcut to your feelings about animals by referring to the Lion King’s finale. Epcot Forever is definitely trying to pump you up by showing you a Thing You Know, but it’s reappropriated in a way that makes it feel slightly fresh, rather than using it to say exactly what the movie already said. (?)

It’s not great, but it’s a silver lining.

My beef is with HarmonioUS. HarmonioUS is what replaced RoE, not EF. EF only exists because HarmonioUS is coming. Maybe the execution will be great for what it is, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a cynical IP opportunity in place of something completely original like its predecessor.