News EPCOT's Harmonious to be replaced with new nighttime spectacular Luminous

[jrhwdw]

I remember riding on magical express where they interviewed the lead imagineer who created some of the old fireworks shows - probably (HEA or Wishes). They talked about a formula that consistently works to create a good show. It involved suspense/awe and then a crescendo to finale. It seems they changed said formula. It feels like everything is just flat in both current shows, pretty to watch, but otherwise just flat and not impactful or memorable.

Interviewed on Magical Express?

 

[jrhwdw]

"Blow out all the stops before they get out their phones and start scrolling... You have 48 seconds..."

+ Moana

I know when my phone is not needed! And that's any show!!

 

[Drdcm]

Interviewed on Magical Express?

They had videos about the parks that you would watch on your way to and from the airport. It was featured in one of the videos. I don’t remember much of it, but it was cool to see how much thought they put into show design in the past

 

[jrhwdw]

They had videos about the parks that you would watch on your way to and from the airport. It was featured in one of the videos. I don’t remember much of it, but it was cool to see how much thought they put into show design in the past

I've seen those on YT! Nothing that specific though..

 

[Coaster Lover]

Harmonious barges started construction backstage in early/mid 2020 (I believe) for a show that opened late 2021. I assume since we've seen nothing backstage, if a new show is to open by late 2023, it would have to utilize existing infrastructure... (i.e. no new barges or significant hardware in the lagoon?). So... maybe drones? Or inflatables? Or just straight up blend of fireworks and music (i.e. old school Disney night time show style?)

 

[jrhwdw]

Harmonious barges started construction backstage in early/mid 2020 (I believe) for a show that opened late 2021. I assume since we've seen nothing backstage, if a new show is to open by late 2023, it would have to utilize existing infrastructure... (i.e. no new barges or significant hardware in the lagoon?). So... maybe drones? Or inflatables? Or just straight up blend of fireworks and music (i.e. old school Disney night time show style?)

Wasn't Harm planned for late 2020 Pre COVID? I don't remember EF 2019 being planned for two years.....

 

[FN2BFRE]

I wish they'd just pull something off the shelf of dead concepts from the last 15 years and tweak it to become a modern nighttime entertainment offering.

Beyond that, imagine if they had a show that ran successfully for a long time and was highly regarded just... sitting on the shelf...

 

[Starship824]

They had videos about the parks that you would watch on your way to and from the airport. It was featured in one of the videos. I don’t remember much of it, but it was cool to see how much thought they put into show design in the past

You can find all those Happily Ever After behind the scenes videos on YouTube. They’re pretty interesting, you get to see the recording section for the score and how they tested the projection mapping. They did the same type of videos for Wondrous Journeys, Enchantment, and Harmonious.

 

[mattpeto]

Harmonious barges started construction backstage in early/mid 2020 (I believe) for a show that opened late 2021. I assume since we've seen nothing backstage, if a new show is to open by late 2023, it would have to utilize existing infrastructure... (i.e. no new barges or significant hardware in the lagoon?). So... maybe drones? Or inflatables? Or just straight up blend of fireworks and music (i.e. old school Disney night time show style?)

My guess is nothing has been quite greenlit yet or maybe they can actually build any infrastructure needed offsite.

 

[jrhwdw]

Beyond that, imagine if they had a show that ran successfully for a long time and was VERY highly regarded just... sitting on the shelf...

That's what happening at MK & DLP.....

 

[MTBaymax]

I remember riding on magical express where they interviewed the lead imagineer who created some of the old fireworks shows - probably (HEA or Wishes). They talked about a formula that consistently works to create a good show. It involved suspense/awe and then a crescendo to finale. It seems they changed said formula. It feels like everything is just flat in both current shows, pretty to watch, but otherwise just flat and not impactful or memorable.

This one, Mayhaps?

 

[MisterPenguin]

Given the 2023 opening, I'm now expecting a life size Bob Iger statue gets hauled out to sing "How Far I'll Go" in 5 languages, holding sparklers.

 

[Vinnie Mac]

or you know... Oct 16, 2023, the actual 100th of the company which would be the most likely target date if they're marketing it as a 100th show.

Nah Late September - October 1st

They can't.

World of Color takes place in a 3.5 acre pool which is needed for the systems that raise and lower the fountain platforms.

The world showcase lagoon has a "natural bottom" and is classified in the state of Florida as a 38 acre private lake. It connects to a series of waterways that in turn connect to other man-made and natural water bodies across property and beyond. (Disney calls itself home to the tributaries that start the fresh-water source of the Florida Everglades though a lot of places could make that claim)

While being man-made, part of the bottom is not entirely stable and it apparently has a maximum depth of over 14 feet.

Long story short, it's not like they can just drain it (killing most of the natural life in it, in the process) pave it, and install that system which would need to be many times larger to cover the area.

I guess they could bring over the audio and build an entirely different show around that but who want's that sort of half-handed copy of anything?

I dont want them to bring that show anywhere near Epcot (I love it so much but it doesnt fit epcot at all) but couldn't they theoretically build a world of color type fountain platform by building it in the backstage dock and then pushing it out at night?

 

[TheEPCOTHistorian]

Beyond that, imagine if they had a show that ran successfully for a long time and was highly regarded just... sitting on the shelf...

I stopped pretending like they'd actually do that a long time ago. It still hurts, man.

 

[SoFloMagic]

They can't.

World of Color takes place in a 3.5 acre pool which is needed for the systems that raise and lower the fountain platforms.

The world showcase lagoon has a "natural bottom" and is classified in the state of Florida as a 38 acre private lake. It connects to a series of waterways that in turn connect to other man-made and natural water bodies across property and beyond. (Disney calls itself home to the tributaries that start the fresh-water source of the Florida Everglades though a lot of places could make that claim)

While being man-made, part of the bottom is not entirely stable and it apparently has a maximum depth of over 14 feet.

Long story short, it's not like they can just drain it (killing most of the natural life in it, in the process) pave it, and install that system which would need to be many times larger to cover the area.

I guess they could bring over the audio and build an entirely different show around that but who want's that sort of half-handed copy of anything?

Sorry, I meant no fountains/projections. Just that soundtrack. Just music and fireworks. Old school

 

[Drdcm]

This one, Mayhaps?

This is it! Thank you!

 

[MrPromey]

Cmon man..seriously? My response was meant to incite a tiny smile- that’s all…
Have a great day!

I know. I'm sorry.

I'm still bitterly holding out hope they'll go back to being that kind of company again.

Sometimes I take it a little too far

Sorry I was kind of an a$$, there.

 

[MrPromey]

Nah Late September - October 1st

I dont want them to bring that show anywhere near Epcot (I love it so much but it doesnt fit epcot at all) but couldn't they theoretically build a world of color type fountain platform by building it in the backstage dock and then pushing it out at night?

I guess they could in the form of multiple barges but to get the same kind of coverage, they'd need quite a few.

Remember, we're talking a body over 10x the size of the space used out in California.

For it to be practical, they obviously would have to ignore most of the lake and that would limit viewing areas which would effectively be trying to fit a square peg in a round hole and limit the quality of the show by trying to force something into a space it wasn't designed for.

After Harmonious, I don't think anyone wants that.

SoFloMagic clarified he was thinking about the music when he said that and having them do a more Epcot style show with fireworks which would be doable in that sense.

 

[MrPromey]

My guess is nothing has been quite greenlit yet or maybe they can actually build any infrastructure needed offsite.

I'm guessing they learned their lesson about going overboard with hardware with the whole Harmonious debacle.

Even if they're thinking about drones or whatever, a more traditional show with launch barges or even water screens wouldn't take as long to put together and test as the elements for Harmonious did.

It's a shame because they really did go all out with the hardware they put together. That's the kind of investment we want to see them make but it's like they designed and built the hardware before they had a show to use it with and obviously, they didn't think through the environment it was going into.

It was a solution in need of a problem, so to speak.

That hardware could have been great for some show somewhere.

It's just that the show wasn't Harmonious and the location wasn't World Showcase.

 

[bcoachable]

I guess they could in the form of multiple barges but to get the same kind of coverage, they'd need quite a few.

Remember, we're talking a body over 10x the size of the space used out in California.

For it to be practical, they obviously would have to ignore most of the lake and that would limit viewing areas which would effectively be trying to fit a square peg in a round hole and limit the quality of the show by trying to force something into a space it wasn't designed for.

After Harmonious, I don't think anyone wants that.

SoFloMagic clarified he was thinking about the music when he said that and having them do a more Epcot style show with fireworks which would be doable in that sense.

I know a guy….