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

V

Vinnie Mac

Well-Known Member
lentesta said:
I 100% think that Enchantment had to happen because HEA and Harmonious shared songs or films for like 11 of its 14 tracks.

For posterity, here's the Harmonious review we put in the Unofficial Guide. I stand by every word.

HARMONIOUS (three stars out of five)
Harmonious is the replacement for EPCOT’s long-running classic fireworks show IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. It’s also the lowest-rated of any current Disney nighttime spectacular. We think Harmonious has at least three significant problems.

The first problem is the show’s hideous projection barges, which project a screen of water at night on which various Disney film clips are shown. Besides having no aesthetic appeal whatsoever, these floating, black warts are an abomination on the picturesque views of World Showcase. They should never have been approved for use in the park.

The second problem with Harmonious is that the show’s main visual elements are visible only in two relatively narrow slices around World Showcase lagoon, whereas IllumiNations was visible at almost any point around the lagoon. Again, this is a design decision that’s baffling to anyone who’s ever set foot in World Showcase. It makes us think the people who designed the show never considered the needs of paying customers.

The third problem is that the vast majority of Harmonious’s soundtrack comes from films that also featured in the Magic Kingdom’s nighttime fireworks show Happily Ever After. Of the approximately 14 songs, we counted 11 that either came directly from Happily Ever After or were from the same film as another song in Happily. It’s as if the writers for both shows had exactly one CD of music between them. We honestly believe that the only reason Disney hastily replaced Happily Ever After with Enchantment at the Magic Kingdom in 2021 is because they knew Harmonious was the same show.

That said, a reader from Connecticut found Harmonious delightful:

I find myself disagreeing with you for the first time ever, I think. I found Har-
monious to be one of the single greatest things I’ve ever seen in my life. We
were standing in the right place, so that helped. If you ignore the fact that the
barges are ugly during the day, and if you’re OK with intellectual property
[“cartoon characters” —Len] in EPCOT, it is truly spectacular. The orchestra-
tions are beautiful, and between the animations on the screens, the water
screens, the fountains, the other lighting, the fireworks and other pyrotech-
nics, and the overall show, I was absolutely blown away.
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I won't lie seeing the show in person with the right view is quite incredible. I don't think I've ever been as excited to see a show before.

The opening segment of it is my second favorite opening to any Disney nighttime spectacular ever. The best being Illuminations and HEA being third best.
 
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TTA94

TTA94

Well-Known Member
The new soundtrack for the show is going to be a tricky one for sure. Illuminations who mainly the average guests found it to be a sleeper. EF which got picked apart by fans and the newer guests who did not have a clue of Epcot’s history nor it’s songs, then Harmonious being a IP fest which fans utterly hate.
How do they please the large fan base who wants non IP RoE type show but please the average guests who may find a non IP show to be a snooze fest.
 
CaptainAmerica

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
mnelson3 said:
The new soundtrack for the show is going to be a tricky one for sure. Illuminations, who mainly the average guests, found it to be a sleeper. EF which got picked apart by fans, then Harmonious being a IP fest which fans utterly hate.
How do they please the large fan base who wants non IP RoE type show but please the average guests who may find a non IP show to be a snooze fest.
Click to expand...
Step 1: More Ndlovu Youth Choir, because they are amazing, but leave animated clips from The Lion King off of the screens. "Africa" is a banger.

Step 2: If you're going to mashup How Far I'll Go with Go the Distance, get Michael Freaking Bolton, not DANNY GOKEY, and stick it at the end of the show. And more horns.

Step 3: Don't end with "Someday," which is preachy and depressing.
 
castlecake2.0

castlecake2.0

Well-Known Member
mnelson3 said:
The new soundtrack for the show is going to be a tricky one for sure. Illuminations who mainly the average guests found it to be a sleeper. EF which got picked apart by fans and the newer guests who did not have a clue of Epcot’s history nor it’s songs, then Harmonious being a IP fest which fans utterly hate.
How do they please the large fan base who wants non IP RoE type show but please the average guests who may find a non IP show to be a snooze fest.
Click to expand...
I think you can blend IP into instrumentals, enchantment does this in the middle portion of the show quite well. My other issue with H was that every single segment was trying to be the finale. It was too much. If the show was at studios or DCA I think it would be fine, but Epcot and World Showcase have a different feeling that this show does not fit.
 
Epcot82Guy

Epcot82Guy

Well-Known Member
I totally agree. And as one who is usually very anti Epcot-IP, there is 100% a way to make this work. Maybe without the difficulty we are thinking. I don't need I:ROE back (as much as it was by far my favorite WDW attraction for years). I want something that matches Epcot's message. To me, that's inspiration, hope, collaboration, working together, etc. A story that is about our real world and the idea that humanity can achieve great things if we work together - and celebrate the worlds we have created.

I'm not saying that's what Epcot means to everyone. But, that message resounds as very Epcot. And, I think there could very much be a non-IP story written to achieve that featuring Disney music.

Use the IP to enhance the story. Don't make it the focus.
 
T

Touchdown

Well-Known Member
I would be all for a world pop/traditional music show. Like Illuminations but now with non Western music too! Start with more traditional music at first and then build to more contemporary tracks.
 
TTA94

TTA94

Well-Known Member
I personally wouldn’t mind a upbeat dance party type show, like Italys NYE dance party 😎. But that’s definitely not everyone’s cup of tea lol.
 
Epcot82Guy

Epcot82Guy

Well-Known Member
mnelson3 said:
I personally wouldn’t mind a upbeat dance party type show, like Italys NYE dance party 😎. But that’s definitely not everyone’s cup of tea lol.
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I wouldn't like that as the show. But, that could make for a really fun story for the pre-show music. You could easily do little "parties" in various areas to add that energy on a nightly basis.
 
TTA94

TTA94

Well-Known Member
Epcot82Guy said:
I wouldn't like that as the show. But, that could make for a really fun story for the pre-show music. You could easily do little "parties" in various areas to add that energy on a nightly basis.
Click to expand...

I would also be down for a show based on Trans Siberian Orchestra. Like their concerts with a ton of lighting and lasers, but with massive fountains that fill the entire WS lagoon? Lol. Like WoC but on steroids.
 
Epcot82Guy

Epcot82Guy

Well-Known Member
mnelson3 said:
I would also be down for a show based on Trans Siberian Orchestra. Like their concerts with a ton of lighting and lasers, but with massive fountains that fill the entire WS lagoon? Lol. Like WoC but on steroids.
Click to expand...

Given that they have Manheim Streamroller perform, I'm really surprised USF hasn't done a Lagoon Show with their holiday music and holiday/winter projections. That could be amazing.

And, all the more reason to see a new Lights of Winter come back to Epcot to anchor something similar.
 

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