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News EPCOT's Harmonious to be replaced with new nighttime spectacular Luminous
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
Jeremy Geertsema
Well-Known Member
There is way too much narration - also IMO, show lacks multiculturalism. They had various languages in You’ll be in my heart and then it was gone?
Harmonious felt much more multicultural and ethnic in its soundtrack.
Harmonious felt much more multicultural and ethnic in its soundtrack.
Notes from Neverland
Well-Known Member
Initially I feel like it's a better fit in EPCOT than Harmonious. I tend to agree there's a bit too much narration. I see why it's there, but if you have to narrate constantly for guests to understand why a certain song is there ... well, maybe your story isn't very strong.
That said, I'll hold making any firm opinions until I've seen it more.
That said, I'll hold making any firm opinions until I've seen it more.
Cmdr_Crimson
Well-Known Member
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
At this point I would be fine with a show with even half of the artistic merit that ROE had... just give me a beautiful original musical score that flows as one piece!
FigmentForever96
Well-Known Member
Beautiful, and as someone who loved Illuminations and accept IP will be part of EPCOT going forward, this is the show the park needed.
It’s so funny seeing people outside the forum say they want illuminations yet are panning this show for the gaps in pyro lol. Shows that many went in ready to hate the show or didn’t know illuminations
The tech is fantastic and the opening is stunning. Narration was a bit much but honestly it works and felt very Epcot but I can see what people are saying. Not a fan of the Toy Story bit but the Coco arrangement with the Epcot anthem is 10/10
Having the songs tell an actual story versus just somgs in other languages is a huge upgrade and the overall story is very much in line with the Epcot message.
Overall I’m willing to call this a win and something worth staying around. However, they can’t keep letting shows go on for 15-20 years. No show needs to be immortalized to the point of it almost seemed irreplaceable.
It’s so funny seeing people outside the forum say they want illuminations yet are panning this show for the gaps in pyro lol. Shows that many went in ready to hate the show or didn’t know illuminations
The tech is fantastic and the opening is stunning. Narration was a bit much but honestly it works and felt very Epcot but I can see what people are saying. Not a fan of the Toy Story bit but the Coco arrangement with the Epcot anthem is 10/10
Having the songs tell an actual story versus just somgs in other languages is a huge upgrade and the overall story is very much in line with the Epcot message.
Overall I’m willing to call this a win and something worth staying around. However, they can’t keep letting shows go on for 15-20 years. No show needs to be immortalized to the point of it almost seemed irreplaceable.
wtyy21
Well-Known Member
If true, it's a nice tribute for his birthday, due to 122nd birthday on December 5 coincides with Luminous debut.
Nland316
Well-Known Member
I actually really like this show! Maybe a little bit too much IP for my taste, but I think it is integrated in a much more nuanced way than Harmonious.
Out of all nighttime shows, EPCOT’s are hardest to judge because of structure of the lagoon.. but even off of a YouTube video the show kept my attention very well and was super entertaining. Harmonious was always boring to me.
The fountains look beautiful, great usage of fireworks, and I LOVE the human moments like the heartbeats, baby cries, etc. I think they are clever devices/symbols.
Definitely a success in my opinion!
Out of all nighttime shows, EPCOT’s are hardest to judge because of structure of the lagoon.. but even off of a YouTube video the show kept my attention very well and was super entertaining. Harmonious was always boring to me.
The fountains look beautiful, great usage of fireworks, and I LOVE the human moments like the heartbeats, baby cries, etc. I think they are clever devices/symbols.
Definitely a success in my opinion!
llewmmu
Member
I wish that when they did these IP shows since we have to have IP in them; that they would at least not use the same IP in different parks at the same resort, or at least not the same song. Friend Like Me and Friend in Me should not be at more than one park's nighttime spectacular. The shows will become homogenized in people's minds when you do that. The choice of using a song from Enchanted was a good one since that plays *nowhere* else.
stuart
Well-Known Member
I enjoyed this watching very early this morning, but even more so watching Steve's video again after some kip, perhaps as it was by our usual viewpoint.
There's many obvious corrections that have been made for this show which have served it well. Not showing all it's tricks at once is a big one.
I think the narration is fine, and as has been said already, is probably another correction for those who need it and failed to understand what Reflections of Earth was about for example (philistines
). Could it have worked better as a pre-show narration, maybe, I don't know. Initial thought was it being similar to the style in SSE, obviously not Dame Judi or Jeremy Irons but I thought the narrator's voice suited it well.
I also think they have made a correction in the tone of the show. It maybe isn't just as sophisticated / classy in a way as RoE was, but it's certainly a quieter, reflective show with emotion to it and clearly made for a target audience of adults which in many ways RoE was too. A show designed to end a day. One they've tried to give a message to It's a very clear step away from the loud HEA style of Harmonious and gives the park a different show to Magic Kingdom.
The Friend in Me section is a bit like the above, and I wonder if something else would have fitted better there, but its 2 mins of the show and can see past that.
To me, and my taste, it was certainly better than Harmonious which sometimes I passed up for photos at the front of the park, and sometimes walked in just for the finale. I actually feel I want to see that again - as I did with Epcot Forever actually.
As has been said, the opening and finale are excellent and I really like the chorus echo effect at the start of Into the Unknown. Volume up helps, but i'm really taken with this show.
There's many obvious corrections that have been made for this show which have served it well. Not showing all it's tricks at once is a big one.
I think the narration is fine, and as has been said already, is probably another correction for those who need it and failed to understand what Reflections of Earth was about for example (philistines
). Could it have worked better as a pre-show narration, maybe, I don't know. Initial thought was it being similar to the style in SSE, obviously not Dame Judi or Jeremy Irons but I thought the narrator's voice suited it well.I also think they have made a correction in the tone of the show. It maybe isn't just as sophisticated / classy in a way as RoE was, but it's certainly a quieter, reflective show with emotion to it and clearly made for a target audience of adults which in many ways RoE was too. A show designed to end a day. One they've tried to give a message to It's a very clear step away from the loud HEA style of Harmonious and gives the park a different show to Magic Kingdom.
The Friend in Me section is a bit like the above, and I wonder if something else would have fitted better there, but its 2 mins of the show and can see past that.
To me, and my taste, it was certainly better than Harmonious which sometimes I passed up for photos at the front of the park, and sometimes walked in just for the finale. I actually feel I want to see that again - as I did with Epcot Forever actually.
As has been said, the opening and finale are excellent and I really like the chorus echo effect at the start of Into the Unknown. Volume up helps, but i'm really taken with this show.
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IMDREW
Well-Known Member
I dreamt that the show had all original music like the new background loop of Pinar. And out of the center barge, for the finale, came a huge hot air balloon. Which lit up and floated above World Showcase Lagoon. Fireworks surrounded it with a message of soaring over the world.
It’s the difference between crafting a new show around the company mandated music, versus making new creative music for a new creative show. Luminous was only 25% successful in this.
It’s not an apples to apples comparison.
20+ years ago Illuminations filled the gap with the best tech available to them at the time. It was incredible then but compared to current tech and suffering from years of decay, it certainly wasn’t cutting edge and as exciting at the end.
danlb_2000
Premium Member
First reactions after seeing a live stream video of it....
I liked it. I really appreciated that they had a story to drive the song choice instead of just being a "clip-show". I loved the opening with each county saying "welcome". Nice use of Spaceship Earth as a replacement for the Illuminations Earth barge. It solves one of my biggest complaints with Harmonious which was the over use of technology. This might have trimmed the tech down to much, but I think I will need to see it in person to judge if that is the case or not.
I liked it. I really appreciated that they had a story to drive the song choice instead of just being a "clip-show". I loved the opening with each county saying "welcome". Nice use of Spaceship Earth as a replacement for the Illuminations Earth barge. It solves one of my biggest complaints with Harmonious which was the over use of technology. This might have trimmed the tech down to much, but I think I will need to see it in person to judge if that is the case or not.
Indy_UK
Well-Known Member
Only watched it from home but I prefer it to Harmonious. I don't think 'You've got a friend in me' should be there and 'She loved me' part felt flat but I really liked it.
Disney needs to keep it, maybe tweak over time and then concentrate on a new permanent Nighttime show for Animal Kingdom.
Richie248
Well-Known Member
Well, I listened to the soundtrack (avoiding the full show until I see it this weekend). Based on the score alone, it's a weak castle show. Harmonious soundtrack was light years better (Harmonious fan so I'm biased). Overall it's a downer. I'm sure I'll feel different once I see it in person (Harmonious took a bit to grow on me). The finale song felt more like exit music. Pros - Love the country intros, narration drives things but goodness don't need to be reminded of loss...
GhostHost1000
Premium Member
Finally watched the full video. It has its moments, but it just doesn’t have all the feel and wows it needs in a place like Epcot. The ending felt a little flat to me as well but it may take some time I don’t know. Some fire effects would have been a really nice addition to it
I was really wanting and hoping to like this a lot more. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it either. Maybe it’ll grow on me, but I really was wanting to be more excited about it after seeing it than I am right now.
I was really wanting and hoping to like this a lot more. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it either. Maybe it’ll grow on me, but I really was wanting to be more excited about it after seeing it than I am right now.
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