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

[Disney Glimpses]

The barges are going away. The unsightly sight lines they cause is actually what pushed this over the line. The show scores fairly well. Drones shouldn't surprise anyone. Disney outsources this stuff anyways (just as they did projection mapping when they first started using it). It's actually less complicated/error prone than the stuff they are doing with the barges.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

I just wonder how much longer we will have fireworks. I am assuming its until its cheaper for drones and they can have a show thats comparable.

Fireworks aren't going away. Guests love and expect fireworks. They are very, very attached to them and its the reason their new shows are being punted after only 2 years of runtime.

 

[Incomudro]

The barges are gone. The unsightly sight lines they cause is actually what pushed this over the line. The show scores fairly well. Drones shouldn't surprise anyone. Disney outsources this stuff anyways (just as they did projection mapping when they first started using it). It's actually less complicated/error prone than the stuff they are doing with the barges.

They've been removed?!

 

[HauntedPirate]

Why do you think that?

If they malfunction over the water and go down, they’re essentially lost.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

They've been removed?!

Haha no, not yet. But they will be. I am just refuting that it's a "rumor." It's a fact. It's the only reason EPCOT Forever has to return temporarily (the only show they know how to do without such barges).

If the barges were staying for the next show, they'd just transition to the new show overnight - just as they do with every single castle show.

They need to run a show while the barges are deconstructed.

If they malfunction over the water and go down, they’re essentially lost.

They are actually pretty inexpensive, lightweight drones. Nothing like the DJI drones with gimbals/cameras/storage.

 

[aladdin2007]

just nukem lol, what about the stargate wheel

 

[HauntedPirate]

Drone shows have occurred over water, no? I can think of simple solutions to prevent sinking…

I don't know if they have, to be honest.

Not sure how you'd prevent a drone from getting wet if it was over WSL and malfunctioned. If they could design a drone that floats and is also completely water-tight, that opens up a whole new world (ha!) of possibilities.

 

[peter11435]

If they malfunction over the water and go down, they’re essentially lost.

They used them over water at Disney Springs.

 

[peter11435]

I don't know if they have, to be honest.

Not sure how you'd prevent a drone from getting wet if it was over WSL and malfunctioned. If they could design a drone that floats and is also completely water-tight, that opens up a whole new world (ha!) of possibilities.

If the drone malfunctioned over land and crashed it would be just as damaged as crashing into water. Not to mention a risk to people and property.

 

[HauntedPirate]

They used them over water at Disney Springs.

Then I stand corrected.

 

[HauntedPirate]

If the drone malfunctioned over land and crashed it would be just as damaged as crashing into water. Not to mention a risk to people and property.

Fair.

Honest question - Would they want to risk a lawsuit if a drone malfunctioned and hit some Karen's precious little Johnny and nicked his arm? Me personally, I wouldn't care as long as there was no permanent injury. But the lowest common denominator in the parks probably doesn't agree with my stance.

 

[montyz81]

I just wonder how much longer we will have fireworks. I am assuming its until its cheaper for drones and they can have a show thats comparable.

I say that because fireworks are pretty harmful for the environment, and I assume if they charge you for plastic bags then they must be worried about this as well .......

People are harmful to the environment too, maybe we should stop reproducing and just build robots to inhabit the earth.

 

[brettf22]

Logistics will prevent drones in/over WSL (since this is a Harmonious thread. They could show up elsewhere, I’d imagine).

Why do you think that?

Hasn’t it been mentioned that one challenge with drones over World Showcase is the issue of how they get over the water, since they are prohibited from flying over guests’ heads?

Now, I assume they could launch and land them from a barge, which would be moved in and out each day. But still a logistics challenge.

 

[doctornick]

Fair.

Honest question - Would they want to risk a lawsuit if a drone malfunctioned and hit some Karen's precious little Johnny and nicked his arm? Me personally, I wouldn't care as long as there was no permanent injury. But the lowest common denominator in the parks probably doesn't agree with my stance.

I think that’s fair, which is why I would only expect drones to be used over water or over non guest land never directly overhead. The WSL is certainly an option if they can be used effectively along with the requisite fireworks.

That said, I think the best option for drones at WDW would be as part of a nighttime show at DAK. Since fireworks aren’t an option, they’d be a good way to have in the sky stuff to compliment any fountains/fire/floats on the water. Also the theater faces one way so there would be less issue of using the drones “in the round” if that were an issue.

 

[HauntedPirate]

People are harmful to the environment too, maybe we should stop reproducing and just build robots to inhabit the earth.

View attachment 671156

Not going down that rabbit hole... not going down that rabbit hole... not going down that rabbit hole... Must... resist... You aren't wrong...

 

[bcoachable]

Pretty much what I thought. Technically stunning. Unconnected. No flow, no connection. Mostly cold.

Wrong park and ugly.

Summed up my / many of our thoughts as well.. technically- really cool! But when I saw the barges in the middle of the lagoon for the first time, it took so much away from the beauty of the park… I was willing to give the show a chance, but it was so- as you put it- “cold”. I honestly feel a bit bad for the designers, as I am sure they had their “marching orders”. Raising a glass to the fact that a decision was made to re work this into something- and hoping the decision makers are listening to feedback. The park itself is its own IP… use it well, and the merchandise will fly off the shelves.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I say that because fireworks are pretty harmful for the environment, and I assume if they charge you for plastic bags then they must be worried about this as well .......

Fireworks are expensive, and well, the money literally goes up in smoke where the drones are reusable.

I would not be surprised if Disney stopped fireworks because MONEY and used the excuse they stopped because of environmental concerns.

 

[WorldExplorer]

I worry that if they try drones once, people will like the drones, and they will then start constantly using drones indiscriminately. It'll be like the projections, where sometimes they're cool and really work, but they use them all the time even when they just look tacky.

But I'm overly pessimistic.

 

[jrhwdw]

Fireworks aren't going away. Guests love and expect fireworks. They are very, very attached to them and its the reason their new shows are being punted after only 2 years of runtime.

So the new show should have more Fireworks??? Or did I misread that?


There are guesses that Harm ends with the 50th on March 31st but nothing official yet......

 

[ToTBellHop]

Hasn’t it been mentioned that one challenge with drones over World Showcase is the issue of how they get over the water, since they are prohibited from flying over guests’ heads?

Now, I assume they could launch and land them from a barge, which would be moved in and out each day. But still a logistics challenge.

Place them in WSL on a platform before showtime. It would be even less impactful on guests than when they floated out the RoE barges each afternoon. They are going to need barges regardless. Every Epcot fireworks show uses barges. Harm’s are just bigger and parked.