Illuminations changes coming????

[bpiper]

We were staying at the Old Key West resort and checked out on Monday (12/15). On top of the laundry basket of new towels and sheets outside our door was a memo from Disney. It apologized in advance for any disruption caused by new fireworks testing being done after hours at Epoct Monday night. It said that Disney was testing some new fireworks very late at night at Epcot and that the sound might awaken you.

It looks like some changes to Illuminations might be coming up.

 

[CTXRover]

Interesting. I wonder though if this has anything to do with the New Year's Eve special this year. The press release says the special New Year's Eve Countdown this year at Epcot will also include roof top pyrotechnics off of each country that is already in the year 2004 by the time our clocks hit midnight on the East Coast. I imagine that is almost all of WS. I've been to Epcot twice in the last 3 years for New Year's Eve and they never had fireworks off the WS buildings before, just many, many shells fired from within the lagoon (the best display in WDW for New Year's in my opinion). Perhaps that is what they were testing?

 

[wdwmagic]

Yes its for the New Years Eve show

 

[DisneyFan 2000]

Originally posted by wdwmagic
Yes its for the New Years Eve show

Good! I like the show as it is!

 

[CTXRover]

Originally posted by wdwmagic
Yes its for the New Years Eve show

Do you have any idea what Epcot's show will look like this year for New Year's Eve compared to previous years? It says something in the press release that specifically Epcot guests will experience a spectacular in the spirit of the "dropping ball" in Times Square. Are they planning on dropping anything at Epcot for the countdown (and no people, I doubt its the wand that will be "dropping" down :lol: )? Do you know if they will be using the "Celebrate The Future....Hand in Hand" song again this year right before the countdown starts? I love that part. I'm heading to Epcot again this year and look forward to being surrounded by fireworks from both the lagoon and the WS buildings. It should be fun

 

[bpiper]

Originally posted by wdwmagic
Yes its for the New Years Eve show

With the expense of creating new fireworks launching locations, I wonder if they might incorporate them into the next version of Illuminations. After watching Wishes for the first time, both my wife and myself thought that Illuminations has been upstaged. It didn't seem to be as special or cutting edge any more. With the cronic attendence problems Epcot has, having the best fireworks show should be a mandatory thing.

 

[Moustronaut]

Originally posted by bpiper
With the expense of creating new fireworks launching locations, I wonder if they might incorporate them into the next version of Illuminations. After watching Wishes for the first time, both my wife and myself thought that Illuminations has been upstaged.

Yea I agree that Wishes has upstaged RoE as the best day to day fireworks on the property.

But your guess is as good as mine if they'll make them part of a future show. MK has launchers around on the buildings so that people in the center hub are surrounded by fireworks during the MNSSHP and MVMCP fireworks show, but they don't seem to be used at any other time. I was positive Wishes would use them, but alas they don't. I would imagine the morters on the world show case buldings could be the same.

 

[NemoRocks78]

Well, IMO, Wishes definitely beats Illuminations: ROE. I'd like to see a ROE update though. And a thing they need to do is change the fireworks from falling on you just after the beginning, I got hit on my cheek when watching on Thanksgiving Day, and hurt really bad, and it was burning the entire night and part of next warning. But a ROE update is needed.

 

[mcbates23]

I hope it is a permanent change. I went to Disney last week and thought the show was awful. I wasn't the only one. Everyone I talked to thought is was very boring and not at all worth the wait to see it. It just looks like a very cheap show. Especially when you compar it to Wishes during Mickey Very Marry Christmas Parade.

 

[AnimeNut]

Originally posted by CTXRover
Interesting. I wonder though if this has anything to do with the New Year's Eve special this year. The press release says the special New Year's Eve Countdown this year at Epcot will also include roof top pyrotechnics off of each country that is already in the year 2004 by the time our clocks hit midnight on the East Coast. I imagine that is almost all of WS. I've been to Epcot twice in the last 3 years for New Year's Eve and they never had fireworks off the WS buildings before, just many, many shells fired from within the lagoon (the best display in WDW for New Year's in my opinion). Perhaps that is what they were testing?

You must have missed last year's celebration, because Epcot did this exact presentation on December 31, 2002. It was raining heavily that night, so attendance was down. My brother and I toughed it out, and we were rewarded with this unique edition of the show. A narrator announced each pavilion country in the order that they celebrated New Year's - in some cases, more than one country rang in 2003 at the same time. Then, fireworks fired from behind each pavilion while their respective national anthem played.

If they're doing this again this year, make sure you can see all of the pavilions from your viewing spot.

 

[CTXRover]

Originally posted by AnimeNut
You must have missed last year's celebration, because Epcot did this exact presentation on December 31, 2002. It was raining heavily that night, so attendance was down. My brother and I toughed it out, and we were rewarded with this unique edition of the show. A narrator announced each pavilion country in the order that they celebrated New Year's - in some cases, more than one country rang in 2003 at the same time. Then, fireworks fired from behind each pavilion while their respective national anthem played.

If they're doing this again this year, make sure you can see all of the pavilions from your viewing spot.

Thanks for the info. Yea, I wasn't at Epcot last year, I was at MGM instead (hence why I've only been at Epcot for New Year's twice in the last three years ). Attendance was really down there too by midnight because of the rain so it was almost a private viewing of Sorcery in the Sky I could see part of Epcot's from where I was standing on Hollywood Blvd, but it looked like the same show I saw the two year's prior. Granted we could only see the big ones over the trees and I mostly watched Sorcery that night.

ANIMENUT, did they play the Celebrate the Future..Hand in Hand song last year? Also, what did you think of Epcot's show last year with the whole country thing. Was it pretty neat? Would you do it again? (Epcot is on the top of our list for this year's New Year's Eve, but some members of the family want to go back to MGM again this year and I'm using the surround fireworks thing to persuade them )

 

[ImagineerFan04]

Does anybody know if the Disney world new years celebration shown live or shown at all on abc or somthing.

 

[BwanaBob]

I'm telling you...

I noticed a major difference in RoE after the summer season ended and the parks went back down to reduced hours of operation (right after kids went back to school).

I asked at least a dozen CMs, but no-one knew of any changes...

then again, most I've spoken to say they're too busy with crowd control or their respective jobs to take-in the entire show on a nightly basis.

I listen to the soundtrack VERY regularly, and remember certain shells at certain intervals. They're just not there anymore. I was there the last weekend before school started in FL, and was very impressed (as usual!).

There are at least 4-5 times in the show that seem "empty" where there used to be shells fired.

Wishes vs. RoE--no comparison.

Each delivers a uniqueness to their respective venues.
RoE is best synchronized-to-music/bold and bright.
Wishes is latest in special-effects fireworks/story-telling.

Both are awesome (try to watch both when available!)

 

[TravisMT81]

I agree I also thought FiS was a total bore. And always thought Illuminations to be the best. Well I finally watched Wishes from inside the park the other night and I was just blown away!!! Just made me feel so great!!!!!

 

[AnimeNut]

CTXRover: I'm pretty sure "Celebrate the Future" was NOT played after Illuminations last year, as opposed to the New Year's shows on Dec 31, 1999-2001. After "We Go On" ended, there were several seconds of silence before the pre-recorded narration began.

Since you've never seen this version of the NYE countdown yet, I highly recommend it. Kinda reminded me of ABC 2000, when Peter Jennings basically played out his own little episode of 24 on national television.

If I do make it down to WDW this month, my objective for NYE is Magic Kingdom. As much as I enjoyed Epcot's celebration last year, I don't have any strong desire to see the same thing twice in a row. Besides, I'm dying to see Wishes, and I can't imagine a better night to see it.

Oh yeah, one more thing. I watched Illuminations last year between Mexico and Norway. From this angle, I pretty much saw every shell of Sorcery in the Sky. It was fairly distracting, but I was pleased nonetheless to see such a powerful display for SitS. Beyond the giant inflatable Mickey, I never got much out of that show.

 

[AnimeNut]

Originally posted by ImagineerFan04
Does anybody know if the Disney world new years celebration shown live or shown at all on abc or somthing.

Celebrations from both Disneyland and WDW are featured in (insert nickname for Richard) Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve... but they are CLEARLY pre-recorded. I programmed my recorder for last year's show before heading down to FL. When we got back and watched it, I almost died laughing. Instead of the sparse crowds of poncho-wearing guests in the torrential rain, ABC instead showed huge crowds without a single drop of rain.

If that doesn't convince you, consider this goofy fact: every year, they show guests at Disneyland celebrating post-countdown in front of It's a Small World at 12:00 am EASTERN. Confetti flying, people going extra nuts, the whole works.

Bottom line, if any of the Disney parks do something brand new for this year's NYE celebrations, don't count on seeing it on ABC.

 

[Swagger]

This is my first New Years at WDW. I am obviously spending it at Epcot. Think I will be more impressed with this then the Epcot 4th of July?

 

[KevinPage]

Since RoE has been going, I've never noticed any changes myself. The middle section is a little devoid of fireworks, but the beginning and end are so amazing, that I still have a hard time of saying that Wishes is a better show. RoE music is still the best piece of music I have ever heard.

And I'd like to know the people who found the show "boring" :brick:

Where else on earth can you see a fireworks display that even comes close to this?

 

[SpaceMountainUK]

I love the part in the middle of ROE, there may not b many fireworks but the music is so amazing during that part and if you watch the globe it tells the story.

 

[DouglasE]

This just goes to show what my Disney dilemma is. I want to avoid the crowds as much as possible. That means getting up early. Way too early Plus, gotta love the night time spectacles and having fun at the Boardwalk or Pleasure Island. I'm supposed to sleep when exactly ? :brick: I know mid day nap. Somehow I doubt I'll be able to pull myself away from all the fun. But I guess by day three my body will not give me much choice.

All of your comments just reiterate what I already know. It's time for me to revisit Illuminations, discover Wishes and throw in some Fantasmic.

Happy Holidays!
:xmas: