News Reflections of Earth confirmed to be replaced by Harmonious

[Tom P.]

We are tentatively planning our next trip for October of 2019. Too bad that this will seemingly end before then. I'd like to see it one more time before it closes. Perhaps we'll get "lucky" and there will be a delay with the new show that will necessitate them extending it a couple of months longer.

 

[JEANYLASER]

What name is going to be for the New nighttime entertainment for Epcot?

 

[MisterPenguin]

What name is going to be for the New nighttime entertainment for Epcot?

Likely name found here...

• It will be like Rivers of Life and Reflections of Earth joined with a secret something else. [is it drones?, probably drones]
  • Well, whadya know? It's drones! [here]
    • drones! [here]
  • and some Tokyo DisneySea harbor show, may or may not have IP [here]
  • Maybe to include movie/Disney IP [here]
    • likely to include movie/Disney IP [here]
  • which is down to two competing concepts [here]
  • Expect this to be a tad more lighthearted. Still breathtaking, but different. [here]
• Name:
  • The new show will be called IllumiNations [plus something else] [here]
  • To be called "Windows on the World" [here]
  • Illuminations: Windows on the World sponsored by Intel [here]

 

[Tom P.]

What name is going to be for the New nighttime entertainment for Epcot?

Profitability: Reflections of Intellectual Property

 

[HauntedPirate]

Throwing movie IP into whatever replaces RoE would be fine, they just have to fit them into the overall flow of the show. Music on the scale of the existing RoE would be widely welcomed, and taking clips from movies that fit the music and an overall theme shouldn't be too difficult to do. But again, will TDO use a gentle hand with this, or a jackhammer? History suggests the latter.

And, my only comment on this before leaving it alone in this thread - More often than not, people these days are stupid. Much of what is passed off as "entertainment" has devolved into a low brow, please the lowest common denominator crap fest. Nothing wrong with that from time to time (One of my guilty pleasures is 'Beavis & Butthead', it doesn't get much more dumb than that!) but to aim a majority of your company's offerings at that demographic, you hamstring and corner yourself into having to offer up more and more of it to keep the gravy train going, which means more and more money needs to be spent to keep things fresh because the low hanging fruit gets bored easily. In the past, things were offered that were great/grand and wow'ed people, and they came back in droves to experience it again and again. That's what got WDW to its place as the most visited vacation destination. Now, under Iger, more often than not they aim for bunt singles instead of doubles or triples or better like their predecessors did. It shows. Avatar - Solid double. SW:GE looks like it will follow this, could maybe be a triple depending on the final product. TSL? Weak infield single. FLE? Long single, maybe arguably a double.

 

[SoupBone]

You must have read a completely different thread (or didn’t read at all - more likely)...

The discussion is the possibility of what they’ll replace this with...

And whether it makes you “less smiley” or not...the trend to do character overstuffed/rehashed shows is a thing to address at Disney. You can only have so many of those before they all get tired.

The concern is that since Epcot still is not a fantasyland Park...that the night show in an adult driven section should have the kinda cross appeal - at a minimum - that the old illuminations shows have had.

Sorry to make it “too real”

The people defending this don't get the point that Disney has 3 parks they can vomit characters all over, and we'll love it. EPCOT is not supposed to be one of those places.

Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow

"EPCOT will take its cue from the new ideas and new technologies that are now emerging from the creative centers of American industry. It will be a community of tomorrow that will never be completed but will always be introducing and testing, and demonstrating new materials and new systems. And EPCOT will always be a showcase to the world of the ingenuity and imagination of American free enterprise."

And yeah I know EPCOT didn't turn out like Disney originally envisioned, but it at least contained some elements. Test Track is an example. It's not overloaded with characters, and it draws from innovention, human engineering, etc. It's not Olaf's Yellow Snowball Stand. So yeah, there's a time and place for IP, like Cars Land in Disneyland that I absolutely loved when I visited, and then there's EPCOT, one of the few parks that was unique, and still fun, and not Elsa and Anna's second kingdom.

It'll be a sad day at Disney if they take one of the primary attractions in EPCOT and load it with characters. I hope they consider a new show that draws from the old, like Soarin'. The new one is a fine replacement though I still miss the old show.

 

[eliza61nyc]

So the "realities of business in 2018" are that people don't care about quality and are more likely to spend greater sums of money on mediocrity. Hmm. Okay. That's a pretty condescending attitude, but you be you.

Not at all, it's not an "either/ or" proposition.
First who says IP is "cheap" and second who made anyone here the final say what is "quality".
A light/firework show with Genie and the flying carpet would be cool.
Yes I like IP stuff. Now I did like illuminations, it wasn't my favorite but it was enjoyable. I did like the torches and how the countries lit up.

 

[flynnibus]

do you think to the general wdw visitor they know who these folks were or what their vision of the parks were?

Do people know the chef behind every meal they enjoy? Or do most just enjoy the meal, not needing to know how the meal came together?

The fact most don't know how the sausage is made, doesn't make it any less important. It's just about what people are following... being a consumer or the business itself.

 

[Disone]

I'm confident that EPCOT will do something for July 4th and NYE, POE not sure.
Our insiders would know more but I think EPCOT made new tags when ROE debuted.

I could not swear to it but I thought both the 4th of July and NYE tags are older than the current show. Also the peace on Earth tag is based on the old holiday illuminations which also predates ROE. POE tag is basically the finale from holiday illuminations. Same song, but more fireworks.

 

[Disone]

They have already done modifications on shells for HEA, by replacing at least in one segment I know of from Rainbow shells to white shells.

There have been more changes than just that. However I don't assume that any of those changes are done due to budget cuts. Most of the changes are done due to available firework inventory.

 

[jrhwdw]

I could not swear to it but I thought both the 4th of July in New York receive tags are older than the current show. Also the peace on Earth tag is based on the old holiday illuminations which also predates ROE. POE tag is basically the finale from holiday illuminations. Same song, but more fireworks.

You're right about POE. On YT, the old July 4th tag before ROE Had EPCOT CENTER in the intro and Sandy Patti. The NYE had EPCOT CENTER in the intro,and TDS' theme. I think ROE changed the way Epcot did the tags, more pyro than the originals. Again one of our insiders would know more, I am NO INSIDER!

 

[Tom P.]

The people defending this don't get the point that Disney has 3 parks they can vomit characters all over, and we'll love it. EPCOT is not supposed to be one of those places.

I'm not sure what forums you have been reading, but I read these on a regular basis, and people definitely do not love it when Disney brings characters into the other three parks. Yes, Epcot is the one that gets the most people upset, but Animal Kingdom is a very close second. And, yes, even Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom get the "too much IP-based content" complaint on a regular basis. It's as if an imagineer didn't design it from scratch for the park, it doesn't belong at Walt Disney World, which is absurd.

And yeah I know EPCOT didn't turn out like Disney originally envisioned, but it at least contained some elements. Test Track is an example. It's not overloaded with characters, and it draws from innovention, human engineering, etc. It's not Olaf's Yellow Snowball Stand. So yeah, there's a time and place for IP, like Cars Land in Disneyland that I absolutely loved when I visited, and then there's EPCOT, one of the few parks that was unique, and still fun, and not Elsa and Anna's second kingdom.

Saying that Epcot didn't turn out like Disney originally envisioned is a little like saying World War II didn't turn out like Hitler originally envisioned. The company didn't just tweak Walt's plans; they threw them in the garbage. They decided that his vision for Epcot did not make viable business sense. They shifted completely from a planned community of tomorrow to a permanent world's fair.

I guess my biggest problem, though, is that I just don't see how anything Disney has planned for Epcot right now is taking away the park's uniqueness. There is no other theme park even remotely like Epcot anywhere in the world -- not even other Disney theme park locations have anything comparable. And that will still be the case once Guardians of the Galaxy has a rollercoaster there or Mary Poppins has a carousel. Yes, there is a shift toward more IP-based content, but what makes Epcot special is not going away, at least IMHO.

 

[IanDLBZF]

I'm not sure what forums you have been reading, but I read these on a regular basis, and people definitely do not love it when Disney brings characters into the other three parks. Yes, Epcot is the one that gets the most people upset, but Animal Kingdom is a very close second. And, yes, even Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom get the "too much IP-based content" complaint on a regular basis. It's as if an imagineer didn't design it from scratch for the park, it doesn't belong at Walt Disney World, which is absurd.

I guess my biggest problem, though, is that I just don't see how anything Disney has planned for Epcot right now is taking away the park's uniqueness. There is no other theme park even remotely like Epcot anywhere in the world -- not even other Disney theme park locations have anything comparable. And that will still be the case once Guardians of the Galaxy has a rollercoaster there or Mary Poppins has a carousel. Yes, there is a shift toward more IP-based content, but what makes Epcot special is not going away, at least IMHO.

AMEN!

 

[eliza61nyc]

Do people know the chef behind every meal they enjoy? Or do most just enjoy the meal, not needing to know how the meal came together?

The fact most don't know how the sausage is made, doesn't make it any less important. It's just about what people are following... being a consumer or the business itself.

Hey that's my point, people bring up Roy and what's his name and all the other original people and how Disney is not adhering to the "original" dream. who cares.
Do we really think that Epcot is going to look like Magic Kingdom? As with TSL I'm going to chill unto the event actually happens.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Test Track is an example. It's not overloaded with characters,

Yes it is. Chevrolet is the IP and their cars are the characters. You even have a M&G with the characters after the ride. I'd rather meet Lightning McQueen than Chevy Impala.

 

[Magic Feather]

I’m surprised that you guys haven’t caught more of the hints. There have been more in clueful posts in this thread than I think there were in the original new nighttime show at Epcot thread. But, alas, we go on.
While it is unfortunate that characters will be practically covering the show, other practical effects should make the nothingness a bit better in the eyes of visitors to Epcot's World showcase.

 

[flynnibus]

Do we really think that Epcot is going to look like Magic Kingdom?

Its heading that way....

Character spot replaces communicore...
The adding of characters into the pavilions... both attractions and m&gs
The near Abandonment of the Epcot story...
The insiders saying Ip is a lock for the illuminations replacement

What do you think will make Epcot stand out as different in mission or vision?

 

[eliza61nyc]

Its heading that way....

Character spot replaces communicore...
The adding of characters into the pavilions... both attractions and m&gs
The near Abandonment of the Epcot story...
The insiders saying Ip is a lock for the illuminations replacement

What do you think will make Epcot stand out as different in mission or vision?

lol, oh boy you're really going to hate me Flynn, but what is Epcot's mission? I thought it was just a theme park to have fun in. Ok deep breath, deep breath. So I went to good ole Wikipedia and it said: Epcot is dedicated to the celebration of human achievement, namely technological innovationand international culture, and is often referred to as a "permanent world's fair

Now it also said the Walt wanted it to be a city but that was abandoned after his death. It also said that even from the beginning there was disagreement over what it should be, so maybe it's unfair to blame all the problems you have on Iger. It (wikipedia) said that some imagineers wanted to focus on representing cutting edge technology while others wanted to focus on international customs and culture.

So going with the technological innovation, how about an Iron man ride?? Tony stark was pretty technologically advanced? Guardians of the Galaxy is pretty futuristic if you go with the premise that there are other worlds out there.

World showcase is still really great to me but my kids didn't really get into it until they were much older. we walked through it mainly because we own at the Beach club and we can walk to Epcot.

What was the "Epcot story"?? when I first went there were the things that are there now except for frozen. Ellens universe of energy. which every one thought was for nap time, so yes I think even an IP ride would be better than that. That God awful Captain Eo, and honey I shrunk the audience.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Woah woah woah....

I was with you till this point.

I’m not sure how the contention can be made that Epcot would ever be in the same sentence as “worst Park in the world”??

There have been books written about this and they are correct - epcot is the most ambitious, technologically advanced themepark ever built. It’s Disney second most significant achievement after Disneyland by a considerable margin.

Now it’s not been taken care of...20 years of awful Wall Street management...but that doesn’t put it in the company you’re keeping it. It does definitely need help.

I mean - mgm is the worst Disney Park in Orlando. Even if it’s “Ok”. That not really debatable. The design is off and it’s never been invested in to handle its crowd. Even after the next disappointing addition.

Been to studios Paris?
Even the revamped DCA is still a really disjointed layout - if still a nice Park.

If you don’t “get” Epcot...I’m not sure you understand what Disney did over their history with P&Rs

Take a look at what's going into Paris and DCA. Epcot is a disjointed mess right now and the additions on the horizon don't appear to have a unifying theme. It was the worst park in the US when Soarin and Maelstrom were closed a few years ago and it will once again be the worst park in the US when Star Wars land opens.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Old script:
"We’re gathered here tonight, around the fire — as people of all lands have gathered for thousands and thousands of years before us..."

New script:
"Oh Elsa I'm so excited to be here! This is going to be the best celebration ever! Are you ready to blow out the flames?"

*looks for heartburn medication*

This really bothers me because I would bet money on any new script being closer to your prediction than the current script.