News Reflections of Earth confirmed to be replaced by Harmonious

[TTA94]

Looks oddly familiar...
View attachment 538925
Cheaper than the price of admission!

Several large flat movable barges is what should be out there. Creating a more WoC type show. Same thing that DAK should have. WoC was and is very successful and popular, aside from some infrastructure issues the have had. I sad it before and I’ll say it again, imagine the wow factor of World Showcase lagoon erupting in towering fountains and all the other WoC effects but on a much larger scale With fireworks! Sure yeah Still that issue of wind as we are already seeing with what’s there, but at least it would look better during the day and amazing at night!

 

[Inspired Figment]

What appalls me really is that they’re charging more for this type of quality. How shameful... they should at the very least be able to live up, let alone, actually exceed above ‘82 show quality & standards. They have the technology, past data & show documents, along with plenty of former Imagineers that I’m sure would be more than happy to assist or consult if advice were needed. But it really seems either they don’t care or they genuinely think they’re doing better than their predecessors here. I don’t get it.. I’m at a loss of words.

 

[SplashJacket]

What appalls me really is that they’re charging more for this type of quality. How shameful... they should at the very least be able to live up, let alone, actually exceed above ‘82 show quality & standards. They have the technology, past data & show documents, along with plenty of former Imagineers that I’m sure would be more than happy to assist or consult if advice were needed. But it really seems either they don’t care or they genuinely think they’re doing better than their predecessors here. I don’t get it.. I’m at a loss of words.

It's not that. They didn't cheap out on this wave of investment. People will argue that Galaxy's Edge or the Epcot spine redevelopment is flawed, but neither project is cheap by any evaluation.

I know you didn't say they were being cheap but instead focused on quality. Disney isn't intentionally lowering the quality of the parks by doing these projects, so when they invest to such a large degree, they should expect a return. Disney's current issue is big-budget projects that are entirely ridiculous, such as Harmonious, are getting approved. Maybe because it's the flashiest option, but there needs to be a self-evaluation to prevent projects like this going forward.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

I know these are just tests but good grief is all that terrible looking. Just an obnoxious amount of water being shot into the air creating a huge cloud of mist.

I never had much faith in the fountains to improve things during the day, but I did at least think they'd look cool during the show. But now I'm doubting even that. Yes, I know, they're testing and these probably aren't final show patterns, but if they are anything to go by...yikes.

 

[Supernova]

Obviously the day test looks ridiculous, but I can’t imagine it would be set for that pressure during the day so I imagine in reality it will look a lot better. I have no hope for it covering the barges however. I really hope they tidy up the appearance somehow.

 

[peter11435]

What appalls me really is that they’re charging more for this type of quality. How shameful... they should at the very least be able to live up, let alone, actually exceed above ‘82 show quality & standards. They have the technology, past data & show documents, along with plenty of former Imagineers that I’m sure would be more than happy to assist or consult if advice were needed. But it really seems either they don’t care or they genuinely think they’re doing better than their predecessors here. I don’t get it.. I’m at a loss of words.

Remember these forums, the internet, cell phones, etc did not exist in 1982. You remember those “1982 show quality standards” but you didn’t see the testing and failures it took to get there.

 

[marni1971]

but you didn’t see the testing and failures it took to get there.

Exactly. It was hidden from view.

 

[Horizons1]

He's saying exactly what I was thinking we should've expected:

Clearly it is not that bad. This video must have been taken with the lens zoomed in or a telephoto lens.

That is sarcasm for those who don’t realize it.

This looks terrible, but waiting for the usual defenders to speak out.

 

[wdwmagic]

The recent track record with fountains has just not been that good. Thinking of Rivers of Light water screens. It is almost like they have forgotten everything that was picked up during the development of Fantasmic and what is/isn't possible. Obviously Florida gusty winds are a problem, but that is going to be a recurring issue. I think someone somewhere has really oversold the cloaking capabilities - at least based on what we have seen so far.

 

[jinx8402]

I've been holding out hope that it would look passable...but man every new thing they do with these out there it is going in the wrong direction.

I haven't kept up with all the tech going on the barges themselves, but those are screens on the sides of the taco, right? I guess one thing that MAY help a little, is they could run a video loop of of moving water. I think that would camouflage them a bit with the actual water in front of the barge creating the fountain look. Right now, with the black screens you can clearly see the barge behind it and it does not look pretty.

Not that I think that will fix the underlying problem. There is no fixing that with these monstrosities out there all day long.

 

[Brenthodge]

I've been holding out hope that it would look passable...but man every new thing they do with these out there it is going in the wrong direction.

I haven't kept up with all the tech going on the barges themselves, but those are screens on the sides of the taco, right? I guess one thing that MAY help a little, is they could run a video loop of of moving water. I think that would camouflage them a bit with the actual water in front of the barge creating the fountain look. Right now, with the black screens you can clearly see the barge behind it and it does not look pretty.

Not that I think that will fix the underlying problem. There is no fixing that with these monstrosities out there all day long.

I can’t believe we’ve come to point of hoping they show video of moving water, behind moving water to make something look like moving water. Or, ya know, they could’ve designed these things to fit the constraints of the venue and had them hidden, or removed each day, or AT LEAST when they pulled the plug on moving them in and out, gone back to rethink what they looked like dumped out there all day.

 

[pdude81]

I can’t believe we’ve come to point of hoping they show video of moving water, behind moving water to make something look like moving water. Or, ya know, they could’ve designed these things to fit the constraints of the venue and had them hidden, or removed each day, or AT LEAST when they pulled the plug on moving them in and out, gone back to rethink what they looked like dumped out there all day.

I'd say the ship has sailed on moving them in and out, but it'd be more apt to say that the ship has been abandoned. I took the prior poster's point to mean that they would rather there be some sort of water on the screen for minor blending than using fountains. I think the fountains may just call more attention to these things and obstruct the view even worse.

If only the rumors of a drone show were about drones flying these things out to the lagoon from backstage.

 

[wdwmagic]

I've been holding out hope that it would look passable...but man every new thing they do with these out there it is going in the wrong direction.

I haven't kept up with all the tech going on the barges themselves, but those are screens on the sides of the taco, right? I guess one thing that MAY help a little, is they could run a video loop of of moving water. I think that would camouflage them a bit with the actual water in front of the barge creating the fountain look. Right now, with the black screens you can clearly see the barge behind it and it does not look pretty.

Not that I think that will fix the underlying problem. There is no fixing that with these monstrosities out there all day long.

I believe that the screens will be used during the daytime fountains.

If you look closely at the concept art, you can see some of the vertical fan-shaped fountains appearing to stop at the edge of the screen.

 

[Brenthodge]

I'd say the ship has sailed on moving them in and out, but it'd be more apt to say that the ship has been abandoned. I took the prior poster's point to mean that they would rather there be some sort of water on the screen for minor blending than using fountains. I think the fountains may just call more attention to these things and obstruct the view even worse.

If only the rumors of a drone show were about drones flying these things out to the lagoon from backstage.

Honestly I can’t image that ship was ever in the harbor. I don’t see how these would’ve been moved every day, even in the best of circumstances. I personally wish they had designed them specifically to be seen during the day and made them intentionally sculptural so you didn’t even need water to “hide” them. There is nothing well thought out about any of this.

 

[UNCgolf]

I have a feeling the daytime fountains won't be in use on daily basis. They're going to look silly anyways, but it's going to be a much bigger problem any time there's a windy day.

 

[havoc315]

..... No inside knowledge, but I think Disney *might* be hoping to launch Harmonious July 4th, as a last minute special event to kick off the summer...

My logic:
1 -- No announcement but aggressive current work. If the plan was definitely October 1st, why not announce it with the Rat opening date? I'll suspect that they are hoping for July 4th, but don't want to announce in case they fall behind, in case there are more Covid spikes, etc.
2 -- Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival ends July 5th. With no Festival, with half the park under demolition, it won't be easy drawing people to Epcot over the summer. So launching Harmonious on July 4th would be a "magical" finale to the Garden Festival, while a great kick-off to Epcot summer. It would draw night time crowds to Epcot all summer.
3 -- Again, they are aggressively testing Harmonious now. What's the real time frame it takes to test and launch?? It was supposed to launch last Spring/Summer, and none of the barges had even launched prior to the Covid closure. So if it was just a couple months away when Covid closed the parks in March... and now they are actually launching and testing barges, I have to imagine it will be "ready" within the next 2-3 months.. and July 4th in 3 and a half months away..

So basically... at a minimum.... I think they are reserving decision and considering launching Harmonious July 4th.
And imagine if they really did it as a last-minute surprise -- It would garner them tons of positive Disney-media coverage to launch the summer.

 

[pdude81]

..... No inside knowledge, but I think Disney *might* be hoping to launch Harmonious July 4th, as a last minute special event to kick off the summer...

My logic:
1 -- No announcement but aggressive current work. If the plan was definitely October 1st, why not announce it with the Rat opening date? I'll suspect that they are hoping for July 4th, but don't want to announce in case they fall behind, in case there are more Covid spikes, etc.
2 -- Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival ends July 5th. With no Festival, with half the park under demolition, it won't be easy drawing people to Epcot over the summer. So launching Harmonious on July 4th would be a "magical" finale to the Garden Festival, while a great kick-off to Epcot summer. It would draw night time crowds to Epcot all summer.
3 -- Again, they are aggressively testing Harmonious now. What's the real time frame it takes to test and launch?? It was supposed to launch last Spring/Summer, and none of the barges had even launched prior to the Covid closure. So if it was just a couple months away when Covid closed the parks in March... and now they are actually launching and testing barges, I have to imagine it will be "ready" within the next 2-3 months.. and July 4th in 3 and a half months away..

So basically... at a minimum.... I think they are reserving decision and considering launching Harmonious July 4th.
And imagine if they really did it as a last-minute surprise -- It would garner them tons of positive Disney-media coverage to launch the summer.

They wouldn't need a date in mind to try and wrap up something that has been slow walked for a while. But it certainly makes sense to get these things in place and start testing so that they can open up nighttime shows whenever they consider it safe to do so. This includes just having everything in place if launching a revised EF so that Harmonious could be worked on in place. July 4th seems to soon IMO but it's nice to have a show in the bag they can open when the time comes.

 

[flynnibus]

World’s most expensive irrigation system

 

[flynnibus]

No one should look at these tests as seen as representing what the cloaking mode would look like.

But what is concerning is how far the mist cloud is spreading... unless we are trying to make the laser field.

 

[marni1971]

..... No inside knowledge, but I think Disney *might* be hoping to launch Harmonious July 4th, as a last minute special event to kick off the summer...

My logic:
1 -- No announcement but aggressive current work. If the plan was definitely October 1st, why not announce it with the Rat opening date? I'll suspect that they are hoping for July 4th, but don't want to announce in case they fall behind, in case there are more Covid spikes, etc.
2 -- Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival ends July 5th. With no Festival, with half the park under demolition, it won't be easy drawing people to Epcot over the summer. So launching Harmonious on July 4th would be a "magical" finale to the Garden Festival, while a great kick-off to Epcot summer. It would draw night time crowds to Epcot all summer.
3 -- Again, they are aggressively testing Harmonious now. What's the real time frame it takes to test and launch?? It was supposed to launch last Spring/Summer, and none of the barges had even launched prior to the Covid closure. So if it was just a couple months away when Covid closed the parks in March... and now they are actually launching and testing barges, I have to imagine it will be "ready" within the next 2-3 months.. and July 4th in 3 and a half months away..

So basically... at a minimum.... I think they are reserving decision and considering launching Harmonious July 4th.
And imagine if they really did it as a last-minute surprise -- It would garner them tons of positive Disney-media coverage to launch the summer.

There is no date currently.