EPCOT Reflections of Earth confirmed to be replaced by Harmonious

[CastAStone]

I don’t know how anyone can criticize Happily Ever After. If you watch it from the hub it’s an unbelievably impressive show, and overwhelming you in spots is the point. It’s like saying that ROTR has too much going on and you missed some things - of course you did.

And if you don’t want to stand in the hub, you can watch it from fantasyland, and it’s Wishes with more pyro and a new soundtrack.

 

[CastAStone]

Don't know this to be true but I've always assumed that the extra emphasis on the projections for all these newer shows (and now the screens) was to cut down on the consumables and work with consumables needed for each performance.

HEA has more fireworks than Wishes.

 

[DreamfinderGuy]

• $$$ spent
• 8 gigantic screens (for the record, I hate screens in shows, even the globe)
• 5 blue whale proportioned black barges
• fountains that look like the Muppet water works department sprang a leak

To be fair, and I hate to even remotely defend this project, the fountains have only been in testing so far. The final product might look awful, but I don't think it'll look like an explosion on World Showcase Lagoon like the tests have been. If it does, well then I've got nothing there.

 

[UNCgolf]

I don’t know how anyone can criticize Happily Ever After. If you watch it from the hub it’s an unbelievably impressive show, and overwhelming you in spots is the point. It’s like saying that ROTR has too much going on and you missed some things - of course you did.

And if you don’t want to stand in the hub, you can watch it from fantasyland, and it’s Wishes with more pyro and a new soundtrack.

Which isn't great design for a fireworks show in my opinion. That's my whole point. Rides are different, unless there are two important things happening at once (causing you to miss something) which would also be poor design because most guests are probably only going to experience it once. Otherwise it's just side details that make the ride feel more fleshed out/real, which isn't an issue in a fireworks show.

As I said, I thought it was a better show from the California Grill roof. It's not that you can't do projections and fireworks at the same time; it's that in HEA they are actually competing with each other rather than complementing.

I know I'm not out on a crazy limb here because several other people have said the same thing. I'm not saying HEA is bad or anything close that. Just that they could have done a much better job making the projections and fireworks actually work together. Throwing a ton of stuff at you at once just to say "LOOK AT HOW MUCH IS HAPPENING" isn't especially impressive because it's very easy to do.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I know I'm not out on a crazy limb here because several other people have said the same thing. I'm not saying HEA is bad. Just that they could have done a much better job making the projections and fireworks actually work together. Throwing a ton of stuff at you at once just to say "LOOK AT HOW MUCH IS HAPPENING" isn't especially impressive because it's very easy to do.

For me, this visual overload it what makes HEA more re-watchable.

I found that once I was able to watch close enough to the castle to catch everything that was going on in the projections, then watching from further away, I was able to concentrate on the fireworks knowing what was happening on the castle without having to have all my attention there.

So, I usually recommend to people to try to watch HEA up close focusing on the projections. Then in all subsequent watches, it doesn't matter where you are.

 

[UNCgolf]

For me, this visual overload it what makes HEA more re-watchable.

I found that once I was able to watch close enough to the castle to catch everything that was going on in the projections, then watching from further away, I was able to concentrate on the fireworks knowing what was happening on the castle without having to have all my attention there.

So, I usually recommend to people to try to watch HEA up close focusing on the projections. Then in all subsequent watches, it doesn't matter where you are.

Absolutely I think that's the case, and could be why I enjoyed it more from the California Grill after already seeing it from in front of the castle.

That sort of ties in to my overall point, though -- most Disney guests probably aren't going to see it more than once, or if they do it's going to be several years apart. I don't think it's the best design to have something that works better for people who can see it regularly when that's a minority of their customer base. But that's just my opinion (obviously) and nothing wrong with thinking differently.

 

[doctornick]

I’ve said a few times it’ll be a technical tour de force.

Question (if you are free to say): there was rumors of drones once upon a time. Are they planned to be part of Harm?

 

[MrPromey]

HEA has more fireworks than Wishes.

Not to go all conspiracy theory and move the goal posts on you (Okay, I kind of am but I didn't mean to) but my other thought on that was if they were able to cut down on the cost of the pyrotechnics by ordering cheaper shells that don't create as many of the expensive colors (the blues and purples, in particular) as well as reducing the other more elaborate designed ones by by putting more emphasis on the castle... again, not saying they did - I have no idea and I'm not accusing them of it (or really, even faulting them if that's what they did while also able to add more shells in the process)

Regardless of the castle, I think that was definitely a major part of the plan with the Star Wars fireworks at Hollywood studio and their new off-center displays along with the ill-fitting screen spaces.

Obviously, Animal Kingdom couldn't use fireworks for a whole different reason... but I'm also curious to see what becomes of the pyrotechnics the new lagoon show now with all these giant screens and them planning to spray illuminated water a lot higher into the air.

We had a nice long lul in ROE where the globe was coming out followed by only very small intermittent spurts of low flying stuff during the main globe sequence in the middle which added to the run time while literally not burning money in the air which they managed to incorporate in a pretty seamless way to create an intentional contrast so I'm not suggesting we're getting short-changed by any of this, either.

I felt like it was a huge crutch at Hollywood Studios, though. Hopefully, it won't be in Epcot when this eventually opens.

 

[sedati]

Has it not always been like this?

I think it was 1988 with the launch of the original "Illuminations" that they let Clark W. Griswold have his way with World Showcase and we got our first taste of "seamless" lighting additions to existing structures.
Lights on a futuristic geodesic dome: "How dare you!"
Lights on an Aztek pyramid: "Well, they were a very advanced civilization, weren't they?

 

[marni1971]

I think it was 1988 with the launch of the original "Illuminations" that they let Clark W. Griswold have his way with World Showcase and we got our first taste of "seamless" lighting additions to existing structures.
Lights on a futuristic geodesic dome: "How dare you!"
Lights on an Aztek pyramid: "Well, they were a very advanced civilization, weren't they?

1988. The year they went to all the effort to put hydraulic lifts on 8 of the pavilion roofs so you wouldn’t see the lights during the day.

 

[rreading]

Absolutely I think that's the case, and could be why I enjoyed it more from the California Grill after already seeing it from in front of the castle.

That sort of ties in to my overall point, though -- most Disney guests probably aren't going to see it more than once, or if they do it's going to be several years apart. I don't think it's the best design to have something that works better for people who can see it regularly when that's a minority of their customer base. But that's just my opinion (obviously) and nothing wrong with thinking differently.

Seems to be a philosophical debate, really. HEA is a really well-done collection of familiar images with supporting fireworks with a nice message that - as much as I loved Wishes - packs about as much wow as a fireworks show can.

But then you have a quieter show in Rivers of Light which my wife and daughter loved in its initial incarnation. Were there a proper finale giving the show a dramatic conclusion I would have loved it; but it didn't "bring it" and thus had to be put to sleep.

Or ROE. It didn't have as much of the wow as HEA the heart of wishes, but it had a richness and a depth to its music and message that fit perfectly with Epcot. It was my son's favorite show.

But for MK and HEA - to wow those one-time visitors and make them want to do it again is the entire point. If the show weren't worth "staying for" then folks won't do so.

 

[UNCgolf]

Seems to be a philosophical debate, really. HEA is a really well-done collection of familiar images with supporting fireworks with a nice message that - as much as I loved Wishes - packs about as much wow as a fireworks show can.

But then you have a quieter show in Rivers of Light which my wife and daughter loved in its initial incarnation. Were there a proper finale giving the show a dramatic conclusion I would have loved it; but it didn't "bring it" and thus had to be put to sleep.

Or ROE. It didn't have as much of the wow as HEA the heart of wishes, but it had a richness and a depth to its music and message that fit perfectly with Epcot. It was my son's favorite show.

But for MK and HEA - to wow those one-time visitors and make them want to do it again is the entire point. If the show weren't worth "staying for" then folks won't do so.

I agree with everything you're saying. I just don't think HEA is that big of a wow, mainly because I think having a ton of stuff happening at once is easy to do and not especially impressive from a design standpoint. It would be more impressive if the projections and fireworks worked together as complements because that would require something more intricate.

As you alluded, though, it's all personal preference.

 

[TikibirdLand]

I agree with everything you're saying. I just don't think HEA is that big of a wow, mainly because I think having a ton of stuff happening at once is easy to do and not especially impressive from a design standpoint. It would be more impressive if the projections and fireworks worked together as complements because that would require something more intricate.

As you alluded, though, it's all personal preference.

We used to sit on the balcony a the CR watching Wishes when my kids were little. Great little ritual before bedtime. Now that they're grown, we love HEA because of the projections and how the fireworks complement them. You really can't take it all in at one sitting. I think that's a good thing. The fireworks really are complementary. For example, the Moana scenes have the "circle" thingy echoed in the the fireworks; a very cool detail. Toy Story has the Pixar Ball echoed in fireworks as well. Even the really great 4K videos I've seen online don't do the show justice. It's sensory overload when you're watching it inside the hub. Without the fireworks and the trolley show, MK is really missing the mark.

 

[junglecruise93]

Ok - I believe I have to agree with the thought that it is better NOT to be able to take it all in with one showing. Think all the way back to the original Illuminations referenced earlier (1988). Watch Martin's video tribute and pretend that your eye is the camera lens...you can't possibly watch everything that is going on at once. In the country introduction segment, if you want to watch what the lights on each pavilion building are doing, you can't watch the name of the country on the ball at the same time (unless it happens to be in the line of sight). In the 1812 Overture section towards the end, ever notice that the strobes on each building flash together in unison when the "cannon" sounds in the score? Probably not, because you were watching the fireworks at the time. My opinion of course, but that is part of the magic that causes us to want to return time after time, pine for the things we now miss, etc.

 

[Disney Analyst]

 

[SweetDuffy101]

I still cant move on the rumor that, Epcot Forever Might return while the Harmonious is already there.
Cant they just postponed the nighttime spectacular in Epcot and Until When the new show is ready just show that instead of Epcot Forever. Just my opinion.

 

[Gringrinngghost]

 

[wdwmagic]

Some serious lighting power going on and very fast moving. Can't wait to see the finished lighting effects in this show.

 

[DCBaker]

 

[TTA94]

They go from testing EF to testing Harmonious . Are we getting Epcot Harmonious Forever?