EPCOT Reflections of Earth confirmed to be replaced by Harmonious

Disney Analyst

Disney Analyst

Well-Known Member
Visually stunning. I love the soundtrack, languages, and music choices. Dig a Little Deeper a definite highlight.

Finale seems fine to me, if not bigger then ROE finale.

Obviously not a narrative driven show which I am fine with, the shoe horned stories they sometimes try are silly, and I never found the ROE story particularly obvious either.

This is a world showcase of sorts, using Disney IP. So expected they many here would dislike it.
 
CJR

CJR

Well-Known Member
SoFloMagic said:
EF-level pyro if you ask me. Maybe not in quantity, but it comes in spurts like EF did.
Set expectations low and you'll likely enjoy it. Don't expect emotions, just a pretty show on a lake.
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Thanks for sharing!

I wouldn't mind a pretty show on the lake if it didn't cause an eyesore in the daylight. At least in the further we'll possibly be able to get on rides faster during the show.
 
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wutisgood

Well-Known Member
ULPO46 said:
While I understand that upper management want's EPCOT to be a more family friendly park, since it's inception it has always been a free thinking environment. I think Walt wouldn't be happy to see EPCOT be turned into another Magic Kingdom. EPCOT's original Imagineering Team wanted the park to be freethinking free flowing and to always progress with new ideas, not just Disney IP's in every corner. EPCOT is my favorite park and Illuminations had a very special place in my heart. Sure there was the sad Super Bowl Halftime show with the Millennium Celebration cast. But it had soul, it had a meaning that true I was once young and didn't understand.

When I was assigned to the EPCOT team, I learned the true meaning of Illuminations, I cried, I laughed with amazing ICP's and CRP's from every corner of the world as we all joined hand and hand and sang. I met my now wife thanks to her time at the Mexico Pavilion and proposed to her just as We Go On started playing. Sure like mine there are countless other stories, but another IP filled story in a lagoon surrounded by nations of the world just doesn't make me scream enjoyment.

EPCOT is a land of discovery, of science, and of beauty from world cultures to the plants at Living with the Land. Harmonious doesn't make me feel like I'm sharing love of culture or uniting the planet after the greatest Pandemic in a century. Illuminations for all it's banter, for all it's low grade tech gave us hope and peace for a world where we could all make friends and be friends. In my years with WDI, I have met so many incredible people from all over the world. But Illuminations, that was an experience in which I cried as I said goodbye to so many dear and close friends. Where I started my journey with my now wife, and what is the soundtrack I play every morning whilst going to the office.

Maybe I'm that rarity, but I was truly hoping Harmonious would live up to it's name and unite the World Showcase the same way illuminations did. Maybe that's just me, maybe it's my fellow Cast Members, but this, this didn't feel like we could join hand and hand and go on. I wanted that, we all wanted that especially after the most difficult year for a majority of us Cast members. 50 years of the WDW isn't the same as we would wish with all the restrictions still in place. Harmonious was a chance at showing the world you could forget for a moment, and breathe. Disney lost that chance the moment this project was approved and not Illuminations 2.0
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Walt was a cutthroat capitalist who paid people like when he could, but he was also a master salesmen and understood that you need the people buying your product to believe in what you sold them so not everyone always got screwed. And also you need your employees to believe in the company. Chapek works for shareholders and makes it too obvious as a retail man that he views cast members as a cost. People hate him over even previous CEOs. He will not change. I would work for universal or just exit the market.
 
OSUBMac555

OSUBMac555

Well-Known Member
The opening was abrupt and seemed to lack and introduction and the Jungle Book scene was actively creepy but besides that I enjoyed it a lot (from my couch). The soundtrack was enjoyable, the effects seemed great, and there were some wow moments for me.

Most of criticism I’ve seen here was also made towards HEA when it debuted and that quickly faded as people began to warm to it. I imagine the same will happen here.

The Disney fandom does have a high population of people whose main hobby seems to be actively wanting to hate everything in which case…”Someday…life will be fairer, fanboy hate will be rarer…”
 
THEMEPARKPIONEER

THEMEPARKPIONEER

Well-Known Member
I sure hope they safely stored Reflections of Earth. I wonder if the creators in charge of this are sleeping well tonight or did they the entire process of creating this. As I see it this is catastrophic between the money spent and the reviews. This is pretty much the same situation as Light Magic, Illuminations 25b and Carnival Di Luminire.
 
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CaptainAmerica

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
M:SpilotISTC12 said:
Listen I know we can't curse. But we lost illuminations to this bull****? Yeah I'll take my slap on the wrist.

This is clearly a water show with fireworks and not a fireworks show with water. A total "we'll save money on fireworks by using less" show but look how innovative these barges are! This doesn't justify looking at them all day.
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No. That was not what this was at all.

If you don't like it, fine. But this was absolutely not a cost savings exercise. They spent a fortune on this.
 
SplashJacket

SplashJacket

Well-Known Member
A couple cool moments with the arms

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SoFloMagic

SoFloMagic

Well-Known Member
CJR said:
Thanks for sharing!

I wouldn't mind a pretty show on the lake if it didn't cause an eyesore in the daylight. At least in the further we'll possibly be able to get on rides faster during the show.
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Once the shock wears off, I think it will be enjoyable. This is a good one to spoil for yourself to help manage expectations.

Taken for what it is, it's so close to being good. Barges are truly impressive and had some tricks (pyro!) I wasn't expecting. Just needs a story rewrite.
 
DonaldDoleWhip

DonaldDoleWhip

Well-Known Member
CaptainAmerica said:
I dont understand being attached to HEA. It hasn't been around long enough to love like that.
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The soundtrack was fantastic. Great throughline, impactfully used at the beginning, end, and as the post-show song. The dual endings (Go the Distance + grand finale) both delivered.

Individual segments made great use of songs, in some unexpected ways (e.g. Hunchback, Tarzan, Frozen but not Elsa).

Most of my viewings didn’t even involve the projections (e.g. from Polynesian’s beach or Fantasyland) and it still always impressed.

HEA immediately topped Wishes for me, and I hope it comes back.
 
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wutisgood

Well-Known Member
the one thing I always hate about modern disney is why not just update illuminations and spend the money on a new ride to to expand capacity? The parks desperately need capacity yet only competitors seem to understand this. I was looking at universal Japan recently and admiring how much even of the original rides they have kept gone from orlando while still expanding. They understand more rides+ more people we can fit.
 

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