News Reflections of Earth confirmed to be replaced by Harmonious

[Father Robinson]

aahh ok. I mean it rained a little bit, but nothing major. I'm glad they do have it still IN the show because without it, it's just this kind of blank spot when they aren't there. So that's a good thing.

I've actually seen them fire both during the same show at the same time. Great effect!

 

[RSoxNo1]

It’s the same mentality that proclaimed “2D animation is dead” because Disney made several lousy animated movies in a row.

You wouldn’t believe how strongly some people make up their minds and refuse to consider objective facts.

Oh wait. We’re on an Internet forum. You know exactly what that’s like.

Disney's decision making under Iger has largely been rooted in a lack of understanding of their success. According to them, Princess and the Frog failed because it had the word Princess in the title and it was 2D animation. So Rapunzel becomes Tangled and the marketing push for Tangled changes dramatically. The Snow Queen becomes Frozen for similar reasons.

The takeaway from Rivers of Light's failures are apparently a lack of IP fueling those failures and nothing more. Ignore the fact that it took the valleys of Fantasmic and Illuminations and made that into an entire show.

Quality is the best business plan, but today's Disney is about nothing more than brand recognition.

 

[Marc Davis Fan]

Even with the unfortunate addition of IP, I'm getting the sense that they're still aiming for "moving" and "profound" and "with a meaningful message." Plus, that would be the best way to appease RoE/Epcot fans while still meeting their (perhaps ill-advised) mandates.

Am I on the right track about their aim?

 

[montyz81]

Even with the unfortunate addition of IP, I'm getting the sense that they're still aiming for "moving" and "profound" and "with a meaningful message." Plus, that would be the best way to appease RoE/Epcot fans while still meeting their (perhaps ill-advised) mandates.

Am I on the right track about their aim?

I am not trying to be negative at all here, this is really a question... How much does Disney really pay attention to the hard core WDW and for that matter, specifically, the Epcot Center fan? I have always thought that continuous digital turn-style beep is what really motivates these changes. I do not think they consider our thirst for nostalgia.... ever.

 

[marni1971]

I do not think they consider our thirst for nostalgia.... ever.

Only when they realise it can make money. See the differences between Epcot’s 25th to the 30th to the 35th.

 

[Horizons '83]

Only when they realise it can make money. See the differences between Epcot’s 25th to the 30th to the 35th.

I feel they tug on the Nostalgia strings pretty hard when they sell shirts commemorating attractions they are about to level for no good reason (cough cough, UoE and GMR) I almost bought these shirts but realized I felt a bit cheap and dirty if I did. Also, they love to throw Figment in our faces but not really give us a proper attraction.

 

[tirian]

Disney's decision making under Iger has largely been rooted in a lack of understanding of their success. According to them, Princess and the Frog failed because it had the word Princess in the title and it was 2D animation. So Rapunzel becomes Tangled and the marketing push for Tangled changes dramatically. The Snow Queen becomes Frozen for similar reasons.

The takeaway from Rivers of Light's failures are apparently a lack of IP fueling those failures and nothing more. Ignore the fact that it took the valleys of Fantasmic and Illuminations and made that into an entire show.

Quality is the best business plan, but today's Disney is about nothing more than brand recognition.

Maybe they’ll add the floating lanterns from Tangled and call the show a success.

 

[trainplane3]

I feel they tug on the Nostalgia strings pretty hard when they sell shirts commemorating attractions they are about to level for no good reason (cough cough, UoE and GMR) I almost bought these shirts but realized I felt a bit cheap and dirty if I did. Also, they love to throw Figment in our faces but not really give us a proper attraction.

100% get your point but you have to agree, the Epcot anniversary stuff is usually better then the other stuff they sell. I mean, it's quite literally the only time I actually buy Disney park merch. Outside of the anniversary, they rarely get my money since it's usually generic "stick a character, park icon, and a year onto a shirt and charge $35". At least the Epcot stuff is somewhat unique and aesthetically pleasing.

 

[Horizons '83]

100% get your point but you have to agree, the Epcot anniversary stuff is usually better then the other stuff they sell. I mean, it's quite literally the only time I actually buy Disney park merch. Outside of the anniversary, they rarely get my money since it's usually generic "stick a character, park icon, and a year onto a shirt and charge $35". At least the Epcot stuff is somewhat unique and aesthetically pleasing.

Oh I agree with you 100%. Just feels strange sometimes when I do buy the Anniversary merch when they sell you on defunct attractions that should never have been defunct.

 

[cjkeating]

Maybe they’ll add the floating lanterns from Tangled and call the show a success.

I don't think I'll die happy until I see those bloody lanterns!!

 

[HauntedPirate]

Quality is the best business plan, but today's Disney is about nothing more than brand recognition.

This +a googolplex.

Quoting for posterity.

 

[Marc Davis Fan]

I am not trying to be negative at all here, this is really a question... How much does Disney really pay attention to the hard core WDW and for that matter, specifically, the Epcot Center fan? I have always thought that continuous digital turn-style beep is what really motivates these changes. I do not think they consider our thirst for nostalgia.... ever.

Right, of course those things aren't counted for their own sake. But as @marni1971 just said, they recognize that nostalgia is part of the draw for many visitors (especially at DL, of course).

But my question was more: Sometimes they aim for depth/meaning/emotional resonance (e.g., both RoL and HEA). I am hoping that, in Epcot of all places, they will see the value of making this into something meaningful, about creating a sense of global community, etc. It surely has a positive impact on guest satisfaction ratings when people leave the park feeling deeply moved. Nighttime shows are the last impression that guests will have of the park, and Disney's best chance to really create that...

 

[brb1006]

I feel they tug on the Nostalgia strings pretty hard when they sell shirts commemorating attractions they are about to level for no good reason (cough cough, UoE and GMR) I almost bought these shirts but realized I felt a bit cheap and dirty if I did. Also, they love to throw Figment in our faces but not really give us a proper attraction.

It's worse when you see modern Dreamfinder merchandise. Which I bet most guests won't recognize sadly unless you are a hardcore WDW and Epcot Center fan and grew up in the 80's and 90's. Heck, when the Figment comics were made and getting sold. The people at Disney were surprised with how successful they turned out.

 

[Horizons '83]

It's worse when you see modern Dreamfinder merchandise. Which I bet most guests won't recognize sadly unless you are a hardcore WDW and Epcot Center fan and grew up in the 80's and 90's. Heck, when the Figment comics were made and getting sold. The people at Disney were surprised with how successful they turned out.

Great point. I didn't even factor in Dreamfinder. They created a popular Original Epcot IP that is basically being left to rot (or in Dreamfinder's case, dead), yet the they have gold and just can't see it. The story line fit perfectly as well.

 

[geekza]

It's worse when you see modern Dreamfinder merchandise. Which I bet most guests won't recognize sadly unless you are a hardcore WDW and Epcot Center fan and grew up in the 80's and 90's. Heck, when the Figment comics were made and getting sold. The people at Disney were surprised with how successful they turned out.

Yeah, the disconnect from the fans is baffling.

"Wait. You mean people remember and love this old character? What was his name again, Dreambuilder or something? Huh. Anyway, as I was saying Chet, the new Wreck-It Ralph Web-a-Round is a surefire bet. We're taking a Tilt-a-Whirl, pasting some stickers on it and putting a Ralph statue in front of it for theming. The best part is that we were able to buy up an old Big Boy statue from in front of a restaurant that is closing and the boys in the shop tell me that if they change the paint scheme a little, nobody will notice. How are you going to spend your bonus?"

 

[brb1006]

Great point. I didn't even factor in Dreamfinder. They created a popular Original Epcot IP that is basically being left to rot (or in Dreamfinder's case, dead), yet the they have gold and just can't see it. The story line fit perfectly as well.

I currently own two Hardcover versions that contain all the stories. When you see the illustrations and the two story arcs. It's just asking to become an animated movie. It's also an origin story for how Dreamfinder came to be.

While Disney had a pretty bad history with turning other attractions into movies (Except for The Pirates of The Caribbean). The Figment comics by Kim Zub is the only Disney attraction that I think would be the perfect opportunity to bring Dreamfinder and Figment back to the limelight to not only WDW fans. But giving Journey Into Imagination more exposure to the general public. Even Tony Baxter approved of the Figment comics.

I seriously recommend buying a hardcover version of these two since it contains concept art of the original attraction and other stuff.

 

[brb1006]

Yeah, the disconnect from the fans is baffling.

"Wait. You mean people remember and love this old character? What was his name again, Dreambuilder or something? Huh. Anyway, as I was saying Chet, the new Wreck-It Ralph Web-a-Round is a surefire bet. We're taking a Tilt-a-Whirl, pasting some stickers on it and putting a Ralph statue in front of it for theming. The best part is that we were able to buy up an old Big Boy statue from in front of a restaurant that is closing and the boys in the shop tell me that if they change the paint scheme a little, nobody will notice. How are you going to spend your bonus?"

It's even sadder when you try to explain how important Dreamfinder and Figment were to Classic Epcot to Disneyland fans.

 

[geekza]

It's even sadder when you try to explain how important Dreamfinder and Figment were to Classic Epcot to Disneyland fans.

To 11-year-old me in 1983, Dreamfinder and Figment instantly became superstars. That attraction was amazing in every way.

 

[brb1006]

To 11-year-old me in 1983, Dreamfinder and Figment instantly became superstars. That attraction was amazing in every way.

I'm tearing up just seeing this videos of Dreamfinder and Figment interacting with guests. Today Dreamfinder would just be in his own dedicated meet and greet area.







The old Figment meet and greet area in the mid 2000's was terrible because of how Figment looked.

 

[geekza]

I'm tearing up just seeing this videos of Dreamfinder and Figment interacting with guests. Today Dreamfinder would just be in his own dedicated meet and greet area.







The old Figment meet and greet area in the mid 2000's was terrible because of how Figment looked.

A friend of mine worked with Ron Schneider (the original Dreamfinder "live" character) at the Laugh Floor. Ron was in the original cast along with my buddy. When I found that out, I totally geeked out.