EPCOT Reflections of Earth confirmed to be replaced by Harmonious

[MisterPenguin]

To be fair, Illuminations crowds waned through the years also. On our trips 2011, 2014 and 2017, we could walk up and get perfect spots as it was starting. No people waiting around for it and no huge crowds like we used to see.

On the flip-side, seeing Harmonious was not a priority for us on our last trip. I suspect we will see it more next trip as staying in Epcot area.

Harmonious will never live up to Illuminations though, just based on the music alone. Nothing can top the Reflections of Earth music. I love it still.

My pre-pandemic experience of Illuminations was that it was always crowded. And even if that represented a smaller crowd than before... that took decades.

For Harmonious to be (in my experience of this past December and May) lightly attended in just a year (in comparison to Illumination pre-pandemic), it's a sign of not being a repeat must-do, like Illuminations was for so many (and HEA had become).

 

[dreday3]

My pre-pandemic experience of Illuminations was that it was always crowded. And even if that represented a smaller crowd than before... that took decades.

For Harmonious to be (in my experience of this past December and May) lightly attended in just a year (in comparison to Illumination pre-pandemic), it's a sign of not being a repeat must-do, like Illuminations was for so many (and HEA had become).

Just stating what it was like for us those later years compared to when it first came out.

 

[Aurorafan]

People on these boards keep pretending everyone hates Harmonious as much as they do. It's hilarious lol

I love Harmonious! Not a fan of Illuminations

 

[trainplane3]

No, I think it's hilarious because y'all think pretending people hate Harmonious is going to pressure Disney into bringing Illuminations back lol.

My proof? I don't have a chart for you my guy but every livestream I watched, the crowd loved it. Any video I've watched the crowd loved it. When I went to see it in person, the crowd sure as heck loved it. I overheard people talking about it in other parks. Now sure that was in October when the initial excitement of the show was there but if you look through social media (from post that AREN'T from old EPCOT purist), it's pretty clear what the general consensus on the show is.

I hate to break it to you but yes, the show that replaced Illuminations is in-fact liked/loved by many people.

But not enough to keep the show as is.
You keep going on and on about how everyone here hates it. That's not true and you should stop beating that drum. Reception is pretty balanced here but certainly not on the same level as HEA which truly was universally loved.

Remember RoL? RoL was loved by many but not enough and got a rework. It only makes sense for this to get reworked.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Oh Gosh no. The only thing I'm seeing here is that it's not a flop. It is not universally hate it. It's not even hated by most.

Illuminations was timeless and been around forever. I am not even making the argument that it is more popular than illuminations.

Going back up the thread you may even say where I state it may have not performed to what the company wanted.

It would be cool if they used the existing Illuminations soundtrack and designed a new show with the Illuminations soundtrack, using the new hardware.

 

[JenniferS]

It would be cool if they used the existing Illuminations soundtrack and designed a new show with the Illuminations soundtrack, using the new hardware.

It’s the 24/7 visual blight of the “hardware” that I suspect many object to. Not worth the ruined view of the lagoon for a 15 minute night-time show, regardless of said show’s quality.

 

[Disstevefan1]

It’s the 24/7 visual blight of the “hardware” that I suspect many object to. Not worth the ruined view of the lagoon for a 15 minute night-time show, regardless of said show’s quality.

I totally agree with the 24/7 visual blight of the hardware.
Still, it would be cool if they designed a new show with the Illuminations soundtrack, using the new hardware.
Maybe then I would hate the 24/7 visual blight of the hardware less?

 

[Bocabear]

the current Harmonious show was just not worth the blight... The overall show felt disjointed and too much like a collection of cartoon clips...It needed to be more about the park and less about Disney movies... Yes use some of the elements of the Disney Characters, but not necessarily a preview of each movie with it's own big finish... I wanted to like it, but found it had no heart...

 

[JenniferS]

I totally agree with the 24/7 visual blight of the hardware.
Still, it would be cool if they designed a new show with the Illuminations soundtrack, using the new hardware.
Maybe then I would hate the 24/7 visual blight of the hardware less?

 

[adam.adbe]

Your point is well taken Mr. Penguin. I don't have proof. I suspect either does he. But it's a collective of experiences and a little inside knowledge I have that says overall it's actually pretty well received. Harmonious anyway. I haven't been going to enchantment enough to really speak to that. Plus I don't have the insight at the Magic Kingdom that I have at Epcot.

For me personally, I did not like harmonious the first time I saw it. Genuinely sought an opening night and it was a collective meh for me.

Through subsequent viewings I really began to enjoy the show. More than that, I also noticed that the audiences around me were enjoying the show.

Granted most the time I watch it from front center or from Japan. Japan's still affords a pretty good view of the Stargate.

As I really have not watched it from China or England, perhaps point of view really does affect perception of the show? I could totally entertain that. In fact, I think next time I go, which will be Friday or Saturday possibly both, I am purposely going to watch it from either China or England just to see what the crowd reactions are like on that side of the lake.

Nonetheless, your point is well taken. It's all subjective. I don't have proof. I was just asking for one YouTube video because it was stated that it gets booed all the time and I honestly have not ever heard the show been booed.

I was being snarky upthread, but I think the heard thing to quantify, and why this thread is full of personal opinions backed by very little data other than perhaps overall crowd levels is how much Harmonious moves needles for Disney.

Is Harmonious significantly cheaper, or more expensive, to run than RoE?
Are they selling as many dinner packages as they did with RoE?
Is it soaking up crowds and keeping people in the park in the way RoE did?

5000 broadly happy Harmonious first-timers, for example, may matter less to Disney than 9000 RoE guests who are at least positive about an aging show, and more importantly were spending. We really don't know.

I don't think Harmonious is a failure. It's a vastly lesser show than RoE, but it's better than EF, and might be good enough to meet Disney's own targets. By contrast, Rivers of Light, just needed to be better than nothing, and apparently it failed even that bar.

 

[Disone]

But not enough to keep the show as is.
You keep going on and on about how everyone here hates it. That's not true and you should stop beating that drum. Reception is pretty balanced here but certainly not on the same level as HEA which truly was universally loved.

Remember RoL? RoL was loved by many but not enough and got a rework. It only makes sense for this to get reworked.

When was reflections of Earth reworked? The show lasted like 20 years with only minor modifications.

 

[Disone]

They are using Harmonious because it has a line-up of musical guests that can sustain a TV production.

Honestly you could say the same thing about enchantment.

But you're probably right. Either show could have done the live treatment but I guess it's like international music day or something to that
effect.

 

[Disone]

Thank you. No hard feelings I hope. We disagree. It's okay. There have been other posts where I've been totally on board with you.

 

[trainplane3]

When was reflections of Earth reworked? The show lasted like 20 years with only minor modifications.

RoL=Rivers of Light

 

[LivinDISLife]

Honestly you could say the same thing about enchantment.

But you're probably right. Either show could have done the live treatment but I guess it's like international music day or something to that
effect.

La Fête de la Musique (aka World Music Day).

I’d imagine this ^^^ is why it’s probably more fitting for Disney to have Harmonious as a production from their park that has representation of countries from around the world for this particular instance on June 21st vs. any of their other shows.

 

[Disone]

RoL=Rivers of Light

Thank you!!!! I guess I was thinking Reflections of..... Larth

 

[Sir_Cliff]

The livestreams I watched, and I was there in person a few weeks ago, is that half the crowd that used to be there for Illuminations is showing up for Harmonious.

This is certainly a better indication of whether the show is performing well than if people actively boo at the end. I mean, who boos a theme park show?!?

There seems to be enough chatter from insiders to suggest that the show has, at the very least, not been as well-received by guests as Disney was hoping. For this kind of thing, I'd imagine that means more that that people are disinterested/underwhelmed rather than likely to riot afterwards.

 

[Pingufan]

But not enough to keep the show as is.
You keep going on and on about how everyone here hates it. That's not true and you should stop beating that drum. Reception is pretty balanced here but certainly not on the same level as HEA which truly was universally loved.

Remember RoL? RoL was loved by many but not enough and got a rework. It only makes sense for this to get reworked.

HEA was not universally loved, it was a glorified clip show

 

[Sir_Cliff]

HEA was not universally loved, it was a glorified clip show

Nothing is universally loved. If I recall correctly, though, insiders were saying it had the highest guest satisfaction ratings of anything at MK.

 

[trainplane3]

Thank you!!!! I guess I was thinking Reflections of..... Larth

Oh ya, I get it. Everyone's nearly forgotten about the show. Even when it was running it was pretty forgettable. The soundtrack was still incredible though...

HEA was not universally loved, it was a glorified clip show

Maybe universally was the wrong word but aside from a vocal minority, it was very well accepted. And as we look at Enchantment, it really shows what a good vs bad clip show looks like.