EPCOT Reflections of Earth confirmed to be replaced by Harmonious

E

Editor516

Well-Known Member
DisneyExpert said:
I mean, Arabian Nights literally had to have lyrics changed when it was first released due to the outcry. I believe the original line was something like, "where they cut off your hand if they don't like your face." The choice to include this song in a show meant to be inclusive and bring cultures together is beyond baffling.
Click to expand...
The original was, “Where they cut off your ear if they don’t like your face…”
If you have an original version (VHS, CD, etc.) it’s apparently worth money on the collector market.
 
M

MoonRakerSCM

Well-Known Member
Some people here make some great points. I never even considered about self centered songs being the wrong choice to embrace togetherness etc...

I find it hilarious that in their drive to make the show inclusive, and focus on having songs in other languages etc. etc... they forgot to actually make an inclusive show that showcases the diversity of the world.

Another instance of Disney (anything) where they focused on being 'inclusive' and thus completely missed the ball in every single aspect that matters and produced a crap product.
 
hpyhnt 1000

hpyhnt 1000

Well-Known Member
I've watched 4 different perspectives now in addition to the DPB live stream (which was terrible in its staging, as per tradition at this point). I really wanted to give the show a chance and see as many of the effects in context as I could.

But this thing is a mess. The tech may be cool, but just like it takes more than impressive CGI to make a great movie, it takes more than fancy lights and giant screens to make a great nighttime spectacular. Thoughts in no particular order:
  • "Someday" for the finale is the only part of the show that maybe begins to hold a tiny candle to the emotions you get from great Disney shows like RoE or Wishes.
  • The transitions are horrendous. Way too many fades to black, and even the non black fades are clumsy (Lion King chants to Moana comes to mind).
  • The soundtrack is really disappointing, a cacophony of noise for the most point. Disjointed, way too much screaming -- the drawn out PatF section is particularly bad -- and just some weird song choices (I Wanna Be Like You and Hakuna Matata feel really out of place).
  • The show hardware does nothing for me. Why are the screens shaped like tacos? What's with the moving arms? I kept waiting for a moment where it would all click and make sense.
  • I'm shocked how little World Showcase as a stage is used. Outside the Hercules section and Someday finale, the pavilions and their associated lighting effects aren't used. One of the most unique show areas in the world is at their disposal and they basically ignore it.
  • The open and close of the show is pretty lackluster. The slow fade to start is disappointing compared to the grand narration and blowing out the lights of RoE, and at the end, it's not good when people are left asking, "Wait, is that it?"
----

One of the reasons so many of us loved and hung on to Reflections of Earth, even when it was clear it was getting outclassed by newer tech and shows, was because we suspected today's Disney would never be able to match its masterful pyro design, sweeping original score, and poignant meaning.

Harmonious has confirmed those fears.
 
Castle Cake Apologist

Castle Cake Apologist

Well-Known Member
Editor516 said:
The original was, “Where they cut off your ear if they don’t like your face…”
If you have an original version (VHS, CD, etc.) it’s apparently worth money on the collector market.
Click to expand...

Ah, I knew it was some body part being severed!

I know my parents still have our VHS copy and my well-worn CD soundtrack somewhere from when I was a kid, might be worth digging around for.
 
Lil Copter Cap

Lil Copter Cap

Well-Known Member
I do not discount the hard work and innovation that went into creating this spectacular.

The intent was not the impact felt for me (and others) whether inside the park or watching via livestream.

For every one person who disliked it, I’m sure there are five individuals who loved it. The groups I stood next to were loving it, albeit intoxicated. They danced to the music. This is a great show after a day of drinking around the world. Let loose and sing some Disney tunes.

Im not, however, going to pretend that a message of connection was present. Hearing that changes were made, I believe the original intent was lost.

Hearing ‘Someday’ I gasped out of pure surprise. It’s the perfect song to sum up the original intent. But that comes at the very end of the production—almost like an after thought.
 
Castle Cake Apologist

Castle Cake Apologist

Well-Known Member
Okay, I've watched it several times now from several different perspectives, and I guess I still just don't get it. I also can't for the life of me figure out what the point of the arms is. Other than (I guess) being impressive tech, what do they add to the show? The whole thing is just bad. The only part I like is CoCo.

Everybody is saying not to blame the show designers? Who should we blame then? Shanghai?

I don't care if stuff got cut or if budgets were slashed, the entire premise of the show is majorly flawed. Walt and the original Imagineers built Disneyland in a year with barely any funding. Adjusted for inflation, Disneyland cost approximately $131 million to build. WED/WDI used to be able to knock it out of the park despite any setbacks they encountered, money or otherwise. Now, they can't even come up with a small dark ride for that price. Stop blaming "lack of" money, when there's clearly a huge creative void and a massive spending problem at WDI.
 
Last edited:
C

Cliff

Well-Known Member
I have an idea,..."flip" this show in two years into "Reflections of Earth 2.0" use all this new hardware to progress and develop all the themes and concepts of Reflections of Earth into a new show. New imagery, new music, and a new modified story that still fits the RoE tradition! I can visualize that!

This hardware can be saved and repurposed into a brand new version of a show that we already love deeply! This is a GUARANTEED success! It's a slam dunk EASY choice!

Man,...I would LOVE to get some public traction on this idea! Can we start a petition?

Cliff
 
M

markham

Well-Known Member
DisneyExpert said:
Okay, I've watched it several times now from several different perspectives, and I guess I still just don't get it. I also can't for the life of me figure out what the point of the arms is. Other than (I guess) being impressive tech, what do they add to the show? The whole thing is just bad. The only part I like is CoCo.
Click to expand...
When watching the Aladdin section and the tacos and arms turned into genie lamps, all I could think is that they came up the set pieces for this moment and visual then tried to figure out what else they could do with them lol

50568828-1906-4445-A7C5-0B4BCB96D260.png
 
HauntedPirate

HauntedPirate

Park nostalgist
Premium Member
DisneyExpert said:
Okay, I've watched it several times now from several different perspectives, and I guess I still just don't get it. I also can't for the life of me figure out what the point of the arms is. Other than (I guess) being impressive tech, what do they add to the show? The whole thing is just bad. The only part I like is CoCo.

Everybody is saying not to blame the show designers? Who should we blame then? Shanghai?

I don't care if stuff got cut or if budgets were slashed, the entire premise of the show is majorly flawed. Walt and the original Imagineers built Disneyland in a year with barely any funding. Adjusted for inflation, Disneyland cost approximately $131 million to build. They can't even come up with a small dark ride for that price now. Stop blaming the money, when there's clearly a huge creative void at WDI.
Click to expand...

Don’t blame the people who built it. The designers deserve all the ire for putting together such a disjointed mess, plus the management that signed off on it.
 
E

Editor516

Well-Known Member
They’re not going to make major changes. The infrastructure that was installed means it’s here to stay for at least 10 years (to maximize the return on investment). The show might be tweaked and segments might be replaced, but the (over)use of IP is here to stay.

Does someone want to try to convince the execs that Figment is valuable and bankable IP?

This all started with Nemo. It continued when they removed the educational aspects of Test Track (and made it a design-your-car game rather than an interactive here’s-how-we-test-vehicles lesson). Remy. Mary Poppins. Guardians. Moana. And now HarmonioUS.

The old Epcot is gone. My once-favorite park is no more. It’s not coming back. For a nerd who loved the spirit, vision, and inspiration behind the old Epcot, it’s a sad day. It’s time to turn the page and move forward. We go on.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom