EPCOT Reflections of Earth confirmed to be replaced by Harmonious

Tom Morrow

Tom Morrow

Well-Known Member
The first part of the post-show music is great and perfect atmosphere IMO. The rest, well, it's interesting in that it's upbeat and also rehashing the music from the show. ICould be better. I suppose the attempt is to "continue the party" as you leave, but it just doesn't feel right. I also do think it's cool that the barges keep "performing" for photos and whatnot.

I'm starting to come around to the show... a little. I still think it needs a lot of editing, and I still think it shouldn't be in Epcot, and you'll never change my mind on that, but there are a few cool things about it. I decided to listen to the soundtrack, here are my thoughts of each track:

Opening Chants - Starts off really cool, has that epic Epcot feel that is missing from the show until the finale. I wish it didn't then dive right into Frozen, but the mashup of it and Lion King and how they start off distant and echo-y and gradually come in at full power is really cool.

Awakening - Continuing the concept of the first track, I actually think its really cool how they mashed up How Far I'll Go with Go the Distance. From the opening through the end of this track, there's a sense of something big coming together out of many small fragments, and I actually think it works. I genuinely think the whole show should have gone with this mashup approach, maybe with some original scores thrown in throughout, but the rest of the show plays out like a standard "greatest hits" show.

Middle East - One of the better segments for sounding like it belongs in Epcot. I believe this is due to being orchestrated.

India - I actually didn't realize until listening at home that it was done in an India pop music style. In person I was only questioning why the Jungle Book was in here at all. The opening parts of this are one of the show's highlights though.

China - The worst segment, in my opinion. It's not a memorable song from Mulan and the style doesn't convey China very well.

Africa - It sounds like Festival of the Lion King and all the variations that exist. It's fine but too similar to the DAK vibe and I think something else should have been considered. Not that any of these are great cultural representations or anything.

Europe - I love seeing the underrated Hunchback of Notre Dame represented. Not the best cover of "Out There" though. The Brave portion is lit.

Latin America - I'm torn, because this is the highest energy segment and I love the songs, but this also has the most Disney Channel-sounding vocals.

USA - This track also suffers from sounding Disney Channel-ified. Thus, it lacks the soulful feel that they were going for, and it also goes on for too long without "earning" it.

Finale - An appropriate closing track, but not the best version or vocals for "Someday" that it could have been.


Overall a very mixed bag. My main takeaway is that the tracks don't seem to have a consistent vision or style. Yes, I get that that is sort of the point, but some tracks feel appropriately "mature" for Epcot, while others feel "Disney Channel". Just one of many examples of how, even ignoring my gripes about it being primarily an IP "greatest hits" show that shouldn't be in Epcot, there's a strong sense that there were too many people sticking their fingers in for input and there wasn't enough pushback, perhaps because everyone was agreeing to keep their jobs.
 
Tom Morrow

Tom Morrow

Well-Known Member
You know, I'm fine with the post-show. They've done the "slow, romantic, sleepy walk to the car" forever, it's okay to try something different. It also starts with a really cool dreamlike moment before pumping up the energy again. The club-like remixes of the songs are kind of cool, honestly. I also really like that the "stage" still performs for photos and whatnot. (If only it could float away until tomorrow night...)

Addendum to my previous post. Does anyone else feel that the show would have benefitted massively if the entire thing were mashups like the intro? A mashup being taking two or more songs and layering them together. The intro and "Awakening" are much more interesting than most of the show because of this and they at least feel original. Instead, "Africa" is the only other mashup, the rest are either just one song or a set of songs, which leads to the show feeling like a segmented "greatest hits" concert and similar to all the previous recent night shows.

Second, what's also strange about the soundtrack is that some of the songs are complete re-imaginings, while others are just a remake. For instance, "I Wanna Be Like You" was originally a jazzy song, but here it's done in the style of Indian pop/dance music. It's sort of cultural... it works for the vague intentions of the show. But then you have others like "Out There", which is simply a remake. The re-imagined songs are also more interesting, in my opinion, and actually justify their existence in an Epcot nighttime show.

Basically, I envision an alternate, better version of the show with longer segments that flow together well and are culturally re-imagined mashups. This would give the show the energy it is lacking and a unified, cohesive concept.
 
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Magic Feather

Magic Feather

Well-Known Member
The one benefit of this "plug and play" approach that the majority of the show can AND SHOULD be revised with new films. Any "international" musical properties should be added relatively quickly. For instance, if Encanto proves to be a hit, add an Encanto bit to Latin America and market it as new for Spring Break or something. While I doubt they will, its just a precedent I wish they would set early. That said, I'd also be open to setting a precedent of ~5 year life cycle for spectaculars.
 
hpyhnt 1000

hpyhnt 1000

Well-Known Member
Haymarket2008 said:
Something I noticed during Harmonius that wasn't the case during IllumiNations. The attention of the audience. There was extended periods of quiet and attentiveness during IllumiNations that Harmonious never achieved. At least at my viewing.
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I think the clip show nature of Harmonious can lead to more side conversations as folks see/hear "their favorite" movie or character and then talk with others about their excitement. So, the lack of silence isn't necessarily a bad thing.

But you're right that the format means there's less "need" to pay attention during the whole show because one part doesn't rely on another. Compare that to more narrative shows like Fantasmic or Reflections of Earth where their respective finales are built on the story and effects from earlier - Mickey's triumph in Fant! is more meaningful after you've seen him battle the villains, and RoE's globe opening is more impressive after watching it maneuver and rotate into the center of the lagoon post-Chaos.

Also, I feel a lot of people in general these days just can't stop and focus on anything for more than 2 minutes, let alone 20. I guess blame the smartphone and associated apps, news alerts, and social media notifications that bombard our world.
 
Tom Morrow

Tom Morrow

Well-Known Member
As a huge, huge fan of Reflections of Earth, I do feel it is disingenuous to assert that it had a strong story or narrative that held the audience's attention. Let's be honest here - while I'm aware that it does technically have a narrative, it was very abstract. So abstract that the vast majority of viewers have no idea what each segment is supposed to represent.

But what it did have is an overarching theme and vision. The entire show was one unified piece meant to be taken in it's entirety. Though most viewers did not key in to the narrative, almost everyone got the tone and the message of the show, and the unified nature of it's production, better pacing, and continuously introducing new things to the audience is what primarily held people's attention. Sure, many thought that the globe segment was boring, but it still held your attention as a first time viewer because you watch wanting to know what is going to happen next.

With Harmonious, knowing you can zone out of a particular segment because it will be over in a minute or two before the next one starts, combined with no overarching theme or unified vision, well.... you know. It makes for an unengaging, overly long show that doesn't hold your attention.
 
V

Vinnie Mac

Well-Known Member
Tom Morrow said:
As a huge, huge fan of Reflections of Earth, I do feel it is disingenuous to assert that it had a strong story or narrative that held the audience's attention. Let's be honest here - while I'm aware that it does technically have a narrative, it was very abstract. So abstract that the vast majority of viewers have no idea what each segment is supposed to represent.

But what it did have is an overarching theme and vision. The entire show was one unified piece meant to be taken in it's entirety. Though most viewers did not key in to the narrative, almost everyone got the tone and the message of the show, and the unified nature of it's production, better pacing, and continuously introducing new things to the audience is what primarily held people's attention. Sure, many thought that the globe segment was boring, but it still held your attention as a first time viewer because you watch wanting to know what is going to happen next.

With Harmonious, knowing you can zone out of a particular segment because it will be over in a minute or two before the next one starts, combined with no overarching theme or unified vision, well.... you know. It makes for an unengaging, overly long show that doesn't hold your attention.
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Okay so I know the point is that HarmonioUS doesn't have any part that keeps you guessing what's going to happen next but personally I think the opening act of HarmonioUS does kinda give this feeling of "what's gonna happen next?"

The somewhat slow build to the first launch of actual pyro and then the whole "gathering everyone and setting out to adventure" theme of it makes me feel this way.
 
Tom Morrow

Tom Morrow

Well-Known Member
Vinnie Mac said:
Okay so I know the point is that HarmonioUS doesn't have any part that keeps you guessing what's going to happen next but personally I think the opening act of HarmonioUS does kinda give this feeling of "what's gonna happen next?"

The somewhat slow build to the first launch of actual pyro and then the whole "gathering everyone and setting out to adventure" theme of it makes me feel this way.
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I agree with that. The opening chants and "Awakening" are really well done as a long, slow build. As I mentioned in my analysis of the soundtrack, the way they give a sense of something big coming together from fragments is well done, and I also like their mashup nature. I just wish the rest of the show carried that momentum, but it doesn't due to the start and stop pacing and the fact that by the end of Awakening, the show has shown you all of its hands already.
 
Crazydisneyfanluke

Crazydisneyfanluke

Well-Known Member
trainplane3 said:
Some interesting show issues over the past few days.
Middle ring with no water or arms, only lighting (this almost looks better aka less sensory overload):


Middle ring arms closest to the camera give up right after the timestamp (9 mins) and no longer move, even for the post show bit:
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Saw it Friday evening. It was delayed for 45mins due to technical difficulties. The middle barge had all the issues. Ring didn't have projections, lighting was off and on, arms didn't move at all, finale was lack luster due to no perimeter fireworks (It was raining and windy). Shame they don't have a back up plan like Illuminations had.
 
Nunu

Nunu

Wanderluster
Premium Member
MisterPenguin

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member

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