Reflections of Earth Update

[Thelazer]

Just wanted to point out that the torches along the lagoons edge, are now only turned on about 3 minutes before the show and then are turned off immediately after the show. They used to run about 20 mins before the show and about the same amount of time after.

Saving money, of course.

BTW- No Inferno barge yet.

 

[mousermerf]

Dang, you maxed out my BS detector!

The torches came on during the Tapestry of Nations and Tapestry of Dreams parades and stayed on until the show began. After this, they only came on during the original pre-show music, which has since been replaced.

So, they keep reprogramming the show and making changes to the total show, thus removing parts where the torches were on. That doesn't mean it's a budget cut.

 

[Mr.MouseFan]

"Good evening and welcome. We've gathered here tonight around the fire....".

They sure don't give you much time to gather around that fire anymore. I just came back from "the world" last week and on our first night at Epcot it was one of the first things I noticed. It's a shame because those torches really added to the atmosphere of the promenade. Whether it's a budget cut or a reprogramming of the show, they should have them lit for more than they currently do.

 

[dmmgp2000]

BTW- No Inferno barge yet.

The barge is scheduled to return to the show on Feburary 1st. Right now they are testing it during overnight hours.

 

[Blizz]

That doesn't mean it's a budget cut.

Hey, I'll give him some credit, it does save some cash, it might not seem like much, but add it up and one year of cutting back that small might be enough to pay for generic repairs for ROE.

 

[ToTBellHop]

That really stinks...they might as well take the torches out once the new IllumiNations premiers...

 

[Rob562]

Dang, you maxed out my BS detector!

The torches came on during the Tapestry of Nations and Tapestry of Dreams parades and stayed on until the show began. After this, they only came on during the original pre-show music, which has since been replaced.

So, they keep reprogramming the show and making changes to the total show, thus removing parts where the torches were on. That doesn't mean it's a budget cut.

Ummm, no. I know I don't get to visit quite as often as the locals, but there HAS been a very noticable change in the torches. Originally, as you said, the torches came on in the evening before the Tapestry parades. I believe they were even worked into the parade to go off and back on once.

-When Tapestry went away, the torches turned on 30 minutes before Illuminations, when the pre-show music started. It was like that for a while.

-On my visit in Decmeber '04, they had changed the pre-show music, and the torches turned on 15 minutes before showtime.

-For my most recent visit last month, with the SAME pre-show music as last year, the torches turned on no more than 5 minutes before showtime.

After the show this year, the torches went out almost immediately. Before, though, they'd stay on through "Promise" and then the Tapestry music mius the first 5-6 minutes. On the final note of the Tapestry music, the torches would go out and the area music returned. But starting either last year or this year for the Christmas season, they started playing the music accompanying the Lights of Winter archway as the post-show music. (I'm trying to remember if they even played "Promise" or not) The torches did not stay lit for this music.

With the rising fuel prices, I put budget cuts (or rather keeping the same budget but being able to afford less gas) as the main reason for this. It could be that they're simply locked into a budget that they have to make last until next year.
WDW's fiscal year is October 1st, I believe. That was very soon after the hurricanes and when gas prices were going up. The budget was probably already locked in by then. So, with higher fuel costs they may have calculated out the bare minimum they can use nightly with the budget they have, and still HAVE torches for the whole year. Who knows, perhaps this fall when they get the new fiscal year budget, we might see the return of 30-minute pre-show torches.

Just a theory.

-Rob

 

[TheOneVader]

I went in October '04, December '04 (Like you), March '05, May '05, and Septemebr '05. Every time they had the torch on 30 minutes before the show. Maybe there were just technical difficulties?

 

[wdwmagic]

The torches have been lit just minutes before the show now since at least late November 2005. They used to be lit around 20 mins before, when the pre-show music began. No word if this is a permanent change.

 

[PhilharMagician]

I do not agree with budget cuts. If they needed to cut cost then they should just say the Inferno Barge is unrepairable (since the show is just as good without it IMO). The cost of the propane to ignite that barge for one night has to be more than the cost to light the torches for a month. I do however agree that the premis of lighting the torches 30 minutes before the start of Illuminations to "gather around the fire" needs to return.

 

[peter11435]

The torches have been lit just minutes before the show now since at least late November 2005. They used to be lit around 20 mins before, when the pre-show music began. No word if this is a permanent change.

I don't know how true it is but I was told that they are using the money saved on propane to fix the inferno barge. Rebuilding the inferno barge was not budgeted for thus the money had to come from somewhere.

 

[wdwmagic]

I don't know how true it is but I was told that they are using the money saved on propane to fix the inferno barge. Rebuilding the inferno barge was not budgeted for thus the money had to come from somewhere.

Makes sense, the timing certainly fits that theory.

 

[PhilharMagician]

I don't know how true it is but I was told that they are using the money saved on propane to fix the inferno barge. Rebuilding the inferno barge was not budgeted for thus the money had to come from somewhere.

Well with the cost of filling a 20 LB BBQ propane tank at about $9.00 then times that by about 7500 each night which equals $67,500.00. I imagine Disney gets there propane a little cheaper so maybe $40,000.00 per night. Thats still a lot of money.

 

[CrashNet]

I don't know how true it is but I was told that they are using the money saved on propane to fix the inferno barge. Rebuilding the inferno barge was not budgeted for thus the money had to come from somewhere.

Yeah thats pretty much why. The money has to come from somewhere. But, they still do turn them on so they can be blown out, so the overall effect isn't gone completely.

The other thing, the last group of fireworks and the m-80s that go off at the end, the ones that pretty much cause a flash effect and white out everything briefly (long description huh :lol: )...anyway, when those go off at the end of the show, everything, the venue lighting, the torches (except the one in the globe), and the fountains all go out. They don't turn back on after that.

Oh, and the Inferno Barge should be back February 1st.

 

[Shakes150]

I agree

-When Tapestry went away, the torches turned on 30 minutes before Illuminations, when the pre-show music started. It was like that for a while.

-On my visit in Decmeber '04, they had changed the pre-show music, and the torches turned on 15 minutes before showtime.

-For my most recent visit last month, with the SAME pre-show music as last year, the torches turned on no more than 5 minutes before showtime.

With the rising fuel prices, I put budget cuts (or rather keeping the same budget but being able to afford less gas) as the main reason for this. It could be that they're simply locked into a budget that they have to make last until next year.
WDW's fiscal year is October 1st, I believe. That was very soon after the hurricanes and when gas prices were going up. The budget was probably already locked in by then. So, with higher fuel costs they may have calculated out the bare minimum they can use nightly with the budget they have, and still HAVE torches for the whole year. Who knows, perhaps this fall when they get the new fiscal year budget, we might see the return of 30-minute pre-show torches.
-Rob

I agree. When I was on my CP in '04, I worked at Epcot and worked a lot of the special events/crowd control/greeter stuff during RoE. I saw the show A LOT. And, yes, they used to start the preshow music and the torches 30 minutes before RoE.
I know that many changes have been made to the preshow music since then and that the torches light with it. Ir has been cut shorter. I think that budget may have some influence on it. Yes, Disney's fiscal year starts Oct. 1st. So, it makes since that the fuel prices may have something to do with it as well. Either way, I wish they'd bring it back to 30 minutes before again. It was sort of a signal to go off of that you had 30 minutes to wrap up what you were doing and find your favorite standing place.

 

[TheOneVader]

Wait... They still play the music 30 minutes before RoE, right?

 

[tirian]

I haven't seen the show since December, and I assumed that the difference was due to the short interval between the Candlelight Processional and Illuminations (I sang in the CP, and often watched RoE after the show).

Apparently, that wasn't the reason... hmmm... more than likely, it is due to energy concerns.

 

[celticdog]

Well with the cost of filling a 20 LB BBQ propane tank at about $9.00 then times that by about 7500 each night which equals $67,500.00. I imagine Disney gets there propane a little cheaper so maybe $40,000.00 per night. Thats still a lot of money.

$9...that's cheap. I wish I could get mine filled that inexpensively. The last fillup back in October ran me close to $15.