EPCOT 25th Anniversary Reflections of Earth Finale

[WadeJ]

Yes, I almost went down to EPCOT just for October 1st.  But between some personal stuff going on and the fact that I'm in Orlando this coming weekend and all next week on business, it just didn't make sense

Why?  Because EPCOT (yes, its ALL CAPS!) turned 25 on Monday, October 1st!  Alright alright, I know, that was also Chucks birthday.  Lucky him.     I would have scheduled my kids birth the same way if possible lol.  So Chuck, you better be celebrating EPCOT's 50th in Florida!

Illluminations: Reflections of Earth is arguably the greatest nightime show ever made.  Many people just don't get it.  Either they are too concerned with getting out of the park to skip the crowds or just tired from a long day of walking and dealing with the kids to actually stop, listen and feel the lyrics and movements of this show.  Its just amazing.  Yes, a good spot helps or you can't see half the crap going on but in a good location with all effects working (many get turned off depending on weather), it can't be beat. 

So much like July 4th and New Years Eve, these amazing pyrotechnicians added a "tag" finale onto the end of ROE.  So for the 25th Anniversary only, guests not only saw the amazing "normal" show but were also treated to this incredible finale.  And they used music from EPCOT's past to boot!

It's the first link in the list.  Right-Click to do the Save As option.  To be there must have been amazing .  http://www.wdwmagic.com/illum_2000_video.htm

And this is why EPCOT rocks 

[ChuckR]

Oh yeah, party at Epcot when I turn 50!

[WadeJ]

This guy actually took the time to put captions on all 200+ photos from the celebration.
http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=4359471&a=32593281&p=75895576

And hopefully Chuck we'll both be there lol

[Bubba Z]

Sadly enough, I've only seen Illuminations 5 times and no other fireworks in Orlando. That is,  Unless you count seeing MGM's from your Hotel balcony.  Illuminations is pretty sweet!

[chilled182]

Does the special ROF run through October?  Ill be there on roughly the, 26th?  I cant wait. 

[WadeJ]

Nope.  1 night only on October 1st

[WadeJ]

Just found out about this - http://discoveramerica.com

Click the picture on the left to view a "welcome to america" video using the music from Reflections of Earth.  Diehard Disney geeks like myself get all giddy over this stuff lol

You do need a fairly decent machine because it ran all choppy on my older system which isn't even half bad.

[PcMan]

more info ? :

The Walt Disney Co. premiered its latest film Monday: a seven-minute promotional video, set to a familiar Disney score, which will eventually run in airports across the country and U.S. embassies around the world.

The film, dubbed "Welcome: Portraits of America," was produced by Disney for the U.S. departments of State and Homeland Security as part of an effort to project a warmer national image and to boost international travel to the United States.

It will be shown starting this week at Washington Dulles International Airport and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport -- two of the nation's busiest airports for overseas travel. Government officials said they will soon expand the program to include the country's top 20 international airports, including Orlando International, as well as American embassies and consulates overseas.

Both the government and Disney made sure to note that the movie, which the company volunteered to produce at its own expense, does not include any images promoting Disney theme parks or any other commercial entity. It is instead filled with sweeping shots of American landscapes and national monuments -- from rolling farmland and the Grand Canyon to the Statue of Liberty and the Golden Gate Bridge -- mixed with images of everyday people doing everything from riding horses to smiling, waving and saying, "Welcome."

But the film is set to music that will be familiar to many Walt Disney World fans: the orchestral score that accompanies "IllumiNations," the popular nightly fireworks show at Disney's Epcot theme park.

[PcMan]

Epcot's Spaceship Earth to reopen with new storyline



The ride Epcot?s SpaceshipearthmusicSpaceship Earth is expected to reopen in mid-December for sneak previews with a new story overlay, new technology and a whole new soundtrack ? created by ten-time Emmy-award winning composer Bruce Broughton, a 63-piece orchestra and a 24-voice choir.

Walt Disney Imagineering announced late last week that Broughton?s music has been fitted to each scene in the attraction?s story line, which now follows the history of human innovation from one generation to the next, from prehistoric times to the 21st century.

The ride was closed earlier this year as the entire system also has been updated with new show scenes, lighting, costumes, set decorations, interactive features for riders and a new narrator, Academy Award-winning actress Judi Dench.

For the musical score, each scene was infused with styles and instruments appropriate to the time period.

"To have that score transition smoothly as vehicles travel from one time period to the next is extremely difficult," said Walt Disney Imagineering show producer Bob Zalk. "The first time we rode through the attraction accompanied by that music, we were amazed."

The 180-foot-tall Spaceship Earth geodesic sphere opened as Epcot?s centerpiece in 1982 with a ride storyline that originally focused more on the history of human communications. It has had occasional updates, but this year?s overhaul by Walt Disney World and the attraction?s sponsor Siemens AG, was the first major change.


http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/business_tourism_aviation/2007/12/the-ride-epcots.html

[Millennium Force 44]

Interesting. I thought I heard somewhere that they are planning to put a coaster in there in a few years... probably a rumor

[WadeJ]

Rumor and basically impossible lol

Obviously I've been following this for a some time now lol

There will be LCD screens in each ride vehicle now and you'll be able to "choose" your ending which is very Horizons ish.  The best part should be the new lighting, audio, costumes, music score and smoother operation of the omnimover itself.  All of this will be simliar to the recent improvements made to Haunted Mansion which is a good thing

[WadeJ]

I was poking through looking for videos and information because rumor now has it that ROE will end it's run this year.  While I know it's now been nearly 10 years, I'll still be sad to say goodbye .  Anyway, I found another great site with more inside scoop on the creation of the show and what each "movement" means. - http://digitalfilms.wordpress.com/2008/11/28/illuminations-2000-reflections-of-earth/