REVIEW: “Epcot Forever” Bites the Fan That Feeds It

Iain

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REVIEW: “Epcot Forever” Bites the Fan That Feeds It

Editor’s Note: I’m contractually obligated to warn you that this review contains “Epcot Forever” spoilers. If you’re planning on experiencing it and forming your own opinions first, I suggest revisiting this post after the fact.


Nostalgia is a powerful thing. Possibly too powerful. But it’s deeply important in creating who we are as both people and a culture… and it can be manipulated.

“Epcot Forever”, Epcot’s new fireworks show, is certainly not the first time Disney, the absolute king of nostalgia marketing, has used our past memories to dig into our wallets, but it is the greatest bait-and-switch ever made by the parks.

For roughly 9 of the show’s 11 minutes, “Epcot Forever” succeeds in drawing on a 35+ year history of songs (orchestrated gorgeously) that a generation remember fondly only to then, in its final moments, pull the flying carpet out from under everyone with a rousing finale of “A Whole New World” from Aladdin.

If you haven’t seen it, give it a watch…

As the final flicker of fireworks died out, many had a simple question: “Why?” What would make management think that you should end a show marketed on nostalgia with a song from a movie whose closest relationship with the park is a princess meet & greet? At the very least, why wouldn’t you use a song from an upcoming IP-based attraction that you’ll be marketing anyway?

But Disney’s reasoning makes more sense when you remember Hollywood Studios’ 30th Anniversary. It was a similar day – a large swath of fans coming together to celebrate a nostalgic milestone only to have management ignore what many were there for and instead push the next “big thing.” That weekend, the “Wonderful World of Animation” evening show premiered at Studios with a not so subtle ending plug for the upcoming Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.

As Ralphie Parker once said, “A crummy commercial?”

But what makes “Epcot Forever” a bigger betrayal is that it uses nostalgia to soften you only so it can push an entire new park ethos – “Remember how we brought you here to with the stuff you loved? Well, it’s gone and there is a whole new world coming, so get ready.” For some, that might sound exciting, for the majority of the people at the premiere of “Epcot Forever”, it sounded more ominous.

This is not to say that Epcot doesn’t need some major love or that fresh perspectives shouldn’t be welcome. Many of the park’s upcoming projects are exciting, to say the least. The issue is that Disney has lost its ability to honor its past without also having one foot out the door and ready for the future (and its profits).

Many have asked if “Epcot Forever” would be a celebration or a funeral for a time that once was. In the end, it’s like going to a party to find everyone dressed in black and then someone tries to sell you a timeshare.

Featured Image: Turp Photography (C)

44 thoughts on “REVIEW: “Epcot Forever” Bites the Fan That Feeds It”

  1. Don’t agree. Out with the old in with the new. Our generations need to stop being so selfish. Let the new generations experience just that, NEW.

  2. Although I wasn’t able to see this in person, I did watch the show on Disney’s Live Streaming. Like many of you I am a nostalgic Disney parks fan. I miss Horizons, World of Motion, Original Journey into Imagination and other classic Epcot (and other Disney) attractions.

    When I was watching the Live Stream I couldn’t believe they added music from Aladdin as part of this Epcot Forever tribute. All of the music leading up to this was awesome. I went onto Twitter to learn I wasn’t the only one disappointed in their decision.

    I am hoping with enough feedback they will revise this ending. A Whole New World does not belong in an Epcot Celebration Show. But I know why they did it. Epcot Forever might not appeal to a guest celebrating their “First Visit” to Epcot. My children who are 6 would have no clue about any of the Epcot music except A Whole New World.

    Some of you might be aware that in 1996 IllumiNations 25 was created for the 25th anniversary of Walt Disney World. There was so much disappointment that Disney revised the show 6 months later because of negative feedback. And this is in an era without Social Media.

    We all know Epcot Forever is a temporary show until HarmonioUS is released in 2020.

    Thoughts?

  3. I honestly thought Disney did a great job of paying homage to the past, but also acknowledging the transition of EPCOT to the changes coming. I think of the title of the show: EPCOT Forever. That encompasses the past, the present, and the future.

  4. I agree with you 100%. I would like to add, that, in my opinion, Disney has lost sight of the original impetus for the creation of the parks and that was the experience first, marketing secondary…..Marketing seems to have taken the lead on management’s tactics. Everything seems to based around getting people to buy more things, spend MORE money…and the attractions, entertainment, food, and overall level of quality (more so in Florida than California) can be downgraded. If you pull at heartstrings, you can sell more merchandise. The Disney business model no longer has guest experience at the top of the pyramid. They literally want to cash in on our nostalgia and hope we do not look behind the curtain.

  5. I was so sad to see Illuminations go, but I understand that the parks need to change and evolve, so in concept I am ok with it as long as any replacement meets the same high standards we have come to expect from Disney Imagineering. I am also a child of 1980s Epcot, and I love the nostalgia of the old music and the memories it evokes. Accordingly, I was excited about the theme of Epcot Forever. Any opportunity to hear the classic songs and watch Epcot celebrate its roots is welcome. Unfortunately I did not see the show in person, but I did watch the WDWNT video this morning. I acknowledge my impressions of the show are skewed by not experiencing the show in person, but I would be surprised if an in-person viewing would change much.

    Overall, I was disappointed. Let’s start with the good. I liked the kites. I thought they were colorful, the firework effect was cool, and they added some needed kinetic energy. Plus they were a tribute to the earlier daytime kite lagoon show Skyleidoscope. I enjoyed the tribute to Tapestry of Nations. I always love that music. I liked that they used the original pavilion theme music. But that is where I thought things went wrong. Instead of using the original scores from those pavilions, music we all know and love, they rerecorded it. While the new score might have been ok if you didn’t know the original music, it lost the magic of the music you knew. If you are going to promote this as a tribute to the original Epcot, have the decency to use the original music. The original music has the heart, the uniqueness, the pageantry, and the depth that made Epcot so different. The rerecording, while perhaps technically well done, just sounded like someone in a studio singing music without meaning, feeling or the understanding of why that music was special.

    The fireworks themselves were fine, but that’s it. It was pedestrian and felt like another routine fireworks show. Fireworks at Disney have never felt routine. They have always felt special, unique and different from what you find elsewhere. These didn’t have that aura. Admittedly I could feel this way because I watched them on video and because I did not find the music compelling. It could also be that I watched the final Illuminations immediately before watching this video and my expectations were high and my love of Illuminations clouded my objectivity. But think of any fireworks show at Disney that you love: Illuminations, Wishes, Happily Ever After, Fantasy in the Sky – the combination of fireworks and music creates a powerful emotional connection. I felt that was missing here, and the fireworks themselves weren’t unique or different enough to make up for that loss.

    Then we get to the finale, where I have to agree with Nathan’s review completely. Shoehorning Aladdin into the end of a tribute to Epcot was a horrible decision. It didn’t fit other than as a suggestion that change is coming. We all know changes are coming (hopefully good but given the current state of the company under Chapek I am skeptical). Disney already told us a new show is coming, that Epcot Forever is just a placeholder. Disney already revealed some of the changes coming to the park at the D23 Expo. There was no need to slap us in the face with music that has nothing to do with Epcot other than a tiny meet-and-greet in Morocco. We don’t need music that is 27(!) years old to suggest something new is coming. Just let us enjoy the original Epcot music for the next 6 months or so, and then we will see the new show and hopefully not be disappointed. Again.

  6. I disagree. I loved it. And I loved that they tied in such a beautiful song at the end. And it IS just a temporary fill in until the new show comes.

  7. Thank god it is only temporary. Lame fireworks. Horrible covers of original attraction songs. Absolutely no story. And kites.

    Looks like a fan designed show.

  8. Couldn’t agree more. The first 9-minutes warmed my heart, gave me goosebumps, and brought a tear to my eye. Then, at the moment of the emotional climax of the finale was expected, they use “A Whole New World.” Like #WTF Disney?! How about using a new version of “Celebrate the Future,” a song from yesteryear, to usher in the finale as we all “Celebrate the future of Epcot together.”

  9. I’m not quite as cynical about the future of Epcot and specifically how this show portends that future. But opinion differences aside, I love some of the phrases and references the author uses in this review.

    Ralphie Parker and timeshares in the same article is a winner for me! Keep it up! I’ll read it even if I disagree! :)

  10. At the end of it, while the Wolrd Showcase will be pretty much the same, the concept for “the future” has changed. In an era with new technology, the birth of the computer, improved communications, the internet, people saw endless possibilities for the future. Now, in an advent of remakes and rehashing old ideas, the future is less optimistic. Disney does not want to be caught in the stagnation that the rest of humanity has become part of, perhaps?

  11. You NAILED it!! I was saying the same thing at the end of it. It was cool until I realized that the “Future” was going to be completely different, marked by more Disney movie/character incorporation with “A Whole New World”.
    Thought it was just me, but then again, I thought the Tron roller coaster should have been in EPCOT (mind you I realize the space constraints but they could have made it work).
    I heard people saying last night that it was better than Illuminations. And while it was definitely technologically improved…..not so much.
    Thank you for writing this!

  12. It’s a temporary show to segue from Illuminations to the next permanent nighttime show. I would fully expect it to be heavy on the nostalgia, market the next new thing, and act as a testbed for some of the new tech and features of the upcoming show without having to go all in.

  13. Looks like you had the same impression as me. Kites we cool and all, but I expected more lasers and story telling. I’ll be visiting this weekend for a fast pass view. Maybe I will change my mind

  14. I’m fine with it. It’s something for the time in between. I think they just want everyone to leave with a smile and a good feeling about what it to come.

  15. I completely agree with this review. Just watched the WDWNT video of the show, the kites are a nice effect, and hearing the old music is great. But sadly this definitely feels like the park’s funeral service, a year long one at that, and knowing what Disney Management wants to do with Epcot……that last song is simply cruel to the max. “Epcot Forever”, more like “Epcot Farewell”.

  16. Well said!
    I had a strong vibe it would go in this direction and decided to sit in my car and watch the podcast rather than drive 5 miles to the park.

    Honorable of you to speak the truth and real fans of Walt would not want it any other way.

    Are you listening Disney Co.?

    Jon K

  17. Not at all impressed with the new show. The children sound great, but where is the story and or the Wow Factor

  18. What a sadly negative post for a show that made me, a former cast member and lifelong EPCOT fan, teary-eyed. So sorry that it didn’t live up to your exacting standards.

  19. Wow! Well – that actually made me quite teary.

    We first came to WDW in 1999 for the Millenium celebrations and have been back several times over the last 20 years. Illuminations was brilliant but after said 20 year period needed dusting off and re-gigging. I think this new firework show is fabulous and totally Epcot – nostalgia with a nod to the new things to come. As for a rousing chorus of “A Whole New World”, they only sing that line and the rest is orchestrated and I think fits perfectly with the changes that are being made.
    Can’t wait until our next visit – hopefully in 2021 for the 50th Anniversary of WDW.

  20. Have not seen it yet but have heard mixed reviews. Hoping the final rendition is worth waiting for.

  21. Hi,
    We saw the new show last night and have to say that we loved it. I thought it was beautifully orchestrated and loved that they had Walt Disney’s voice, though it was a bit short. We are Platinum Plus Annual Pass Holders and visit weekly and were excited to see this new show.

    Now, isn’t everything at Disney about people digging into their wallets? Ever since Bob Iger came “into power” 🤨🤣 the company has changed drastically. From the upkeep and cleanliness of the parks (Disneyland and Disney World) to how cast members interact with guests to how quickly movies are made and released, money seems to be the only thing that Iger understands. He does not understand, nor does he care that Disney is not simply a business, it is an experience that people save and wish for. He, seems to only think of his shareholders and his bank account. I will always believe that if Walt was alive or knew what was happening, he would be very disappointed.

    I enjoy your posts!

  22. Hate to break it to you Nathan, but A Whole New World is nostalgic (27 years ago). Welcome to middle age Kid!

  23. you nailed it! i watched the livestream and was kind of into it (but will forever miss illuminations) until that moment when a whole new world began playing. that lost it for me. is this just a plug for the new nighttime show rumored to be all disney music that has nothing whatsoever to do with epcot or it’s vision? methinks yes. and it’s awful.

  24. Watched it& was sooo bored with it,left b4 it was done! illumination was sooo much better! Wont b staying around for this one ! 😱

  25. Wow……I mean…really? I’m completely underwhelmed and disappointed. I’ve been going to Epcot several times a year since 1987. Illuminations never failed to touch my soul…or make me think, shouldn’t we all just get along. This is lazy. I mourn for what Disney represented to myself and to my children. We have noticed a not so subtle shift in the Disney business plan. This is a perfect example. No imagineering here. No magic. BRING BACK ILLUMINATIONS!

  26. The kites were a nice touch. I’ve been meaning to buy some of the same ones at Dollar Tree. I wonder if Disney got a discount on theirs?

  27. Hey, none of the jet-skiiers ran into each other while towing those nice kites around, so that’s a win. I liked the show, as the filler it is until the hopefully-great HarmoniUS show comes.

  28. I do feel EPCOT could use some updating, upgrading and overall love. But, I feel the corporate heads at Disney are forgetting the original draw to any Disney theme park, for kids and parents alike to enjoy being together and sharing ride experiences.
    Not all aspects of every theme park needs to be high adrenaline rides. Trust me, as much as I used to love them all, as we age sometimes it is difficult. I want to be able to take my future grandkids to Disney parks and share things with them. Princesses, rides, education and live entertainment.
    Please, Disney find your roots, they are what will keep you grounded. Yes, you can branch out from your roots, but do not allow so many sucker branches to sprout from your tree.

  29. “Epcot Forever” Bites the Fan That Feeds It” just like the so called fan bites the ones that make it .
    Walt Disney once said about EPCOT and much less about Disney World that everything may change time and time as we move ahead
    and that’s what’s happening but it seems that every time things do change here comes the selfish purist negative nancies having something to say against it showing no care for what the Disney People go through to entertain us . It’s always BLAST you instead of THANK you .
    Why is it that I see so much joy come from a person who has not visited quite as often or just visiting for the first time and so much venom from those who have visited in the old days and come back over and over again ?
    But you know what ? , At least one good thing is and has been materializing and that is Disney is and has been getting off the band wagon of this idea of bringing everyone at every budget level into the parks thinking that they are going to make everybody happy because thank goodness that they are seeing that not everyone cares about what they go through to make new magic in the parks for new visitors while trying to preserve some of that old magic in the parks for the old reappearing visitors without having to use more than what they have to .
    Hello My Fellow Old Souls !! Here’s an idea for you . I first visited in mid 1986 when I was 7 and a half and as I managed to pull of a visit twice in 2008 and once in 2009 and once again in 2016 as much as I miss the way things originally were things changed and I managed to have a blast every time and things will continue to change as time goes on .
    How about sitting back and taking some time to watch the new generation enjoy the new experiences and wind up getting back that old Disney Magic again for the new things instead of ranting and setting everyone off over things that you have no control over ?
    If you do not control anything or do anything about what happens in the parks or if you buy a ticket for the parks anyway then the conversation ends there because history says that if you do not enjoy what life has for you then you will be out lasted over time by those who do enjoy it
    so it is way past time for you to start getting used to it .

  30. Thank you. I gathered the same feeling when I saw it, but part of me felt like the message was a nice suttle way of saying “okay, we’re moving on. The future theming didn’t work. We have to go a different direction. Just move on like Walt wanted.” Therefore his quote of ” Epcot would always be in ever state of becoming” (paraphrase). I think they should have ended the show with “Let it go!” ;)

  31. I don’t know what to say LOL. I am coming in at all angles on these changes. I love that they are redoing the front entrance plaza, putting a Walt statue in, and that they are doing some love to the park. I am torn about bringing in some IPs to the park. However, if they do these changes and they can tie some things in to original Epcot, I can’t complain too much. I never cared for Club Cool for example at Epcot. But I can’t control it. We know there is change. So again, let’s tie these new changes with vintage Epcot….they way when we walk in that entrance and past Spaceship Earth we can have the vintage / retro feel.

  32. Honestly, im not concerned with wether its old or new, but that shown in gerneral was crap compared to what disney should be putting out. Just like happily ever after compared to wishes. It didnt give me any feels and was confusing to say the least.

  33. Wow, you’re exactly on the money. So glad to learn I’m not the only one who went from delighted to vexed and asking “WTF?” during that non sequitur Aladdin nonsense at the end. I actually felt betrayed.

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