Epcot - World Showcase Films

[cheshirekitty]

I've never seen any of these! Which are the best ones (least boring)?

Thanks!

 

[Robo]

I've never seen any of these! Which are the best ones (least boring)?

Thanks!

That's a loaded question.

We like China's pretty well.

Many like France and Canada.

I find the one after Maelstrom is very beautiful, but most guests pass it by.

These judgements are always "in the eye of the beholder."

Why not sample them for yourself?

 

[leanan]

Canada makes me feel like I am going to fall over in some parts. If you have even a little problem with balance or your inner ear you may want to pass this one over.

It is a good show for those of you who can handle standing for the length of the movie or those who have a wheelchair of some kind to remain seated in.

 

[nemonoah]

We love the one in France! Norway's is pretty good too!

 

[ChrisFL]

I enjoy China's as its relatively new, France has the best music...I dont remember much of Canada's, haven't seen it in probably 20 years

 

[bradk]

Canada's is very disorienting, but by the time you go, it should have been replaced with new film. last i asked, they were hoping for August

 

[nbodyhome]

I love the French film (and we ended up at Mont St. Michel - twice! - after seeing it on there).

 

[Simba22]

I haven't seen the France one, but I agree with everyone else that China's is the best and Canada's is good but it makes me very dizzy. The one after Maelstrom is really good too but we never stay to watch it anymore...

 

[nbodyhome]

I haven't seen the France one, but I agree with everyone else that China's is the best and Canada's is good but it makes me very dizzy. The one after Maelstrom is really good too but we never stay to watch it anymore...

How do you know if China's is the best if you haven't seen the French film?

The French film IS older - but it's lovely, and I like the music and it makes me homesick for France (even though I'm an American!)

 

[TheGoofster]

Let's modify the question a bit. For those of you with young children, which of the films would you think an average 7-10 year old child would find interesting, and which do you think they would be bored out of their skulls with? Obviously it could depend on the kid, but just in general what do you think.
I haven't seen any of the WS films in so long that I honestly don't remember enough about them to know if I would want to take my two kids (7 and 10) to any of them, or just skip that part.
Thanks

 

[leanan]

I had a seasonal pass at age 10 or there abouts age wise. The only thing I could remember enjoying about the movies then was the heat on cold days and the AC on hot days. Of course I was all about the rides and honestly got bored of Epcot fast with us going every weekend to the park.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

France's has the best music and majestic scenery. You get to sit down. It's not a full circle vision.

China's was probably the most informative and was really quite nice. They also have the woman that plays a song or two while you wait. It's a full circle vision and you stand.

Canada's is also a full 360 and was worth a look. I'm sure the new one will be too.

The one in Norway is on a standard screen but you can ride the maelstrom before you see it. It also was a nice film on a standard screen. It's shorter than the others.

I do wish all the countries would have some little attraction and a movie of sorts to tell us about them. Germany is so much more than beer and brats. Yet one could walk away from that pavilion thinking that's all it is. Shame actually.


Oh and once we saw Oh Canada right after Soarin. that was REALLY fun.

 

[tinkandpan]

We are partial to the france movie (love the music and the fact we can sit down!). China is a great one as well. Canada makes me feel a little fuzzy.

 

[tkd lisa]

No one has mentioned the American Adventure. I've enjoyed all the movies in WS (several times), so here's my assessment of them (with a view of pre-adolescents).

Canada: If this is the first one you visit, just the experience of being in a 360 theater will catch their attention. Yes, the current movie is dated (and boy do I cringe at wearing clothes JUST like those back in the early 80s!), but you'll get a good appreciation of just how diverse Canada is. They will show you the seacoasts of the Atlantic Northeast, the city lights of Quebec province, the governmental buildings in Ontario, and the roundups in the west. You'll also see the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Mounties), which is a pretty neat circlevision experience. As I recall, this movie's only about 20 minutes. Frankly at that age, your kids should be able to experience this without any difficulty.

France: Somehow I had missed this movie until the last year or so. I honestly didn't know there was a theater in there! This is a sit down movie. The CM who introduces the film can sometimes be very hard to understand. I always find it fascinating when the CM doesn't "look" French, but they speak with that thick French accent. But I digress. The movie has some absolutely breathtaking scenery. The soundtrack is very classical. I recognized quite a bit of the music from Beauty and the Beast. The narrator is very easy to understand, and he talks about the parts of France that most people aren't aware of. You'll see a village market, a seaside fishing village, and small town wedding, and the mountainsides. You'll also see some gorgeous footage of Versailles, and Paris. It's a little longer (at least 30 minutes), but you are sitting down.

America: This is another sit-down theater. Arrive 30 minutes early (and before 5 pm), and you'll be treated to the Voices of Liberty. They are a SPECTACULAR acapello singing group that does traditional American folk songs! The AA attraction is more than a film. They intermingle some animatronic figures (Mark Twain, Will Rogers, etc.) This is probably the longest movie in WS (at least 30 minutes, if not 40). It's a view of the history of America (with a fair bit of whitewashing... hardly anything on the civil rights movement or Vietnam; but they did do a good focus on the depression, and the Civil War). They start with the Mayflower and the American Revolution. My 15 year old DD particularly loves this attraction. She's probably seen it at least 10 times. They intermingle still pictures (from the Civil War and earlier paintings) with music and animatronics. They add more historical videos in the post-Civil War timeperiod. There are two songs on that film track that I really like. "One wore Blue and One wore Gray" is the soundtrack to the Civil War sequence. And at the end, they play the theme song "America, spread your golden wings." Both of them make me cry.

Norway: This film is in a room at the exit of Maelstrom. Many people walk through, skipping the film (including me most times). There are rows of straight chairs (not theater seats) in there. The video is only about 10 minutes, and it's geared more as a tourism spot. Quick glimpses of the scenery in Norway, and the lifestyle. Frankly, it's only 10 minutes. It would probably be good exposure to other cultures if you've never done it.

China: This is another 360 theater. This film is "narrated" by someone portraying an ancient Chinese poet (can't remember his name). It starts on the Great Wall of China, and moves throughout the country. I highly recommend this film (also about 20 minutes long). I never knew how varied the scenery in China was! You'll see mountains, crowded cities (Hong Kong/Shaghai), deserts, rice patties, and endless plains. Well worth the time.

So I guess my recommendations for your kids are:
China
America
Canada (especially if it's a new film)
Norway
France

Hope this helps!

 

[cheshirekitty]

Thanks for everyone's input! I think Canada will make me sick though...I don't do well with those kinds of screens. We will most likely go see America and France.

 

[Liz]

France is the only one we will watch on most of our trips. The fact that you can sit down is a big plus for tired feet!

 

[nbodyhome]

You'll see a village market, a seaside fishing village, and small town wedding, and the mountainsides. You'll also see some gorgeous footage of Versailles, and Paris. It's a little longer (at least 30 minutes), but you are sitting down.

Hope this helps!

Actually, Impressions de France is only 18 minutes long.

The hot air balloons over the Loire Valley, the Eiffel Tower, the South of France and Mont St. Michel, etc. make it very mcuh worth it to me (as well as the lovely music). I've never yet found a cliff area like the one couple walks along (maybe in Brittany), but we enjoyed other cliffs in that general vicinity. (and I saw my first mollusks ever too!)

 

[Golf4food]

France is my absolute favorite. All of the music is from various classical pieces, and it it ends with the finale from the Camille St. Seans "Organ" Symphony, which is my #1 all time favorite symphony - we also used it as the closer music in our wedding, so it has extra special meaning to us. No other composer put so much - the full gamut of human experience - into a single 30-35 minutes worth of music; not Beethoven, not Mozart, not Mahler, not anyone. St. Seans as a whole isn't on their level, but for that one symphony, he achieved the pinnacle of human expression.

Oh, and the scenery is great, too! Haha.

 

[purpliequeen]

Good topic!

My family absolutely adores the China video (Our first choice). It is highly informative, beautiful, and there is so much to see and understand. We always make a point to see this and then shop in the huge store that is connected to the exit doors from the theatre.

France (our second choice) also has a terrific video. The music is classical- and fits well with the scenic views. It's also an excellent place to cool down after a long day, as the seats are comfortable and rarely crowded.

I haven't seen Norway since our trip in 2005. I thought it was great- I don't know that much about Norway so it definitely taught me a lot. Plus, Maelstrom is not a bad attraction, especially since the wait is indoors (unless the line is too long, then I'd avoid it) and of course, air conditioned.

Last of all, Canada. Canada has a good video that is set up similar to China's. I thought some parts were dragged out though. (No flames, please, this has nothing to do with Canada as a country. In fact, we love visiting Montreal and the other provinces.) The song also got stuck in my head. "Canadaaaaa, Canadaaaaa, Myyyyy Canadaaaaaa...."

Enjoy all of them! You really can't go wrong.

 

[disneynut14]

We never miss the one in France. It is breathtaking.