Illuminations Changing or Leaving??

[jlcbshaw]

The whole concept of a fireworks show taking place around World Showcase Lagoon, featuring music and themes from the nations of the world is probably where Illuminations came from.

Sounds logical. The first time that I took my family to Epcot (1994) the concept was just this. They started with a show in middle of the lagoon and then started to introduce each country through music and then the country would illuminate with dancing lights and in the end all countries would come together with lights, music and fireworks.

 

[Planogirl]

Maybe they'll celebrate Epcot's anniversary at Disneyland. Hey, stranger things have been known to happen.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I have no bais for this other than my own mind so take it for what its worth....

I thought that Illuninations came from the fact that in the orginial Illuminations they Ilumninated the Nations individually with the lasers, spotlights, and lights around the pavillions. Each with their own musical score. I kinda miss that...

Yep. I think that's where the name came from... a clever play on "illumination" and "illuminate nations." It doesn't matter if Disney or General Electric coined the name.

Many long-time visitors are likely to always associate Illuminations with General Electric. If I were a marketing VP at Sylvania or Sylvania's parent company, Siemens, spending big bucks on sponsorship, that's something I'd want to avoid.

If there's a new edition of the World Showcase firework show with new music, new effects, and a new sponsor, it's my opinion that there will also be a completely new name, not just a new tagline on Illuminations.

And Disney would benefit by having something new to promote for the 25th anniversary of Epcot.

 

[Ghost]

I have great memories about the current Illuminations Show... I would miss this one a lot... and I say a lot...

If they would change the music they use now I don't know if this would be the best thing to do. Although I like new things, changing Illuminations would not be one of the thins I would want to see changed...

With this in mind I will make sure to follow up this story and might make sure I would be able to see this show again before it goes. This would mean changing my plans on visiting in October 2007, but make sure to be there before...

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I enjoyed the music from the original Illuminations. I especially remember the piece from George Frederick Handel's Water Music. I just did a Google search: handel water.music illuminations epcot

I found this site which provides details about the original Illuminations: http://www.mickey-mouse.com/epcotilluminations.htm

The original show didn't have the the shells shooting from around the lagoon, the video-covered Earth Globe, or torches ringing the lagoon. But the original show was very good. It focused more on the countries around the lagoon.

I think that "IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth," which has been running since fall 1999, has run its course.

It's time for Disney to top themselves.

 

[ThurlFan]

We were at Epcot in October of 2002 and they did pretty close to SQUAT for the park's 20th anniversary. Maybe 25 is a bigger deal, but I don't expect too much. In 2002 the Epcot birthday was overshadowed by the 100 years of Magic. Mostly it just depends on how badly they need a national advertising campaign I suspect...

 

[MJMcBride]

Many long-time visitors are likely to always associate Illuminations with General Electric.

This is a long time visitor who never really thought about the sponsorship for illuminations. Its not like the sponsorships at the attraction where they beat you over the head with AT&T at Spaceship Earth or Kodak at Imagination or all the others. To me anyway, the sponsors name was not an intergral part of this particular show.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

We were at Epcot in October of 2002 and they did pretty close to SQUAT for the park's 20th anniversary. Maybe 25 is a bigger deal, but I don't expect too much. In 2002 the Epcot birthday was overshadowed by the 100 years of Magic. Mostly it just depends on how badly they need a national advertising campaign I suspect...

Exactly.

When it's the 35th anniversary of the Magic Kingdom (and Walt Disney World, for that matter) this year on October 1, I expect "close to SQUAT" too. Oh sure, there will be pins and other collectables. But the Happiest Celebration on Earth will still be underway, so the 35th anniversary won't be treated like a big deal by Marketing.

I expect much more for the 25th anniversary of Epcot (originally EPCOT Center). The timing is right for an event to begin October 1, 2007, and to run through January 31, 2009. (Those dates are only my guesses.)

The big anniversaries — not just for Disney, but in general — tend to be those that have factors of 25, not merely factors of 5.

The huge Epcot theme park tends to operate well below capacity, so an event that draws attention to Epcot would be good business for Disney. Of course, Marketing will spin the story so that all four WDW theme parks are part of the celebration.

Sponsorship money will be flowing into Epcot from Siemens to revitalize Spaceship Earth and the nightly fireworks show. The Living Seas will have a Finding Nemo ride before the 25th anniversary of Epcot. It's about time to update the films in Canada and France. And Disney can install temporary exhibits in World Showplace and run special programming on the America's Gardens stage. Soarin' will still be relatively new, especially for infrequent guests. Add some banners and — voilà — Disney has a big marketing event without have to dig into their pockets very deeply.

 

[exDS vet]

Well people do travel here just for Epcot. Amd Disney has already had advertising camapigns enticing international visitors to visit Epcot.

I'm sorry, but I must respectfully disagree with you. I don't think people will travel here from Europe or any other country just to visit Epcot! A trip to WDW with Epcot included, yes. But just Epcot, no way. Furthermore, I have never seen an ad of any sort promoting any single park at WDW. Of course I grew up in Northern California, where Disneyland ads were the norm. But as one who has always followed Disney, I haven't seen it.

That being said, I fully understand and would expect any regional advertising for Epcot, DAK, MGM and MK on an individual basis in just Florida and/or targeted to specific markets on the east coast.

On the subject of sponsorship of Illuminations, I agree with Horace Horsecaller that GE sponsoring this show is not the same as a company that sponsors an attraction. GE's and Sylvania's involvement is more like a commercial than anything else. It is not much more than a mention or a promotional "spot" as opposed to what we've seen at The Land, or Spaceship Earth.

 

[peter11435]

I'm sorry, but I must respectfully disagree with you. I don't think people will travel here from Europe or any other country just to visit Epcot! A trip to WDW with Epcot included, yes. But just Epcot, no way. Furthermore, I have never seen an ad of any sort promoting any single park at WDW. Of course I grew up in Northern California, where Disneyland ads were the norm. But as one who has always followed Disney, I haven't seen it.

You can't disagree with it. It is a fact that Disney has in the past (many times) advertised just Epcot in international markets. You never seen them because like you said you lived in the US. And yes many people (mostly from Japan and South America) did travel here just to go to Epcot.

 

[mrsR123]

You can't disagree with it. It is a fact that Disney has in the past (many times) advertised just Epcot in international markets. You never seen them because like you said you lived in the US. And yes many people (mostly from Japan and South America) did travel here just to go to Epcot.

Your spouting "facts" without any type of source indication is no better than the disagreement you take issue with in other posters. Do you have access to research data that illuminates the travel intentions of European and/or South American tourists? Can you direct interested readers to these Epcot only ads?

I'm less than fully confident in your assertions.

 

[peter11435]

I'm less than fully confident in your assertions.

I really don't care wheather you believe me or not. If you don't want to fine.

 

[MJMcBride]

Furthermore, I have never seen an ad of any sort promoting any single park at WDW.

Actually, I just saw an ad for Expedition Everest which ends by saying its at DAK. So I'm not sure thats entirely correct.

 

[DebbieB]

When I first went to Epcot in 1994, the show was not the current one, but it was still called Illuminations. "Reflections of Earth" started 10/1/99. I think it's time for a new show. Time for a new MK afternoon parade too, I think that has been running since 2001.

 

[peter11435]

Actually, I just saw an ad for Expedition Everest which ends by saying its at DAK. So I'm not sure thats entirely correct.

Yep. And there have also been several ads that simply promoted a single park. I can think of two for AK off of the top of my head. The "nahtazu" ad as well as the "new species of theme park" ad.

 

[DizParks]

Usually all I see are ads for Walt Disney World, I live up by St. Louis. But I remember seeing ads specifically for Mission: Space, saying how it's only at Epcot.

 

[exDS vet]

Like I said, I wasn't ruling out regional or targeted market advertising for a single park, only large scale, national campaings. An ad for EE mentioning DAK is possible, but it would have to also mention WDW somewhere in the ad. It's marketing 101. Disney is all abut synergy. There is not going to be an ad for any WDW park that doesn't include at least the WDW logo. Advertising is done in many ways. Voice overs, graphics, visuals and photography, etc.

Back to the international tourists, I would be interested in seeing an ad that was produced for Epcot, alone that did not include WDW in any way. As for the Japanese tourists, they love Disneyland and the MK, that's why they got one of their own. Sure Epcot and the others is appealing to them, but if demographic research has been done (and I guarantee it has been), the results would show a preference for MK. Of course I'm sharing an opinion and what I think is the most logical. It's okay to disagree with me as I often do with others.

BTW, I have heard Epcot and other park's commercials on Orlando radio in the past.

 

[MJMcBride]

Like I said, I wasn't ruling out regional or targeted market advertising for a single park, only large scale, national campaings. An ad for EE mentioning DAK is possible, but it would have to also mention WDW somewhere in the ad. It's marketing 101.

The ad I saw says that EE is at DAK, but at the end, in writing it says Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World. But the only mention of WDW is in writing as the commercial ends.

 

[peter11435]

Here is an example on line. This is the Everest commercial that is running around the country.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=ExpeditionEverestPage

 

[mrsR123]

Here is an example on line. This is the Everest commercial that is running around the country.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=ExpeditionEverestPage

Although this is an example of a targeted ad for one ride at one park, it still does nothing to support your claims that 1) WDW markets single parks overseas nor 2)foreign tourists come to WDW solely to visit Epcot.

It hasn't been that long since you've had an English class, has it, that you cannot differeniate a point that supports your argument and one that doesn't, has it?