Playlist IllumiNations Pre-show [2004]

Thanks, GrizzlyHall. This is the first I've heard of the change. I'm not too impressed, but oh well... it was bound to change sooner or later. Hopefully a live recording of the entire loop will circulate soon. I'm glad that through the efforts of members of this board, we know the tracks making up the original RoE pre-show!

Timothy

 

I thought it would be interesting to see sentiments of the pre-show music for IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. I'm particularly fond of the 2000-2004 loop, though the current loop suits the purpose fine.

Your thoughts?

 

It's interesting; my first time seeing RoE was in 2003, so for a while I was more familiar with the pre-2004 loop. I've now had 6 years with the current loop however, with many hours spent waiting listening to that music. So for me, it's the current loop that brings me back- with the male narrator (I've heard both but I seem to remember the male voice better).

For me, a bigger issue is the new introduction they introduced a year or two ago. While it's the same voice and nearly the same script, the reading is entirely different and it sounds spliced together from multiple takes. It still just sounds wrong to me, having fallen in love with the show when the original narration was being used.

 

Let me just be on record saying I think Illuminations is very boring.

Having said that, I was very disappointed when the preshow loop was changed, as I had fond memories walking around World Showcase dancing away when They Were Dancing Barefoot started. Now Falling Through a Cloud, Busindre Reel, Tula, and Our Life really stand out for me. I think the current loop is far superior. Actually, strolling around World Showcase as the preshow music plays, then leaving right as Illuminations starts, is one of my favorite things to do in the park.

And NOTHING beats the female narrator (no disrespect to the male narrator, if reading).

 

I see your point as far as the show having some slow moments. But to be honest, I love the music so much that I couldn't really care if anything much is going on in the lagoon during the quiet moments. I think the show has some excellent restraint- it's not just an endless onslaught of visuals.

 

This would explain why your favorite recording location for the show is in a place where you can't actually see the show.

 

Well, that's the ONLY place I've found the ability to record from. Don't get me wrong, the soundtrack is incredible. It's just the visual part that I find rather dull.

Fair point on the use of the term "announcer," especially since that's what I use in my blog post about Illuminations.

 

Not sure why I used the term "narrator", I guess I couldn't think of the term "announcer"!

Reflections of Earth is probably my favorite show on property. I last went when the Earth Globe was down for refurbishment and it dragged a bit, but it was still great. I'll miss it if Skydance ever gets greenlit.

 

I adore Illuminations RoE, and my preference is most definitely for the earlier version of the preshow music. Whenever I listen to it I can almost feel the heat of those 19 torches in the thankfully cooling Florida night air.

In fact, I think the "An Evening at Epcot" mix that someone did a while back is one of my favourite Disney audio tracks to listen to of all time.

Andre

 

I guess I prefer the female announcer.

I like both sets of music, but the more recent version of the loop brings back more good memories for me.

 

ROE is my favorite show on WDW property. I agree with Jay that the globe part can be very boring, but I love the music that plays at this portion of the show. Even if all you do is listen during this part, it is worth it.

I really like the story of the show. It doesn't matter that we all come from different places or cultures, we can "come together as one." Ok, so it is a little like the "world peace" speech for the Miss America contestants, but I can be an idealist at times.

I like the current pre-show music, but you have to take that with a grain of salt. I did not start making yearly visits to the parks until the time of the current pre-show music. I might have heard the previous pre-show stuff one time. I like the female announcer best, although I do like the male announcer too. I did not know that was Jim Cummings that was the narrator. I love his voice! I really love the soundtrack to this show more than any other piece of music in the parks. I can't tell how many times I have listened to it. I just can't miss this show whenever I go to WDW. Once I watched it out of the window from the Bistro de Paris, but couldn't hear the music, and I hated it. I love the music more than anything. The fireworks are just an added bonus.