Musical Notes from My Trip to WDW


Dr. Know

Member
Musical notes from my trip to Walt Disney World, August 17-30, 2004, in no particular order... more questions than answers...

ANIMAL KINGDOM

Has the volume been pumped up on the dreadful TARZAN ROCKS? It can be heard all along the new path leading to the Everest construction area, and beyond. Presumably this won't continue when the new attraction opens, or it will be a real nuisance.


WILDERNESS LODGE

We paid our first visit to this beautiful resort, and had an enjoyable dinner at Artist's Point. Unfortunately, the boat transportation to the Magic Kingdom is not as frequent as we would have liked. After dinner, we waited for what seemed like an eternity for the boat to the park.

As for music, I noticed a fun loop of western movie music in the hotel. Does anyone have a playlist?


EPCOT

The new pre-IllumiNations loop is horrible, IMHO.

There is at least one new piece of music playing at the FOUNTAIN OF NATIONS. I didn't get to hear it all the way through, but what little I could make out sounded New Agey. Sorry I can't be more specific.

JOURNEY INTO IMAGINATION was as dead as I have ever seen it. Even though the park was crowded, NOBODY was on this ride. As a result, the Imageworks was fairly empty, and I was able to get a better listen to the music loop that plays in there than I have in the past. Just as I had thought, it is a unique synth arrangement of the HISTA theme, not heard anywhere else.

UNIVERSE OF ENERGY: The preshow films are seriously faded; the colors no longer match. This attraction features my favorite music in the parks, composed (as we all know) by Bruce Broughton. There are two orchestral versions of the main theme played in this pavilion. The "overture" plays in the preshow area just prior to the film, and during unload. This is the piece released years ago on one of the composer's promo cds. A second arrangement of the main theme, which starts slowly and builds to a dissonant finale, is played in the auditorium while the audience enters and finds their seats. I realized on this trip that this arrangement is also played in the preshow area, prior to the "overture." This version has never been released. Perhaps it might be possible to get a good recording in the preshow area, before the crowds and crying babies arrive. Incidentally, pre-recorded spiels now play during the load, instructing the audience to take their seats and watch for the sliding doors.

I just heard an interview with Bruce Broughton on Utilidors radio, in which he says that this is one of his favorite scores, and also mentions that it was recorded in England. Too bad he hasn't found a way to release it, at least on a promotional cd.

WONDERS OF LIFE: closed. Will we ever get to hear Bruce Broughton's great score to THE MAKING OF ME again?

CIRCLE OF LIFE: exit music anyone?

REFLECTIONS OF CHINA: This is the second time I have seen this CircleVision film, and it really impressed me. The score is absolutely beautiful. I would love to know who composed it. And needless to say, a cd release would be much appreciated.

Great Britain: I have always loved the area music in this part of EPCOT. This time I noticed that it includes a bright instrumental rendition of the traditional "Days of 76" tune heard in THE AMERICAN ADVENTURE. Unfortunately, all of the speakers seem to be located well out of reach.


DISNEY-MGM STUDIOS

STAR TOURS: Its rehab was abruptly cancelled just prior to our trip, so we were able to experience this slightly tired ride. My seatbelt malfunctioned, by the way, so maybe that rehab is really in order. I never noticed before, but a very long loop of Star Wars music plays outside near the Fastpass machines and in the exterior queue area. I stopped and listened for awhile, and heard Cantina Band, March of the Ewoks, and many other cues from the soundtracks to the first three films. The tracks did not appear to be edited in any way. Does anyone have a playlist?

ONE MAN'S DREAM: OK, here we go. The load/unload music by Bruce Broughton, which features Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow and Spoonful of Sugar, is now my #1 most wanted piece of unreleased park music. I have two incomplete and inept "live" recordings- what I need is something better. Anyone? Please??? We're talking Holy Grail here!


MAGIC KINGDOM

CAROUSEL OF PROGRESS: Father's mouth didn't seem to be opening fully in the first scene, which was a distraction. During one 'performance,' a cast member welcomed everyone into the auditorium and asked if we had paid attention to the preshow video. She offered free SPACE MOUNTAIN fastpasses to anyone who could identify the two brothers who wrote the score for this attraction. Needless to say, we enjoyed our bonus ride on SM!!

TIMEKEEPER: Speaking of Holy Grails- what a treat to be able to see TIMEKEEPER for the first time since 2000. I usually visit off-season when it is closed, and why this brilliant attraction is "seasonal" is beyond me. I saw it 8 or 9 times on this trip, and it was always half to three-quarters full. And people really seem to enjoy it! As we all know, the score is magnificent - one of Broughton's great unreleased efforts.

SONNY ECLIPSE: When last seen was covered with some kind of burlap bag and hidden behind a bunch of potted plants.

WISHES: I'm really warming up to this fireworks show, though I still feel that it has too much dialogue. The Wishes cd on sale in the parks now contains the final version, with slightly different narration than the version on the press cd and in the first commercial release.

You'll be relieved to know that I made some other notes on a sheet of paper that my wife seems to have thrown away...

Thanks for 'bearing with me' to the bare end...
Jim
:)
 

X-S Tech

Active Member
Wilderness Lodge BGM
Ride To Fort Hays (2:03)
The Big Country (3:02)
Open Prairie I (3:30)
The Journey (3:50)
Creation (2:10)
Buffalo Hunt (2:45)
How The West Was Won(7:22)
Open Prairie II (1:40)
Last of the Mohicans Main Title (1:45)
Silverado Main Title (4:50)
Buckaroo Holiday (7:48)
Wyatt Earp Main Title (4:39)
Wagon Chase (2:43)
Field of Dreams (3:31)
Appalachian Spring Suite (13:43)
On The Trail (7:21)
Sand Creek Memories (2:18)
Dodge City Main Title (8:00)
The Wave (2:39)
The Heiress Suite (8:09)
Appalachian Morning (4:21)
Fanfare For The Common Man (3:07)
High Noon Main Title (2:26)
Walk To The Bunkhouse (2:37)
 

timothym

New Member
X-S Tech:
This is a beautiful listing that certainly looks more accurate than any I've seen before. I'm curious where this comes from and whether you have any more information. I haven't seen "The Journey" listed before. Do you know what that is from? Thanks for any help!
 

X-S Tech

Active Member
You know I got that list somewhere and just realized that it doesn't have sources listed. Sorry. I'll see if I can dig up more info.
 

timothym

New Member
X-S Tech:
Thanks. Anything you can find would be very much appreciated.

I am guessing that "The Journey" is from "The Magnificent Seven" and "Dodge City Main Title" is from the Errol Flynn movie, but it would be nice to confirm this.
 

Joevn

Member
MAGIC KINGDOM

WISHES: I'm really warming up to this fireworks show, though I still feel that it has too much dialogue. The Wishes cd on sale in the parks now contains the final version, with slightly different narration than the version on the press cd and in the first commercial release.
Hey Jim,

Thanks for the update. I have a question about the Wishes CD. How do you know it's the final release? Did you just listen to it or does it say so on the packaging? Just wondering so I pick up the correct version next time I go.

Thanks!
Joe
 

Dr. Know

Member
Eric -- thanks for the information regarding the Wilderness Lodge loop... much appreciated.

Joe -- I had heard that a revised version of the cd had been quietly put into circulation. I was going to buy it either way, but the copy I bought during my trip is indeed the "final" version of the show, with Jiminy singing "Like a bolt out of the blue..." and ending with "See what a little wishin' can do." As far as I know there is no difference in the packaging of the two versions of the cd.

Cheers
Jim
 

xfkirsten

Member
X-S Tech: That loop is different than whaat I've seen, as well! I'd be interested to find out if the loop has actually changed, or if it's another case of mis-information floating around the net.

Jim: Do you know if the SKU for the new Wishes CD the same as the old one? I'd love to call mail order to get it, but I'd really like to make sure I'm getting the newer version.

-Kirsten
 

Dr. Know

Member
Kirsten

I don't know if it has a different SKU from the old version that it replaced. On my cd, the ISBN is given as 0-7634-2146-4; the cd number is 61092-7; and the barcode is 0-5008610927-2. I don't have the first version of the cd for comparison -- perhaps someone else out there can check.

Jim
 

Dr. Know

Member
John,

In the "first version" at about 6:20, Jiminy speak-sings the lines "Like a bolt out of the blue, fate steps in and sees you through..."; in the second version, he sings the lyrics.

During the grand finale of the first version, he says, "Ha, ha... What they can't do these days." In the revised version, he says, "See what a little wishing can do?"

There may be some other minor differences as well, but these are two that come to mind.

Jim
 
Jim, I've been waiting for your musical notes, as you mentioned them on another thread--thanks so much for your time and effort! At least now I know what my recording focus will be when we arrive at the Boardwalk on August 18--a Bruce Broughton "quest"! I'm not going to be too hopeful about catching Timekeeper, as rumor has it that it may be closed--you're absolutely right, I've written WDW asking what "seasonal" means to an ultimate vacation destination like WDW! I'll just keep my fingers crossed.....

As far as Wishes goes, maybe I'll just bring my April copy and see if I can spot any subtle differences to suggest the new, final version.....

One other question--is Sonny Eclipse closed?????

Michael

P. S. Jim, unless you're still in the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, when did you go on your trip--you wrote you were there August 17-30, 2004!!??!
 
Thanks for the link, Jim! From all those plants in the picture, looks like Sonny's hanging in Adventureland....just hope he's hopping the Jungle Cruise back to Cosmic Ray's.......

Michael
 
We still haven't checked our Wishes CD from our trip to WDW during the last two weeks of August to see if it's the updated version, but if it is, as you said, I can't see any difference in the outside appearance of the CD.

I sure hope Sonny will be back......maybe a new set of tunes??!?!? Who am I kiddin'........

As I mentioned in another thread, almost miraculously, The Timekeeper opened one afternoon while we were there(definitely must've been some stray pixie dust floating around.....)--and this was after a cast member in City Hall that same morning had verified that it was closed! It was an amazing unexpected treat, one of the memorable moments of our trip(especially since I had my video recorder primed and ready.....).

As has been said many times on this site, it would be a shame to loose The Timekeeper--and to a "flying saucer ride"???? Where did you hear that one???

Mike
 

SharonKurland

Active Member
Anyway, Sunny Eclipse appears not to be dead. Even though he is all boarded up, they still had the signs posted near the entrance to the Starlight Cafe advertising the show.
That COULD just mean no one's gotten around to telling any of the underlings to put the signs into storage. I'm sorry...I have NO faith in that company anymore.

But for everyone else's sake, I hope Sonny is back soon!

-Sharon-
 
Yeah, magic can happen, Sharon--it was "magical" to have The Timekeeper suddenly open for us in August, but as far as any magic for Sonny Eclipse--I'm less hopeful(and you seemed less hopeful in your second post).....

Thanks John--I'll check those links tomorrow, got to hit the sack now......

Michael
 
Dr. Know, consider yourself lucky you got to see Carousel Of Progress & Timekeeper as these 2 attractions are rumored for closure in November
 

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