Epcot Entertainment Being Refreshed, Long Time Acts Being Replaced

[EeyoresBestFriend]

Speaking as a Canadian, lumberjack shows are not nearly as fun as Off Kilter was.

Not impressed although I will reserve judgement on the changes until I actually see them. Maybe the new stuff will be better than it sounds - but from past experience with other "updates" I am not hopeful. You know, like removing a ride to make yet another character meet n greet . . .

[Polynesian Dweller]

For me, the biggest criticism of Epcot is that they haven't been changing acts with enough regularity. To keep the park fresh you have to have new acts. Yes the Off Kilter is good but it's been about 20 years or so. I hope that this signals a new era where we get to see new acts every couple of years.

[ransam]

I will definitely miss Fife and Drum Corps, and the world showcase players.
I won't really miss Off Kilter. To me they always seemed out of place at Epcot. A bunch of men playing Canadian classic rock. I can pretty much get that at any bar in my hometown.
If it was off the path a little bit, ok, but do have a loud rock show right there in the middle was just strange.
I totally respect those that liked it, but to me just not something that interested me.
I have seen a few lumberjack shows, and while it's not something i'd go over and over to see, it was pretty entertaining. at least give it a chance.

[TheDuckRocks]

OK, so much for my positive attitude about the rumors not being true.
It is sad to me that so many of these replacements seem like they will be in the "once and done" category. Can't imagine pre-trip excitement over getting to go see lumberjacks with axes and logs.
I think the 3 reasons for these changes are;
1) Money
2) Dollars
3) Cents

[Gator]

BTW, anyone who is upset, write to WDW, TWDC, managers, everyone... Call, flood their emails... Need info? Here it is!!

Thanks! I just sent an email off to Sam and Jack to save the World Showcase Players. I hope others will join me and do the same.

[BugeyedMuggy]

Yes the lumberjack show sounds really exciting (scarasm) Is Disney trying to save more $$$$ ? Still can't get used to the new garage band in Britain gardens.

[DonaldDuck1117]

Gator, face it, Epcot is dead... They are turning it into MK 2.0... Toons toons everywhere... Dumbing down to appeal to toddlers, not adults... Frozen in Maelstrom will be the final nail in the coffin...

Oh and BTW, WDW can not use Avengers in any WDW theme park... Remember that pesky deal with Universal?

As for these entertainment cuts and changes... Budget cuts, plain and simple... They aren't doing it to refresh the offerings, so please let's not go there... Entertainment budgets have been slashed due to... Ready? My Magic Plus cost over runs... yes, those things Motley Fool have deemed to be working, are in fact affecting the parks, not in a good way but in a negative way... People, let this sink in... Stop listening to outside sources who are no better than National Enquirer... MyMagic/NextGen is a financial failure at this point... And these are the results... Start getting mad at the causes and the reasons and the monkeys running TDO and TWDC...

Oh but wait, they are replacing the cuts entertainment, so you are wrong DF... Nope, sorry, not wrong... The replacements are cheaper than Off Kilter, Mo'Rockin, etc... Now, does that mean the new offerings will be horrible? No, not at all... The new offerings may be fun and entertaining... On the surface they look dumb, stupid and the continuing of the dumbing down of WDW... But, until we know more, or actually see the new offerings, we can't tell... I don't expect anything good at all... But, they can't be any worse than Stitch's Supersonic Dance Party or what ever that travesty was...

Wait until they announce the last show for Illuminations... You think the internet blew up today...

That's a nice way to spin it. However, a more reasonable explanation would be what we all have known for a while-that the initial start up costs of MyMagic went waaaaaay over what they were expecting, and they are cutting costs to cover that over spending. Does not mean the bands aren't making money. We are all in agreement that short term Disney took/is taking a loss on MyMagic because of the above mentioned start up cost. however, long term the bands will bring in the money.

I really can't comment on the loss of these shows seeing as i never experienced a single one. Oh I've heard Mo Rockin' for sure walking by, but never stopped to watch the full show. The only one I'm disappointed over not seeing is off Kilter...but nothing a good YouTube video won't fix.

[hubbyofadisneyholic]

I am so tired of the "change is good" rhetoric.
Progress is good.
Change is just that, change.
It can be good, or as is so often the case at WDW, it can be bad.
Just because something is new and different doesn't automatically mean it will be better.

To say the least we are very bummed.

[JerseyDad]

I am so tired of the "change is good" rhetoric.
Progress is good.
Change is just that, change.
It can be good, or as is so often the case at WDW, it can be bad.
Just because something is new and different doesn't automatically mean it will be better.

To say the least we are very bummed.

....I agree ...change can be good ...change can be bad.

....in MY universe, however, change is bad. I've always thought that way. Let's face it ....if you could, go and ask the guy(s) that came up with the idea for "The New Coke" back in 1985 and see their feelings about change. It took only 77 days before the public outcry ...and outrage ...forced the hand of Coca-Cola to re-label the original formula as "Coke Classic"and get it on the shelves again.

....is that an exact comparison? ...no. But the point is ....for lack of a better phrasing, "DisneyWorld ...worked just fine". How do we know? Well ...for many years ....people have flocked back for multiple visits, because of the wonder of the place ....and because of the familiarity of the place. So many times I see people on these (and other boards) refer to a certain WDW park, attraction, or resort as "ours" ...or "our special place". Meaning ...it's what they want to see when they get there ...it's what makes them have the home-away-from-home comfort feeling.

....seeing a certain entertainment act ....while perhaps eating a favorite WDW snack ...is what some people look forward to ...for an entire year. So the outcry related to things changing ...and in many person's eyes ...not for the better ...is highly understandable.

[scarlettosarah77]

Thanks for the contact info. A friend of mine started a Save Off Kilter group on facebook and it may not help, but did I met some great friends through OK, including the best squirrel ever, Steve Stevenson.

[WDWgoofy]

Gosh more disappointing news...

Personally, an evening touring the World Showcase and enjoying the performances of Off-Kilter and British Revolution were my favorite experiences and what I looked forward to each year.

[Tekneek]

From the information available to this point, it sounds like a step backward. They also seem conflicted regarding what they want World Showcase to be.

If they want to roll back and refocus back on what it was intended to be, then GREAT. Do I believe they will? No. If anything needs fixing at Epcot, it is Future World.

[AgentC]

I think it is all perspective and personal.

If you didn't care for those acts, change is good. But if you looked forward to them and loved them, change is bad.

Unfortunately, with millions of people with different likes and dislikes, there is no way to make everyone happy.

And no real way to know how many people are unhappy versus happy because unhappy people tend to be more vocal.

Anyone who reads my posts knows I tend to be a wait and see person, so that's where I will fall with this. I did not have any great attachment to the acts leaving. I am hopeful that the new acts will give me something new to look forward too. It might be better. It might be worst. There is no way to tell.

But I do understand everyone who is disappointed and upset. I'm still missing the original Imagination and Horizons.

[Ian]

On one hand I object to this simply because, like DF2002 said, it's all about saving money. Is it due to MyMagic+YourWayWithCheese? I dunno, but I suspect it probably is. So that bothers me.

But really I'm not much of an "entertainment" person anyway, so overall it won't affect me too much. I'm annoyed more on principle than anything else.

[Strmchsr]

I totally understand the immediate reaction that this is only about money because TDO has been horrible about nickle and diming guests the last few years. No doubt there at all. Especially with Meg as president. However, the conversations I've been having with friends, both some who are entertainment CMs and some in management, This is actually a genuine attempt to freshen World Showcase rather than a money issue. They're not doing away with entertainment, but changing it. Where this only about money they would be doing away with the entertainment. I haven't seen any concepts or anything, but the little I've been told, even about the lumberjack show (which is supposed to be a "thrill" show of sorts), the new acts sound at least intriguing. I'm as frustrated as everyone else by TDO's "cheap" mentality lately. I'll go to Six Flags if I want that. But I don't want to blame this issue on that. So, I'll wait and see and hopefully be pleasantly surprised, though I'll definitely miss the acts that are leaving.

[dreaming of wdw]

Personally, an evening touring the World Showcase and enjoying the performances of Off-Kilter and British Revolution were my favorite experiences and what I looked forward to each year.

This news makes me very sad.

[MrPeetrie]

I will be sad to see them leave. We were huge fans of Off Kilter. We even have two of their CDs that we play in the car (when we need an Epcot fix.) Listening to them was always one of our highlights when we were in The World Showcase..

But I'll reserve judgment until I arrive and see the new acts for myself. Hopefully, they will be just as enjoyable and will become staple marks of our future visits. Until then, I will be sad for the old acts' departure and hopeful for equally enjoyable entertainment to replace them.TDO, DONT SCREW THIS UP!

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

I'm willing to wait and see the new acts before passing judgment ... change isn't always a bad thing.

As a Canadian, I hope there is something good, and more reflective of Canadian culture than either Off Kilter was, or I fear the Lumberjack show will be.

But, I don't watch a lot of the entertainment in Epcot, since we've seen it many times ... so hoping this is a good change.

[Tekneek]

They should have Coffee Crisp at the Canada Pavilion. That is an improvement I could get behind.

A Lumberjack show, by the name itself, sounds awful. However, if they do it in a funny way that brings some culture out...it could be good. I don't mean that it should be a Red Green clone, or a Kanadian Korner/Great White North one either.

[AgentC]

I found a little more information about the new acts in an Orlando Sentinel article .

The flag act is Sbandieratori Flags. I will confess my own ignorance. I have never thought Italy and flag waving. I did a little internet research and flag throwing is an Italian tradition dating to the Middle Ages (or thereabouts depending on the source). Flag waving started as a way to keep military skills up between battles. Shows usually include costumes with heraldry, musical accompaniment of drums and trumpet. The YouTube videos I saw on this do look entertaining.

The Moroccan group is B’net Houariyat, a 5 woman Moroccan group who sing and dance with drums and traditional music. The have played the Kennedy Center but I am really unsure about this one.

The Celtic group is listed as The Scottish Musical Trio but I haven't found anything specific on them.