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Jeff Kober

EO at Epcot

Rating: 3 votes, 3.33 average.
Captain EO is officially premiering at Epcot this Friday. But I attended a press event this morning, and from what I observed, it was still open to guests when I left. I think it's fairly safe to say that if you are here in Central Florida this week, you have a likely possibility of seeing this classic.

Here are some notes that I made to myself as I attended:

1. What a great show! It had been 16 years since I had seen the show, and since it had left Epcot. I didn't realize how much I missed it! I loved Michael Jackson's songs. I groove to the choreography. I cherish the innocence to the experience.

2. The 80's were something, weren't they? Please don't miss the original pre-show to this film. It's almost as entertaining as the actual show. From the leg huggers on the dancers to the hairstyles on the men, this is really an amazing moment in time. And this film captures truly the hippest of all of us during that period.

3. I also miss the purple glasses. They're yellow here at Epcot. Either way, I don't think most people realize what goes into cleaning those gems. There's a whole industrial-dishwasher-restacking industrial line backstage behind the Imagination pavilion. In fact, at one point, they were cleaning the glasses for Anaheim, Paris and Tokyo. I don't know if they still do that (and for Hong Kong). But it's one of those little things Disney pays attention to that we really take for granted.

4. I miss the star field effects and some of the other FX that were part of the original. But the seating FX were terrific and made the movie all the better. Imagineers stated that the chair FX were not the exact same as Disneyland's. Either way, it's a whole lot better than the old days of Flight to the Moon.

5. Someone asked in the interviews whether they had changed the film any. The response was no, other than re-digitizing the original. I don't think we appreciate Disney's film library and work that goes on in the film department. We think of movies like this and Mickey's Philarmagic. But there are scores of park movies and recordings that are maintained. Many of them are part of ongoing kiosks in the queues and displays area. Some make up the attractions themselves, like the Seas with Nemo & Friends which hosts many video effects. Even with O Canada, you still are preserving 9 different films. Then you get into preserving sound tracks and so forth. It's a huge project. They do a great job.

6. Speaking of preserving things, they kept the sign back on a wall in some backstage location like Engineering. When it came time to create a sign for the attraction, guess what! They didn't have to rebuild it. It was just one of those rare gems that were kept over from the original days.

7. Disney talks about Captain EO as a "classic". They brought it back because it was a "classic" that everyone enjoys. I love bringing a "classic" as Disney puts it back in the park. How about a "classic" like Journey Into Imagination? It could still be updated in the end sections. You could even make better ride vehicles. But there's a classic that would do well to return.

8. I'm excited to take my teenagers to it. They had no idea what I was talking about when I mentioned going to the EO event. They are in for a treat...

...at least I hope they see it that way.

Either way, you be sure to come and check out Captain EO on your next trip to Epcot!

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