Awesome Planet
| Awesome Planet | |
| |
| The Awesome Planet attraction poster | |
| Epcot | |
| Land | Future World |
|---|---|
| Theme | Conservation |
| Opening date | January 17, 2020 |
| Ride duration | 10:00 minutes |
| FastPass + | No |
|
| |
Awesome Planet is an attraction located within The Land pavilion at Epcot
Contents
Attraction History
Awesome Planet was originally announced on March 19, 2019, as the long awaited replacement for The Land pavilion's former attraction Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable [1]. At the time, the film was described as,"an on-screen exploration of the realm we call home, (which) showcases the spectacular beauty, diversity and dynamic story of our earth with all the grandeur guests have come to expect" [1]. At this time, it was also noted the film's space sequences were created by Industrial Light & Magic.
In comparing Awesome Planet to its predecessor, Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable, Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald noted that in this new era, Disney wanted to give guests a more optimistic message. Fitzgerald noted:
we need to give to the audience is an optimistic message of hope for our planet. We worked with Jane Goodall, Sylvia Earl, we had many, many experts thanks to our DisneyNature team bringing in these people to help us with messaging.... It totally fits in The Land pavilion, it totally fits with Epcot’s message of an optimistic celebration of our world, but also a call to action for our future"[2]
The films narrator Ty Burrell was chosen in part because of the character Phil Dunphy he played on ABC's Modern Family [2]. Since Awesome Planet is framed as if it is being narrated by a "planetary realtor", who is trying to sell the audience on the wonder of Earth, Burrell was a natural choice. Furthermore, Fitzgerald noted that when casting the film's narrator they wanted someone who could be a "Disney dad", telling the story in a warm and friendly way, while also being able to add levity [2].
Prior to the opening of Awesome Planet, the Harvest Theater was updated, and the capacity for in theater effects was installed. The theater's famous preshow wall carpeting (which has been featured since EPCOT Center's opening day) remained, with Tom Fitzgerald noting that the carpet was "core DNA in Epcot [2]".
On January 17, 2020, Awesome Planet officially opened in The Land pavilion [3]. Since opening, the attraction has not seen any major changes.
Attraction Synopsis
Awesome Planet begins with a shot of Earth "under construction. After being hit by a meteor, the Earth turns volcanic, before cooling and being covered by mostly water over the next four billion years. The film's narrator, Ty Burrell, then notes that Earth has an ideal location in relation to the sun, which makes it perfect for life. He also notes that the distance from the sun gives the planet water, the moon controls the tides, and the early meteor strike puts the planet on a tilt.
Zooming in to Earth, the next scene in Awesome planet showcases the planets many biomes. The first featured habitats are the Earth's coastal cities and then the planets many underwater wildlife. Here various images of fish, dolphins and whales are shown.
Moving to the next biome, the subsequent scene showcases the planet's deserts. Here, both arid wildlife and human civilizations found within the deserts are shown. Next, the narration moves on to the planets poles. Here, arctic wildlife is showcased, as are the Northern Lights and the small human settlements found on the planet's extreme edges.
After leaving the poles, the film moves on to Earth's grasslands, Here, not only is the various mammals of the biome shown, but also the farming that humans do to feed the Earth's population. As with the grasslands, the beauty and nature of the planet's forests are also featured.
After reaping the beauty and diversity of the planet's biomes, the way that the different environments balance each other and keep the planet maintained is shown. At this point in the film, the effects of climate change on the planet's biomes is shown. As Droughts, heating, glacier depletion, natural disasters, wildfires and rising ocean levels are shown, the narration gives the audience a call to action.
Turning to a tone of hope, the narration that explains that while there are challenges, there is also hope. Never before have humans have the knowledge and tools needed to "turn things around". The film then implores guests to chose to make a difference as scenic shots of the planet are shown. Concluding with another image of Earth from space, the narration notes that the planet is a miracle, and it is up to all of us to keep it that way.
Fun Facts and Trivia
- The score for Awesome Planet was composed by Academy Award winning composer Steven Price [4]
See The Film
To see Awesome Planet click play below
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/the-land-pavilion/news/19mar2019-awesome-planet-coming-to-epcots-land-pavilion.htm
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 https://www.laughingplace.com/w/articles/2020/01/14/interview-with-wdis-tom-fitzgerald-and-marie-colabelli-about-three-new-epcot-shows-canada-far-wide-awesome-planet-beauty-and-the-beast-sing-along/
- ↑ https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/awesome-planet/news/16jan2020-video---awesome-planet-at-epcots-land-pavilion.htm
- ↑ https://wdwnt.com/2020/01/photos-video-new-awesome-planet-film-debuts-in-the-land-pavilion-at-epcot/
