Epcot AtMousePhere: The Music of Innoventions
The Innoventions plaza in Epcot has been known to house a rotating array of exhibits. It has been this way since 1994, when the area replaced CommuniCore and introduced a lot of Sega-based video games and products along with virtual reality simulators. In its current form, Innoventions houses Sum of All Thrills, VISION House, StormStruck, and more.
While Innoventions is always making changes (like its current overhaul of Innoventions West), one thing has remained throughout the past 21 years: the music loop. While there have been some small revisions, the majority of the Innoventions music loop has stayed the same, and many people have grown to love the loop (myself included).
While at first I was worried if I could really write enough to make this article worthwhile, I soon found that the Innoventions music loop has a wonderful history!
Various versions of the loop can be found online, including the normal 20-minute version and the longer 50-minute version!
The loop of Innoventions was created by Russel Brower, composer of other theme park music in Tokyo DisneySea and Disneyland Paris. To give Disney an idea of what kind of music he would be composing, he used David Arkenstone’s “Papillon (On The Wings of The Butterfly).” This piece can still be heard at the beginning of the Innoventions loop.
He composed a much larger loop that incorporated many of the classic EPCOT Center themes – “Golden Dreams,” “The Living Seas,” “Horizons,” and “Magic Journeys” to name a few. This loop was about 50 minutes long, but Disney wanted it cut down. (If you recall, many of the loops in the Disney parks are about 20-30 minutes long.) Brower then edited and added music to make the 20 minute loop we know and love today — However, you can still hear the full loop on YouTube, as well as a few Epcot shops like MouseGear. You can read more about Brower here.
A “Future World Theme” is brought in and out of the loop in various areas, the first being about 6 minutes 30 seconds in. Apart from this theme and the Papillon piece, the rest of the loop is filled with music not based on anything, with titles like “Interlude” and “Innoventions Adagio.”
While there aren’t many thematic elements here (since they were taken out when the loop was cut down), what remains still manages to get people in the mood to discover. Since there is so much noise in Innoventions from all the different exhibits, you may think that the music gets drowned out. What’s amazing is that the music actually works with the atmospheric sounds of Innoventions because of the use of synthesizers instead of live instruments.
Not only does the themeless music enhance the area, it also means that Disney music lovers know that this music can’t be heard anywhere else but around Innoventions (in Epcot and also at Disneyland). While we hear versions of “When You Wish Upon a Star” all over the place, this music is uniquely Innoventions.
And while areas of Innoventions change all the time, hopefully Disney will keep this wonderful loop of music in place, to help inspire the next generation of innovators and inventors.
What is your opinion about the music of Innoventions? Have you ever heard David Arkenstone’s “Papillon” outside of Innoventions? What do you think they’re going to do with Innoventions West? Comment below!
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This article was awesome.
I’m getting a synthesizer soon. But man I remember going to Fountain View and hearing the Innoventions Music there and going to the plaza and it was so magical. I was happy to hear the original 50 long track at Innoventions in ’96. Rest In Peace Innoventions West 1995 – 2020.
But good job with this article. Bravo!!!
Epcot music is the best. Innoventions loop is not my favorite. That would go to IllumiNations, but Innoventions still makes the cut on my playlist. I also love the entrance loop, the music from the Seas pavilion, and the Soarin queue and ride music…also the Rocketeer theme they play at the fountain. All of the now retired music from Wonders of Life was amazing also!
I love the “Honey I shrunk the Audience” background music for the Imagination Pavilion. I know it is different from Innoventions, but I love the atmosphere Disney creates at EPCOT with its Futuristic, innovative music.
I can’t seem to find the 20 minute version anywhere. On YouTube it says this video can’t be played. The longer one works. Where can I download this to put on my phone? Great music!
I typed in “innoventions epcot music loop” and it was the first one that popped up. Make sure you’re not in safe mode – I’ve found it takes out a lot of videos. There are a few results that are in the 19:50 range, and that’s what you want!
I have it bookmarked on my YouTube channel to listen to it whenever I want.
Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u516i9kR4I
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8ATilZBYHk
(I hope it is ok that I posted links to YouTube…if not you can remove them.)
My personal favorite piece of music ever played at the parks. If I ever feel homesick I listen to it on my phone
It is so relaxing! Between this and the entrance loops I can have a full hour of relaxation.
This was a great article and I learned something new about my favorite piece of theme park audio.
I feel this is a very under appreciated part of the theme park experience.
If you wanted to write a series of these, this reader would be quite interested.
Cheers!
You’re in luck – I am writing a series of these! Just search for “AtMousePhere” in the TouringPlans blog search and you’ll get about 20 articles about Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and (some) Epcot music! I also feel like it’s underappreciated, and it deserves the spotlight!
This track gets so much play on my iPod. It’s easily one of my favorites and makes me think of nighttime at Future World every time I hear it.
While the other pavilions have iconic music, this one tends to be associated with Epcot the most because you hear it whenever you are crossing the center of Future World!
Thanks so much! This is also my favorite music in the parks.
You’re very welcome!
I have the millennium music (Epcot fireworks) on CD, and music from the parks,my favourite CD of all Spectro Magic, sadly missed best parade ever.
My absolute favorite music of any Disney attraction, period. Whenever I’m stressed, it is my go to music to relax to. Heck, it’s even my ringtone!
It is a fantastic stress reducer. And a ringtone – what a great idea!