I'll wait until after the US release to give my thoughts on these episodes (so please try to keep spoilers to an absolute minimum until then). The only reason I decided to actually watch them is because I'm frequently on fimfiction.net, and it's possible some people might post stories related to these episodes, so I figured watching the early releases just once would be enough for me. (But I still intend to watch the American version of these episodes at the same rate I've been watching all the previous episodes.)
By the way, last night as I was keeping an eye on Equestria Daily to see if the episode would air or not, I read some comments and one of the Mods assured everyone that they would still provide streams (and later uploads) of the American broadcast of these episodes, as usual. Plus, the UK broadcast is only available in standard definition, and while I personally don't care much for video quality, there are some people who do care quite a lot, so that gives me hope that videos of the American airing of these episodes may not end up being as hard to find online as I initially feared.
Anyway, now that I've got some time to spare, I should also say my thoughts regarding Equestria Girls, Legend of Everfree.
(spoilers)
Almost right away we see a rather interesting development. Human Twilight is apparently still going through emotional trauma after the incident at the Friendship Games in the previous movie. This is unlike Sunset Shimmer who, while certainly regretful for her past actions, was less concerned for her own well-being and more focused on proving to everyone that she had become abetter person. Of course, Twilight didn't have to deal with the exact same issues Sunset did, but it was rather obvious how much more sensitive Twilight is about what had happened.
So this movie takes place almost entirely at Camp Everfree. In addition to the main seven, many other students from Canterlot High are there, while some other students are notably absent. And everyone, including Celestia and Luna, are wearing more camp-friendly clothes instead of their usual outfits. Plus, some of the background students actually get to speak up a bit (most notably Bulk Biceps).
And of course we have the two new characters, Gloriosa Daisy (camp director) and her brother Timber Spruce. Almost right away, Timber and Twilight develop feelings for each other. Unlike the relationship between Princess Twilight and Flash Sentry, Human Twilight and Timber actually take the time to get to know each other throughout the movie. At least Flash Sentry understands that there are two different Twilights and (after a talk with Sunset) begins to accept that his relationship with the pony princess from Equestria will never work.
Anyway, I really liked how the main seven girls gain new magical abilities while they're at camp. Applejack is super strong, Rainbow Dash is super speedy, Fluttershy can talk to animals, Rarity can create large diamond constructs, Pinkie Pie can turn any sugary object into explosives just by tossing them, Sunset Shimmer can look into people's minds, and Twilight Sparkle can telekinetically move objects. Of course, Twilight's ongoing trauma means that she is the last one to embrace her new powers, and it is only thanks to the support of her friends at the moment her help is needed most.
And finally there's the conflict coming from Gloriosa, who has gone short on funds and finds herself at risk of losing the camp to Filthy Rich. When she discovers a set of magical crystals, she takes most of them and secretly uses their power to help make what she fears to be the final session of camp the best possible, often backfiring in other ways, while Timber decides to cover her actions with "the legend of Gaea Everfree". Eventually, with stress piling up, Gloriosa takes drastic measures and takes all of the magic crystals, turning her into a magical monster with immense power over plants. Naturally, the main seven fight back and take those crystals away from her, returning everything back to normal.
In the aftermath of the incident, everyone gets together to hold a fundraiser to save the camp, with the main seven using their magical powers to help out. And at the end of it all, the seven girls realize that the magical crystals they now possess are the source of their new powers, and will be keeping them. That only leaves the question of where those magical objects actually came from (and we see in the final scene that magic is staring the leak through a crack in the portal).
I really liked watching this. Among the other Equestria Girls movies, I'd rank this as equal with Friendship Games, ahead of the other two. And with the main cast now in possession of incredible powers (almost like a team of superheroes), I'll certainly be looking forward to where this series will be heading next.
(end spoilers)
Also, it was officially announced recently that there will be a Season 7 of MLP, plus there will also be three Equestria Girls specials. All of that plus the MLP Movie means that 2017 is sure to be an epic year for the series.
