Epcot’s iconic IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth has wowed guests for almost two decades. And on Monday, September 30th, we’ll say goodbye to this epic nighttime spectacular. Are you ready for the fire to be snuffed so new entertainment can take its place? Or is this a sad end of an era for you?
Parting is such sweet sorrow. Though, there is a silver lining for us Epcot fans! With the temporary IllumiNations replacement, Epcot Forever, there will be a nightly celebration of the retro Epcot Center era. Since Epcot is my favorite WDW theme park, I am incredibly excited for this show! I mean, have you seen that behind the scenes video?!
The music from original EPCOT was gorgeous. The nostalgia of this temporary show may just help me get through my sorrow for the end of Illuminations: Reflections of Earth.
The permanent replacement for IllumiNations, HarmonioUS, is set to debut next year. From what we saw and heard at D23 2019, this new show will celebrate how the music of Disney inspires people around the world. In other words, they’ll be using music from the Disney movies, a huge shift in the focus of Epcot. Disney claims that HarmoniUS will be the largest nighttime spectacular ever created for a Disney park. So I’m cautiously optimistic.
As exciting as this all sounds – I can’t help but feel sad for the bygone Epcot Center era, as we [reluctantly] welcome more and more Disney characters onto the World Showcase Lagoon on a nightly basis. Okay, enough Epcot melancholy… let’s send our precious IllumiNations off the right way – with a celebration of its 19-year run!
The History of Epcot’s Illuminations
Epcot’s lagoon shows began shortly after opening day. On October 23rd, 1982, Carnival de Lumiere premiered. The show celebrated world festivals with fountains, film, music, and other effects. By summer of 1983, A New World Fantasy made its debut with booming fireworks set to classical music and, respective to the 80’s, synthesizer sounds. 1984 welcomed a new show with minor changes, Laserphonic Fantasy. This show introduced laser effects around the lagoon.
The story of IllumiNations actually begins with Laserphonic Fantasy’s 1988 replacement. This was similar to the one we know and love today – fireworks were set off from a central area in World Showcase Lagoon and plenty of laser effects could be seen. The show was set to international-inspired music mixed with more synthesizer sounds. From 1994-1998, Holiday IllumiNations replaced the normal show during the holiday seasons. The “Let There be Peace on Earth” segment still plays on, as today’s “Peace on Earth holiday tag” during the holiday season. (It sure is a fantastic finale; I hope it continues to accompany the new shows over the years!)
The second rendition of IllumiNations, IllumiNations 25, debuted in 1996 for Walt Disney World’s 25th anniversary. As each World Showcase country was introduced, the pavilion was illuminated, followed by plenty of fireworks set off at the center of World Showcase Lagoon. Music inspired by the World Showcase and Future World pavilions played along with laser and water effects. The show concluded with a jazzy arrangement of Circle of Life; the first hint of “Disney music” for Epcot’s spectaculars.
To celebrate the turn of the millennium, Disney wanted to wow guests. IllumiNations 2000: Reflections of Earth debuted October 1st, 2000, and was an instant hit with guests. Ultimately, the “2000” was dropped from the title while the show continued on… and on…
The Story of Reflections of Earth
“We’re gathered here tonight around the fire as people of all lands have gathered for thousands and thousands of years before us… to share the light… and to share a story. An amazing story as old as time itself, but still being written. And though each of us has our own individual stories to tell, a true adventure emerges when we bring them all together as one. We hope you enjoy our story tonight: Reflections of Earth”
With fireworks, pyrotechnics, lasers and inferno barges; IllumiNations tells the story of earth in three separate acts:
- Act I: Chaos – Representing the creation of planet Earth, the show begins with explosive fireworks and hot flames bursting from the Inferno Barge.
- Act II: Order – the Inferno Barge’s flames die down, while the Earth Globe appears and moves towards the center of World Showcase Lagoon, accompanied with water effects from floating fountain barges. As the Earth cools, images appear on the Globe of countries, famous landmarks, objects, and people.
- Act III: Meaning – As the song “We Go On” plays, the torches around the lagoon light up, and each country’s pavilion illuminates (with the exception of Morocco for cultural reasons and Norway to keep the symmetry). The Earth Globe opens up, revealing the final unity torch. The globe launches 1,000 white fireworks high into the air (my favorite part), concluding with a final launch of fireworks.
Illuminations: Reflections of Earth by the Numbers
- Each nightly show costs approximately $25,000
- 750 individual mortar tubes are used during each show, producing 2,120 visible effects. (During the holiday season’s Peace on Earth finale tag, an additional 455 pieces are fired, producing 818 more visible effects!)
- The show is run by over 60 computers from 40 different locations. The main control booth is at the top of the Mexico Pavillion!
- 15,600 LED clusters surround the Earth Globe
- The Inferno Barge burns through 400 gallons of propane each night
- Reflections of Earth won “Best Outdoor Night Production Show” by Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Award 11 years in a row!
Will I miss Reflections of Earth? Well, I listen to the show’s score on a regular basis, complete with the post-show song “Promise”, known as “the leaving Epcot song” in my household. It never gets old. I grew up with this show – I honestly don’t remember any Epcot fireworks before IllumiNations 25. (Do you remember Disney’s Music from the Park CD? That was the soundtrack to my childhood.) The Reflections of Earth score will always spark emotion.
But, if I’m being completely honest, I’m excited and hopeful for the upcoming shows. As incredible and innovative as IllumiNations was; the middle of the show was very slow-moving by today’s standards, and the images displayed on the LED Earth Globe can be difficult to make out from a distance. In short, it’s a bittersweet time for me. IllumiNations will go on in my heart [and iPod] forever. But I’m ready for something new. What about you?
(Oh and Disney, if you’re listening… please, please, please keep the Peace on Earth holiday tag!)
In case you missed it and need your fireworks fix, Disney posted a live-streamed IllumiNations here!
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What are your thoughts on Reflections of Earth?
When was your last viewing of Illuminations: Reflections of Earth? Will you miss it? What are your hopes for the new Epcot nighttime spectaculars?
Here’s the official recording of the full show:
We go on
To the joy and through the tears.
We go on
To discover new frontiers.
Moving on
With the current of the years.
We go on,
Moving forward now as one.
Moving on
With a spirit born to run.
Ever on
With each rising sun,
To a new day,
We go on.
Ever on, another 1,000 circles ’round the sun… we’ll go on.
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