It seems that we celebrated far too soon.
Since the inception of the Disney theme parks, fans have always had opinions on the rides, attractions, restaurants, and other offerings that have been brought to life within the Parks. Discourse over what offerings are the best has been a part of the Disney community for as long as it has existed, and as long as it is friendly, debates of this kind are typically welcomed.
While tastes are always subjective, there are some general rules of taste that most Disney fans follow. Typically, Disney fans love immersive, high-quality, and well-planned Park additions. Many fans believe that what differentiates Disney from its competitors is its immaculate attention to detail. Whenever Disney’s quality slips from this high standard, fans are the first to point it out.
Eye-Sores Plague the Parks
One of the biggest pet peeves of Disney Parks fans is when Disney adds something functional that fails to correspond to the overall theming of the Parks. These “eye-sores” make the Parks less immersive for many fans. Of all of the many eye-sores introduced throughout the Parks, there is one that has caused an incredible amount of strife over the past few years: the EPCOT barges.
Originally used during the Walt Disney World Resort’s nighttime spectacular Harmonious, these barges did serve a functional purpose during performances of the show. Unfortunately, they are not very pretty to look at when the show is not happening. The hatred for the EPCOT barges has become somewhat of an inside joke within the Disney community.
Earlier this year, Disney pulled every Harmonious barge from the lagoon after the show completed performances. Photos of the barges being destroyed began to circulate the internet, with some theme park fans going as far as to celebrate their destruction.
Now, months after being demolished, the barges have returned. Theme Parks reporter Ashley Carter shared a video of the newly installed barges, which will be used to add supplemental effects, including “fountains and lasers.”
Related: Video of EPCOT’s Harmonious Barges Fountain Testing
https://twitter.com/AshleyLCarter1/status/1707500946450686380
The Barges are BACK?!
We know what many of you are thinking… how could this be happening?!
It looks like EPCOT’s new show, Luminous: The Symphony of Us, will once again be utilizing these bulbous barges. Just this week, reinstallation has begun on these barges, and it is safe to say Disney Park fans aren’t thrilled.
While fans may not be thrilled about the barges returning, the prospects of a new show still are thrilling. Scheduled to debut on December 5, Luminous: The Symphony of Us is set to be the next spectacular dazzling audience at World Showcase Lagoon. Stunning music will complement a gorgeous fireworks display at this nightly show.
Regardless of how you may feel about the World Showcase Lagoon Barges, it is still quite exciting to know that a new show will be coming to EPCOT soon. Hopefully, the show is so spectacular that we forget about the barges altogether!
The barges for the new LuminUS show won’t be permanent installations that block the beauty of EPCOT in the daytime for visitors like the last show’s barges did.
The barges will be floated in during the evening for each show, then floated backstage.