Since its debut in December 2023, Luminous The Symphony of Us at EPCOT has had a profound emotional impact on many guests. The stunning fireworks, emotional music, and captivating visuals have left park-goers in tears, with some describing the experience as overwhelmingly powerful. One Walt Disney World Resort guest, in particular, captured the intense emotions evoked by the show, sharing their experience on Reddit and describing the feeling as like getting “hit by a train.”
The show, which celebrates human connection through music and visuals, has stirred a wide range of emotional responses. For many, the fireworks’ themes of love, loss, and unity have struck a deeply personal chord. In a Reddit post, u/jpjoestar shared their experience after watching Luminous The Symphony of Us for the second time:
“It’s my second time watching the Symphony of us show, and I cried again. The other shows are cool but the Epcot one hits me hard in the feelings and idk why. Anyone else feels the same?”
Others also expressed similar emotional reactions, sharing their stories and how the EPCOT fireworks show resonated with their personal experiences. u/Spaghettiboobin shared a deeply personal story about attending the show after the recent deaths of family members:
“My wife and I saw it for the first time after her uncle and grandpa died within 10 days of each other. Like we found out her grandpa died while at the first funeral. 3 days after the second funeral we were at Epcot. Most cathartic cry of our lives.”
u/Proud_Fee_1542 recalled being near one of the fireworks cannons during the show, finding it difficult to hold back tears as the fireworks filled the sky.
“I unknowingly was standing just above one of the firework cannons on the bridge near Mexico and at the point when the cannons around the lake go off and the landmarks around World Showcase all start to light up I was really struggling to not cry,” they said. “It’s such a lovely show.”
However, not all reactions were as positive. Some Disney Parks fans expressed discomfort with the show’s emotional themes, feeling that the heaviness of the content overshadowed the magic they expected from a Walt Disney World Resort experience. u/Adventurous_Ad1922 wrote:
“Why so sad and heavy? It’s Disney World. I don’t want to be reminded of my dead family members.”
“It’s so sad,” u/Disastrous_Isopod992 added. “It’s hard for me to watch.”
Others compared the emotional themes of Luminous The Symphony of Us to previous EPCOT fireworks shows, like IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. u/Fabulous-Lecture5139 argued that the new show didn’t live up to the legacy of its predecessor.
“You must have never seen Illuminations before because the current one is horrible compared to that,” they commented. “I walked away and stopped watching it was so bad.”
“If it weren’t for the barges on the lagoon all day, then Harmonious > Luminous,” u/Zashiony replied. “There, I said it. But Illuminations above all, of course.”
Which Walt Disney World Resort fireworks show is your favorite? Let Disney Dining know in the comments!
