Nighttime shows are a massive part of the magic at any Disney Park. From Happily Ever After in Magic Kingdom to using our imaginations during Fantasmic, guests enjoy the magic and excitement that nighttime shows bring their Disney vacations when visiting the Walt Disney World Resort.
Regarding nighttime shows in EPCOT, guests haven’t been overly impressed lately. As we prepare for Luminous: The Symphony of US, the newest nighttime show coming to EPCOT, we again have high hopes. The new show was recently added to the official Walt Disney World website, giving us more details on what to expect from this show.
Opening Show: December 5, 2023
Luminous: The Symphony of US is seen on the Walt Disney World calendar for the first time on December 5, 2023. Scheduled for a 9:30 p.m. show, it will take place as EPCOT closes for the evening.
The show will replace the controversial EPCOT Forever, which is still showing through Monday, December 4, at 9:30 p.m.
Grab those spots around the World Showcase Lagoon early, as nighttime shows always draw a crowd, and a new one will be even more popular.
Luminous: The Symphony of US
The new show will take place in the World Showcase Lagoon, giving guests around the World Showcase Plaza numerous areas to view the show.
We don’t know much about the new show, but Disney’s description is below:
a dazzling pageant of fireworks, fountains, music and lights set to an original composition. New music, along with evocative selections from the Disney songbook, come together to remind us that we are more alike than we are different.
We anticipate the new show to include fireworks, water features, and fantastic new musical arrangements to bring guests Disney magic.
EPCOT Forever and Harmonious
In 2019, the beloved nighttime show IlumiNations: Reflections of Earth made its final performance on the World Showcase Lagoon. This night-time show debuted in EPCOT on October 1, 1999, as part of the Walt Disney World Millennium Celebration.
Fans quickly fell in love with this nighttime show that brought fireworks, lasers, water effects, and a unique and moving story to guests each night.
EPCOT Forever was brought in following the closing of IllumiNations and was advertised as a “fill-in” show until the highly anticipated Harmonious would debut. EPCOT Forever didn’t get a good reception by most guests. It continues to be seen as not expected from a Disney nighttime show.
Harmonious to the World Showcase Lagoon amongst controversy. They weren’t pleased as guests watched large barges arrive and take over the World Showcase Lagoon. On October 1, 2021, Harmonious opened. Mixed reviews followed as some guests loved the new water features and projections while other guests wished for the removal of the barges.
By April 2, 2023, Harmonious was gone, as were the barges. EPCOT Forever has returned since leaving guests wanting and waiting for a new nighttime show.
Hopes For Better
As we wait for the debut of Luminous: The Symphony of US, we hope that Disney will bring a spectacular nighttime show to EPCOT again. This all-new nighttime spectacular is set to light up the sky at the World Showcase on December 5, 2023, and we hope it brings magic with it.