The days are numbered for the IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth nightly fireworks show at Epcot. Disney has announced that the show will run until the end of Summer 2019 before being replaced with something new. Illuminations originally debuted in Epcot in October 1999 and will end after nearly 20 years.
Disney states that the new nightly show will represent the transformation of Epcot. That transformation includes new attractions such as Ratatouille, Guardians of the Galaxy and a new space-themed restaurant.
Additional details on the new nightly show haven’t been revealed at this time. Previously, there were rumors that a new Epcot show could include drones, but it’s unclear whether or not that direction is still in place. It’s also unclear whether or not the new show will include intellectual property (IP), or characters, which would be a stark contrast to the IP-free IllumiNations.
The end of IllumiNations marks the end of an era in Epcot. While a change is probably due, the music and message of the current show fit perfectly into Epcot. Here’s hoping that whatever comes next fits in just as nicely.
If you haven’t seen IllumiNations before (first of all, shame on you), you can watch it below.