Are you ready for some EPCOT news?!
©D23
The D23 Expo has been packed with new announcements about films, lands, and more. And during the Parks Panel, something exciting was announced for EPCOT — take a look!
IMPORTANT UPDATE: EPCOT’s new nighttime spectacular, Luminous The Symphony of Us, made its debut on December 5th, 2023. You can see PICTURES and VIDEOS of the production HERE!
EPCOT recently received Harmonious on October 1st, 2021, in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Disney World. But another nighttime show would arrive to the park very soon!
Harmonious
That’s right, a BRAND NEW nighttime spectacular will make its debut on December 5th, 2023 in honor of Disney 100 Years of Wonder: Luminous The Symphony Of Us!
Disney100 Sign in EPCOT
The festivities officially kicked off on September 22, 2023 and will last through December 31, 2023. However, Luminous will make its debut later in the year, with its first showing on December 5th, 2023! You’ll be able to catch this show at 9:30PM in its initial weeks, as the park is staying open a bit later than its usual 9PM closing during the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. The showtime will change to 9PM nightly starting January 1st, 2024.
In March 2023, Disney showed a first look at some concept art for the show during a media event. They announced that the show is meant to “reflect the commonality in all of us.”
©Disney
From the picture, it looks like the new show will make use of pyrotechnics, laser lights, and water features (like we’ve seen with EPCOT Forever and Harmonious!). Additional artwork was shared in October 2023.
©Disney
According to Disney, the show invites “everyone to gather around World Showcase Lagoon for a show that will unite us through commonalities of the heart in a dazzling display of fireworks, lasers, music and light. Featuring an original composition along with select songs from the Disney songbook, this new spectacular will remind us that we’re more alike than different, connecting our hearts together as one.”
Music of Luminous
Speaking of songs… Luminous will feature a series of movements, and throughout those movements you’ll hear two original songs, as well as new arrangements of classic Disney songs. The show begins with voices from around the World Showcase welcoming you to the gathering, followed by the original song, “Heartbeat Symphony.” In fact, Disney shared a preview of this new song in the video below!
Additional Songs in Luminous
Disney also shared a list of songs that will be featured in the production:
- “You’ll Be in My Heart”
- “Proud Corazón”
- “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”
- “Friend Like Me”
- “So Close” (from Enchanted)
- “When She Loved Me”
- “Remember Me”
- “Into the Unknown”
- “I See the Light”
Beating of Our Hearts
The show will conclude with another original number for the finale — “Beating of Our Hearts.” Disney worked with Pinar Toprak to make the score, which features the vocal talents of artists Sheléa and Katharine McPhee.
EPCOT’s World Showcase
Luminous — Behind the Scenes
In a YouTube video, Disney has shared some behind the scenes information about how the production team was able to create this new pageant, and also addressed the fact that the spectacular involves barges in order to provide the show’s effects. Many fans will be happy to hear that these new barges move! Unlike the barges in Harmonious (which guests had mixed feelings about), these barges come out just for the show and go away after it’s over. This leaves the lake (and our view) barge free most of the day. The Cast Member in the video mentioned that it’s a “blank slate” before and after the show.
Click HERE to see pictures and videos of LUMINOUS!
IMPORTANT UPDATE: EPCOT’s new nighttime spectacular, Luminous The Symphony of Us, made its debut on December 5th, 2023. You can see PICTURES and VIDEOS of the production HERE!
Want MORE Details About EPCOT’s MASSIVE Transformation?
NEW Festival Areas, Gardens, a Meet-and-Greet Area, and More Are Coming to EPCOT
Learn All About Journey of Water -- Inspired by Moana
Has the Mary Poppins Project at Disney World Been Canceled?
What’s Been CUT From the EPCOT Transformation?
SNEAK PEEK at the NEW Fireworks Show Coming to EPCOT
Click HERE for All the News and Details about EPCOT’s Transformation!
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Are you excited to see EPCOT get another nighttime show? Let us know in the comments!
Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. We were invited by Disney to attend D23 Expo as media. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ
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Harmonious has become the premier fireworks show at WDW in my opinion. Change over these last years has often not been for the better. Let’s hope they don’t snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Did Disney actually listen, or will this and HEA be platitudes? Harmonious music has grown on me, not to the way I feel about Illuminations – not even close. But it is a decent show, I wish it could be seen better all around WS. And that the barges could either hide backstage, or be sunk, during the day.
Hooray for the demise of Harmonious….the quicker it goes, the better I will feel. Now, if we could just get Disney to remove all that harmonious trash in the middle of the lake. I miss the view just to look across and see another country. Harmonious was a Bob Iger blunder…it needs to go.
My biggest disappointment with harmonious was the very generic and unimaginative music score . Maybe Disney heard the widespread disappointment with the show. We can only hope they commit to producing a new show with a creative and original score. One that you will be humming for weeks after your visit
Well, here’s hoping the new show includes getting rid of those unsightly huge barges that have destroyed the scenic beauty of the lagoon. I wasn’t impressed with Harmonious. It’s okay, but you’ve see it once, you’ve seen it all. I won’t stick around to see it again. Epcot is my favorite park so we will leave the park when the fireworks begin. I was expecting so much more from Harmonious. I think Disney wasted their money! Maybe that’s why they have had to raise their prices!! 🙂
The barges in the lake are hideous. Who thought that was a good idea? The show is pretty weak, considering the barges scar the look of the lake all day.