IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth — Former Show · History & Timeline

Former Show · the memorial record

⚰ Permanently closed · Sep 30, 2019operated 20 years · 1999–2019

Also known as IllumiNations 2000: Reflections of Earth.

↩ On the former site of IllumiNationsReplaced by Epcot Forever →

This show is gone, but its history stays documented — the full lifetime log is below.

Show history

the lifetime record

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2019

◆ Latest milestone

RefurbishmentSep 30, 2019#

IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth performed for the final time after a run of nearly 20 years on World Showcase Lagoon.

The Earth Globe was disassembled and sent to a scrapyard about a week later. Epcot Forever premiered on the same lagoon on October 1, 2019; Harmonious followed on October 1, 2021, and Luminous The Symphony of Us is the current lagoon show.

Tracked byTheme Park Patch Notes
Coming SoonApr 9, 2019#

Disney confirmed September 30, 2019 as the show's closing date, with the interim show Epcot Forever debuting the following night.

Tracked byTheme Park Patch Notes
2018

UpdateSep 17, 2018#

Disney announced that IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth would give its final performance at the end of summer 2019 so a new nighttime show could debut on World Showcase Lagoon.

Part of the broader Epcot transformation announced at the 2017 D23 Expo; no replacement show was named at this point.

Tracked byTheme Park Patch Notes
2017

Changed2017#

Siemens ended the presenting sponsorship of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth that it had held since 2005, following General Electric's sponsorship from 1999 to 2003.

Tracked byTheme Park Patch Notes
2008

Changed2008#

A shortened, modified version of the show ran during the summer while the Earth Globe was refurbished with a new LED video system that improved the clarity of the video.

Tracked byTheme Park Patch Notes
2005

ChangedSep 19, 2005#

The Inferno Barge was pulled from the show after a firework exploded inside its mortar tube, and it returned to service on February 1, 2006 without its air launch system.

Tracked byTheme Park Patch Notes
2001

Changed2001#

Disney dropped the "2000" from the title after the Walt Disney World Millennium Celebration ended on January 1, 2001, and the show continued as IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth.

IllumiNations 2000: Reflections of Earth→IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth
Tracked byTheme Park Patch Notes
1999

NewOct 1, 1999#

IllumiNations 2000: Reflections of Earth premiered on World Showcase Lagoon as part of the Walt Disney World Millennium Celebration, which opened the same day.

IllumiNations→IllumiNations 2000: Reflections of Earth

Soft opened September 22, 1999; it replaced the final version of IllumiNations, which had closed September 21, 1999. The new show was built around a 28-foot rotating Earth Globe carrying 15,600 LED clusters on a barge, plus fire, lasers and pyrotechnics.

Tracked byTheme Park Patch Notes

Questions & answers

When did IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth open?

Per the documented record, IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at EPCOT opened on Oct 1, 1999.

When did IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth last close for refurbishment?

The most recent closure/refurbishment documented for IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth is dated Sep 30, 2019: IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth performed for the final time after a run of nearly 20 years on World Showcase Lagoon.

What changed recently on IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth?

The latest documented change (documented Sep 30, 2019): IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth performed for the final time after a run of nearly 20 years on World Showcase Lagoon.

How many changes are on record for IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth?

8 documented changes, dating back to 1999 — the fan-kept show changelog nobody else keeps.

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