The 50th Anniversary celebration has come to a close across Walt Disney World, and the nighttime spectaculars introduced as part of “The Most Magical Celebration on Earth” have now been performed for the final time. Tonight, guests visiting EPCOT were able to watch the last performance of the “Harmonious” nighttime spectacular before it is replaced by the limited return of “EPCOT Forever” tomorrow.
WATCH: Final Performance of Harmonious
“Harmonious” debuted on October 1, 2021, using five barges within the waters of the World Showcase Lagoon to deliver an all-new 20-minute nighttime fireworks spectacular. Harmonious featured a soundtrack of 15 songs in 13 languages from 240 artists around the world.
The four half-circle barges had LED screens, while the center ring barge used a water screen to project clips and images. Fountains, lights, lasers, and pyrotechnics were used to enhance the show.
The show opens with chants, as a narrator shares that “All around us, the world is alive with music. Voices calling out in search of one another, we find each other in song.” A medley of “How Far I’ll Go” from “Moana” and “Go the Distance” from “Hercules” follows, sung in English, Mandarin Chinese, Norwegian, German, Arabic, Latin American Spanish, and Tahitian.
Alongside a number of Disney favorites like “Aladdin”, “Mulan”, and “The Lion King”, the show featured scenes from newer Disney films, including “Moana”, “Coco”, “Brave”, and “The Princess and the Frog.”
“Harmonious” closes with the song “Someday” from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” Tonight, for the final time, the narrator then proclaimed: “You raise your voice and it’s enough to lift the human spirit. Set the song inside you soaring, and the whole wide world will hear it.” A fireworks finale brought an end to “Harmonious” at EPCOT.
Cranes are already in place around World Showcase to remove the barges following tonight’s final performance of “Harmonious” at EPCOT. These barges were widely considered unsightly and impeded the stunning vistas of the lagoon on either side. In addition, they were plagued by a variety of problems, ranging from malfunctioning equipment to outright fires. They have already been removed from the EPCOT map in the My Disney Experience app and online at the Walt Disney World website.
Eventually, a 100 Years of Wonder nighttime spectacular will debut at EPCOT, but “EPCOT Forever” will return in the meantime. In October of 2022, we reported that it was rumored that Disney will incorporate the use of drones in their new nighttime show coming to EPCOT later this year.
“EPCOT Forever” Nighttime Fireworks Spectacular
With the end of “Harmonious”, “EPCOT Forever” will return. “EPCOT Forever” initially debuted in October 2019 with the end of “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth.”
The nighttime show honors the park’s musical heritage, with a spectacular display of fireworks, music, lighting, lasers, and special effects set to revamped versions of iconic songs from classic EPCOT attractions such as “Journey Into Imagination,” “Spaceship Earth,” “Soarin’,” “Tapestry of Nations,” and “Universe of Energy.” The show was designed to pay tribute to the past, present, and future of EPCOT.
“EPCOT Forever” will return tomorrow, April 3, to bridge the gap before the new Disney100 show launches later this year. Watch a full video from its final performance ahead of the “Harmonious” debut, which was filmed on September 28, 2021.
At Magic Kingdom, tonight also marked the final performance of “Disney Enchantment.” The reimagined “Happily Ever After” nighttime spectacular is set to take its place tomorrow night. We caught a preview of the returning Magic Kingdom nighttime spectacular, and its new projections down Main Street, U.S.A., during a cast member preview a few weeks ago.
Are you sad to see “Harmonious” come to an end or are you excited about “EPCOT Forever” returning for a limited run? Let us know in the comments below.
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