IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth has been lighting up Epcot’s night sky for almost two decades. The World Showcase Lagoon phenomenon ends on September 30, 2019, so to celebrate it we’re sharing 5 fun facts about the nighttime spectacular!

Holiday Variations
If you visit Epcot for a holiday, you’ll see a slightly different variation of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. It’s already exciting to celebrate a holiday in Walt Disney World, but it was extra special once the sun goes down on Independence Day, Christmas, and New Year’s!

The Great Earth Globe
The show’s centerpiece is the three-story tall Earth Globe. This great glob is a 28-foot diameter sphere that becomes a video screen, projecting images that celebrate the unified spirit of humankind and human diversity. 

Behind The Scenes
To bring this nighttime spectacular to life, it required barges with fireworks and other effects that are strategically placed on the World Showcase Lagoon. The barges for the show are stored away each night and during the day before making their way into the lagoon before the show. A few hours before it begins, a drawbridge between the China pavilion and the Outpost opens up to let the barges into the lagoon!

First of its Kind
The Earth Globe is the world’s first spherical video display system. In fact, it rotates on a 350-ton floating island that houses six computer processors, an infrared guidance system, and 258 strobe lights! It’s also wrapped in more than 180,000 Light Emitting Diodes. 

A World Showcase of Color
It’s all in the details when it comes to IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth! This brilliant 13-minute show requires quite a bit to light up Epcot’s night sky. There are 67 computers in 40 locations, four fountain barges pumping 5,000 gallons of water per minute, a full color spectrum of laser stocked with custom Disney shades, hundreds of special lighting fixtures, and a 150,000-pound inferno barge featuring 37 nozzles to shoot propane flames into the sky!

IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth has made its mark on guests of Epcot for almost two decades. While this was the show of the century, it must now come to an end to make way for the new nighttime spectacular Epcot Forever, which will be debuting on October 1, 2019. If you’re spending time in Epcot before September 30, 2019, don’t forget to stay until close to experience IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth while you still can!