Magic Behind the Music: Epcot – Parades & Shows – Epcot Forever
If you aren’t able to see Epcot Forever in the show’s brief run as a nighttime spectacular, come over to the D-COT Jukebox and listen to the sounds that make the show!
As Epcot continues to undergo its biggest transformation since the park’s opening in 1982, it continues to be a big focus of Disney news and articles everywhere. One day we’ll move on from this park, but it is not this day! As parts of Epcot continue to close, with Spaceship Earth being the latest closure announcement, Disney seems to be trying to keep parts of the beloved park open, even if they are in a state of transition. One such example is the park’s nighttime spectacular.
IllumiNations, perhaps the longest running fireworks show in Disney Parks history, concluded its 20-year run in Autumn 2019. Disney had already planned a long-term replacement for the show called, “HarmonioUS,” to debut in the Spring of 2020, but they needed to bring many of the set pieces from IllumiNations into dry dock to be re-imagined and re-purposed for the spectacle. Choosing not to leave Epcot guests in silence and darkness upon park closure every night for about 6 months, they created a show as a stop-gap for that time and ironically named it, “Epcot Forever.” It debuted on October 1, 2019, the night immediately following the final performance of IllumiNations. The sounds of Epcot Forever were added to the D-COT Jukebox just a day after that on October 2, 2019. What a quick turnaround!
Epcot Forever is obviously not so named because the show will last for a long time. In fact, it will be one of the shortest running fireworks shows in Disney Parks history. It is so named because it pays homage to the full legacy Epcot has laid down over the past 37 years. In the show, dazzling pyrotechnics, laser lights, and even jet skis towing LED illuminated kites around the World Showcase Lagoon are the spectacular visuals set to sounds of Walt Disney introducing his original concept for Epcot and music from the park’s attractions, both past and present. In the short time this soundtrack has been on the D-COT Jukebox, members have played it 633 times. It has been played 20 times this week, putting it on the Top 25 Played Week playlist at 19. It is a Favorite of 33 members and Supporters have added it to 26 Custom Playlists. It gets a perfect 5.0/5 average rating with 22 votes.
For many of us, the sounds of Epcot Forever are sufficient on their own to bring to mind many fond memories of Epcot’s vibrant history – a truly unique theme park that has no equal. Because our visions of the future continue to change, Epcot must change. We only hope Disney never loses sight of the great legacy established at Epcot over the decades and that both we and the next generation can continue to make new fond memories there. Though the shows and attractions continue to change, may it truly be Epcot forever.
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warrsm
37 years! I remember my grandparents being so mad at our travel agent because she never told us that Epcot was opening and we left one day beforehand! just really enjoy all the memories in this track.