Disney World's spectacular nighttime fireworks shows are often the high point of many people's visits to the company's theme parks.
The nighttime events at Disney's (DIS) Magic Kingdom in Orlando include projections on Cinderella's Castle and spectacular fireworks that always draw huge crowds, with many people lining the sidewalks along Main Street and The Hub to find a good viewing spot long before the show starts.
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Magic Kingdom on Sept. 30, 2021, introduced its special Disney Enchantment nighttime show as part of Disney World's 50th Anniversary Celebration, which has drawn large crowds every night since its opening.
Disney's Epcot also has a long tradition of combination fireworks and laser shows that can be seen around the lagoon at the World Showcase.
"Harmonious" has been the nighttime show at Epcot since the Oct. 1, 2021, beginning of Disney World's 50th Anniversary Celebration. It indirectly replaced another spectacular, "Illuminations: Reflections of Earth," which was Epcot's nighttime show for years. In the interim, between the two shows, "Epcot Forever" was the nightly show.
Epcot Forever was a basic show that required very little special equipment while Disney built platforms, support structures and whatever was needed for "Harmonious."
Image source: Todd Anderson/Disney Parks via Getty Images
Big Changes Coming to Epcot and Magic Kingdom
Disney at its D23 Expo revealed that major changes were coming to both Magic Kingdom and Epcot at the conclusion of the Disney World 50th Anniversary Celebration. First, the company said it was planning completely new nighttime show later this year for Epcot.
Disney said that is not yet ready to launch it's new Epcot nighttime show, but it must end "Harmonious" on April 2 to begin work on construction for the new spectacular show. In the interim, Disney World will bring back "Epcot Forever" on April 3 for a limited time until the new show is ready to go, since that was the low maintenance show that ran while "Harmonious" was being built.
Disney has not said when the new show would debut or what it will be called. It did remind people of "Epcot Forever" and its features when it said it would bring it back.
"A limited-time spectacle of lasers, lighting, special effects, and fireworks, 'Epcot Forever' returns with a collection of songs that offer both a trip down memory lane and a look toward the future," the company said.
At the same time, Disney World is also ending Disney Enchantment on April 2 and is bringing back its ever-popular "Happily Ever After" nighttime fireworks spectacular show on April 3.
'Happily Ever After' Returns to Magic Kingdom
"Happily Ever After" show made its debut in the summer of 2017 in Magic Kingdom. The nighttime spectacular show is a mix of pyrotechnics, lasers, searchlights, projections, beloved Disney characters familiar favorite music. The show commences with a backdrop of Cinderella's Castle and lasts approximately 20 minutes.
Disney stopped the "Happily Ever After" show when it began its 50th Anniversary celebration in 2021. "Disney Enchantment" took its place instead. That change made sense, but it left many fans hoping for a return after the anniversary celebration.
