It took the concept of union to the next level by weaving a story of the Earth divided into three segments: Chaos, Order, and Meaning, representing humankind as one united clan. IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth was an amalgam of everything that had come before. And IllumiNations 98 paved the way for what was to come… This 25th anniversary of IllumiNations debuted on September 21, 1996, and closed on May 18th, 1997. Music from around the globe played while fireworks and lasers provided the stunning visual effects. IllumiNations 25 quite literally illuminated each country in the World Showcase (this time including our beloved Norway). That is exactly what the composers and Imagineers did with IllumiNations 25, created for the 25th anniversary of Walt Disney World. Photo by Cliff Wangĭisney’s ability to recreate existing shows while maintaining that same magic will never cease to amaze me. Reflections of the Past and the FutureĪ captivating view of IllumiNations from the Japan Pavilion. Synthesizers may have been more modern, but this classic set of orchestral scores quite literally tugged at our heartstrings. The ten year run of IllumiNations was made possible by Don Dorsey and Bruce Healey, (also responsible for IllumiNations predecessors, LaserPhonic Fantasy and A New World Fantasy) who rearranged the musical scores from EPCOT’s former shows to create full-sized orchestral masterpieces for IllumiNations. While we owe all of the magic of stage shows and attractions to Imagineers, we can attribute the symphonic pleasure of firework shows to the brilliant composers that work with said Imagineers and cast members to make an unforgettable experience. IllumiNations was a celebration of the World Showcase, wherein each country was represented and celebrated in this groundbreaking new addition to Disney’s signature firework shows. So, let’s go on an international fantasy of music and light and remember one of our favorite nighttime shows! It Takes a Village (or Several Nations) This is the show many of us remember or don’t realize we remember (we may have grown up with IllumiNations 25, 98, or IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth) and it is the one we often wax nostalgic about the most. The original IllumiNations closed on this day in 1996.

Illuminations magazine