by Marvel Diva
Disney has announced that Epcot’s evening show, “Illuminations: Reflections of Earth” will be retiring on September 30, 2019. It will be replaced by a new show called “Epcot Forever” and as excited as I am to see the new offering, I’ll be sad to see Illuminations go. 
I’ve worked crowd control for this show during the Christmas season and visited as a guest during every major holiday – including the 4th of July! Illuminations is one of a kind and it deserves a proper send-off. If you’re planning a trip between now and the end of September, check out my tips for viewing this incredible piece of nighttime magic!
Where to watch?
There is technically no bad “seat” for Illuminations, as long as you can see the World Showcase Lagoon. A good rule of thumb is to make sure that you can see the center of the lake and at least one other country’s pavilion across the way. Usually, that’s not a difficult requirement to hit! Trees have typically only interrupted my view when I’m not right up next to the fence.
While not ideal for a final viewing, there’s still a lot to appreciate if you take a step back from the fence around World Showcase Lagoon!
If you can’t get right next to the fence, depending on when you grab a viewing spot, my favorite viewing point is in front of Norway (or between Norway and Mexico or Norway and China). This means that if it’s EMH, you’re in a great position to walk into Frozen Ever After’s line!
Speaking of Frozen Ever After, consider what you’d like to end your evening near! If you were planning on watching Martin Short in O Canada!, I would not advise walking to Italy to save spots to watch Illuminations. If you want to be close to the park exit, consider reserving a FastPass for Illuminations viewing as it’s right at the mouth of World Showcase and makes for a shorter exit. Keep in mind – it will always be hectic to walk out of the Epcot after Illuminations – consider waiting for the crowds to dissipate. The pavilions look gorgeous lit up at night, so leisurely walking around World Showcase always feels filled with a particular Epcot magic.
When do you grab your spot?
An hour before showtime feels like a bit much, but when you consider how many folks are going to want to catch Illuminations before its final curtain call – the earlier the better is definitely my opinion. Take Wishes Diva’s advice and sit somewhere close to an evening snack stand. Her family’s vote is for the gelato in the Italian Pavillion. Waiting for the show to start goes quickly when everyone has ice cream to munch on!
If you want to take the worry out of it…
Book a dining package! Disney Magic Diva wrote a great review of what you can expect.
Want help booking the rest of your Illuminations Farewell stay? Patricia at All for Dreams Travel can help you take care of the rest of the details!
