Theme Park Rangers Radar 38: Brief recent history of Epcot’s nighttime shows plus Lil Nas X

Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel
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Change is in the air at Walt Disney World, and that’s become a theme with Epcot, which continues its yearslong transformation. The company recently confirmed a new end-of-night show is in the works for the park. Theme Park Rangers Radar is also looking back at the beginnings of key Central Florida attractions and peering to the west for a gander at Madame Tussauds wax figure of Lil Nas X.

Radar is a weekly compilation of theme park thoughts and throwaways. It appears on OrlandoSentinel.com on Wednesdays.

What’s up at Epcot?

The recent D23 Expo has some fireworks, literally and figuratively. Along with several other attractions updates, Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, announced that the nighttime spectaculars would change again next year at Magic Kingdom at Epcot.

“Happily Ever After,” which exited Magic Kingdom last year, will be back in 2023, he said. And a new show is in development for Epcot. That means that in a span of four years, Epcot will have had four different end-of-night productions.

A timeline based at World Showcase Lagoon shows the fits, starts and pandemic interruption of the Epcot spectaculars.

  • Sept. 17, 2018: Disney announces via its official parks blog that “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” will end sometime in the second half of 2019 with plans to run through the end of that summer.

  • April 10, 2019: The final day of “IllumiNations” is set for Sept. 30, as well as the opening date of the limited run show “Epcot Forever,” The replacement was set to debut Oct. 1, the anniversary date for Epcot (and World Disney World).

  • Aug. 26, 2019: Bob Chapek, then chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, said the next Epcot show after “Forever” would be named “HarmonioUS.”  The capitalized “US” styling of the name faded by late 2019.

  • Sept. 30, 2019: The final “IllumiNations” show is presented at Epcot.

  • Oct. 1, 2019: “Epcot Forever” debuts with popular music heard over the years at the theme parks and with fiery kite contraptions tugged by personal watercraft with a drive and kite pilot. The show is narrated by children.  “My charge is to assist the creative vision … take all those tug-at-your-heartstrings songs for Epcot fans that have been there since the beginning,” said Jeremy Chase, producer for “Epcot Forever,” after its first public showing. “Harmonious” was said to be starting sometime in 2020.

  • Mid-March 2020: Walt Disney World begins a four-month shutdown of its four theme parks due to the coronavirus pandemic.

  • March 2021: In preparation for “Harmonious,” a six-story black ring is placed vertically in the lagoon. It will be followed by four additional barges equipped with LED screens and water tools. Disneys says the show is in early stages of development.

  • July 1, 2021: A modified “Epcot Forever” returns, minus “kite trains,” after pandemic hiatus while lagoon is being prepared for “Harmonious.”

  • Oct. 1, 2021: “Harmonious” debuts at Epcot. Disney characters appear on the barges and water screens. Film music was recorded to represent the cultures of origin. For instance, a song from “Lion King” has lyrics in Zulu and is performed by a choir in South Africa. The soundtrack required through more than 100 recording sessions in nine countries, Disney says. “Disney Enchantment” debuts at Magic Kingdom on the same day, marking the 50th anniversary of the opening of Disney World.

  • June 21, 2022: “Harmonious” is livestreamed on Disney+. The event is hosted by Idina Menzel and includes 90 musicians on stage.

  • July 27, 2022: MagicBand+ debuts, and the wearable technology reacts to portions of “Harmonious” and other theme-park activities.

  • Sept. 11, 2022: D’Amaro announces during a D23 Expo session that a new show is in development for Epcot and will be seen “later next year.”

Day one and then some

Even more random (but still fun) list of the week: opening dates of Central Florida’s theme parks and attractions. To fill out this timeline, there are a few defunct ones, too, plus their closing dates.

1929: Bok Tower Gardens

Jan. 2, 1936: Cypress Gardens (closed 2009)

1949: Gatorland

1960: Orlando Science Center (as Central Florida Museum)

Oct. 1, 1971: Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom

Dec. 15, 1973: SeaWorld Orlando

Feb. 21, 1974: Circus World (closed in 1986)

1976: Orange County Regional History Center (as Orange County Historical Museum).

March 13, 1977: Wet’n Wild water park (closed in 2016)

Oct. 1, 1982: Epcot

April 1987: Boardwalk and Baseball (closed 1990)

May 1, 1989: Disney’s Hollywood Studios (nee Disney-MGM Studios)

June 1, 1989: Typhoon Lagoon water park

June 7, 1990: Universal Studios

April 1, 1995: Blizzard Beach water park

Dec. 24, 1997: Fun Spot America, Orlando

April 22, 1998: Disney’s Animal Kingdom

May 28, 1999: Islands of Adventure

July 1, 2000: Discovery Cove

2007: Fun Spot America, Kissimmee

March 1, 2008: Aquatica water park

Oct. 15, 2011: Legoland Florida

May 4, 2015: Icon Park (including The Wheel, Sea Life Orlando Aquarium, Madame Tussauds Orlando)

May 25, 2017: Volcano Bay water park

Feb. 25, 2022: Peppa Pig Theme Park

Summer 2025: Epic Universe

Lil Nas Wax

The performer who brought us songs from “Old Town Road” to “That’s What I Want” and a pole dance that almost went very wrong on “Saturday Night Live,” has given an all-gold look to Madame Tussauds. A figure of Grammy-winning rapper Lil Nas X dressed in his shiny Met Gala look has been installed at the Hollywood, California, attraction.

The figure wears a replica of the neck-to-toe gold Versace suit armor he wore at the 2021 Met Gala. There are other duplicated details, including a Versace earring, choker and nail art from that event.

Tussauds officials note that it’s the attraction’s first wax figure with a grill.

“Are we twins or what? I knew this was going to be good but this is like, scary amazing,” Lil Nas X after the reveal.

Although Tussauds, owned by Merlin Entertainments Group, sometimes shifts figures between locations, there are no current plans for Lil Nas X to make an Orlando swing, officials said.

Weekend outlook

  • Legoland Florida’s Brick or Treat begins Saturday and continues weekends through Oct. 30. The Halloween event, included in regular park admission, features a new Monster Party theme.

  • Spooktacular continues at SeaWorld Orlando, although Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom is sold out for the rest of the spooky season.

  • On the more intense side of the Halloween ledger, Halloween Horror Nights continues at Universal Studios as does Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld.

  • Less scary (unless you’re attempting to devour the whole menu) is Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Upcoming concerts in its Eat to the Beat series include BBMAK on Friday and Saturday, then Postmodern Jukebox on Sunday and Monday.

  • At Orlando Science Center, Saturday is Kids Night at the Museum, and Fairy Tale Weekend will have activities Saturday and Sunday.

  • Icon Park’s Oktoberfest continues Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 2.

What’s on your radar? Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com.