Background: HarmonioUS debuted in September 2021 as part of the Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary Celebration. It replaced Epcot Forever, which ran from October 2019 until September 27, 2021, with a hiatus during the Coronavirus Pandemic. The show serves as the long-term replacement to Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. The show occurs nightly in the World Showcase Lagoon, with the most ideal viewing areas being in the Japan Pavilion, American Adventure and the entrance to the World Showcase.
I had the pleasure of seeing HarmonioUS in person for the first time on March 13, 2022. As of that date, I have now seen every show at Epcot that has existed in my lifetime. I did watch the World Premier on September 28 on the official social media accounts of the Walt Disney World Resort, though seeing this show on a screen does not do it justice. My viewing was from the Norway pavilion, so while I did get a clear view of the pyrotechnics and fountains, I was unable to see the projections on the water-based screen.
The show reminds me in some ways of the World of Color nighttime show at Disney's California Adventure as it features large fountains that are illuminated at the base, affixed to the show's structure. The projection screens also remind me of the projection technology used for Disney's Illuminations which takes place at Disneyland Paris. Of course it also features the fireworks we all know and love from the Disney parks. Overall, I would consider the show to be quite breathtaking. The fountains are beautiful, the LED screens add a whole new dimension to nighttime entertainment at the Epcot Center, and the fireworks are amazing as usual.
A departure from the tradition of nighttime spectaculars at Epcot, HarmonioUS is a celebration of the music of disney, representing different cultures around the world. This is fitting considering the show takes place in the World Showcase Lagoon. In a true Epcot touch though, not only is the music performed in English, but each song is also performed in the language native to the country in which the movie is based.
There are some things that I feel HarmonioUS does extremely well at, especially where Disney Enchantment at the Magic Kingdom seem to fail at. First of all, the show does a very good job at connecting with younger and older audiences alike. Younger children will most certainly recognize music from Frozen, Moana and Coco, while older audiences will immediately recognize classics from movies like The Jungle Book, The Lion King and the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Younger and Older fans alike will be enthralled from the very beginning when How Far I'll Go and Go the Distance are combined for an incredible introduction to this amazing show.
In addition to this, I feel that the show does a very good job of reaching out to nearly every guest that is gathered around the World Showcase. The show is very intentional about featuring Disney music that is featured in films based all around the world. Almost every guest looking on in awe will see their culture represented in this nighttime spectacular. The only downside I see of this show is that the pyrotechnic features are a bit more muted when compared to Illuminations: Reflections of Earth and Epcot Forever.
HarmonioUS has seen plenty of controversy since its inception. For starters, many have complained about the showpieces (which are permanently affixed in the center of the World Showcase lagoon). The sightlines from across the World Showcase lagoon are now obstructed by the showpieces. This is something I can agree with. However, this could be improved by making use of the fountains during the day, turning the showpieces into a massive water feature by day, and dazzling light and firework display by night.
There were also may complaints that this show is inferior to Illuminations: Reflections of Earth and that it is not a suitable replacement. Many would agree with me when I say that Illuminations is an icon in the history of Epcot. Afterall, the show did run for 20 years, won multiple awards and even saw its soundtrack featured in a Super Bowl halftime show. But here's the thing... the show began in 1999, with technology from 1999. By the time I saw it for the first time in 2014, it had become a bit dated. That isn't to say I didn't like the show, but considering what Disneyland had to offer with their shows, I felt there was definitely a lot more that could be featured. Parks also must experience change as they grow and develop. While I believe Illuminations was a critical part of Epcot in its time, It doesn't really have a place in the future of Epcot.
With that being said, I do find HarmonioUS to be a suitable replacement for Illuminations, and well representative of what Epcot is becoming. As Walt Disney once said... "EPCOT will always be in a state of becoming, It will. never cease to be a living blueprint for the future." EPCOT is becoming much more modern, especially with the developments that are currently underway towards the front of the park. HarmonioUS breaks technological barriers when it comes to nighttime entertainment. The show within itself is in a state of becoming.
Overall, I absolutely love the show, and believe many of the complaints about it are simply that it isn't the old show... it isn't what they grew up with. It isn't the EPCOT they've been visiting for years. They scoff at what it is becoming, saying that the magic is gone. In reality, the magic is only beginning. To those who complain about the changes, I say only this. It was Walt Disney himself who said... "We keep moving forward, opening new doors, trying new things, because we are curious, and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."
