IllumiNations lights up World Showcase
Replacing the technically impressive Laserphonic Fantasy, IllumiNations continued Epcot’s nighttime spectacular winning streak with a presentation that made World Showcase itself the star.
Pre-opening print advertisement for IllumiNations.
(Enhanced by yours truly)
IllumiNations took all the technological advancements of its predecessor added several more, with upgraded lasers, “Pichel” Lights that outlined 9 of the 11 countries as well as Electical Water Pageant style displays on each pavilion’s roof.
Original Fact Sheet
The show requires a crew of about forty people, four 30-ton barges, and six diesel generators.
The luminosity of the searchlights equals one billion flashlight bulbs.
The stereo system is powerful enough to turn 1,350 homes into Studio 54.
The World Showcase pavilions are rimmed with enough light bulbs to fill the electronic billboard in Times Square five times.
A half-million watts of theater light are used to illuminate the pavilions. That is equal to what it would look like if 4,167 car headlights were coming at you.
If the strobe lights were to be equated with the flash of a photographer's camera, there would be enough light bursts to take a snapshot of every person in the stands during a sold-out game at the Louisiana Superdome.
104 fountain heads pump 5,000 gallons of water per minute and push the water to heights of 40 feet.
It takes four off-duty firefighters about six hours to assemble 872 pieces of fireworks for the show.
In addition to its enhanced visuals, IllumiNations would also feature the synthesized Laserphonic Fantasy arrangement of Classical music performed by a full orchestra with a new original fanfare and custom exit music comprised of a medley of GE’s “We Bring Good Things to Life” theme and distinctly Epcot arrangements of “it’s a small world”.
The show’s name and basic premise would prove to be so popular that it was used for FOUR subsequent versions of the show including 1994’s Holiday IllumiNations, IllumiNations25 and IllumiNations 2000: Reflections of Earth!
Marketing composite.
Notice how France has moved to the other side of the World… Showcase:)
Hear Don Dorsey discuss the creation of the show as part of his appearance on Michael & Jeff Crawford’s Progress City Radio Hour.
IllumiNations begins at 1:30:25.
But, wait there’s more!
E82 Locals Supporters can continue the IllumiNations experience by listening to its remastered soundtrack at the link below.
Join E82's Locals Community
epcotlegacy.locals.com
EPILOGUE
The original incarnation of IllumiNations would run for eight years from January 30th, 1988 until September 20, 1996 when it would be replaced the next day by the “A” version of IllumiNations25.
