Final Illumination last night

[katallo]

While I wasn't lucky enough to be there we watched the live feed. Really disappointed there was not a special ending.

 

[kenthanson]

Damn, that was always my favourite end of evening show at WDW. I was lucky enough to see it about 6 times which might not seem like lots.

 

[Fangorn]

We are there last night.
Very crowded. For the first time in forever, when the music started, the park guests went virtually silent - other than the occasional crying child. Folks were really paying attention to the show and just soaking it in.

Prior to the start, there was a lot of talk around us about the possibility of a tag. The general consensus was that as much as people enjoyed the tag endings, to do so on the last night of the show would cheapen the show itself and detract from the bittersweetness of the experience. That was my feeling as well.

On interesting thing to note. Usually, we hang out after Illuminations all the way through the Tapestry of Dreams music - but which time, World Showcase is empty. Not last night. A significant percentage of the crowd hung around as well. Standing in small clusters and reminiscing. It was a very moving evening. People saying goodbye to an old friend.

Steve

 

[MarkinNM]

I guess I am in the monority here but I could care less and am actually glad this BORING, slow moving "show" is gone, tried staying though it 2 weeks ago and just was bored to death, hopefully Epcot has something better coming up......

 

[Jennasis]

I loved Illuminations. Except for the middle part where the show ground to a screeching halt. It was time for it to move on and be replaced with something new. It had a great run.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Illuminations will always have a spot in my heart. We'd stay at Beach Club the last few Christmas trips and stake out a spot at the UK pavilion by Rose & Crown to watch.

One year we went for Easter and we're waiting... all of a sudden I feel something on my shoulder and there's a frog staring me down. I jumped up and no one knew what happened. My dad joked with me about it for months.

Our last trip was in 2018 for Christmas. We got to see the show one last time. My dad wasn't feeling well after getting heart surgery in July but we pushed him to enjoy the trip as much as possible. I'm glad we saw it and did all that stuff, because he unexpectedly passed a month later.

Sorry for the sad post...Illuminations ending just made me think of it. It's amazing. People will never quite understand why my older family loves Disney so much...but it's woven into the fabric of my family—especially as we've all gotten older and been busy with work.

 

[monkyby87]

It was an interesting show, but not one of my favorites. It also has indeed been around for a while, so this change will go well with the rest of the changes coming to Epcot. Fortunately there will be the temporary Epcot Forever show and then the actual replacement show a year after that. Disney has come a long way with their nighttime shows over the years, so I'm excited to see what this has.

Having said that I still wish the Star Wars show at HS was just the fireworks that they used to have, and not the laser show that goes on now...

 

[yulilin3]

I guess I am in the monority here but I could care less and am actually glad this BORING, slow moving "show" is gone, tried staying though it 2 weeks ago and just was bored to death, hopefully Epcot has something better coming up......

Sorry to be that person but "couldn't"
I also think the show lost its umph years ago. I was there last night and people around me were crying and I was like "bring on the new show" still tons of memories though and got to see it the last show from the same spot i watched the show for the first time in 1996

 

[Skywise]

Did they at least do any special projections on Spaceship Earth? I watched the videos and was disappointed they didn't even say anything on the announcements before or after about this being the final night of the show.

 

[yulilin3]

Did they at least do any special projections on Spaceship Earth? I watched the videos and was disappointed they didn't even say anything on the announcements before or after about this being the final night of the show.

I didn't really notice SE sorry. I mean, they didn't do anything extra for Wishes or the MSEP, I wasn't expecting anything extra for Illuminations. Going tonight to watch the new show and I am interested to see if they keep the same pre show music and torch lights

 

[Skywise]

I didn't really notice SE sorry. I mean, they didn't do anything extra for Wishes or the MSEP, I wasn't expecting anything extra for Illuminations. Going tonight to watch the new show and I am interested to see if they keep the same pre show music and torch lights

Meh - I'm just a hopeless "romantic" that way
I thought I had heard that they were removing the torches altogether for the new show?

 

[AngiTN]

I would not expect, nor want, them to change the final show. The final show for any show should be the original, not some special version. JMHO

I guess I am in the monority here but I could care less and am actually glad this BORING, slow moving "show" is gone, tried staying though it 2 weeks ago and just was bored to death, hopefully Epcot has something better coming up......

Nope, not alone (though no one is ever alone in their thought regarding Disney)
Illuminations was my least favorite show and I'm really looking forward to seeing the new show this weekend.

 

[yulilin3]

Meh - I'm just a hopeless "romantic" that way
I thought I had heard that they were removing the torches altogether for the new show?

No clue, I'll find out tonight