3. The new(est) story

One of the great draws of Epcot is that, in being slightly removed from the fantasy world of Disney, it has always been able to accommodate celebrations and events that take on a larger significance in the world. It's an amazing place to watch the World Cup, or to enjoy the New Year's Eve festivities.

But in its history, there probably wasn't a celebration more perfectly suited to its unique charm than the Millennium Celebration of the year 2000. The Epcot of today is largely a product of that celebration, with international flavor and cultural literacy becoming far more important for the park's identity.

And for that celebration, Disney realized they needed to create a new version of their popular nighttime show – something with a message suited to this new era into which we were all moving.

Thus, Illuminations: Reflections of Earth was born.

While most of the attention goes to the show's exquisite score by Gavin Greenaway, or the brilliantly choreographed lights and fireworks, I think the most impressive thing about it is that the show does what any great Disney attraction does: It tells a compelling story.

If you weren't aware, Illuminations: Reflections of Earth actually tells its story in three acts. The first focuses on the birth of the Earth, and it attempts to portray the violent aether from which it sprang forth. The second shows how the Earth eventually became home to people, countries, and our inventions -- this is when the countries themselves finally are put on display. The third and final act serves to inspire us all to look forward, and envisions a world in which all of humanity is united together.

And so, in redeveloping Illuminations, Disney was able to do something quite amazing – they gave a fireworks show a compelling story.

4. The message

When you think about it, Walt Disney World's reimagination of their most spectacular nighttime show (yeah, I'll say it – come at me, Wishes) was extraordinarily prescient. Our world is far more interconnected than ever before. We can Skype with friends halfway across the globe. We can log onto Twitter and watch news break in Syria in real time. We can visit Google Street View and explore cities and towns we couldn't all have visited before.

And so, Illuminations: Reflections of Earth has not only lived up to the new millennium it was meant to introduce, but it has served as a beautifully artistic representation of our current times. Even the subtitle, Reflections of Earth, has a kind of beautiful echoing of the digital representations of Earth and each other that we experience every day over those Skype connections and Street View journeys. That echoing is further strengthened by the digital representation of Earth floating at the center of the World Showcase Lagoon – which, in turn, features its own digital representations of Earth's inhabitants.

With all that synchronicity, it stands to reason that the show's message would resonate with 21st century audiences as well – and in this regard, it doesn't disappoint. One needn't look any further than the show's inspiring finale to find that message and see that, truly, it speaks to our interconnected world: “We go on, through the joy and through the tears. We go on, to discover new frontiers. Moving on, through the courage of the years. We go on.”

The message is clear: Now that we're all so connected, nothing can stop our progress. We go on, no matter what. And, considering the hectic and tense beginnings of our new Millennium, that message couldn't have been delivered at a more perfect time.

5. The possible future

Yet, despite the perfect symmetry between the show's story, message, and social context, there are rumors that Disney is contemplating reworking Epcot's centerpiece show. It's a funny kind of contradiction – at the same time we're complaining that Disney hasn't updated Epcot enough, we're also fearing the replacement of a show that's currently 15 years old. Yes, it speaks perfectly to the early years of the 2000s we've experienced so far, but what about the next 15 years? Would we rather have a show that works in the present, or one that looks forward to the future?

There are, of course, fears that Disney could replace Illuminations with either a copy of California Adventure's marvelous World of Color. And, looking at the recent introduction of Disney properties into Epcot – adding Finding Nemo to The Seas, and replacing Maelstrom with a Frozen -themed ride – it absolutely seems within the realm of possibility that they'd go this route.

But here's the thing about Epcot: It will always have that massive geodesic sphere at its gate, daring Imagineers and executives to be a bit more ambitious. There's something about that part that challenges you to think bigger, to take a wider view. The question is whether Disney will live up to that challenge or not.