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2. A new EPCOT show is in development, but will not be ready for another year

Image: Disney

Harmonious at EPCOT was certainly one of the most ambitious shows ever conceived at Walt Disney World, featuring impressive infrastructure that included massive screens on barges that orbited a massive six-story ring-like structure with 54-foot-long moving arms that sprayed water. The show's hardware alone made it quite a sight to behold, but unfortunately, it has been confirmed after just a year of performances, Disney is officially calling it quits with Harmonious. 

However, unlike at the Magic Kingdom, it looks like it will take some time to replace this show, with a new nighttime spectacular currently projected to debut late next year. It is currently unknown if this new show will use the Harmonious barges and equipment, or if Disney will be installing something completely new on the World Showcase lagoon for this upcoming show. 

Image: Disney

What we do know is that this nighttime spectacular will tie into the aforementioned 100th anniversary of Walt Disney animation, celebrating the studio's film legacy. Disney also said that this new show would be “continuing the park’s legacy of inspiring nighttime entertainment on World Showcase Lagoon.”

Some have wondered if the interim EPCOT Forever nighttime spectacular, which was used in between IllumiNations and Harmonious as a temporary show could be deployed again between the end of Harmonious and the beginning of this new, upcoming show. While there's no way to know for sure right now if this is the plan, if EPCOT Forever did return, it would likely be the version that doesn’t have the kite or jet-ski elements, as there would likely be construction work happening around the lagoon in preparation for the new, replacement show. This slimmed-down version of EPCOT Forever was last performed in 2021 when fireworks shows initially returned to Walt Disney World following reopening, but before Harmonious was ready to go. 

Image: Disney

While there are still a lot of questions about the new EPCOT show, we're expecting an announcement of some kind on January 1, 2023 on the Disney 100 celebration page with more details about this show. 

Though there are still plenty of ifs and buts about what to expect from the two new shows set to debut at Walt Disney World next year, one thing is for sure, the history of Disney Animation and the studio's 100th-anniversary celebration will loom large over both these shows, and we expect a lot more information to be announced in just a few weeks, when Disney officially announces its plans for the upcoming "100 Years of Wonder" event. 

 
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