Lake Buena Vista Nightlife

A unique firework and light show, IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth occurs solely on water (the World Showcase Lagoon in Epcot), and is anchored by a globe that displays some phenomenal photography on its curved LED-screen continents.

You’re bound to be enchanted by the evening spectacular of IllumiNations, but less so if you’ve spent the entire day in the park. If you have Park Hopper, Magic Your Way (length-of-stay), or Annual (Florida Resident) Passes, plan a quiet morning at your resort (or at home), swimming, biking, or otherwise relaxing, and make reservations for your favourite restaurant in Epcot (the Rose and Crown Dining Room and Le Cellier Steakhouse are nice and close). By the time you should stake out your spot by the World Showcase Lagoon, you won’t be exhausted, the kids won’t be ready to leave, and you’ll all be excited for the show.

Crowds tend to gather earlier for IllumiNations than they do even for parades, because Future World (the larger half of the park) closes hours before the show begins. And the World Showcase tends to quiet down at the same time. If you’re in need of a pleasant distraction from the crowd, why not pick up dessert at the Boulangerie Patisserie before jostling for a spot.

Or, better yet, watch the show from one of the lagoon-side tables in the France Pavilion. IllumiNations does tend to stick closer to the Canada Pavilion, but you won’t have any worse of a view from the France Pavilion than you would standing behind a tall guy with a sleeping kid on his shoulders, and you (and your sleeping kid) will be infinitely more comfortable.