Since the phased reopening of the reimagined EPCOT, guests have been dazzled by the innovative lighting elements throughout the park. However, as time goes on, it seems that EPCOT’s lighting problems are quickly growing. These issues call into question the park’s overall maintenance and viability of these effects.
EPCOT Entrance Plaza Lighting Problems
The EPCOT entrance plaza, meant to welcome guests with a stunning display of light, is facing numerous problems:
Starting with perhaps the most egregious of the issues: the entrance plaza fountain. Two of the three Lucite pylons have gone dark, diminishing the intended visual impact. The return of these pylons was a huge highlight of EPCOT’s overhaul, in the eyes of fans and Disney itself.
About half of the entrance plaza fountain lights are either out or malfunctioning. The malfunctioning ones flicker randomly.
Multiple sections of accent lighting around the entrance plaza are not functioning. We saw three different sections out, the two pictured sections and a third near stroller rental.
Some pathway lighting in the entrance plaza is also out. In the foreground is a nonfunctional light, with a working one in the background.
World Celebration Gardens
One of the most anticipated additions to EPCOT, the World Celebration Gardens, has been plagued by lighting issues since its debut:
The ground lighting effects, a key feature of the gardens, are almost completely nonfunctional or malfunctioning. This is a problem that has persisted since shortly after the area’s opening and has been well-documented over the last year.
Half of the centerpiece vertical lights are stuck on bright white, failing to change color in sync with Spaceship Earth’s Points of Light.
Entire planters of these acrylic accent lights are out. Additionally, miscellaneous lighting fixtures throughout the area are completely non-functional.
Other EPCOT Areas
Lighting problems are not limited to the park’s newest additions. Other areas of EPCOT are also experiencing issues:
The marquee sign for The Seas with Nemo & Friends is completely dark. The only exterior lighting is on the mural bordering the entrance to the attraction.
Spotlights, floodlights, and pathway lighting in the area all seem to be off at present. We observed multiple parties of guests using their cell phone lights to navigate the area.
Pathway light poles near Guest Relations are out, while some are illuminated and color-change as intended. Two of five lights in this stretch are not working.
Miraculously, most of Spaceship Earth’s 1,800+ Points of Light were working on this evening, aside for a small western-facing section that has been out for several months. However, Spaceship Earth has gone dim on multiple nights over the summer – as recently as this week – where only spotlights functioned for at least part of the night. On those evenings, some or all of the Points of Light shows did not take place.
As EPCOT continues to face these ongoing lighting problems, guests are left wondering when these issues will be addressed. At worst, some of these issues present safety concerns. At best, they’re bad show. The park’s lighting elements play a crucial role in creating the immersive and magical atmosphere that visitors have come to expect from Disney – and EPCOT especially.
Check back here at MainGatePass.com and follow us on X (Twitter) for the latest Disney Parks news & updates.
