Overview
- Crews began prying up the fixtures in August 2026, and by October roughly two‑thirds of the light strips had been removed and their channels poured with light‑colored concrete with subtle sparkly flecks.
- The lighting package first debuted with World Celebration Gardens in December 2023 but quickly showed persistent failures such as flicker, dark segments, sync problems, and warped plastic covers that lifted under Florida weather and heavy foot traffic.
- For months Disney used improvised fixes — driving screws through covers, applying caulk and paint, and deploying stanchions, ropes and rolling planters — before deciding on permanent removal.
- Removing the fixtures and clearing the planters has reopened the central courtyard and restored level, accessible walkways for guests and mobility‑device users, while the southeast third of the installation remains in place and is expected to be removed soon.
- The move ends a high‑profile Imagineering experiment that sought to echo EPCOT’s fiber‑optic past and highlights a tradeoff between ambitious, flush electronics in heavy‑use outdoor plazas and a low‑tech, durable solution better suited to Central Florida’s climate and guest volumes.