ORLANDO, Fla. – Ahead of Disney World's 50th anniversary celebration, which officially kicks off Friday, Disney unveiled the new lighting effects for Epcot's Spaceship Earth.

The park icon became a "Beacon of Magic" Wednesday night after the first public viewing of the new nighttime spectacular "Harmonious."

With the new, programmable lighting, the exterior of Spaceship Earth now glows with different colors and patterns. There's also a nod to "IllumiNations" near the end of the show.

The show will happen in the evenings starting at dusk and running every 15 minutes or so.

Other park icons—Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom, Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios and Tree of Life at Disney's Animal Kingdom—will also transform into "Beacons of Magic" for the anniversary celebration.

Epcot's new lighting, however, will continue beyond the anniversary celebration.

-

Facebook Twitter