Universal Orlando’s Cinematic Celebration lagoon show debuts this summer

Universal Orlando’s Cinematic Celebration will debut in the Universal Studios Florida lagoon later this summer, and the park has just released the first details and concept art for their upcoming nighttime show.

Universal Orlando's Cinematic Celebration
Jurassic World’s dinosaurs will roar to life in the lagoon during Universal Orlando’s Cinematic Celebration show this summer.

Starting this summer, Universal Studios Florida will premiere its latest nighttime lagoon show, Universal Orlando’s Cinematic Celebration, giving guests a brand-new way to cap off their day in the park on select nights.

Universal Orlando’s Cinematic Celebration will blend multiple panoramic water screens with pyrotechnics, over 120 dancing fountains, and projection mapping, to transform the entire waterfront and surrounding buildings.

The show’s all-new storyline and soundtrack features several two-minute segments, each focusing on a favorite franchise associated with the Universal Orlando Resort.

According to an exclusive interview with Universal’s senior director for entertainment creative development Michael Aiello for The Leaky Cauldron, highlighted characters will include Harry Potter, the dinosaurs of Jurassic World, the Fast & the Furious family, Despicable Me’s Minions, and Dreamworks’ Trolls.

The Harry Potter segment in particular will center on spellcasting, with ‘Wingardium Leviosa’ and ‘Incendio’ spells filling the lagoon with (projected) floating feathers and flames, and Dementors ‘freezing’ the New York area’s facades before being defeated by Harry’s ‘Expecto Patronum’.

John Williams’ iconic score will swell as Harry soars across the lagoon’s surface on Buckbeak’s back, and projection effects will transform New York into Hogwarts Castle as house banners will unfurl.

Cinematic Celebration
Construction on the fountain platform and viewing area for Universal Orlando’s Cinematic Celebration, as seen from the park’s San Francisco section.

Guests will be able to watch Universal Orlando’s Cinematic Celebration from an all-new, dedicated viewing area designed specifically for the show, giving them prime viewing of the experience.

The area known as Central Park, which is accessed from the path between Hollywood and Kidzone at Universal Studios Florida, has been reconfigured with newly built terraces from which approximately 6,500 guests will be able to stand and watch the show.

While certain elements of Cinematic Celebration should be visible from anywhere around the lagoon, this is the first time Universal had created a nighttime show that’s intended to be watched from one particular location.

Universal Orlando’s Cinematic Celebration in Universal Studios Florida will join The Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle in Universal’s Islands of Adventure, which is currently running from sunset until park closing on select night.

Universal has not announced an exact opening date or performance schedule yet, nor any details on how guests will secure a spot in the viewing section. However, the show has begun technical rehearsals, so we should see an official opening date soon.

If you can’t wait, and don’t mind getting spoiled, check out our video of the first technical rehearsal for Universal Orlando’s Cinematic Celebration below:

For more information, or to book a Universal Orlando vacation, visit UniversalOrlando.com or our recommended travel partner UniversalFanTravel.com, and watch these videos of other Universal nighttime spectacles:

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