Epcot's 'IllumiNations' globe seen demolished in photos over the weekend

Theme park blogger Mickey Views shared an image on Sunday that's sure to distress anyone who visited Epcot as a child. The LED-screen-covered "IllumiNations" globe, upon which rays of light and laser beams have been projected for more than 20 years – along with childhood dreams – was seen dismantled in a back lot.

Close-up of demolished Illuminations globe sent in by an anonymous source pic.twitter.com/Iu3cFstuQM

— Mickey Views (@MickeyViews) October 6, 2019

It’s just the latest in a long line of iconic items being destroyed. The globe, much like the parade floats and Millennium decorations before it, wasn’t designed to last forever.

With aging technology and a lack of potential uses, the best option for some items is the scrap yard. Others are used as decorations in backstage areas and offices. The Orlando Imagineering office, like many others across property, is filled with retired props now protected from the elements, including some from Epcot's Millennium Celebration.

Other previous parade or show props find new lives as décor in the park, but this is rare because of the short lifespan that these props are often designed for. In some cases, Disney has sold pieces of the individual props, a clever way to dispose of items while not having to pay high recycling costs that discarding them would otherwise entail.

Stay on top of Orlando news and views. Sign up for our weekly Headlines newsletter.