While all four Walt Disney World Theme Parks boast impressive nighttime attractions and shows, nothing is as grand or iconic as viewing fireworks at the Magic Kingdom Park. Fireworks have been a staple at WDW since its grand opening in 1972, and there have been many variations over the years. But regardless of the incarnation at that time, viewing fireworks in Magic Kingdom is an absolute must-do.
Over the past several years, Disney has invested a great deal into its “projection mapping” technology. Images and animations are projected onto structures to entertain, enhance, and give life to an otherwise immobile structure. Cinderella’s castle is not the only canvas for projection mapping mind you. The Chinese Theatre, Tower of Terror, the floating mountains of Pandora, the Tree of Life, and Spaceship Earth have all “come to life” via this technology. With that said, Cinderella’s castle still takes the cake, as its projection show is the most elaborate, emotional, and impressive display of the technology. What’s more is the projection show and the fireworks show are now one in the same, each element complementing and improving the other. “Happily Ever After” is subjectively (just my opinion ya’ll!) the best nighttime Disney Parks show of all time. It takes the viewer through an incredible journey that is equal parts heartfelt, empowering, and majestic. If you don’t well up a bit during this show (especially when Tinkerbell is flying over your head near the end), you likely have no soul.
For those of you with souls however, below are some tips that will help make this already incredible experience even better (especially if you have little ones like us):
- Be early – This is the first tip on basically everything in Walt Disney World. Being early for fireworks is especially important with kids. Why? You are about to be packed in like sardines, and it is very likely that your children may not be able to see over the crowd if they are not held. From my own experience, holding a couple of kids for 20 minutes after walking a half-marathon in the parks that day make for an excruciating experience. What’s more, it takes away from what should be one of the best experiences of your trip. If you have kids, we suggest you show up for fireworks 1-1.5 hours before the show, depending on how busy the park is. Without kids, 45 minutes – 1 hour should be OK.
- Pick the right spot – Again, this is critical with kids. If you are willing to pay for dessert party tickets, there’s hardly a better way to enjoy the show, as you are guaranteed a spot in a reserved viewing area on soft astro-turf. This area is not too crowded, and you may even be able to sit down picnic style to enjoy the show (oh by the way, you get all-you-can eat dessert and premium non-alcoholic drinks!). If you do spring for dessert party tickets, I recommend the grassy seating area instead of the Tommorowland Terrace. Not only is it cheaper, but is a much better view of the castle. Now if you are not interested in the dessert party AND you have kids, you should have one goal in mind. FIND. A. FENCE. To be more specific, you want to find seating along a fence with the fence standing between you and the castle. This will give you an unobstructed view of the castle with no giraffe-neck Dads (yeah, that’s my husband by the way ) standing in front of you. If no one is standing in front of you, YOU DON’T HAVE TO HOLD YOUR KIDS!!! They can stand on their own. They can sit on the ground. Heck, you can even park your stroller up against the fence facing the castle, and they can sit in the stroller watching the show like a boss. Even without kids, this is an ideal spot, especially for the vertically challenged. There are a few trees and lampposts that can get in the way, but my best advice is to scope out a couple spots earlier in the day and follow tip #1. As it gets closer to show time, cast members will ask all park goers to stand up (most are sprawled on the ground marking their space) and move towards the fence to make more space for more people. By sitting along the fence, you are not forced to move (and for the claustrophobic, you’re gonna be packed no matter where you stand; it’s no worse along the fence).
- Have some things to do while you wait – If you are waiting for an hour with tired fussy kids (or adults…), make sure you have some things to pass the time. Make sure your phones/tablets are charged, and you have activities for the little ones. This is also a great time to enjoy a snack. We like to send one from our party to go pick up some Dole Whips while we wait!
- Avoid the rush out – as soon as fireworks are over, there is a mad rush out of the park making for big lines to get on busses, monorails, and ferries. If your aim is to beat all these folks out of the park, you should be viewing the show from near the entrance (which is not as good an experience). Otherwise, it’s best to wait out the rush and enjoy the park a little more. I know you are tired. I know your kids are fussy. But navigating that mass exodus with children is not worth the stress. Enjoy the shops, ride another ride (if open) or stick around for an additional (but not as good) projection show, “Once Upon a Time” 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first show (this one doesn’t have fireworks, only projection).
This past April, we planned a trip for some first-timers, and fireworks were high on their list of must-do’s (it should be for anyone mind you!). We shared the same tips listed above to ensure they had a great experience. The night they were in Magic Kindom I received the following text from our client:
Top 5? I don’t know. Hyperbole? Perhaps. Improper use of “was” instead of “were”? Most definitely. But needless to say, there is value in thinking through your strategy as it relates to fireworks. I hope these tips give you some confidence in navigating the most magical experience Walt Disney World has to offer!
