A big part of going on holiday to Walt Disney World is the Disney World night time shows. I will never forget how we almost didn’t go and see Wishes when it was still on at Magic Kingdom during our first visit in 2014.
We would have missed out on an amazing experience. Disney World at night takes on a whole different atmosphere to the daytime and well worth experiencing. There are a variety of evening shows, each very different and all worth seeing at least once, but which Disney night show is the best?
Happily Ever After Fireworks
Happily Ever After is the new Magic Kingdom night show, and one of the best Disney World fireworks show in my opinion. Happily Ever After took over from Wishes in May 2017.
I was really excited to see this as I had heard great things about it. An 18 minute show featuring lasers, lights, fireworks and amazing songs. The show starts with a dream sharing some of the great Disney films projected onto the castle.
Happily Ever After is by far my favourite of all Walt Disney World night-time shows, and we were lucky enough to watch it inside the park, and also from Seven Seas Lagoon during a fireworks cruise.
Luminous The Symphony Of Us
Epcot is a favourite park of mine. Hubby doesn’t agree, but I love everything about the pavilions and the scenery on offer, as well as the great food and drink.
As the show is in the middle of the World Show Case lagoon, you are guaranteed a good viewing spot. We like to stand between Canada and UK where there aren’t too many trees and plenty of spaces to sit down for a while before the show starts.
Luminous Symphony Of Us is a mixture of lights, fireworks and pyrotechnics. reminding us that we are more alike than different than we think.
Related post – Must see Disney World shows
Fantasmic
Fantasmic showcases Sorcerer Mickey and his battle with the villains. Based at Hollywood Studios in the large amphitheatre, you are almost always guaranteed a seat during the show, however it is always best to arrive a little early. This is one of the best Disney shows for the whole family.
Fantasmic fireworks are amazing. The whole show is always a great crowd pleaser, with plenty of drama, fireworks, lights to keep the whole family entertained.
The only down side to Fantasmic is trying to leave the amphitheatre afterwards with the rest of the crowds. We always find it better to sit and wait until the crowds disperse a little before trying to leave.
What are your favourite Disney World night shows?
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We love Fantasmic the most. While the Magic Kingdom will always have the most fireworks and the best show because of the park it’s in, Fantasmic has a story, Disney characters, a fight between good & evil, etc. It also offers an opportunity for preferred seating which we can’t get at MK. It’s also the most non-wheelchair handicapped friendly. Not everyone who’s handicapped is in a wheelchair or scooter!
I like both MK’s and Epcot’s, but while Epcot has the opportunity to FastPass it for preferred viewing, there’s no seating. None at MK, either. As a disabled person not in a wheelchair, this makes it difficult for me. I can’t sit on the ground. I also can’t just stand in one place for a lengthy amount of time. Leaning on a cane isn’t really a solution. So we usually only see the firework show at MK if we do a dessert cruise.
Have yet to see the Rivers of Light. When we went in 2016, I didn’t even know about it because it was so new. When we went last year, granddaughter didn’t really want to go to Animal Kingdom, so we spent our time at the other parks. But good to know about the seating. I was going to try for it this year when we go, but not if there’s not enough seating. We want to eat at Yak & Yeti this year, which isn’t on the Rivers of Light seating deal. Already did Tusker House when we went in 2016.