With the return of the fireworks to Disney’s Magic Kingdom, it’s time to consider once again where the best locations are to watch the fireworks each night. While you can watch the fireworks from within the Magic Kingdom, if you aren’t visiting the park that day or are looking for a quieter viewing location, you’ll find there are plenty of good viewing options around the resort. Let’s take a look at a few of the best fireworks viewing locations on offer and where we recommend watching the show from during your next vacation.
In the Magic Kingdom
For the next few months, visitors to the Magic Kingdom can enjoy the popular Happily Ever After show. From October 1st, 2021, we’ll welcome a new show called Disney Enchantment for the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World. For the next few months, we expect crowds to be very high for the fireworks, especially as this is the first month they’ve been back since the recent pandemic.
Main Street, U.S.A.
Main Street, U.S.A is a great spot to watch the fireworks, and the best location around here is in the central hub in front of the castle. While you may think that you want to be right in front of the castle, in fact, this is often a little too close for comfort. The show relies heavily on the castle projections, and if you are too close, you are unable to take in some of the great effects and the perimeter fireworks.Â
Try to stand behind the statue in the center of the hub for the best view, or head further down Main Street, U.S.A., to enjoy witnessing all of the fireworks from up above. Don’t go too far back towards the train station, as this has slightly obstructed views, especially towards the sides at the entrance of the park. If you do want to get a good view of the show, expect to need to be in place at least an hour beforehand. Due to the limited time left to watch Happily Ever After, you may find this time even increases. If you only want to turn up 20-30 minutes before the show, expect to be located much further down Main Street, U.S.A.
The Hub Grass and Fireworks Dessert Party
The hub grass used to be used for FastPass+ viewing areas, so if these are available now for public use, they offer a great view of the show. The area in between the two pieces of hub grass offers the best viewing location, but it has very limited capacity. On top of that, you’ll also want to see if Disney is offering the dessert party again, which took place on the Tomorrowland Terrace. This paid party was a great way to guarantee your family a good view of the show while enjoying delicious treats before and during the fireworks. It doesn’t offer the perfect view of the show, but you will find it much less stressful than waiting for a long time before the show.
Other Locations in the Magic Kingdom
Unlike previous shows in the park, Happily Ever After relies heavily on projections, and it seems the next show will also be the same. While it’s super fun riding the Frontierland attractions during the fireworks, you’ll miss out on a lot of the show which takes place on Cinderella Castle. Of course, you can still see a lot of the fireworks from anywhere in the park, but you’ll find you miss the story and the magic of the show that you’ll enjoy on Main Street, U.S.A. We also love riding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover during the show, as it offers a long ride with regular views directly looking at the castle.
Ticket & Transportation Center
At the dock at the Ticket & Transportation Center, you’ll enjoy a great view of the show. In fact, we find this to be a good way to escape the crowds while still enjoying the show. Even if you don’t have a park ticket for the day, you can come here and watch the fireworks. The music is still played here, and you’ll enjoy one of the best views with minimal crowds. When Disney brings back fireworks at their parties, this is a fun way to enjoy the special fireworks without paying the higher ticket price. If you time your visit right, you can even enjoy crossing over to the park on the ferryboat during the show, which offers a unique fireworks viewing experience.
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Heading out to the resorts, we love watching the fireworks from the beach at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. If you are lucky enough to be staying in one of the bungalows here, you’ll have one of the best views in the resort of the fireworks. For anyone else, head down to the beach or the boat launch area to enjoy the fireworks. The music is piped in here, and there are some chairs on the beach which you can sit on if you arrive early enough. Grab a drink or some snacks from the quick-service location or the bar here to bring down to the beach and enjoy during the show. If you are dining at ‘Ohana during the fireworks time, you’ll also get a great view from inside the restaurant of the show.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
The Grand Floridian Resort offers a similar experience to the Polynesian resort, although it’s usually a little bit quieter here. By the boat launch, in front of the quick-service dining location here, you’ll get an excellent view of the show, and there is limited seating here as well. When dining at Narcoossee’s, you’ll also get an excellent view of the show, so make sure you time your dinner right to enjoy this experience. Ask for a window view when you are checking in for the best experience from this restaurant.
California Grill Restaurant and Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Located at the top of the Contemporary Resort, this is one of our favorite viewing experiences for the fireworks. Book your table at the right time to enjoy this experience, and you’ll be able to head out to the restaurant’s observation deck at the time of the show for an incredible overhead view of the castle. This restaurant gets very booked up, especially for later dining times, so make sure you book ahead 60 days in advance of your trip. If you can’t secure a reservation for your visit, you could head to the concourse on the 4th floor, which also has an observation deck in the back right corner.
Capa at the Four Seasons Resort
For anyone looking to enjoy a special meal on their next trip, the Four Seasons Orlando has a lovely steakhouse located on its 17th floor. Capa offers views of both the Magic Kingdom and Epcot fireworks, so you can enjoy both in one evening from overhead. The restaurant is a bit of a splurge, but it’s a great choice for a special occasion.
Whether you are choosing to watch the fireworks from inside the park or in one of the nearby viewing areas, you’ll have an incredible experience. We are expecting the fireworks to be extremely popular in the next few months, especially before Happily Ever After ends its run. Make sure you arrive as early as possible to secure your spot in any of these viewing locations to offer you the best experience during your next trip. The fireworks can’t be missed on any Disney vacation, and you’ll find these to be one of the highlights of your next visit to Walt Disney World.
