Nighttime entertainment at Disney is nothing short of magical, enchanting and wondrous! There is absolutely nothing more fabulous than ending a Disney day with a nighttime fireworks or projection show. And there is literally no one on this earth that does fireworks and nighttime entertainment better than Disney. It is grand, emotional and magical. And if you have the chance to stay and watch any of these masterpieces, you absolutely should. It is worth the extra time, extra energy and extra effort to see it. Whether you spend all day in the park, or leave midday for a break, be sure to come back or stay for the evening entertainment. A Disney vacation is truly not complete without it. It’s a “must-do”, at least according to me. 😀
So, let’s rank the best 5 nighttime shows (from least favorite to favorite) at Walt Disney World. This is purely an opinion piece, you may feel differently about some of my choices.
Location: Magic Kingdom
Duration: 2 minutes
This closing show features Walt Disney’s goodnight message to everyone in the park. It’s Walt Disney World’s sweet way of saying “time to go home, goodbye!”. It’s much less a “show” as it is an audio track set to sparkles on Cinderella Castle. If you happen to be in the park after closing, you may be lucky enough to see (or hear) this as you are leaving. It’s sweet and nostalgic and a great way to end your park day.
Location: Animal Kingdom
Duration: Various shows rotate every 5-10 minutes
Disney’s Animal Kingdom doesn’t have a grand firework spectacular. Out of respect for the animals that inhabit the park, Disney opts for a more serene and peaceful nighttime show. The Tree of Life Awakenings is a stunning projection show on the Tree of Life in the center of the park. It includes sparkling lights, gorgeous colors, soft music and scenes from nature. If you are lucky enough to catch it while visiting (it doesn’t play nightly), be sure to stop and enjoy it. It’s a beautiful show.
Location: EPCOT
Duration: Shows rotate throughout the night every 5-10 minutes
What started out as the Beacons of Magic to kick off the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World, has turned into a festive and fun nighttime show that changes throughout the year to coordinate with the ongoing festivals. What Disney Imagineers have created is truly spectacular and I hope that these projection shows never go away. They are charming, engaging, full of joy and emotion. It’s something that is not to be missed, and it’s one of my favorite things to see when I visit EPCOT.
Location: Hollywood Studios
Duration: 29 minutes
Fantasmic!! What more needs to be said. As a true fan of this magical show, I leapt for joy when Disney announced the return of this spectacular nighttime show. Be there as Mickey battles villains when his dream turns into a nightmare, but don’t underestimate the power of Mickey’s imagination! Featuring stunning effects, thrilling stunts, dazzling pyrotechnics and rousing music, this larger-than-life show is painted on a grand canvas of dancing water and light. This show has been a favorite of mine since the day it started in 1998. Fantasmic! has been a staple at Hollywood Studios for decades and fans adore it. We all welcome it back in November 2022, after a brief hiatus during the pandemic. It is now bigger and better than ever. Don’t miss it!
Location: Magic Kingdom
Duration: 18 minutes
And last but certainly not least, Happily Ever After, Magic Kingdom’s nighttime fireworks and projection extravaganza is returning on April 3, 2023! Fans of all ages (including me!) are jumping for joy in excitement for the return of this spectacular show. With the same incredible and heart pounding theme song, this show tugs at the heart and pulls at all of the emotions and it takes us on a magical journey to finding our own happily ever after. That story and journey is different for everyone and I think this fireworks and projection show over and around Cinderella Castle conveys that in such a spectacular and moving way, everyone who sees it is impacted by it. I’m thrilled for its return. The first run was very short (only about 3 years), so the fans are deserving of more time with this epic show. Get ready to find your happily ever after! Return April 3, 2023
No matter which one you choose as best, and whether or not you agree with my nighttime entertainment rankings, I think we can all agree that no one does evening shows better than Disney. There is something enchanting and magical about staying in the park once the sun goes down and enjoying fireworks, projections, amazing music and great pageantry. Let me know how you would rank these nighttime spectaculars, do you agree with my choices?