Disney Magic Kingdom - Fireworks From Two Perspectives (Dessert Party & Up Close)
There is always a fleeting question as your long, hot, sticky day wears down. You are typically full of food that you probably paid too much for, your kids are starting to get cranky, and you are just damn exhausted. Where do we watch fireworks?
Do you find a place to sit hours before it starts so you'll have a great view and not have to stand? Do you push your way through the crowds at the last minute hoping for a view that's not blocked by a tree? Do you book a dessert party? Do you wing it and see what happens? Or do you skip them all together and ride the rides, expecting hopefully shorter lines?
In all of the trips we have done to Disney World and Disneyland - we've done all of the above. There's really no "right" thing to do. Each has its benefit, each has it's con. Here's a breakdown of my perspective, including a "secret" place I've found to watch them.
1) Camp out hours before: We've done this once. It was at Disneyland in California. We were with my husband's parents. They were tired. We were tired. Our munchkin was tired. We found a table/chairs with a decent view. Got (more) snacks. And just hung out. The people watching was great. It was great to sit down. You could argue we "missed out" on doing more stuff in the park - but this was not our first trip to Disneyland.
2) Last minute spotting: We have done this a NUMBER of times. You have to have a positive outlook when doing this. Face it, fireworks are in the sky. You can see them from pretty much anywhere. Can a tree get in your way? Yes. Is it possible you won't have a view of Cinderella's (or Sleeping Beauty's castle)? Yes. But, keep your expectations in check, and you may be surprised.
3) Dessert parties: There are dessert parties that you can book at every park. We booked the Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Party on the Tomorrowland Terrace. We specifically chose which dessert party across the parks based on the types of desserts they were offering. We don't like French food/desserts - so that ruled out Epcot. Make sure you arrive to the party early, to ensure you get a good seat. While you will have a view of the front of Cinderella's castle, some tables on the terrace are obviously better than others. The desserts were decent - but we were full from dinner. If we would have done this differently - I probably would have opted for a late lunch. That way we would have been hungry for dessert. Then - if we were still hungry after the fireworks, we could have gotten something to eat from Main Street on the way out of the park. The con to this - it's expensive :) There's a reason we have only done this once.
4) Skip the fireworks, ride the rides: We have done this as well. It seems to work out pretty good. I distinctly remember walking on to Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion. I do remember a wait for Peter Pan was still over 40 minutes. But the ONLY time there is never a wait (aka - less than 15 minutes) is right when the park opens.
5) Fireworks secret spot: We accidentally found a great spot to watch the fireworks in 2014 when we went to Disney World. (We go every other year). We didn't mean to pick this spot out. We were with friends, and the kids were tired. So we just sat down on an empty bench by Gaston's Tavern. There was barely anyone in that section of the park. You know how ideally you would face Cinderella's castle and watch the fireworks from the front. Guess what is behind Cinderella's castle? Gaston's tavern. The fireworks go off right from that direct area. The fireworks are directly above you head. Warning - it's loud. You can't see the castle or the stage. But if you are just in it for the fireworks - this is a great place! It wasn't crowded, the kids danced and spun around. And we sat and watched the fireworks at close range.
Do you find a place to sit hours before it starts so you'll have a great view and not have to stand? Do you push your way through the crowds at the last minute hoping for a view that's not blocked by a tree? Do you book a dessert party? Do you wing it and see what happens? Or do you skip them all together and ride the rides, expecting hopefully shorter lines?
In all of the trips we have done to Disney World and Disneyland - we've done all of the above. There's really no "right" thing to do. Each has its benefit, each has it's con. Here's a breakdown of my perspective, including a "secret" place I've found to watch them.
1) Camp out hours before: We've done this once. It was at Disneyland in California. We were with my husband's parents. They were tired. We were tired. Our munchkin was tired. We found a table/chairs with a decent view. Got (more) snacks. And just hung out. The people watching was great. It was great to sit down. You could argue we "missed out" on doing more stuff in the park - but this was not our first trip to Disneyland.
2) Last minute spotting: We have done this a NUMBER of times. You have to have a positive outlook when doing this. Face it, fireworks are in the sky. You can see them from pretty much anywhere. Can a tree get in your way? Yes. Is it possible you won't have a view of Cinderella's (or Sleeping Beauty's castle)? Yes. But, keep your expectations in check, and you may be surprised.
3) Dessert parties: There are dessert parties that you can book at every park. We booked the Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Party on the Tomorrowland Terrace. We specifically chose which dessert party across the parks based on the types of desserts they were offering. We don't like French food/desserts - so that ruled out Epcot. Make sure you arrive to the party early, to ensure you get a good seat. While you will have a view of the front of Cinderella's castle, some tables on the terrace are obviously better than others. The desserts were decent - but we were full from dinner. If we would have done this differently - I probably would have opted for a late lunch. That way we would have been hungry for dessert. Then - if we were still hungry after the fireworks, we could have gotten something to eat from Main Street on the way out of the park. The con to this - it's expensive :) There's a reason we have only done this once.
4) Skip the fireworks, ride the rides: We have done this as well. It seems to work out pretty good. I distinctly remember walking on to Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion. I do remember a wait for Peter Pan was still over 40 minutes. But the ONLY time there is never a wait (aka - less than 15 minutes) is right when the park opens.
5) Fireworks secret spot: We accidentally found a great spot to watch the fireworks in 2014 when we went to Disney World. (We go every other year). We didn't mean to pick this spot out. We were with friends, and the kids were tired. So we just sat down on an empty bench by Gaston's Tavern. There was barely anyone in that section of the park. You know how ideally you would face Cinderella's castle and watch the fireworks from the front. Guess what is behind Cinderella's castle? Gaston's tavern. The fireworks go off right from that direct area. The fireworks are directly above you head. Warning - it's loud. You can't see the castle or the stage. But if you are just in it for the fireworks - this is a great place! It wasn't crowded, the kids danced and spun around. And we sat and watched the fireworks at close range.
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