Imagine the scene. It is a quiet evening in the Magic Kingdom, the Spectromagic Parade is at seven pm, the Wishes firework display is at eight. We arrive at the park at around six, nicely cool and relaxed and meet a hoard of people leaving the park looking wearied after a long day of fun and merriment … perfect! We head around to Big Thunder Mountain and there is only a 20 minute wait time, then find a spot to watch the parade (squeezing in a flying visit to the Haunted Mansion at the same time! ).
So, the Spectromagic Parade was very enjoyable, by the time it was finished, however, it was twenty to eight. Okay, given the wait times, we though, just time to squeeze one more ride in and then we’ll find somewhere to watch the fireworks from, shouldn’t be too bad with the crowds as they are. We were thinking of something like the Flying Dumbos or the Carousel, however, our youngest saw It’s a Small World and with no wait, our fate was sealed! We toured around the various (and slightly surreal) worlds of Small World, only to find that the boats at the end were queued about two rooms back. How can this be? The ride was EMPTY! Anyway, we finally get to the exit point as the clock was just striking eight, dash up the ramp and get to the area behind the castle, near the carousel. There was a small group of people there and then the fireworks started.
The music is playing from the speakers and the show really is ALL around you. It is fantastic! In some ways much more up close and intimate, but somehow not nearly as scary. Perhaps the music isn’t quite as intense and the sense of drama is slightly less, but that is no bad thing. I wouldn’t recommend this as your only firework experience, however, if you have seen Wishes before, I would really recommend this as an alternative experience. The fireworks really light up the sky above you, you can appreciate the colours and scale of the larger fireworks that dazzle the sky and you are not trying to dodge around other people to get your “perfect” view.
It is really difficult to try to sum the experience up. More intense and yet, less intense. I feel that you really enjoy the fireworks for themselves, without the drama of the show … and they are good fireworks. So, if you have done Wishes before and want to try something a little alternative, I urge you to go behind the castle!
So, the Spectromagic Parade was very enjoyable, by the time it was finished, however, it was twenty to eight. Okay, given the wait times, we though, just time to squeeze one more ride in and then we’ll find somewhere to watch the fireworks from, shouldn’t be too bad with the crowds as they are. We were thinking of something like the Flying Dumbos or the Carousel, however, our youngest saw It’s a Small World and with no wait, our fate was sealed! We toured around the various (and slightly surreal) worlds of Small World, only to find that the boats at the end were queued about two rooms back. How can this be? The ride was EMPTY! Anyway, we finally get to the exit point as the clock was just striking eight, dash up the ramp and get to the area behind the castle, near the carousel. There was a small group of people there and then the fireworks started.
The music is playing from the speakers and the show really is ALL around you. It is fantastic! In some ways much more up close and intimate, but somehow not nearly as scary. Perhaps the music isn’t quite as intense and the sense of drama is slightly less, but that is no bad thing. I wouldn’t recommend this as your only firework experience, however, if you have seen Wishes before, I would really recommend this as an alternative experience. The fireworks really light up the sky above you, you can appreciate the colours and scale of the larger fireworks that dazzle the sky and you are not trying to dodge around other people to get your “perfect” view.
It is really difficult to try to sum the experience up. More intense and yet, less intense. I feel that you really enjoy the fireworks for themselves, without the drama of the show … and they are good fireworks. So, if you have done Wishes before and want to try something a little alternative, I urge you to go behind the castle!