Easy answer. All of them. But if you have limited time or little ones who can’t stay up late often, which should you choose?
IllumiNations
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth is the nightly Epcot show that usually takes place once a night at 9 pm*. The show premiered in 1999 and includes fireworks, fire effects, lasers and projections. IllumiNations features a brief, musical history of mankind’s progress. There are no Disney elements to IllumiNations. The show runs for approximately 12 minutes.
The viewing area for IllumiNations is all around the World Showcase Lagoon. This is a very large viewing area and hypothetically can be easy to get a good view. Some views, however, are better than others. When searching for a good place to watch, you should keep in mind the placement of trees and make sure that you have a clear line of sight to the giant globe that is placed in the center of the lagoon.
There are a few potential elements that might frighten children. If your child does not like the loud boom of fireworks, this show might not be for you. If your child will wear noise cancelling headphones, there are enough visual elements to the show to keep children engaged without the sound. Most of the lights around World Showcase are also turned off to enhance the visuals of the shows, so it will be dark.
There are several special viewing options available for the show. The IllumiNations Sparkling Dessert party is available for $49 for adults and $29 for children aged 3-9. This is a standing room only event, there are tables provided but no chairs. There is unlimited sparkling wine and a selection of desserts from around the World Showcase. Read Pete Werner’s review of the event here. Visit Disney Dining Reservations for reservations.
You can also reserve an IllumiNations cruise on a private pontoon boat, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages included, for up to 10 guests for $325 (not including gratuity). I personally took this cruise and thought it was well worth the price. Your boat leaves from the Beach and Yacht Club boat dock. Your group will enjoy a little sail out to Hollywood Studios and then finally you will park right at the edge of the World Showcase Lagoon. The view is to die for and after viewing IllumiNations like this, you’ll never want to see it any other way. To book call Disney at 1-407-WDW-PLAY. Visit WDWInfo for more details.
You can also book a Tier 1 FP+ for IllumiNations, though many people feel it is a waste of a Tier 1 FP+ since there are so many other viewing locations.
Some restaurants offer limited views of IllumiNations. These include: the Rose and Crown Pub patio seating, certain tables near the lagoon at Spice Road Table, the tables near the windows at Tokyo Dining and tables near the lagoon at La Hacienda de San Angel. It can be tricky to obtain a good table for Illuminations viewing, so visit the forums at the DISboards for further tips and tricks for this viewing strategy.
Several times a year Disney adds a special ending to the IllumiNations show, they are commonly referred to as ‘tags’. These tags occur on the 4th of July, New Year’s Eve and during the Christmas holiday season.
Fantasmic!
Fantasmic! is the nightly Disney’s Hollywood Studios show; show times vary greatly depending on time of year. Oftentimes there is even a second showing, so be sure to check the times guide for your particular dates. The show includes isolated fireworks, fire effects, loud noises, larger than life Disney villains and water projections. Fantasmic! is a journey into Mickey’s dream that soon becomes a nightmare as Disney villains attempt to defeat Mickey’s imagination.There are many Disney elements to Fantasmic!. Mickey is the main character and he is visited in his dreams by numerous Disney princes and princesses, animals from the Lion King, characters from Pocahontas and several villains. The show runs for approximately 25 minutes.
Fantasmic! is performed in the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater and can seat up to 6,900 people and hold another 3,000 standing. Most people seem to prefer to sit as close to center as possible, however, in my opinion there is not a bad seat in the house. I recommend sitting towards the extreme left of the amphitheater; it lets you watch the character finale boat for the longest and there is usually a lot more room to stretch out on the extreme sides.
This show can be very frightening for younger children. There are isolated, loud fireworks and other booms and loud noises. This show features many Disney villains and scary situations. You might want to let your child view the show on YouTube first to gauge their feelings.
Disney offers several advance seating options for this show. One can obtain a Tier 1 FP+ for Fantasmic!. Depending on the crowd levels, a FP+ does not guarantee you a center or up front seat, it only guarantees you entrance. Even with a FP+ it is still wise to arrive approximately 45 minutes to half an hour in advance of showtime. You can also reserve a Fantasmic! dinner package. These are available at Mama Melrose’s, the Hollywood Brown Derby and Hollywood & Vine restaurants for an extra fee. The dinner packages will receive reserved center viewing. Advanced dining reservations are necessary, to make a reservation visit Disney Dining.
It is easiest to get a good seat on days that have two showings, the second showing is usually much less attended than the first. People oftentimes line up an hour or more in advance for the first showing. As I recommended above, don’t be afraid to sit on the extreme sides of the amphitheater. All seats provide a good view. Also, be careful to sit too close to the front or you may get wet from the spray of the water projections.
Wishes
Wishes is the nightly Magic Kingdom fireworks show that takes place once a night anywhere from 8-10 pm*. The show premiered in 2003 and features fireworks and projections on the castle. Wishes tells the tale of Disney characters’ wishes. There are heavy Disney elements to Wishes, the show is narrated by Jiminy Cricket and features Tinkerbell’s flight. The show runs for approximately 12 minutes.
The prime viewing area for Wishes extends from the train station and Town Square all the way up to the castle. The fireworks were designed with the castle as the centerpiece, but since the fireworks are high in the sky they are visible from most areas of the park. If you don’t need to see the castle you can find many unique and interesting viewpoints elsewhere throughout the park. If you watch from the Fantasyland area, you will get the neat effect of fireworks going off in a circle around you during one part of the show. Personally, I like to view the fireworks from rides. Dumbo provides an excellent view. Tomorrowland Transit Authority, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain all offer good viewpoints. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is also an interesting one to view Wishes from; if you time your FP+ just right, the outdoor portions of the ride will feature fireworks going off all around you as you ride.
If your child does not like the loud boom of fireworks, this show might not be for you. If your child will wear noise cancelling headphones, there are enough visual elements to the show to keep children engaged without the sound.
There are several special seatings available for the show. The Wishes Dessert Party is available for $55.39 for adults and $32.86 for children aged 3-9. There are unlimited desserts and drinks, however no alcohol is provided. You are assigned a table on the Tomorrowland Terrace. Many people tend to crowd the railing even though there are tables, because not every table has a rail view and some tables have obstructed views with poles in the way. You will not have a head on view of the castle, you will be looking at it from the side. A bonus is that Tinkerbell ends her flight on top of the dessert party building, so she will fly right towards you and end very close. Visit Disney Dining for reservations.
You can also reserve a Wishes cruise on a private pontoon boat, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages included, for up to 8-10 guests starting at $292.88 (not including gratuity). Your boat sails around the Seven Seas Lagoon and eventually stops outside the park to watch. To book call Disney at 1-407-WDW-PLAY.
Ferrytale Wishes: A Fireworks Dessert Cruise is a fairly new option. $99 for adults and $69 for children aged 3-9. To book call 407-WDW-DINE. This cruise is on the ferry boat and features a dessert buffet and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Young guests might really enjoy the Pirates and Pals Wishes fireworks voyage. $57.50 for adults and $33.01 for children aged 3-9. This cruise includes snacks before the cruise and a meet and greet with Captain Hook, Smee and Peter Pan.
To learn more about any of the above mentioned cruises, visit WDWInfo.
If you don’t want to pay extra for a good viewing spot for Wishes, you have a couple other options. You can reserve a FP+ for Wishes. This will get you into one of two fenced-off areas. These areas begin around the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor and Casey’s. Once inside, you can sprawl out on the fake grass and have a leisurely, non-claustrophobic wait for the fireworks to begin. Once the fireworks begin, there are contrasting reports of cast members asking everyone to stand. In my own experience, we have always been able to remain seated for the fireworks.
Another option is to watch Wishes from any of the Magic Kingdom area resorts. The Contemporary offers a balcony for viewing if you dine at their California Grill restaurant. You could also choose to watch the fireworks from the Polynesian beach or their popular restaurant, ‘Ohana. The Grand Floridian offers excellent views from the pier near their signature restaurant, Narcoossee’s.
At different times through the year the regular Wishes gives way to several different holiday versions. HalloWishes is the special Halloween version of Wishes that is available only at special, extra ticketed parties. Holiday Wishes occurs at special ticketed parties leading up to Christmas, then is shown every night for the week leading up to and after Christmas.
Symphony in the Stars Fireworks
Symphony in the Stars fireworks is the new, limited time nightly Disney’s Hollywood Studios show that usually takes place at 8 pm*. Symphony in the Stars features a tribute to the popular Star Wars films with a soundtrack by none other than John Williams. There are no traditional Disney elements to Symphony in the Stars, the show is purely about Star Wars. The fireworks run for approximately 10 minutes.
The viewing area for Symphony in the Stars is anywhere in Hollywood Studios. The most traditional viewing stretches from the Great Movie Ride all the way down the street to the main park entrance.
Once again, if your child does not like the loud boom of fireworks, this show might not be for you. If your child will wear noise cancelling headphones, there are enough visual elements to the show to keep children engaged without the sound. It might also be a better option to see the fireworks from outside the main entrance to Hollywood Studios.
This is Disney, so of course there is a dessert party option for Symphony in the Stars. The dessert party is available for $69 for adults and $39 for children aged 3-9. As of right now the party goes until March 19, though many people suspect it will run longer. Included with the price is a Chewbacca head stein, unlimited desserts, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. There are also standing room only tables. Visit Disney Dining for reservations.
There you have it! Which nighttime show sounds right for you and your family?
…Of course, this all changes this spring when the highly anticipated Rivers of Light debuts at Animal Kingdom.
*Warning! Showtimes may be different than listed, always check a times guide before your trip!
