Disney and Fireworks – Two iconic images
that simply go together. It’s also one
of those experiences that when you have become a seasoned Disney traveler, it
becomes easy to say “Seen that.” In our
attempt to beat the system we tend to try to avoid the mass exodus out of the
park or avoid standing amongst crowds by watching it from afar such as from
California Grill or the beaches of Disney’s Polynesian. Watching Wishes away
from Main Street definitely has its place.
It can add more magic to a wonderful meal; it can offer an opportunity
for kids who are not so wild about fireworks to enjoy without the scary booms;
and it can provide a wonderful backdrop for a romantic swing on a hammock for
two. But no matter how much you try to
rationalize how your feet are killing you and you just want to get back to your
resort, there is no denying that watching Wishes amongst the throngs of people,
smack dab in front of the castle is an incredibly magical moment whether you’re
a first timer or hundred timer.
On our recent trip, it took a little
convincing… okay a lot of persuading, to coax my tired, complaining, “I just
want to go to bed” mumbling family to push through the 15 more minutes they’d
have to wait for the start of the show.
A quick promise of ice cream to help with the after crowd maneuvers
thankfully worked. I was happy to see my
brood of teenagers as engaged as I was during the pre-fireworks show, Celebrate
the Magic. This seasonally evolving display where the castle is used as a
canvas to project some of Disney’s beloved characters as well as some of the
best love-to-hate villains even got them shouting out names as they appeared
upon the walls. A ten minute lapse
between the end of Celebrate the Magic and the start of Wishes meant some of
the crowd decided to disperse making it easier for us to find a little more
personal space. Thankfully the
complaining was minimal during the wait.
I guess they figured there was no budging Mom at this point! And then it began with the dimming of the
lights, a few get-your-attention rockets, the voice of Jiminy Cricket, Tinker Bell
flying out from the castle as the swell of a wonderful musical score filled the
air. Suddenly, the iconic moment of
being with your family in front of Cinderella’s Castle watching a dazzling
display in the night sky had arrived and we were actually living the dream. We were that commercial I’ve seen a hundred
times on TV! And when it was over, I almost
could’ve hugged the stranger I’d been bumping into the past 20 minutes because
we’d both know we’d just witnessed Disney Magic together. So much magic that my kids didn’t even realize
the ice cream kiosks had closed for the night.
And walking down Main Street to exit the park didn’t seem so horrible
when you’re with a couple hundred people who are also still buzzing from what
they just saw. The shared experience of
a magical, albeit exhausting day in the Disney bubble with family and friends
breeds a sort of unusual sense of community.
And the long ride back to our resort didn’t seem so bad.
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