“Happily Ever After,” the new fireworks spectacular to debut at Magic Kingdom Park, officially kicked off Friday night – and 200 Disney Parks Blog readers were on-hand to witness the momentous occasion.
The spectacular, which made history as the third nightly fireworks show to run at Magic Kingdom Park, combines fireworks, lasers, projections, original music and animation into an unforgettable show for guests. The 18-minute spectacular also features moments with beloved Disney characters from films like “Brave,” “The Lion King,” “Moana,” “Up,” and many others.
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At our “Happily Ever After” meet-up, our readers took sunset selfies with Cinderella Castle as the backdrop, were treated to reserved fireworks viewing, and surprised with an exclusive “Happily Ever After”-inspired poster, as well as a complimentary download of the show’s new theme song.
You can catch a replay of the debut performance of “Happily Ever After” above.
What do you think of the show? Tell us in the “Comments” section below.
Comments
I saw the live stream of Happily Ever After and have seen Wishes so many times that I’ve lost count. I thought I would be disappointed with the new show but it was everything but disappointing. I can’t wait to see Happily Ever After in its live form next year when we return to WDW. My wife didn’t see the live stream and wants to wait for the live version. I’m thinking we may have to move our trip up a few months.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, in just a matter of five, short minutes, our special presentation of ‘Wishes’ will begin,’ says an announcer, just before ‘Pinocchio’s,’ Jimini Cricket shortly follows up, ‘It all starts with a wish,’ at the top of the special, twenty minute show closer for the final time on Friday night, bidding a bittersweet adieu at ‘Walt Disney World’s’ Magic Kingdom’ in Orlando, Florida, ‘the happiest place on earth!’
All good things must come to an end, in order for a beautiful, new beginning to start, paving the way for a ‘Happily Ever After!’
Cue the ‘Inside Disney Parks Livestream,’ an announcement filmed by ‘Disney Parks Blog,’ on ‘Main Street USA,’ filled with multi-colored, designed, interactive lasers, special effects and meaningful lyrics, all paired with a perfect soundtrack, that only Disney can imagine and create!
Once the pitch darkness of the evening falls upon the park (at 9:00 p.m.), the lights quickly dim, as Cinderella’s Castle instantly lights up, amazing guests with the latest in modern technology, available at the ready of a fingertip (for daily presentations), reflecting off of a great big blank canvas, as if splashing art directly onto a mural, painted in pure, light, bright, pastel colors, accompanied by many reactions of excitement, thrill and anticipation, whilst also becoming witness to an important story unfolding and unraveling, full of creativity, passion and imagination!
‘Illuminations’ is another significant, powerful performance playing (though, this time) at ‘Disneyland Paris,’ and yes, as one first, might imagine or expect, it is spoken in perfect French, of course, with some rare, hit or miss, broken English, offering the same magic all around the world!
From a veteran, ‘Disney’ park go’er’s experience, ultimately, to a first timer, newbie’s perspective, there is never an unending amount of fun or shared moments with loved ones, exploring a surreal, fantasy, dream like world!
We saw Happily Ever After from in front of Cindy’s castle on Mother’s Day. It was an amazing show. It is very different from Wishes and that is okay. It gave me goose bumps just like Wishes did every time we saw it. I am looking forward to seeing it again tomorrow evening.
I absolutely agree with Brian Hill , the last commenter on this .
And I guess it is tougher for someone who has been to Disney World time and Time again
to quit comparing because they have gotten so used to Wishes , it is like coming home for them.
And every time or every year they come back to their home at Disney to learn that the things in the home have been rearranged and updated they start to lose respect for the home and at such a level that they think nothing about what the Disney Experience would be for the new generation because of the learning curve and it takes time for them to get past that learning curve and regain that respect for the home again especially when in what we saw in order to have a better experience of Happily Ever After you have to be in the park faced towards the front of the castle to fully get the best deal whereas Wishes was more fireworks and My Stepfather has hooked me up with a villa at Westgate Lakes Resort and Spa just near Walt Disney World and they have a location on their property where those staying their could view the fireworks from Disney across the lake area there and if Happily Ever After were to gain more fireworks to match up to Wishes than it does now based on the premiere then
that in itself would give people the same choice of viewing that they did with Wishes
and in effect take away at least a little piece of that learning curve from those frequent visitors who loved Wishes so much . I was one of those old timers because My 1st Visit was in April of 1986 and this past September counts as 5 visits in my entire life now .
I am autistic and in Middle Tennessee and I am practically the only Disney Parks lover in My Family and I live on allowance so I can only go in the few times that the door of opportunity opens up for me to do so but also between those visits at home allows me time to research and come around to the new things that are taking shape or are happening and how to make magic with them and it helps me come to Walt Disney World with a new love and respect and it helps make every visit that I do have that much more magical .
So based on My Experiences I believe that as Disney continues to stay on this road of promoting what they are doing to freshen up the guest experience and not focusing so much on just overly raising attendance thinking that they will be able to make every living person’s dreams come true that in itself will cause even more old timers to come to Disney with a new respect for Disney because they have had a chance to come to peace with
the new experiences and Disney will only get more magical from there .
But really for a first viewing on the internet and seeing what has been added ,
I actually welcome Happily Ever After because it shows how good the Magic Kingdom Experience can actually be to its’ own guests in its’ own country .
I watched the live stream (from Toronto) and it was incredible! Watched the replay twice the next day as well because I loved it so much. I loved the light and colours and seeing all my family’s fav Disney characters. The music tugged at my heart strings for sure. Gave me emotional goosebumps just as Wishes has. Can’t wait to see it live and inperson one day soon!???
I enjoyed the new Happily Ever After immensely just from my desktop in Oregon! I can’t imagine what it’s like in-person! Hopefully soon. I do have to add one thing about everyone making a big deal out of Wishes. Long before Wishes, Fantasy In The Sky lit up the night sky for years. I look at Happily Ever After as simply another tradition in the 46 year history of the resort. Folks need to quit comparing and look at it as simply a new way to create memories with your family. All of Disney’s firework presentations deliver a quality experience. So…just enjoy it and if you are able to attend in person, be thankful you can!
we celebrated Mother’s Day by watching Happily Ever After and it was amazing! The show has so much detail we look forward to seeing it again!
I was there! The event and the show were spectacular! Thank you so much!
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