Disney shared an exciting announcement today that fireworks are returning to Disney Parks (in the US) after being missing from Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom for over a year!
Fireworks are now scheduled to return to the Magic Kingdom with “Happily Ever After” starting back up again on July 1, 2021. “Happily Ever After” has been the nightly fireworks show in the Magic Kingdom since May 2017, when it replaced “Wishes”.
“Happily Ever After” covers a wide range of themes within the Disney animated movie universe and the show culminates in a breathtaking finale featuring vocals by Jordan Fisher and Angie Keilhauer accompanied by a full orchestra and a 90-voice gospel choir. It definitely fulfills Walt Disney’s idea that fireworks cap off a day in the park and offer guests a “kiss goodnight” as they end their day in Disney. (As an aside, seeing the actual “Kiss Goodnight” on Cinderella Castle after taking in “Happily Ever After” sounds like such a nice return to normalcy!
“EPCOT Forever” will be returning to Epcot on the same date, which should be an exciting announcement given the show’s temporary status anyway as a placeholder until “Harmonious” premieres later this year. I’m not sure I will get the chance to see this one in person, but it will be nice to once again see glimpses of it on social. It has one of my favorite songs from Epcot’s past featured in it, “Tomorrow’s Child.”
Disneyland will begin performances of “Mickey’s Mix Magic” right on July 4 for the first of nightly presentations throughout the summer. I have not seen this show in person (because I still need to get over to Disneyland…soon, I hope!) “Mickey’s Mix Magic” not only includes fireworks, but a series of intricate projections on Sleeping Beauty Castle, the buildings of Main Street U.S.A., AND the exterior of “it’s a small world.”
I’m not sure when my next Disney trip will be at this point, but if you’re planning a trip this summer, be sure to carve out some time to see the fireworks! Disney’s announcement did not specifically mention Fantasmic (at both Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland) so I’m not sure at this time if that will end up opening around the same day or perhaps later this summer. Given the ability to space people by blocking rows in the amphitheater (at least at Hollywood Studios, Disneyland is a different story) my guess is that Fantasmic has not reopened due to staffing challenges. With new Disney College Program participants arriving this week though, I think it’s possible that will change early this summer.
Share which fireworks you’re most excited to see again below, and be sure to follow the Disney Parks Blog as they are planning to announce live streams of the fireworks soon after their return.