Magic Kingdom Fireworks??

[skeeter31]

From these reports, now I am worried those big fireworks shows may never be back if flares and projections are all that is needed to draw massive crowds.

I remember back in the early 2020s when I didn't pay much attention to those little flares they would shoot off all day from the castle. I was really missing out.

In the future, instead of having just one or two evening dessert parties, Disney could have one every 30 minutes or so for each flare they shoot off!

They’ll be back, but Disney isn’t going to rush them back when they’re not filling the limited resorts they have open right now. When all resorts are open, capacity restrictions are gone, and people are coming in droves, fireworks will return. They’re working on Harmonious as we speak. There are permits filed for work on the launch pads behind MK.

 

[Alynw]

If it was 100% about restricting people standing around in the hub, they wouldn’t be doing projections and flares right now. Those are causing massive crowds in the Hub on a nightly basis. Disney doesn’t want to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars a week doing fireworks shows when they’re at reduced capacity and not selling out resorts.

Actually, fireworks are extremely cheap and since Disney produces their own fireworks, it cost next to nothing to have firework shows. Fireworks are probably one of the highest mark ups if not the highest mark up in cost, what u buy at a fireworks store for $50 only cost 50 cents to make and yes they are that high of a mark up and since Disney makes their own, it literally only cost them pennies. There is no way the cost of fireworks to Disney has any impact at all on why their not doing them. The only real cost is their pyrotech team which they keep on payroll whether they do the fireworks or not.

 

[skeeter31]

Actually, fireworks are extremely cheap and since Disney produces their own fireworks, it cost next to nothing to have firework shows. Fireworks are probably one of the highest mark ups if not the highest mark up in cost, what u buy at a fireworks store for $50 only cost 50 cents to make and yes they are that high of a mark up and since Disney makes their own, it literally only cost them pennies. There is no way the cost of fireworks to Disney has any impact at all on why their not doing them. The only real cost is their pyrotech team which they keep on payroll whether they do the fireworks or not.

According to multiple sources, a Disney spent between $40k-$50k per night on a Wishes show. Since there are even more fireworks in HEA, I have to assume it’s even more than that per show. So it being pennies is not true. Disney won’t shell out tens of thousands per night when park capacity, and more importantly, resort capacity is so low. Without paying guests filling every room at Disney, they’re not going to expend unnecessary money. Having a firework show isn’t going to drastically increase hotel bookings, so that’s why they’re not being done.
https://boardwalktimes.net/how-much...on-a-disney-firework-spectacular-f20ca46e3ad9

 

[middlechild]

The public perception of how "safe" the viewing area is perceived to be plays a large role as well. If everyone believes the Covid is spread in the viewing area, no one will congregate in the viewing area. Why would Disney put on a show when the show would foster a slew of negative press? You can see the headlines... "I got Covid at WDW due to the fireworks and everyone dropped their masks! (or something similar.)

 

[Alynw]

According to multiple sources, a Disney spent between $40k-$50k per night on a Wishes show. Since there are even more fireworks in HEA, I have to assume it’s even more than that per show. So it being pennies is not true. Disney won’t shell out tens of thousands per night when park capacity, and more importantly, resort capacity is so low. Without paying guests filling every room at Disney, they’re not going to expend unnecessary money. Having a firework show isn’t going to drastically increase hotel bookings, so that’s why they’re not being done.
https://boardwalktimes.net/how-much...on-a-disney-firework-spectacular-f20ca46e3ad9

Lol..ur quoting a blogger with no actual data of which is comparing fireworks cost to retail prices that every normal person pays, like I stated, it literally cost pennies to make fireworks and yes WDW makes their own. Disney only real cost is in their pyrotechnic team salary and equipment, of which is a running cost whether they do fireworks or not. The whole point of not doing fireworks is to keep crowds from stopping and gathering for more than a couple minutes at a time.

 

[yulilin3]

Yeah, except most people want to be in front of the castle, as we know from crowding from the “before times.” You could easily find places elsewhere in the park because most people wanted to see the fireworks over the castle. The majority of people want that picture perfect view from the hub or down Main St., projections or not. Just like what’s shown on commercials and other promo materials. Seeing Wishes or HEA from other areas of the park never did it for us, at least. Main St. or the hub was a must. I travel 1500 miles to see the castle framed by fireworks and for the feeling I get when I see that. Seeing the fireworks from elsewhere in the park doesn’t do it for us at all Fireworks over the castle is iconic.

Personally, I think it’s both things. They’re saving money while they’re limiting capacity AND they know they’ll have crowding issues on Main Street, whether they have distancing markers down or not. I don’t think it’s just one thing. I think it’s both things.

it would be fairly easy to control flow into the Hub, they've done it before even during regular times the HUB would fill up and they would block access to it telling people to go elsewhere to watch.
By adding the circles on the ground per group they could have just 4 CM patrolling the HUB itself making sure everyone is on their circle, close the hub and direct people to other areas with open circles.
They just don't want to put the extra effort and money and that's fine, but saying they are not doing fireworks plainly because of safety is not true

 

[skeeter31]

Lol..ur quoting a blogger with no actual data of which is comparing fireworks cost to retail prices that every normal person pays, like I stated, it literally cost pennies to make fireworks and yes WDW makes their own. Disney only real cost is in their pyrotechnic team salary and equipment, of which is a running cost whether they do fireworks or not. The whole point of not doing fireworks is to keep crowds from stopping and gathering for more than a couple minutes at a time.

The main point is that it’s not 100% due to social distancing that Disney is not doing fireworks shows. Other parks have proven the concept that fireworks shows can be done safely. Disney is doing other things that are causing gatherings (projections on castles with proofs of fireworks and cavalcades). If it was 100% about safety, Disney wouldn’t have announced that 2 nighttime shows will never be returning...as social distancing won’t be necessary forever, those are only being cut due to cost issues. Most of what Disney has done since reopening has been geared towards a combination of safety and cost cutting. Disney is not bringing in the daily money they are used to, so they’re not going to expend what they used to either.

Saying that the whole point of not doing fireworks shows is to stop people gathering is a nice announcement PR wise, but it’s not the full story. There is a cost benefit analysis going on behind the scenes with every single thing Disney is doing. They have determined it’s not fiscally responsible to do fireworks shows right now. If they could show that fireworks would drastically increase bookings in resorts, they would have them back immediately. But it’s not going to move the needle.

But, I’m done arguing with you on this point. I’m not going to convince you, and you’re not going to convince me. So we’ll see who’s right going forward. I will guess that fireworks will return well before social distancing is eliminated, most likely by spring break time when their bookings have increased but masks and social distancing are still required.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

Can anyone tell me WHAT TIME is this overlay you
are all mentioning in the Magic Kingdom?

 

[skeeter31]

Can anyone tell me WHAT TIME is this overlay you
are all mentioning in the Magic Kingdom?

I believe it starts once it gets dark and runs every 15 minutes or so.

 

[OKW Lover]

If it was 100% about safety, Disney wouldn’t have announced that 2 nighttime shows will never be returning...as social distancing won’t be necessary forever, those are only being cut due to cost issues.

Or perhaps some other nighttime show will replace them

 

[Yubbie]

Actually, fireworks are extremely cheap and since Disney produces their own fireworks, it cost next to nothing to have firework shows. Fireworks are probably one of the highest mark ups if not the highest mark up in cost, what u buy at a fireworks store for $50 only cost 50 cents to make and yes they are that high of a mark up and since Disney makes their own, it literally only cost them pennies. There is no way the cost of fireworks to Disney has any impact at all on why their not doing them. The only real cost is their pyrotech team which they keep on payroll whether they do the fireworks or not.

Disney purchases fireworks from dozens of manufacturers (Garden State, Santore, Le Maitre, Ultratech, to name a few) around the world. Disney does not manufacture fireworks, but does have design input on and patents on very specific shells produced for them from these manufacturers. If you were manufacturing massive amounts of fireworks for the Walt Disney Company would you charge them pennies on the dollar? No you would not. Disney pays out the nose for fireworks. There are two reasons that fireworks aren't being used. Cost and social distancing. Disney spends a lot of money to produce large pyrotechnic spectaculars because it keeps people in the park. People in the park = food and merchandise sales. There aren't currently enough people in the park to justify the cost of doing fireworks and there isn't currently enough room, considering social distancing, to allow for enough people in the park to do fireworks shows. This will hopefully all change as the vaccine is rolled out.

Disney only real cost is in their pyrotechnic team salary and equipment, of which is a running cost whether they do fireworks or not. The whole point of not doing fireworks is to keep crowds from stopping and gathering for more than a couple minutes at a time.

Most of the pyrotechs at WDW have changed job classifications, are on furlough, or have been laid off. The only cost associated with fireworks currently at WDW is for the mines and comets being launched at MK by a handful of techs. The whole point of not doing fireworks is both crowd related and cost related.

 

[mkb3]

I personally would love to see HEA with projections and music only. I hardly look away from the castle anyway when watching the show and love it.

 

[disneygirlsng]

Lol..ur quoting a blogger with no actual data of which is comparing fireworks cost to retail prices that every normal person pays, like I stated, it literally cost pennies to make fireworks and yes WDW makes their own. Disney only real cost is in their pyrotechnic team salary and equipment, of which is a running cost whether they do fireworks or not. The whole point of not doing fireworks is to keep crowds from stopping and gathering for more than a couple minutes at a time.

Since you're commenting on their source, where is yours?