alt. firework viewing for nervous children

[mom2ian]

I'd love the watch to fireworks near the castle. However, I'm visiting the park with my 3.5 ds who is a bit nervous/slightly scared of fireworks. He said he wants to watch them but "from a little ways away."

So, do you have any alternative viewing locations from within DL? Someplace he can experience the magic, but not get trampled either, lol.

(Actually, I did nearly get trampled myself once while watching the fireworks at DL on the 4th of July. Fortunately, I was in my 20's and fairly nimble so I was able to get up off the ground after someone pushed me down before the huge crowds racing to get out of the park trampled me. It was quite scary!).

 

[Sherwin]

Is he scared of the noise? That's a hard question to answer. The fireworks get pretty noisy throughout the whole of the park.

 

[Krissy Marissy]

I agree with sherwin...you can move further down mainstreet towards the train station but they will still be quite loud! I guess I would try that and if he isn't enjoying it at least you are close to the exit already?

 

[pjhorton21]

We have watched them from the top of the Mickey & Friends parking structure. Still very loud there, but there's no one around (however there is no music up there).

We have also watched the fireworks from the 2nd floor of Innoventions. Not a lot of people up there, and they play the music from the Observatron.

 

[wendylady36]

We have also watched the fireworks from the 2nd floor of Innoventions. Not a lot of people up there, and they play the music from the Observatron.

I second this place. Not many people, and still a good view.

 

[Sherwin]

We have watched them from the top of the Mickey & Friends parking structure. Still very loud there, but there's no one around (however there is no music up there).

Well that's not fun!

That's a big tradeoff. To effectively get away far enough to a lessened noise impact, you will essentially be sacrificing the music.

 

[MommyWithDreams]

Well that's not fun!

That's a big tradeoff. To effectively get away far enough to a lessened noise impact, you will essentially sacrificing the music.

I agree, the music makes the show.
One year we watched it from our hotel on our first non park day. I didn't know what the big hype was about, reminded me of the 4of July at home. It wasn't until I saw the fireworks later that week in front of the castle that made me understand that DL fireworks are THE BEST!

 

[bumbershoot]

Earplugs!!!! DS has been spooked by big noises while at DLR (and once you notice it, you can't not notice how LOUD the place is, just walking through), and on our last trip I finally thought "aha, I could let him use my earplugs" (I know that's gross but it was either that or leave and we're not park-leavers LOL). They were rather big for his ears, but they cut the noise down, and he could deal with anything after that. Turns out that most of his shying away from stuff was solely due to the noise!

So....earplugs!


funny thing is, he has never been spooked by the sound of the fireworks. Getting into the Buzz building? NOISY, and he wouldln't go on our first day of this trip b/c of the noise. But not the fireworks. Seems to be a different sort of noise.

We've watched from back at IASW (lovely spot) and from Main Street over towards Adventureland (not the best spot, covered by trees, grr)...

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

When you are on Main Street, the fireworks are all around you, especially in front of the castle, and near Coke Corner.

A good spot to see the fireworks as a show rather than be immersed in it would be to go to the platform at the Main Street train station.

VIP/Preferred seating is located here, so you cannot sit on the benches, but you can stand at the railing on either side of the benches. Only note that you may have to stake your spot a little early to get a spot there. They won't let you stand on the stairs. How early to arrive depends on how crowded the parks are.

 

[firefly87]

What about watching the fireworks show on YouTube before you go? He could at least see it ahead of time so he'd know what to expect. You could maybe point certain parts out for him to watch for and see when you are in the parks. I know one of my favorite parts of the show is when the skull & crossbones flag is lit up on the Matterhorn. Oh!! And when Tinkerbell flies around the castle.......how could I forget that!! That might take his mind of the scary aspect of it if he's waiting for a certain thing to happen.

 

[pixiewings71]

Watch by Small World, then you can see the projections they do on the ride. It will be loud, Bumber was right in suggesting ear plugs. We were able to find child size ear plugs at our Target, they are in the same area as pain relievers etc. We get them because we go to a lot of concerts (due to my job) and I don't want my girls to go deaf. lol

 

[Disney Dreams]

When are you going? Maybe you could get him ear muffs so he thinks they are cute and fun, but are really acting to muffle the sound a little. And I agree, the balcony of Innoventions is good, but you don't get the full "coolness" of all the elements of the show beyond the fireworks.

 

[erinbev]

Earplugs are a great suggestion!!!

My sis has Aspergers, and when she was that age she could. not. handle. fireworks. (She's okay with them now, but still doesn't love the noise.) If it was me, with her at that age, I would use earplugs and maybe watch from further up Main Street. That way if there is a meltdown you can escape easily.
Also, from my experience at least, a lot of success comes from just being casual about the whole thing. My sis could always pick up if we were really worried or stressed about how she might behave, and it made her worried and stressed too. Little kids, eh? So it has always worked better for us to just honestly say what's about to happen, and roll with it. The idea of watching the fireworks videos online and maybe listening to the music is also a good idea! Your DS sounds like he has been getting used to the idea, too, so I hope the best for you guys! Good luck!

 

[Eeee-va]

Do you know what it is that makes him nervous? If it's the noise, I was definitely going to suggest earplugs too. They might be a good idea to have regardless...if he doesn't want to wear them, fine, but if he wants them he can have them. (I'm enough of a nerd that I wear earplugs to concerts, even. )

If he's scared of the crowds, then an un-crowded place like Innoventions is very smart. I've never viewed from that area, but if Innoventions is still open inside, then you could retreat out away from the fireworks pretty quickly if he got upset. I'm not sure many of the other locations offer that advantage. (I do agree that Main Street is a better place to view them, but if the park is crowded I'm not sure that would be a good place for your son. Could he even view the effects over all the tall people who would be standing nearby?)

I know when I was small, I was sort of worried that the sparks would float down and burn me/start a fire. In my defense, some fireworks DO seem to fall very low to the ground. I haven't seen DL's show in a few years, but I remember it being quite immersive, so that could be a very "real" concern for him. If you think he's scared of the sparks, then I'm sure there are places in the park where it won't look like the fireworks might come down on him. (Maybe even Innoventions...I haven't been up there to see the show, but I believe there would be a roof directly over his head?) I don't THINK IASW would be the best solution if sparks are his concern, as I believe the reason they close Toontown down for the show is because of the fire hazard...

Wherever you see the fireworks, have a wonderful time!

 

[MonkeyDishwasher]

My friends and I used to watch the fireworks from next to Big Thunder. Kind of on the side of the FastPass distribution area, towards Rancho Del Zocalo. The music is still audible (though low, you can still hear it), and the train sounds seem to dull out the sounds of the "boom"s.

Sidebar: it has been a while since I've watched the fireworks from this area, so I may be remembering the noise volume incorrectly, but there are DEFINITELY not the huge crowds that you would find in front of the castle, on the riverfront of the Fantasmic! viewing areas, or by it's a small world.

 

[bumbershoot]

(I'm enough of a nerd that I wear earplugs to concerts, even. )

Smart smart smart smart girl! Er, boy? Er, person.

Through my 20s I went to many concerts, always with silly boys who found the idea of earplugs embarrassing ("what's the point of a concert", they always said, "if you can't hear the music?") and wouldn't "let" me wear them. Or rather, wouldn't let me come with them if I wore them. So I didn't.

And the tinnitus I experience daily is just awful. And the hearing loss that I had from childhood (repeated ear infections) was made worse. Sigh.

So you're very smart.



With my guy, I didn't realize it was the noise bothering him until right at the moment that I realized it. When he was skittish about things I thought he was tired, frightened, hungry...but that day it really hit that he was just being overwhelmed by the noise. So i'd definitely try it. There might be a difference, since my DS was 4.5 when I realized it, and much more able to understand why these foamy things were in his ears than he would have been at 3.5...but then at 3.5 he understood various things too...so try it!


If you do watch it from IASW, and if he's worried about sparks, you can share with him that the Fire Marshall will come by after the show (you won't see him, or at least we didn't, when the CMs were talking to us about it ahead of time and while he was going through) and make sure that ToonTown and IASW are safe, before opening IASW back up (when we've gone TT doesn't open back up, but we go at off times of the year with limited hours anyway). They make sure it's super-safe...only when it's safe like that do they let people back in. So that might help, especially if he likes firefighters like my dude does. But again, you wont' see the guy.

 

[arliepooh68]

Coming from a nervous kid with fireworks myself, earplugs!!!!! you know the soft squishy kind. . I HATED fireworks as a kid, HATED airshows as a kid, I have sensitive ears, so the noise really hurt me, my sis turned me onto the ear plugs and O M GAWD. . I found I enjoyed the fireworks and the airshows! and fyi, they are great for concerts as well! at disneyland the place i'm more comfy is somewhere in the hub near the speakers, so you hear the music and see the show, but not too close to the castle, those freak me out, there is FIRE there. and just kind of cuddle and see how things go. good luck! and have fun!

 

[Armadillo4]

For an alternative place to view the fireworks that is truly "a little ways away", the roof/pool area of the Paradise Pier Hotel is a great location. There are speakers that play the soundtrack, but you're definitely far enough away that the noise from the fireworks themselves won't be too bad. And you won't be dealing with crowds either.

If you decide to try the second floor of Innoventions, make sure you ask a CM what time they stop letting people into Innoventions. Last Summer, they usually stopped letting people into Innoventions at 8:30pm, so you had to be inside by that time in order to watch the fireworks at 9:25pm. Once, I showed up at 9pm, specifically to watch the fireworks from the second floor, but they weren't letting anyone else inside anymore. The CMs felt bad for me, but they were just enforcing the rules.

 

[DizMe]

It sounds like he's not really terrified, like my daughter, but just nervous. I think you've gotten a lot of good suggestions for that.

My daughter has serious sensory issues and simply can't tolerate the fireworks ANYWHERE. She even claps her hands over her ears and buries her face when the fireworks come on at the end of Soarin'. She can't watch Fantasmic, either. I think it's a combination of the noise and the flashing lights. Most things in Disneyland don't bother her but automatic toilets, fireworks, and Fantasmic are 3 that we just can't do. BTW, in case anyone else's kids have an issue with it, there is a bathroom at the entrance to DL on the bank side that has toilets without automatic flushers, thank goodness!!!!!!

 

[Eeee-va]

For the automatic flusher issue, I have heard you can also put a Post-It or some toilet paper over the sensor to keep it from going off unexpectedly. For me that would beat a hike back to Main Street in a pinch!

(I wasn't aware of the Paradise Pier viewing location, but that sounds like a great idea too! Unless the heights would be a problem...I'd rather be on the ground myself. )