Buying ticket just for fireworks?

[johde]

I am starting to plan my first trip to DLR this September. I am a DVC member and I'm planning to stay on-site Sunday - Thursday and spending 3 days in the park (Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday). Based on last years schedule, Fantasmic is show Friday, Saturday and Sunday but the Fireworks are only on Friday and Saturday. Right now, I'm thinking about flying into Burbank (on Skybus) on Saturday and visiting Magic Mountain that day since I'm already on that side of town and it's only open on weekends. My question is do you think I should buy a 4th day Just for the fireworks or can I see them well enough from outside the park? I'm planning on spending the first night near DLR so I can check in early and go for the MM.

 

[annieb727]

Well, I'm not sure what time you'd get back from Magic Mountain...it's quite a ways from Disneyland...but if you're gonna get there in time for Fireworks...I would highly recommend getting a four day ticket. It's only $15 more. The fireworks are INCREDIBLE. Now...remember sometimes they cancel the fireworks - if winds are high. But I'd take that chance for $15...the fireworks ARE worth it! And the best place to see them is on Main Street in view of the castle.

 

[ScooterL]

Like annieb said, a lot of times the fireworks get canceled because of wind. :-( Soo...if that happened, would you feel really bad that you paid extra for a four-day ticket, or could you still get enough enjoyment out of being in the park for a few extra hours that it would be ok?

You can see the fireworks without going into the park - but you won't see the special effects on the castle and Matterhorn. You can watch them from the esplanade between DL and DCA - they might even pipe the music into that location - I'm not sure.

Another good place to see them is from the top of the Mickey and Friends parking garage, though if you can get a spot on one of the external stairways that's better than watching from the edge of the parking garage. No music there, though.

 

[HydroGuy]

I would get the extra day. What is the cost? Probably either $10 or $20 more? As another poster said be prepared for them to get cancelled.

Also, you might get lucky and they show them on Sunday night too.

 

[Vacation Dad]

First, if this is $10 to $15 for just one person it could be worth it, but if this is for each person in a family I personally wouldn’t do it. We usually just do whatever we want in the park, and watch the fireworks from wherever we are in the park at the time. We don’t really get to see most of the lower portion of the show, but we see the part higher in the air just fine. We would rather spend the time we would be waiting in the hub area going on rides, and to just see what we can see when the show starts. You can get a similar view to what we get from some of the areas mentioned by others on this thread. I like the fireworks, but it isn’t a “pay extra” sort of thing for my family.

 

[HydroGuy]

First, if this is $10 to $15 for just one person it could be worth it, but if this is for each person in a family I personally wouldn’t do it. We usually just do whatever we want in the park, and watch the fireworks from wherever we are in the park at the time. We don’t really get to see most of the lower portion of the show, but we see the part higher in the air just fine. We would rather spend the time we would be waiting in the hub area going on rides, and to just see what we can see when the show starts. You can get a similar view to what we get from some of the areas mentioned by others on this thread. I like the fireworks, but it isn’t a “pay extra” sort of thing for my family.

This approach used to be our philosophy. After seeing the RDCT fireworks for the first time our philosophy changed. So I know where you are coming from but now have a different perspective.

 

[bumbershoot]

I like the fireworks, but it isn’t a “pay extra” sort of thing for my family.

This approach used to be our philosophy. After seeing the RDCT fireworks for the first time our philosophy changed. So I know where you are coming from but now have a different perspective.

I'm with hydro.

If all you've seen is the sparkly stuff in the sky, then yeah, who would pay more for that?

But, and I'm saying this as a non-sappy, don't get into the Dream-y-ness of it all, person, when I saw the SHOW from back at IASW, and even the partial castle view I got in January, when I experienced the show of it all, any thoughts of it being just a fireworks show was blasted from my brain and heart.

It's so much more than just fireworks!

 

[Hound 109]

Rumor on the street is that Bumber & the HydroDude are just a couple of old sentimental softies.


But I agree.....if an extra day is 10-15 bucks pp, my philosophy is to do it. Whether for the wonderful fireworks (bumbershoot, did you do it with the snow? ) or to ride rides your first night, it's worth it for our family.

 

[LisainCalifornia]

I'm with hydro.

If all you've seen is the sparkly stuff in the sky, then yeah, who would pay more for that?

But, and I'm saying this as a non-sappy, don't get into the Dream-y-ness of it all, person, when I saw the SHOW from back at IASW, and even the partial castle view I got in January, when I experienced the show of it all, any thoughts of it being just a fireworks show was blasted from my brain and heart.

It's so much more than just fireworks!

I totally agree. We went for a few years when the kids were younger and didn't try to get a spot in front of the castle to see the fireworks. We would just watch them either from our hotel room (at the DLH) or from whatever ride we were on or line we were waiting on. You could always see them, but the difference was ENORMOUS when we actually got a good spot in front of the castle and watched it with the lightshow and music. I actually got really choked up the first time--it was that good.

The only other time that I found the fireworks to be really a special experience was when I was on the "Storybook Canal" ride with my daughters and we had to stop the boat in the middle of the ride (for safety reasons) and we watched the whole thing from the boat. That was a really special experience for us, and we had a great CM captain of our boat who made it extra special by narrating the whole thing for us.

Lisa

 

[johde]

Thanks for all your input, Like I said, right now I'm waiting on good airfare to show up. Right now, it's a solo trip so it would be 1 ticket plus parking (maybe depending on hotel). How far is it from Magic Mountain to DL? AAA is showing about an hour. Would that be pretty close on a Saturday?

 

[Dizneydaz]

Thanks for all your input, Like I said, right now I'm waiting on good airfare to show up. Right now, it's a solo trip so it would be 1 ticket plus parking (maybe depending on hotel). How far is it from Magic Mountain to DL? AAA is showing about an hour. Would that be pretty close on a Saturday?

I checked Mapquest and it also says about an hour. (60.9 miles) That should be pretty accurate assuming there's no traffic. Since it'll be late on a Sat., traffic shouldn't be an issue. You'll basically be jumping on the 5 South, for 60 miles, exiting at Dland.

What time in Sept. are you going? I have time schedules from Sept. 07 and I can check them for you to see the fireworks schedule last year.

 

[Brady's Mom]

My DH and I went in Sept 07 to DLR and Magic Mountain. We did MM on a Sunday and it wasn't very busy until about 2 pm. By then we had had it! It was a filthy, disgusting, hilly place! We are roller coaster enthusiasts, but I will NEVER go there again. The map is horrible to follow and the lines get really long in the afternoon. Not worth the wait imo.

It took us just over an hour to get from MM to DL. We found the drive to be just fine on a Sunday afternoon. No traffic jams or anything. Just lots of cars.

When we walked into DL the next morning we were so glad to see clean bathrooms and friendly CM's and clean garbage cans. The difference was dramatic.

 

[Zoemakes5]

For the last number of trips, we didn't watch the fireworks from inside the park. We saw it from DCA, we saw it from the hotel. This last weekend, it was just DH and I and we stayed and watched it in the park, and I was blown away. Right now at least, it tells a story. There's so much you don't see/hear from the hotel.
So, for the difference, I'd go ahead and give it a try. If for nothing else than to give yourself another "shot" at it in case they have to cancel them during your trip. If you get pooped out (or otherwise disenchanted) with MM, you can always go back to DL earlier and perhaps see the Electrical Parade or watch Fantasmic (if those are showing), too.

 

[brergnat]

Uh, yeah, you HAVE to see the fireworks from inside the park, and in my personal opinion, nowhere but at the central hub of Main Street (near the Partners stature) is as good.

However, it being September (Santa Ana wind season), be fully prepared for them to be canceled, as previously mentioned...

 

[DoomBugger]

Many don't know this but you can get a shopping pass to enter the park for one hour. If you come back a minute late they charge you entry for the day. If you make it back in the 60 minutes (you might have to show you bought something in a receipt but I'm not sure) you are not cherged anything for being in the park. It is meant for people to shop in Main Street who don't intend on being a typical visitor for the day.

You could do this and see the show without paying anything.

 

[HydroGuy]

Many don't know this but you can get a shopping pass to enter the park for one hour. If you come back a minute late they charge you entry for the day. If you make it back in the 60 minutes (you might have to show you bought something in a receipt but I'm not sure) you are not cherged anything for being in the park. It is meant for people to shop in Main Street who don't intend on being a typical visitor for the day.

You could do this and see the show without paying anything.

I knew this but forgot it. Great tip though!

 

[DLR29]

I agree. Good suggestion DoomBugger.

 

[johde]

I knew Epcot at WDW had the shopping pass but I didn't know about it at DL. It is something to consider. Right now my tentative plans include

3 day at DL
1 day at KBF (Free with Cedar Fair Plat. Pass)
1 Day MM (Hopefully Free with Mycokerewards points)
1 Day USH/hollywood (Again hopefully free with coke points)
1 day beach/relax.

As you can tell I'm going for a Cheap trip (especially if I can swing the $10 Skybus tickets).