Is there a better way for kids to see firework shows?

[supamaki]

Has anyone watched from the California Grill? Is that too far away to see the projections?

 

[Magpie]

Count me in as another parent who doesn't believe it's "more important that the kids see the show".

What makes one person more deserving than the next?

Is it youth? Why? What if the person trying to see is 85 years old and has terminal cancer and this is their first and only trip to Disney? Does your healthy 4yo have more of a right to see the show than that person?

Every person has a story. That six-footer can't help his height, but the rest of us CAN resist the urge to put our children up on our shoulders. I think the highest your child should be is up on your hip, level with your head. Or, if they're small enough, in a backpack carrier, looking over your shoulder.

One of the important lessons I've tried to impart to my children is that their enjoyment isn't ever more important than that of others, for any reason, whether it's youth, beauty, wealth, privilege, etc. We're all in this together.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Another thought - would standing on the top of the railway station at the entrance to MK help? I know I've seen people watch from there and it's elevated!

Just FYI, that area is often used for VIP or other viewing, so availability is not always guaranteed. But if it's open, it can be a good spot if you don't mind the distance. And just steps from the exit too! Beat the rush leaving.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Has anyone watched from the California Grill? Is that too far away to see the projections?

Too far to see the projections, but it is (in my humble opinion) an excellent spot to watch the show! You can see something is going on on the castle, but is doesn't have any entertainment value from that distance.

The pics below are two floors down from Cali Grill, but CG view is going to be similar.

 

[John Marecek]

Here was our view of the Frozen Holiday Wish the one night we were able to watch it. We asked for them to get down, they blew us off. didn't care.

 

[DisneyChris2016]

Bottom line is that in order to get a good fireworks AND projections view you need to get there early and claim a spot 1-3 hours before the show. That might not be possible for every family to fit into their vacation and thats fine. There are plenty of places throughout MK where you can view the fireworks without the projections and still have a great experience. When I was a kid my family rarely watched the fireworks from the park, we often sat on the beach at the Poly or the viewing area at the contemporary and I never felt like I was missing out. I was a kid at Disney World, I was in heaven! haha

I have to respectfully disagree with this. Saturday, March 17 was a VERY busy night at Magic Kingdom. We grabbed our favourite spot about 75 minutes before the show, just to be on the safe side. The sidewalk areas surrounding the hub started to really fill in about 45-60 minutes early, but the "street" areas behind the hub remained largely clear until much nearer to showtime. CMs will try to keep paths open for walking, but people were filling in the space directly in front of me about 15 minutes before the show began. So they had essentially the same view I did, with almost no wait. I'm not saying that's always possible, but I think there is a lot of confusion about where people are "allowed" to watch the fireworks from. And even if you choose your spot 3 hours in advance, you can't stop people from parking themselves in front of you and blocking your view any way they choose (whether intentional or not). Basically, there is NO way to guarantee the view you want. My best recommendation is to go in with low expectations, and hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

[DisneyChris2016]

Here was our view of the Frozen Holiday Wish the one night we were able to watch it. We asked for them to get down, they blew us off. didn't care.

And for anyone standing between you and them, the view was even worse. Just goes to show how many people are affected by those who don't think of others.

 

[John Marecek]

And for anyone standing between you and them, the view was even worse. Just goes to show how many people are affected by those who don't think of others.

Correct. They were probably 30' in front of us.

 

[Magpie]

And for anyone standing between you and them, the view was even worse. Just goes to show how many people are affected by those who don't think of others.

They're simply following the rule of etiquette that has "all children up on shoulders, because it's more important that they see than anyone else."

And if your child is too heavy to hold up there, then clearly they're already too old to deserve a good view.

After all, isn't that why Disney designed the parks in the first place? To cater to preschoolers?

Oh wait... "We believed in our idea - a family park where parents and children could have fun- together." Hmmm... While we certainly do take pleasure in the joy of little children, it doesn't quite sound like he meant that they should be having all the fun while everyone else stares at their backs.

 

[limabeanmom2003]

If seeing the fireworks and projections was that important to me, I would spring for the dessert party. We have done the galactic dessert party at DHS and it was fantastic to be able
To stroll out to the roped off area right before the show started and have a great spot to stand where we weren’t crammed in. We will see HEA in a few weeks for the first time and I plan to watch it from the poly beach with a drink in hand. On our MK day we will walk up right before HEA starts and if there is a place for us to stand we will stick around and watch HEA. If it’s too crowded we will do something else. The MK dessert party doesn’t fit into our plans this trip but we may do it in the future.

 

[Grammy4Lizzy]

We were exiting HM last week and the fireworks started going off. We just moved out of the way of the rest of the people and watched them there. They were loud and just great!!!

 

[MomOTwins]

If you have dinner or are staying at the Poly, I loved watching the fireworks there from the beach.

In the park, we always go to the fences on the paths near Crystal Palace and the entrance to Adventureland. The view is obstructed, but you can see the projections and the fireworks that aren't blocked by trees, and there is always walk up space right along the fence where we park our double stroller and stand behind it while the little ones stand on the stroller so they can see just over the fence. More important to us to let the kids enjoy the park attractions in the evening and have a blocked view than to sit for hours getting bored and fussy to get a spot in the crowded crush.

 

[KrazeeK120]

Another thought - would standing on the top of the railway station at the entrance to MK help? I know I've seen people watch from there and it's elevated!

That’s where I always watch from! I’m short and can’t really see over another adult standing in front of me, never mind the shoulder kids.

I saw the last showing of Wishes there in May last year. I was by myself and befriended some people around me...it was almost all off-duty CMs! I’d found their secret spot, lol.

 

[MomOTwins]

Also, one last tip -- one time we let my little ones sit on top of a trash can around the hub (the big ones with the flat tops) for a daytime show near the castle. They did not rise above adult height so did not block anyone behind the trash can, and had the same great view as all the grown ups. I assume the same would probably work for the fireworks, but as mentioned, we try to avoid the hub madness as much as possible for fireworks.

 

[Magpie]

That’s where I always watch from! I’m short and can’t really see over another adult standing in front of me, never mind the shoulder kids.

I saw the last showing of Wishes there in May last year. I was by myself and befriended some people around me...it was almost all off-duty CMs! I’d found their secret spot, lol.

The one time we tried it, it was closed for a private viewing. Never occurred to us to try again!