July 4th???

[jfelcie]

We will be at WDW from June 26 - July 5. Will there be a 4th of July celebration? Big fireworks? What park? What day? MK will be open until 2am on the 3rd. Please . . . Help!!

 

[SleepDoctor]

Every park will have a great 4th of July fireworks presentation.
Magic Kingdom traditionally does one the day before and the day of. It's best to check out the MK display on July 3rd, and go to another park on July 4th, so you can experience two different parks.

 

[Run princess]

Magic Kingdom does Awesome fireworks on July 4th!

BUT the park is CRAZY Crowded. Like THIS IS NUTS Crowded. We have always stayed on the monorail line and gone to EPCOT in the morning then swimming at hotel in the afternoon with an ADR for the spirit of aloha and then drinks and watching the fireworks from the beach at the polynesian. Perfect!

 

[kidd_freeper]

The Magic Kingdom has, what I believe, is the most spectacular display anywhere, on July 3 and 4.

It is a long show (15-20 minutes). Patriotic music is synchronized to the fireworks. The fireworks are launched from locations between the GF/MK, behind the MK and between the CR/MK.

MK will be mobbed on these days. If you cannot see them from the MK, another great viewing location (perhaps even better) is from the beach of the Poly. The music is piped onto the beach from barges in the water. The Poly will be crowded also.

I believe EPCOT has special fireworks on the 4th only, and DHS has a rare fireworks display as well.

 

[mco65]

The hottest days i have been to WDW was in May. i have never gone in July. I like heat but am not sure I could stand a hot July say in MK....

 

[Comeundone87]

Last year MK did the 4th of July fireworks all week! We saw them on July 2 and they were AMAZING! We did the Dessert Party so we didn't have to fight the crowds. It was very crowded that day and most viewing places in the Hub were filled by 6:00. The only drawback - Tinkerbell doesn't fly.

On the 4th we went to AK and the crowds weren't too bad. They however don't have any fireworks. We actually watched about 5 different firework displays from a parking lot in Davenport.

In 2010 it was raining during the July 3 fireworks. They were still pretty awesome!

 

[gocubsgo]

We were in HS lat yr on July 4th and found the crowds to be hmanageable! Have a great time! Some folks at our hotel had decorated their balconies with July 4th decorations! Wish I has thought of that .

 

[2Tiggies]

We are doing MK on July 3rd and tentatively Epcot for July 4th this year. I'm not carrying stuff with us. We are going as we are, for the experience and to enjoy the fireworks. We have accepted that those are not 'doing days' in the parks, they are 'being days' and I think we'll be fine

I'm hoping they run the special fireworks all week because then we will do Epcot on a different days so we can do DHS on the 4th. 2 nights but 3 parks of fireworks means something has to give

ETA: missed one of your questions. Yes, the park hours have MK open for EMH from 12 - 2 am on the 3rd. I expect the official park closing will move to 1 am and EMH will run from 1-3 am but we wont know for sure until much closer to the time.

 

[athumann]

We were there at that time last year and Magic Kingdom had the special fireworks all week long. We did the dessert party on July 3rd and that was fabulous for beating the crowd. We went to Hollywood Studios on the 4th mainly because that is a park that doesn't typically have fireworks and boy were we happy with our choice. There was a live band and the fireworks were in time with the music, it was really cool and such a fun atmosphere. I had heard that the display at Epcot was just illuminations with a little extra added on for the 4th but not sure if that's correct.

We had so much fun last year that we are going the exact same time this year!!

 

[ChipnDale79]

The hottest days i have been to WDW was in May. i have never gone in July. I like heat but am not sure I could stand a hot July say in MK....

It's really not that bad, we honeymooned during July 4th at disney and have been a couple of more times during that time period.

You've just got to manage the heat, one of the suggestions I always give people with they are going in the summer, buy a camelbak before you go. It almost forces you to stay hydrated throughout the day.

 

[Koh1977]

Is there a good viewing spot at CR? Possible ADR at Chef Mickey's for dinner. Thinking we'd just stay there to watch the fireworks perhaps?

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[Koh1977]

Is there a good viewing spot at CR? Possible ADR at Chef Mickey's for dinner. Thinking we'd just stay there to watch the fireworks perhaps? Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Or would GF be better?

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[photo_chick]

We're doing MK on the 3rd and Epcot on the 4th. There is more in Epcot on the 4th than just the extra fireworks at the end of Illuminations, they have other things going on during the day. We generally plan for those to be our two "all day in park" days.

In the past we did DHS on the 4th and it was a nightmare. The park just doesn't handle that many people crammed into the paths to see the fireworks very well. MK handles the crowds much better IMO. I think a lot of that comes back to the way the paths are laid out in the park though and there just isn't much they can do at DHS.

 

[Alesia]

Is there a good viewing spot at CR? Possible ADR at Chef Mickey's for dinner. Thinking we'd just stay there to watch the fireworks perhaps?

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I think you're probably too late to snag an ADR for that night.

Or would GF be better?

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You can't really see the fireworks well from the Grand Floridian.

 

[Koh1977]

I think you're probably too late to snag an ADR for that night. You can't really see the fireworks well from the Grand Floridian.

I already did get an ADR and I believe there were a couple at 1900 Park Fare as well if we wanted to go with the GF.

I was just watching a YouTube video of the 4th of July fireworks from the GF beach...? Seemed to be fine, not as good as Poly, but I know we wouldn't be able to actually be at MK for them, so I just wanted to know other places to see them.

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[chitwnnole]

Have been to Disney the last two years during thanksgiving week. We were there three years ago on 4th of July. We were at the MK that day. It was insanely crowded that day. I remember the corridor going from adventure land to fantasy land being so crowded that it took forever to get through. Avoid MK on the 4th if possible

 

[StrwLady]

In 2012 we went to the Magic Kingdom on July 3rd. We got to the MK around 7pm. Stopped in Casey's and got hot dogs and headed to the middle by the statue. We were easily able to move in to the middle and found a spot to sit on the ground and ate. 15 minutes later there was a see of people no matter where you looked.

So best is to get there early with your entire party. Find your spot and don't move. I wouldn't recommend some of your party doing other things and try to join you later. I can not imagine anyone getting through that crowd.

 

[maxiesmom]

We're doing MK on the 3rd and Epcot on the 4th. There is more in Epcot on the 4th than just the extra fireworks at the end of Illuminations, they have other things going on during the day. We generally plan for those to be our two "all day in park" days.

That is what I have done, and it worked great! MK is busy on the 3rd, but not quite as crazy as the 4th. Epcot is so large you don't feel so crammed in as you would at MK.

Both parks have awesome firework displays. But you will need to get to your viewing spot early, people will wait for hours for the really good locations. I'm not sure I would try to go to the Poly--there were reports last year of them checking to see if you were a resort guest before being allowed to go to the beach. It may be even worse this year with the construction going on, and then you have the hassle of trying to leave. I'd stay in the parks.

 

[2Tiggies]

That is what I have done, and it worked great! MK is busy on the 3rd, but not quite as crazy as the 4th. Epcot is so large you don't feel so crammed in as you would at MK.

Both parks have awesome firework displays. But you will need to get to your viewing spot early, people will wait for hours for the really good locations.

MK on the 3rd, spots on Main Street: Do you think planning to take find somewhere to sit/stand around 6 pm is too late? Should be plan to be there around 4 or 6?

We are planning Epcot for the 4th too so same question applies here ??

 

[WEDWDW]

To get the most "BANG" for your bucks:

Spend July 3 at Magic Kingdom and watch Celebrate America from inside the park.

Spend Independence Day at Epcot(enjoy the Voices of Liberty 4th of July concerts,etc.).

Monorail from Epcot to the TTC and watch Celebrate America(9:00 PM) there.

Immediately Monorail back to Epcot and watch IllumiNations/ The Heartbeat of Freedom(10:00 PM).

Great fun.