ehagerty
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2001
- Messages
- 2,099
Perspective - Much as been reported about the new fireworks show over Cinderellas Castle in the Magic Kingdom. The first, last any only time I made the effort to watch fireworks in the MK was sometime around 1993. It was May, a Saturday night and we thought wed catch the show. We had the kids in a double stroller (of course we used the stroller until the youngest was 10, mostly for toting stuff, but inevitably, when the youngest got tired, he got in) and thought we were used to crowds. Well, not this one. Traffic management after Spectromagic and before whatever-it-was-called fireworks was either non-existent or entirely ineffective. We were stuck in the ice cream parlor, attempting to get through to Tomorrowland, for over an hour. We never saw the fireworks. We were only 2 degrees of separation from a very edgy New Yorker who was hollering for his gun so he could shoot his way out, etc. I guess the CMs behind the ice cream counter finally managed to get word to the powers-that-be because someone finally opened the employee walkway behind Main Street to let us out and we never went back for the fireworks again. When something which is supposed to be magical is traumatic, you dont bother again without good reason.
Motivation aka "Good Reason" - Fast forward to this Spring's trip reports by other people. Wishes appears to be a must see. Hmmmmm. May have to get back on the horse and try this again. I have limited park access (compared to prior years of DVC passes and APs) and I will find a way.
Day's Events - Monday, June 21st, was MK day for us. Will document other experiences elsewhere, but even after starting the day here at 7:45 am, we were still hanging around (with a brief respite at the Grand Floridian in the evening). We headed into the MK around 9:30 (oh, no, just like 1993 ) along with streaming masses. Whats this. Totally coordinated crowd control? CMs with flashlights ensuring that 9:00 Spectromagic people who want to leave have half of Main Street available to get out. Great! Other half of Main Street dedicated to people moving into the park. No one allowed to stop on Main Street. You can stop on the sidewalk and plan to move out into Main Street at 9:50 for the fireworks, but not until then. This is working very well. It is still very congested, and some people are irritable, and CMs have to speak loudly to keep people moving (which could, under other circumstances, sound like they were yelling at them), but, low and behold, the horrors that plagued the process 10 years ago have been addressed and addressed well. Go, Disney.
Viewing Location - So, we stepped onto the sidewalk just shy of the hub and waited until 9:50, when they let us onto Main Street. Once on Main Street, we were looking right at Walt and Mickey and had what has to be the primo viewing spot for Wishes. If we had staked out a spot, hours or minutes earlier, we couldnt have done better. So, my recommendation, if you dont like waiting around, is to migrate from the Railroad Station around 9:30, taking a slow walk with the masses up Main Street until you get to the hub, then step up onto the sidewalk and wait. At 9:50, maybe 9:55, depending on the CMs with flashlights, step back into the street and enjoy the show.
Review - And what a show. This is definitely the BEST fireworks show I have ever seen and that includes the early edition of Illuminations, which previously held that assignation. The fireworks themselves have some new configurations I hadnt seen before. It is totally coordinated with music and story, and best of all, no deadspots (such at the travelling globe in Illuminations ROE, or the endless movies-on-fountains in Fantasmic). This is a darn near perfect package, well worth whatever effort you make to see it, ASSUMING you like fireworks.
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Other random thoughts:
Still pretty good show, for free, on a day when you arent going to the park anyway - especially when combined with dinner at 'Ohana!!
A side note on Illumination I still enjoy the show, but I am bored with the globe. From most locations, you cant even see what is projected on the map and even when you can, you can hardly understand what is going on or how it fits in with the fireworks. Illuminations used to be a must see recommendation. Now it is a see it if it fits into your schedule and touring plan.
Fantasmic has never grabbed me. I enjoyed it, just didnt think it was worth the wait or the price of the dinner package (both of which I have done for it). I like the sound track, which I listen to at work, but ..
Wishes, IS a must see.
Motivation aka "Good Reason" - Fast forward to this Spring's trip reports by other people. Wishes appears to be a must see. Hmmmmm. May have to get back on the horse and try this again. I have limited park access (compared to prior years of DVC passes and APs) and I will find a way.
Day's Events - Monday, June 21st, was MK day for us. Will document other experiences elsewhere, but even after starting the day here at 7:45 am, we were still hanging around (with a brief respite at the Grand Floridian in the evening). We headed into the MK around 9:30 (oh, no, just like 1993 ) along with streaming masses. Whats this. Totally coordinated crowd control? CMs with flashlights ensuring that 9:00 Spectromagic people who want to leave have half of Main Street available to get out. Great! Other half of Main Street dedicated to people moving into the park. No one allowed to stop on Main Street. You can stop on the sidewalk and plan to move out into Main Street at 9:50 for the fireworks, but not until then. This is working very well. It is still very congested, and some people are irritable, and CMs have to speak loudly to keep people moving (which could, under other circumstances, sound like they were yelling at them), but, low and behold, the horrors that plagued the process 10 years ago have been addressed and addressed well. Go, Disney.
Viewing Location - So, we stepped onto the sidewalk just shy of the hub and waited until 9:50, when they let us onto Main Street. Once on Main Street, we were looking right at Walt and Mickey and had what has to be the primo viewing spot for Wishes. If we had staked out a spot, hours or minutes earlier, we couldnt have done better. So, my recommendation, if you dont like waiting around, is to migrate from the Railroad Station around 9:30, taking a slow walk with the masses up Main Street until you get to the hub, then step up onto the sidewalk and wait. At 9:50, maybe 9:55, depending on the CMs with flashlights, step back into the street and enjoy the show.
Review - And what a show. This is definitely the BEST fireworks show I have ever seen and that includes the early edition of Illuminations, which previously held that assignation. The fireworks themselves have some new configurations I hadnt seen before. It is totally coordinated with music and story, and best of all, no deadspots (such at the travelling globe in Illuminations ROE, or the endless movies-on-fountains in Fantasmic). This is a darn near perfect package, well worth whatever effort you make to see it, ASSUMING you like fireworks.
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Other random thoughts:
- We applied our positioning strategy the following week (get there 9:30, slow walk up Main St, etc.) and had the exact same perfect viewing location again. This will be repeatable until everyone is on to it. Get it while you can.
- We watched (without price of park admission) from Polynesian Resort Beach. View was quite good but
- It lacked the benefit of centering with Cinderellas Castle as the focal point. I was prepared to view fireworks from Toontown or Haunted Mansion forecourt as described by other reports. Someone noted that these locations dont work as well for this show, since it is developed with Cinderellas Castle as a focal point. You lose some of the symmetry from the sides.
- The PR beach did have the music playing on the outdoor speakers, but you could barely hear it. I suspect it was adjusted for volume appropriate for a calm beach with a few people on it, not the masses assembled with talking and kids for this show. Would be great if they would turn it up for the fireworks show. Hopefully they have figured this out by now.
Still pretty good show, for free, on a day when you arent going to the park anyway - especially when combined with dinner at 'Ohana!!
A side note on Illumination I still enjoy the show, but I am bored with the globe. From most locations, you cant even see what is projected on the map and even when you can, you can hardly understand what is going on or how it fits in with the fireworks. Illuminations used to be a must see recommendation. Now it is a see it if it fits into your schedule and touring plan.
Fantasmic has never grabbed me. I enjoyed it, just didnt think it was worth the wait or the price of the dinner package (both of which I have done for it). I like the sound track, which I listen to at work, but ..
Wishes, IS a must see.
