Skip to content
THE HISTORY OF DISNEY FIREWORKS, AND A NEW SHOW!

THE HISTORY OF DISNEY FIREWORKS, AND A NEW SHOW!

Altogether, Disney has six theme parks (that is, parks which have the famous castles.) These are Florida (Walt Disney World), California, Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.



Walt Disney requested a firework show in his Anaheim, California park in 1956. This was to encourage guests to stay in the park longer and provide some much-needed night-time entertainment.



From there, the legacy of Disney Fireworks was born, and guests flocked to parks all over the world to get a glimpse of the magic. Originally, the fireworks used in the displays were lit by hand! Thankfully now, a more modern firing system has been integrated, this is why Disney are able to get such consistent and fantastic results every night. Here is a brilliant video, showing how the displays were orchestrated a few years back.



Disney has held many fireworks shows over the past 100 years, let’s look at some of the most iconic displays... Disney’s ‘Fantasy in The Sky’ Although not the best quality footage, here is a video of Disney’s original fireworks, Fantasy in The Sky, from 1962:



In recent years, this timeless show was brought up to date, and performed for New Year’s Eve in Disney’s Magic Kingdom.



Disney’s ‘Wishes’ Wishes was an iconic show, and a fond childhood memory for so many people. The main reason it is so well renowned, is due to the fact it ran for so many years. All the way from 2003 to 2017! Wishes was also adapted for special events, such as ‘’Happy HalloWishes’’ and ‘’Holiday Wishes.’’ Take a look at the brilliant video below, shot in 4K of the FINAL Wishes performance.



Disney’s ‘’Happily Ever After’’ One of the most brilliantly produced fireworks shows Disney has ever put together, ‘’Happily Ever After’’ combines all your favourite movies, songs and characters into one stunning pyro-musical show. Particularly brilliant are the Hercules ‘Go the Distance’ segment, as well as the Lion Kings ‘Mufasa’ segment. This show was unfortunately cancelled back in 2021, in favour of the new ‘Disney Enchantment’ however it has recently been announced that the fan favourite ‘’Happily Ever After’’ will return in 2023! This display is simply a masterpiece.



The New Show: A fresh and updated night-time show just dropped at Disneyland (California) in perfect time to get 2023 off to a beautiful start. Disneyland in Anaheim, California, built in 1955 is the oldest of all the parks, and has just begun showcasing their fantastic new firework display, ‘’Wondrous Journeys.’’ The fireworks also happen to be held over the original fairytale-esque Sleeping Beauty Castle, which lies at the heart of the park.



This new show is part of the Disney 100 celebrations, marking 100 years since Walt Disney founded his magic-making company in October of 1923, which was originally known as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio.



The new show beautifully showcases Disney’s Journey through time and displays just how much joy has been created by the company and its many fans over the past century. The show incorporates fantastic a timeline of projections onto the Sleeping Beauty Castle.



Starting from sketches of Mickey back in his ‘’Steamboat Willie’’ days, Winnie the Pooh, and other classics, all the way through to some of the most recent Disney films such as Big Hero 6, and even a flying Baymax!

via GIPHY

This show features some of the characters best loved lines, and a nostalgic soundtrack, making for a show which pleases the ears as well as the eyes! And, with plenty of references to older Disney Movies, this display is certainly one that will stir emotion in any age group. See the link above to see more details on this fabulous new show, and a full track list of the songs used during the display!



If you are lucky enough to be able to visit Disneyland in California, please remember that these fireworks will not be shown every night. Be sure to keep an eye on the Parks Events Calendar to make sure you get to see the shows you want. Overall, fireworks have become a huge part of the Disney experience over the last 60 or so years. They are certainly an integral part of any park visit and provides guests with memories that will last a lifetime, and always leave them wanting more.
Previous article Costessey Fete and Fayre: Everything You Need To Know

Leave a comment

Comments must be approved before appearing

* Required fields