If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the many Disney family vacations we’ve taken over the last decade, it’s that your kids will never fail to surprise you. It wasn’t until I tried to take our kids to see the Disney fireworks that I realized how anxious the huge professional display of fireworks makes them. We watch fireworks every 4th of July at home, but they all pale in comparison to the epic Disney fireworks performances every night in the theme parks. Here I thought I was treating them to something special, only to discover tears and covered ears, and frantic pleas to leave as soon as possible. I assumed they’d grow out of it, that perhaps it was just their young age, but we’ve had this challenge for many visits and I’ve finally figured out the best work around!
The Best Places to Watch Disney Fireworks with Kids
Everyone thinks that the best place to watch Disney fireworks is right at the foot of Cinderella’s castle in Magic Kingdom. The REAL best places to watch Disney fireworks actually depend on your individual family and kids tolerance for fireworks: The castle hub is actually one of the worst places to watch the fireworks because:
Kids Who are Seriously Scared of Fireworks
Some kids need to have lots of distance between them and any fireworks. If your child is scared of fireworks, you have a couple options: They are HUGE. They are IMPRESSIVE. They are set to music and light shows. It is definitely an experience you will not forget. If you’re still totally sure your kids are going to be ok with that, I’d try to find a spot at the end of Main Street but outside of the actual square. You’ll be close enough to the castle to see everything but ahead of the crowd when it is time to leave. You could go farther down on Main Street, but our favorite spot is actually in the main entrance square. You can still see most of what is happening if they are streaming a display on the castle. You can definitely still hear the music the fireworks are set to since it is streamed all around on speakers. But you’re just far enough away from the hot zone that the sounds of the explosions will be that much less impactful and the fireworks won’t be right above your heads. My favorite time watching the Disney fireworks was with my older daughter at Mickey’s Halloween Party. We stood right at the entrance of Magic Kingdom, enjoyed the entire fireworks display, and were first in line to get out of the park at the end of the show. At the end of a long day, she’s overstimulated and exhausted, and those loud booms and crashes are just a bit too much for her nerves. I can’t say I blame her. We actually enjoyed little sneak peeks of the fireworks as we walked from the back of the park towards the entrance. As long as we kept moving and were heading towards leaving, she felt better about turning to see them as they went off. We avoided the hub and Main Street and walked around the perimeter of the park instead. If you suspect that will be true for your child, I’d recommend bringing noise cancelling headphones in your park bag. They will absolutely NOT cancel all the noise but they could diminish the sound enough to help your child enjoy the view without the fear of the booms and crashes. Just in case, I’d recommend my Main Street strategy so you can head for the exit if it doesn’t go well.
Parents Who Want a Quick Park Exit
Finally, if you as a parent are only doing the fireworks to make your kids happy and are just eager to make a quick exit from the parks, you will all be happiest if you enjoy the view from the entrance at Magic Kingdom as mentioned above!
