Nighttime shows at Walt Disney World

Guests at the Walt Disney World Resort may not think of the end of their day as the best part of their stay at a Walt Disney World theme park (trust us, you won’t want to leave!), but if you happen to experience one of Disney’s three nighttime spectaculars, you just might rethink that train of thought. In fact, these three shows – Fantasmic! at the Disney-MGM Studios, Wishes at the Magic Kingdom Park and Epcot’s Illuminations: Reflections of Earth – are the perfect way to end your day and are assured to leave you going home with a smile.

Fantasmic! came to the Disney-MGM Studios in 1996, fours years after it debuted at the Disneyland Resort in California. Fantasmic! is a show that literally involves a little bit of everything you would expect in both a Disney production and a nighttime show – fireworks, your favorite Disney characters, live action, great music and a storyline in which Mickey Mouse overtakes the evil villains who have invaded his dream in a finale unlike any other you will see at the Walt Disney World Resort. Fantasmic! also incorporates scenes on water fountains that shoot up in front of the stage to show images of Disney characters in between actual live appearances from all of your Disney favorites. Since this is one of the most popular nighttime shows around, and seating is limited (the show takes place in front of a 9,000-seat amphitheater), you will need to arrive at least an hour to guarantee a seat at this show. If there are two showings of Fantasmic!, as there frequently are in the summer months, we strongly encourage guests to attend the second performance, which usually runs about an hour after the first one ends and never reaches capacity.

Illuminations: Reflections of Earth takes place nightly at Epcot on and around the lagoon of the World Showcase. This 12-minute fireworks, laser, water and light show premiered at Epcot in 1999 and has been going strong ever since. Illuminations: Reflections of Earth is divided into three acts – the opening fireworks show which is meant to reflect the creation of the Earth, followed by the Earth Globe appearing out on the water and making its way to the center, where it is illuminated with pictures of people, objects and places around the world. Finally, the globe opens up and fireworks are shot out of it, beginning the grand finale, in which 1,000 white fireworks are shot into the sky, ending the show with a white flash and a loud thunder-like boom to the delight of the crowd. Since there is no seating for Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, you do not necessarily have to be in a certain spot by the time they begin. But if you do want prime viewing (a few places that are good – the bridge in between the United Kingdom Pavilion and France, the viewing area just down the stairs from this bridge or the outdoor quick service restaurant in Mexico), we do suggest securing your place about a half hour before the show begins.

Finally, Wishes, a fireworks spectacular at the Magic Kingdom Park, is possibly the most popular nighttime show at any Disney theme park. This show, set behind Cinderella Castle, is hosted by none other than Jiminy Cricket himself, who narrates the plot as Disney characters – and villains – say their wishes. In the end, however, good overcomes evil, as the villains’ wishes are set in flame in the grand finale that lights up the sky in spectacular fashion. There are other versions of Wishes, including Holiday Wishes (during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party) and HallowWishes (shows during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party).