No Fireworks / Shows Really Changed Disneyworld

[HairyChest]

I’ve been to the world a couple times since the reopening and I must say, the lack of fireworks and shows have completely taken away that special feeling of being at Disneyworld for me. I don’t think I can go back before they return. The parks felt alittle soulless to me. Anyone else feel this way?

Illuminations (rip) , Happily Ever After, Galactic Spectacular, Beauty and the Beast live, Fantasmic! are a huge part of it for me.

I have a trip planned for June so I do hope announcements are coming for more entertainment coming back (Happy to hear Lion King should be back by then). If They don’t announce by end of April that more shows are returning, I would unfortunately cancel the trip.

 

[OKW Lover]

The parks felt alittle soulless to me. Anyone else feel this way?

Not me. I love fireworks but its a ~15 minute show. The parks themselves are great for the full day.

 

[Thumper99]

Yes I definitely feel that way. I miss the “ sounds” of Disney. We are resort stayers as we own DVC so we usually only got to one park but seeing the fireworks at night was always a special treat.

 

[DebbieB]

I’m just happy to be able to go. DL has been closed a year and will only open to CA Residents.

 

[HairyChest]

Yes I definitely feel that way. I miss the “ sounds” of Disney. We are resort stayers as we own DVC so we usually only got to one park but seeing the fireworks at night was always a special treat.

Yup, same here. Rides are the “gravy“. The ambiance is the main thing but when you shorten the hours and take away the shows, it’s a very diluted experience for me.

 

[loves to dive]

Nope, not me. I can't remember the last time I watched a parade but I know it was just because I got stuck in place when one was passing. No way was I going to sit on a curb and wait for a hour or more to watch a parade. When they switched most of the night time shows to projection based, I stopped going. I'm height challenged and the 4 times I got in place early and got a good spot (two at MK, two at HS) someone came along at the last minute and got in front of me, blocking the projections which meant while I could see the FWs the show didn't make much sense.

 

[stlrod]

It has but there's a bright side. I no longer feel the need to be in the park all day which, with a mask, can be unbearable.

 

[lovethattink]

I miss live entertainment very much! The streetmosphere characters were a very big part of my family’s experience. Same with the live shows. I look forward to summer when FotLK comes back. I know it will be modified, but it’s something I can’t wait to see.

As for the fireworks, we only watched them a few times a year in the parks. Mostly we watched them at my son’s, on the 2nd floor balcony. But he moved during the pandemic, so that won’t be happening anymore.

In the parks, we used the time of the nighttime shows to ride attractions while everyone else waited.

 

[holden]

We watch the fireworks once a trip. Don't really care for shows/parades.

 

[LiveLifeLoud]

Disney is about the entire experience for me. So it’s all important to me. If we wanted just rides there are better amusement parks for that.

We love the live entertainment. The CoH in DHS. The fireworks. We aren’t big parade people but we will watch if I’m the area. The shows. It’s the reason we are waiting until late 2022 to go back. In the meantime there are other vacation destinations that are more open with more offerings.

 

[2minny]

We have an upcoming trip in May, our first time back since Covid. Our cancel credit was expiring. I'm so worried about how this trip will be, we LOVE the shows and will miss Festival of the Lion King, Beauty and the Beast and Hoop De Doo Review. Along with character meet and greets. It will be very different. I'm looking at it as a time to focus on rides. But, I have already said we won't go back again until live performances are open again and parades, and fireworks - we just love them so much! I can't believe Disneyland still hasn't opened! So sad!

 

[bakerworld]

For us Epcot is all about the WS so as long as they don't close the World, we're there. Sometimes hanging for the fireworks - which I loved - was a bit much. I do love the Pop-ups and I hope they stay.

 

[1GoldenSun]

I miss the streetmosphere a lot, but I never cared much for the more crowded events like fireworks, and once I've seen a show I'm not interested in seeing it again for a few years, if ever. The Lion King and Fantasmic were pretty much one-and-done for me. I do miss those events sucking up the crowds, though!

I do like the pop-up parades very much and would love to see them stay, and I love how characters will appear on rooftops, etc., but to me Epcot and HS are lacking something without the little shows that you come across as you make your way through the parks. There's something so whimsical about the spontaneity of it, it just feels so Disney to have an unexpected bit of entertainment come your way (I know these little shows are on a schedule, but I never checked those and it always felt spontaneous to me).

I hope they do bring back everything, because every Disney fan has their own favorite and I hate to see people miss out on what they enjoy, but for me personally I really hope that eventually the street entertainers come back, because they were a huge part of the Disney experience for me.

 

[rwdavis2]

We wont be back until all the shows fireworks are back. Why pay full price for a reduced experience.

 

[mel&me]

Love the fireworks, but it won't stop us from going.

 

[Meriweather]

I miss the entertainment, not so much fireworks. I hated being in a mob of people

The shows need to return so there is more to do. Ride lines get too long

 

[MomOTwins]

When we first started visiting WDW, our kids were little, and keeping them at the parks past 8pm was a recipe for an epic meltdown. We actually never even got to see the fireworks at the parks (did see some from our resort rooms balcony at the GF and Poly, but that's not the same) until several trips in. We still had a great time. It's like that now. We enjoyed the fireworks when we had them once the kids were old enough to stay awake, but that's not the only thing at WDW.

The lack of parades is a plus for me. Hate that everything grinds to a halt during the parade and you can't get from point A to point B, and hated all the people jostling to get up front.

 

[mamamelody2]

I've been for a week last November and a week last January. I honestly didn't miss the fireworks/parades/shows at all. Yes, the trip was different than others, but we still had an awesome time and was very glad we went. There's actually some freedom in not having to get a spot early for fireworks or parades, or be in a certain place at a certain time for a show.

 

[BarbLynnM]

I'm not that much a fan of either fireworks or most of the live shows. We've seen Lion King and the Indiana Jones experience several times, which was enough for us. We're going in June, and the only entertainment I imagine I'll miss will be the Drummers at Japan in Epcot. I don't know why I missed out on the fireworks gene, but even as a child I was uninterested. So, no, not having that constant entertainment won't be something that would ruin the trip for me.

 

[Wdwfan2016]

The lack of entertainment does change the experience. It wasn't so bad when they first reopened as the parks were dead so you could ride and re-ride. Now that the parks are busier and the lack of entertainment, fireworks and restaurants being opened it's definitely noticeable. The cost is still the same but less to do and less time to do it in.