>Ooooh, Ahhhhhh (part 1)

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The Fireworks in Walt Disney World are the best hands down anywhere. The Best! There is no comparison, Disney does it well and they do it every night, sometimes more than once, in two different parks. Estimates for how much it

costs them a night range from $10,000-$35,000. They know how to do Fireworks. And everyone knows that you need to see the Fireworks in The Magic Kingdom, and in Epcot. And if you are able to get to see Fantasmic at Disney Hollywood Studios that is a neat Experience as well. These Experiences are Magical in themselves, watching the Fireworks explode above Cinderella Castle, as you stand at the end of Main Street USA, or looking across the World Show Case Lagoon at The American Experience and watch Illuminations, will give you goose-bumps.

So, how am I going to tell you new and Unknown Magic about the Fireworks? Well how about how to watch them with little or no crowd or in a different place so that you can experience them as few do. This post will not be all inclusive, but will be the first of a three part series of weekly posts on the Firework experience at Walt Disney World, so make sure you come back to find more Unknown places to view the Fireworks for a Magical Experience.

We’re going to start with the Magic Kingdom. The Firework show right now is called Wishes Nighttime Spectacular and as the Disney website says “Wishes Nighttime Spectacular is an amazing, high-tech fireworks show at Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World Resort.” In Early June, they are changing the show to Summer Nightastic! Fireworks Spectacular, this will be part of their Summer Nightastic Celebration.

If you are in Walt Disney World for the first time, and have already caught the Fireworks from Main Street USA (the best is from above the Train Station if you have the time to sit and wait), there are other places to see the fireworks from that can be Magical. One place that we happened upon by accident one trip was next to Dumbo the Flying Elephant. The Fireworks actually come from right behind that area. It is very different to actually see them flying up to the sky basically right past you. I Do Not Recommend watching the Fireworks from this area if you do not like loud noises or have small children with you.

There is another place in the park that we enjoyed other than just for the Fireworks themselves. As part of the Wishes program, Tinkerbell Floats, from Cinderella Castle across the sky. If you set yourself up on the rocks along the walkway from Main Street USA to Tomorrowland, as you go past the Tomorrowland Terrace Noodle Station, (you make the right immediately after the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor on Main Street) Tinkerbell will actually fly right past you, which we all found very cool.

Another great place to catch the Magic Kingdom Fireworks is on the top of the Contemporary Resort. The top floor of the Contemporary Resort is home to the California Grill Restaurant. If you are lucky enough to have a reservation later in the evening and ask for a view of the Magic Kingdom, you will be able to watch the Fireworks while you are dining on an award winning meal. If the California Grill is not your cup of tea, you can still take the

elevator to the 15th floor of the Contemporary and then walk right past the entrance to the restaurant, and walk out on the observation deck. From here you can see the Fireworks with a few other people and get a different view of them, as this viewing angle does not look right at Cinderella Castle. After the Fireworks are over, you can catch an elevator to the Grand Canyon Concourse Monorail Station and go where you need to go without the hassle of fighting the crowd to get out of the park.

As mentioned in a previous post, The Beach behind the Polynesian Resort is one of my favorite places to watch the Magic Kingdom Fireworks. It is so nice to sit on a beach chair in the sand and watch the Sky above Cinderella Castle light up with excitement. Another great thing about this location, besides the lack of crowd, is that the kids can run around and play in the sand and just be kids. This is important after a long day in the parks. When you wait in the
Magic Kingdom for the Fireworks to begin, you will notice people start to set themselves up for viewing anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour before they are shot off. Here you don’t have to do that without having to worry if your spot is going to be taken, before the fireworks even begin. I do recommend if you want a chair or a hammock to get there a little while before they begin, but you don’t have to stop your enjoyment an hour before hand.

Another really neat Magical Experience if you plan it right, which does take some doing, is riding the Monorail during the Fireworks show. It is very neat to see. This one however is difficult to do, because of the timing aspect, and it is also not a great way to see all of the Fireworks, because you keep stopping in the stations.

So, now you know, Some Magical places to Experience the Magic Kingdom Fireworks, without being on Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom. After you see them once from Main Street, check them out these other places for A Magical Experience you won’t forget.

For an overview of the Wishes Nightime Spectacular check out the Disney site.

>What a View

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I started back to school this past week (I am a teacher) and on the first day, our principal asked, if anyone had traveled over the summer and if so, where did we go. I didn’t add my trip to Disney into the mix, because they all knew where I had gone, they know we go every year. Some of the other people I work with went to Europe this summer, another went to Washington DC and some took cruises. I was happy for
them, but not really caring, because I had a wonderful time with my family in Walt Disney World. I’ve noticed some of the teachers that traveled have put up pictures of their trips in their classrooms, for the kids to see; which I think is really cool, as some of our kids will never get to see these places in person. Looking at some of these pictures I started thinking about some of the great pictures I have taken over the years in Disney World. Some of them are pretty, some are funny and some are just really amazing views. So today I present to you, the Unknown Magic of the Views in Walt Disney World.

Of course the most amazing view I have ever captured, in my mind, is Cinderella Castle at night. It changes colors every few minutes and each new color brings a new sense of awe.

Of course something else that brings Magical Experiences and a sense of awe when you see them in Walt Disney World is fireworks, either at night or during the day.

A really Great view and an ominous picture that I captured was taken from one of the Friendship Launches on our way back to the Boardwalk one day. The sky around the Hollywood Tower Hotel even makes it seem like an attraction you should fear.

Another great view with ominous overtones is looking across Asia in Animal Kingdom, at Expedition Everest.

When you are over in Crescent Lake you can also see this wonderful sight, the Yacht Club Lighthouse.

Of course the Boardwalk from above at night is an Awesome view at Crescent Lake that can create Magical Experiences and Romantic ones.

So, now you know, no matter where your friends have gone, you can say you have seen some just as magnificent views. But of course you’ll have had some Magical Experiences and been to Walt Disney World also.

>Ooooh, Ahhhhhh (part 1)

>

The Fireworks in Walt Disney World are the best hands down anywhere. The Best! There is no comparison, Disney does it well and they do it every night, sometimes more than once, in two different parks. Estimates for how much it costs them a night range from $10,000-$35,000. They know how to do Fireworks. And everyone knows that you need to see the Fireworks in The Magic Kingdom, and in Epcot. And if you are able to get to see Fantasmic at Disney Hollywood Studios that is a neat Experience as well. These Experiences are Magical in themselves, watching the Fireworks explode above Cinderella Castle, as you stand at the end of Main Street USA, or looking across the World Show Case Lagoon at The American Experience and watch Illuminations, will give you goose-bumps.

So, how am I going to tell you new and Unknown Magic about the Fireworks? Well how about how to watch them with little or no crowd or in a different place so that you can experience them as few do. This post will not be all inclusive, but will be the first of a three part series of weekly posts on the Firework experience at Walt Disney World, so make sure you come back to find more Unknown places to view the Fireworks for a Magical Experience.

We’re going to start with the Magic Kingdom. The Firework show right now is called Wishes Nighttime Spectacular and as the Disney website says “Wishes Nighttime Spectacular is an amazing, high-tech fireworks show at Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World Resort.” In Early June, they are changing the show to Summer Nightastic! Fireworks Spectacular, this will be part of their Summer Nightastic Celebration.

If you are in Walt Disney World for the first time, and have already caught the Fireworks from Main Street USA (the best is from above the Train Station if you have the time to sit and wait), there are other places to see the fireworks from that can be Magical. One place that we happened upon by accident one trip was next to Dumbo the Flying Elephant. The Fireworks actually come from right behind that area. It is very different to actually see them flying up to the sky basically right past you. I Do Not Recommend watching the Fireworks from this area if you do not like loud noises or have small children with you.

There is another place in the park that we enjoyed other than just for the Fireworks themselves. As part of the Wishes program, Tinkerbell Floats, from Cinderella Castle across the sky. If you set yourself up on the rocks along the walkway from Main Street USA to Tomorrowland, as you go past the Tomorrowland Terrace Noodle Station, (you make the right immediately after the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor on Main Street) Tinkerbell will actually fly right past you, which we all found very cool.

Another great place to catch the Magic Kingdom Fireworks is on the top of the Contemporary Resort. The top floor of the Contemporary Resort is home to the California Grill Restaurant. If you are lucky enough to have a reservation later in the evening and ask for a view of the Magic Kingdom, you will be able to watch the Fireworks while you are dining on an award winning meal. If the California Grill is not your cup of tea, you can still take the elevator to the 15th floor of the Contemporary and then walk right past the entrance to the restaurant, and walk out on the observation deck. From here you can see the Fireworks with a few other people and get a different view of them, as this viewing angle does not look right at Cinderella Castle. After the Fireworks are over, you can catch an elevator to the Grand Canyon Concourse Monorail Station and go where you need to go without the hassle of fighting the crowd to get out of the park.

As mentioned in a previous post, The Beach behind the Polynesian Resort is one of my favorite places to watch the Magic Kingdom Fireworks. It is so nice to sit on a beach chair in the sand and watch the Sky above Cinderella Castle light up with excitement. Another great thing about this location, besides the lack of crowd, is that the kids can run around and play in the sand and just be kids. This is important after a long day in the parks. When you wait in the Magic Kingdom for the Fireworks to begin, you will notice people start to set themselves up for viewing anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour before they are shot off. Here you don’t have to do that without having to worry if your spot is going to be taken, before the fireworks even begin. I do recommend if you want a chair or a hammock to get there a little while before they begin, but you don’t have to stop your enjoyment an hour before hand.

Another really neat Magical Experience if you plan it right, which does take some doing, is riding the Monorail during the Fireworks show. It is very neat to see. This one however is difficult to do, because of the timing aspect, and it is also not a great way to see all of the Fireworks, because you keep stopping in the stations.

So, now you know, Some Magical places to Experience the Magic Kingdom Fireworks, without being on Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom. After you see them once from Main Street, check them out  these other places for A Magical Experience you won’t forget.

 For an overview of the Wishes Nightime Spectacular check out the Disney site.