Walt Disney's favorite time to go to the park was at night. He felt it was more magical and wanted guests to leave the park feeling special. He also wanted fireworks to end the day, they were to be a "Kiss Goodnight".
For those of us taking family vacations to WDW on a yearly basis, do you remember when you had to go back to the room to sleep while the adults went to E-ride nights (now in the forms of Disney After Hours, Extra Magic Hours)? I remember, I couldn't wait to be old enough to stay out late.
Fast forward to now, some 20 years later, I try to spend every single moment I can at the parks, even after close. For some that I have vacationed with, it is perhaps too much. In my experience, It's never too much.
Here are my favorite things to do at nighttime at the Magic Kingdom.
1. Visit Main Street U.S.A.
Main Street U.S.A. at night is gorgeous, even when exterior renovations are happening to some of the buildings, Main Street lights up the night while you are walking in/out of the park. Music from the turn of the century, that's the 20th century of course, plays as you enter the gateway to our 6 themed lands of the Magic Kingdom. Listen to some Main St. music!
This actually may be my favorite land in all the Magic Kingdom. You've got your Confectionery which has the best sweets in the park, but unfortunately no longer has a choose your own taffy (Disneyland still lets you though!)
Or possibly the best "souvenir shop"in any of the parks, the Emporium, which honestly doesn't really say much because they all have pretty much the same merchandise, but still looks cool and has awesome scenes from Disney classics in its windows.
Definitely my favorite and most visited quick-service restaurant, Casey's Corner. A hot dog lovers paradise!
Opposite of Casey's is the Plaza Inn Restaurant and the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. I've actually never eaten at the Plaza Inn Restaurant, but I have had many ice cream cones and sundaes from the ice cream parlor and they are great. Expect to wait a little longer at night though.
There is also the Main Street Bakery, which is great if you love Starbucks. As of 2012, Starbucks has a location in each one of the US parks (not the water parks). That means the Main Street Bakery no longer sells Nestle coffee, or specialty baked goods like the cinnamon rolls which are now at Gaston's Tavern. But if you want a quad venti carmel macchiato with a slow roasted ham and swiss, you know where to go.
And you can even meet a really cool talking Mickey Mouse in Town Square. Visit during Extra Magic Hours, there is hardly any wait.
2. Significantly less wait times.
Especially during Extra Magic Hours, your wait times are going to be cut by about 75%-90%.
What would normally be a 25 minute wait (depending on the time, and time of the year) will be a 8 minute wait.
If you are really into stats and wait times, give TouringPlans.com a look, it's pretty great. You can see what wait times are projected at for your next vacation, and even historically because you have nothing better to do like me!
You can get your own boat!
It's a Small World! (this one was at Disney After Hours)
Fun fact: Space Mountain was built outside the perimeter of the Walt Disney World Railroad, so in order to reach the ride you must walk underneath the tracks.
3. Different ride experiences at night.
Obviously not every ride has a different experience at night, but some are a lot more fun when the sun is down.
Big Thunder Mountain at night is a pretty different experience at night. Be sure to ride it both during the day and at night. In the dark is pretty fun, obviously you can hardly see anything which makes this wild ride, even crazier. I actually think Disney has toned down the lighting on the "Mountain" itself sometime within the last year.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is cool at night too, but really doesn't change anything. Unless you ride it when its pouring rain, that makes this very tight squeeze interesting to say the least.
Splash Mountain is such a great ride day or night. In fact it is my favorite ride in the Magic Kingdom when all the effects, audio and Audio Animatronics are working (it maybe my favorite ride in all of Walt Disney World), especially on a hot Florida afternoon. Usually crowds tend to avoid this water ride at the end of the night, which gives you a great time to experience free falling into the briar patch at night. Be warned it may be chilly at night, and you may want to bring spare clothes (and socks), or just avoid sitting in the front.
4. Wishes and Celebrate the Magic!
Wishes is probably the most underrated fireworks show at Walt Disney World. Or it is for me anyway. When I am planning a vacation Wishes is probably the first nighttime show to go on my itinerary, not because it's bad, no it's because it hasn't changed since 2003. I KNOW THAT FANTASMIC AND ILLUMINATIONS HAVE BEEN AROUND LONGER, but hear me out. The Magic Kingdom's fireworks usually revolve around Disney movies, which there have been a lot of since 2003. I think there is a lot of potential for a revised Wishes, not necessarily a whole new show because Wishes has become a classic.
Wishes really upped the ante from the historic Fantasy in the Sky fireworks which had played for 32 years. Be warned, if you are at the Magic Kingdom on a busy day, you will more than likely be herded into groups to watch the show. I do not have any really tips to avoid such madness. If you are planning to stay in the park after fireworks, watch Celebrate the Magic and Wishes from Main Street and be prepared to book it towards the Tomorrowland Terrace if you're going to Tomorrowland or Fantasyland, or the Crystal Palace if you're going to Adventureland, Frontierland, or Liberty Square.
Also check out Celebrate the Magic which is an awesome castle projection show. It incorporates all the new classics as well!
5. The freaking castle
I feel like I don't actually have to say anything about this.
B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L
Don't mind the scrim!
Finished product of the Hub redevelopment.
6. Holidays at night (Seasonal)
The Holidays are a special time in the Magic Kingdom! Fall is the best time to visit the Magic Kingdom, and Walt Disney World in general (try to avoid the actually holidays if you hate crowds). During both Halloween and Christmas the park looks amazing for both morning and night, but it's especially magical at night.
Main Street Station looking very festive
This is the 2014 - present Christmas decorations for Main Street!
And of course the castle in it's icicle glory!
It's really spectacular to see in person.
And Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade is wonderful. If you love Christmas you'll love this parade and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. Not only do you get to enjoy the park with less crowds, you get to experience Christmas Disney style. Real snow falling on Main Street, free cookies and cocoa and special Christmas time shows and character meet and greets.
But my favorite ticketed event and just plain time in the Magic Kingdom is the Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. On these nights, adults can ware costumes and trick or treat in the park along with their kids. If you don't have kids, no worries the party is for all ages, and A LOT of groups with no kids go.
For example:
This is by far the most fun I've ever had in the Magic Kingdom (and that's saying something).
Do not miss Mickey's Boo To You Halloween Parade! It is the best parade on property (Spectromagic formerly held the title for me) and very popular so remember to get your place extra early.
HalloWishes and Holiday Wishes makes use of the Magic Kingdom's perimeter fireworks which can be seen from as far away as the parking lot! Seriously both are terrific and are only rivaled by Symphony in the Stars at Hollywood Studios and IllumiNations at Epcot.
(photo credit: disneyworld/go)
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