After a long day of enjoying the magic of the Disney Parks, many Guests choose to spend their evening watching one of the phenomenal nighttime spectaculars that Disney offers Guests. Walt Disney World truly goes above and beyond to bring Guests incredible entertainment all day long, but for many Guests, the nighttime spectaculars cannot be beaten.
Walt Disney World Resort is currently showing five nighttime spectaculars: EPCOT Forever, Fantasmic!, Wonderful World of Animation, the Electrical Water Pageant, and Happily Ever After. Of all these shows, Happily Ever After, the fireworks show at Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom is the most popular choice amongst fans. That is why it is essential that Guests hoping to see Happily Ever After are aware that Disney has altered the show’s start time.
‘Happily Ever After’ Will Happen a Little After…
Fans were overjoyed when the Walt Disney Company announced the return of the fan-favorite firework show “Happily Ever After” would be returning to Magic Kingdom Park. This 18-minute extravaganza is one of the most beloved shows ever made by Disney, and fans from all over the world are eager to return to the Parks and see it perform once more. Fans are especially excited about the all-new projections down Main Street, U.S.A.
When You Can See ‘Happily Ever After’
While the show will still be performed every night, it is essential to know that the starting time for the show has been pushed from 9:00 p.m. to 9:20 p.m. This pushback is due to the sun setting later in the day. Happily Ever After requires a fully dark night sky. The show will likely return back to its 9:00 p.m. start time once summer is over.
This news is important so that Guests don’t feel like they are wasting time waiting for the fireworks show to begin at Cinderella Castle.
There’s no doubt that Disney characters are a big part of the magic of the Disney Parks. Guests are able to see some of their favorite characters come to life and have some amazing interactions with them.
However, every interaction is different, especially depending on the character. Some can be more graceful and refined, like meeting the princesses, some can be more magical, like Mickey and Minnie, and some can downright chaotic, like Goofy, Donald, or Wendell.
Wendell is one of the bears from the Country Bear Jamboree at Walt Disney World, best known for singing “Mama Don’t Whoop Little Buford” and playing the banjo. He’s one of the few bears that also meet and greet Guests, along with Liver Lips, Shaker, and Big Al. Guests can see the bears out and about in Frontierland near Country Bear Hall, typically on top of the building, but they also come down and can be seen dancing with Guests during the Frontierland Hoedown.
A recent Magic Kingdom Guest, @Ryan_FTLOTP, captured a hilarious video of Wendell really getting into the music from the “Festival of Fantasy” parade. In a second video, Ryan shows another clip where Wendell is jumping around and starts fist pumping, with a Guest in the background moving right along with him.
— Ryan @ For the Love of Theme Parks (@Ryan_FTLOTP) May 11, 2023
The comments are full of people cracking up over the videos, “there’s a reason he’s my favorite and this is it,” says @magicallifewem. “Wendell has brought me so much joy these past couple days. He GETS me,” chimes in @JellyKa625. “Wendell bouta open up that pit,” jokes @twisted_tater.
It’s always a treat to see characters that are able to be a little more chaotic, to see them enjoying or expressing themselves in a way that characters like the princesses might not be able to. And for characters like Wendell, it’s not even technically out of character, making it all the funnier for those experiencing the moment.
If you’re ready to make the live action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid” part of your world, you can pick up a new Loungefly mini backpack themed to the new film at Walt Disney World. We found this at Uptown Jewelers at the Magic Kingdom.
Live Action ‘Little Mermaid’ Loungefly Mini Backpack – $88
The new Loungefly mini backpack is primarily a blue simulated leather design with characters from the film plastered across the front.
‘The Little Mermaid’ in Cinemas May 26
Sporting an all-star cast, Oscar-nominated Rob Marshall, who is known for his work with “Chicago” and Disney’s “Mary Poppins Returns” will be directing the film. The remake stars Halle Bailey as mermaid princess Ariel, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian the crab, Awkwafina as diving bird Scuttle, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, Javier Bardem as King Triton, and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula.
A new character for the live-action “The Little Mermaid” will also be introduced in this film. Eric’s mother, Queen Selina, will be joining the tale.
Happy Halfway to Halloween! From April 20-23, Disney Park is celebrating #HalfwaytoHalloween, and to kick off, we’ve got some big news on the super popular Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. We got party dates and when tickets go on sale!
It’s Halfway to Halloween here at Walt Disney World Resort and, in celebration of the wicked occasion, I’m excited to share that Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party will return to Magic Kingdom Park late this summer and will run through this fall. Get ready for a spooktacular celebration with plenty of tricks and treats when the series of parties kicks off August 11.
With spellbinding entertainment, favorite Disney characters dressed in their Halloween best and more, celebrate the most haunting time of the year at Walt Disney World Resort. This limited-capacity, nighttime event starts at 7 p.m. and allows guests to experience shorter wait times on attractions, themed food and beverage and more. Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels, Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels, and Shades of Green can purchase tickets starting April 27, and tickets will be available to all guests starting May 2. The event dates are:
In honor of #HalfwayToHalloween, check out some of the most ghoulish moments to look forward to when this guest-favorite event returns.
Watch a Ghostly Promenade with “Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade”
It’s good to be bad, and your favorite Disney villains are back to stride down Main Street, U.S.A., alongside Disney heroes, the iconic Haunted Mansion graveyard diggers and other favorite characters. You may even spot some ghoulish new faces this year.
Get the Party Startled With “Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular”
Jack-o-lanterns aren’t the only ‘Jack’ at Walt Disney World this Halloween! The Pumpkin King, a.k.a. Jack Skellington, will once again host the must-see nighttime spectacular, “Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular.” Featuring projections, special effects and lighting paired with fireworks, music and iconic Disney characters, you won’t want to miss this!
Trick-or-Treat Yourself to Candy and Sweets
M&M’S, SKITTLES, and SNICKERS, OH MY! Guests can satisfy their sweet tooth at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party by stopping by trick-or-treating locations throughout Magic Kingdom Park.
See a Spellbinding Spectacle With the Sanderson Sisters
The Sanderson Sisters, stars of the iconic “Hocus Pocus” films, will unite for an adventure and call on their comrades to summon the ultimate “Hocus Pocus” Party Potion during the “Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular” stage show at Cinderella Castle.
Also during the party, you may have the opportunity to experience some of your favorite attractions including Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and the newly opened TRON Lightcycle / Run presented by Enterprise. TRON Lightcycle / Run will use a virtual queue* during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, allowing guests to enjoy all the festivities while they wait to enter the Grid. Stay tuned for more details!
You won’t want to miss the hair-raising happenings at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party this year, so be sure to get your tickets. Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels, Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels, and Shades of Green can purchase tickets starting April 27, and tickets will be available to all guests starting May 2. Stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog for more exciting details about all the scream-worthy surprises in store as Disney Parks celebrate #HalfwayToHalloween.
*Virtual queues are limited and subject to availability, times are subject to change, and joining a virtual queue does not guarantee entrance to any experience.
If you are a Disney fan who hasn’t been living under a rock, you know that tomorrow marks the grand opening of the new TRON attraction in Tomorrowland at Walt Disney World Resort. Early this morning at 7:00 a.m. ET, Guests visiting this Disney Park will wake themselves up to try and grab one of the coveted spots in the new roller coaster’s virtual queue. For the lucky few who get a place, be sure to know the changes to Disney’s virtual queue system before you head into Magic Kingdom.
For those who do not know, the virtual queue system is Disney’s way of managing the lines of popular rides and attractions. Instead of having it be a free-for-all with lines stretching a mile long, Disney has implemented a new system to help manage crowds. For very popular rides like TRON Lightcycle/Run, fans hoping to ride it on opening day will wake up early to try and secure a space in one of the ride’s “boarding groups.”
If you do manage to get into a boarding group for TRON, there are a few things you need to know. Firstly, each Guest will only be allowed to enter the virtual queue once per day for this attraction. Disney explains that even if you are given a boarding group, you are not guaranteed to ride the attraction. Boarding groups will be called based on availability.
Disney also mentioned an important new change to their virtual queue policy. In the past, Walt Disney World has been lenient with Guests punctuality when they come to check in for their boarding groups. In the past, Guests have been given an hour of wiggle-room after their boarding group is called to make it to the ride. This is no longer the case.
Disney has announced that Guests must be at the attraction when their boarding group is called. If they are not there, no late arrivals will be accommodated.
Disney made an update to the virtual queue page tonight. A new line reads: "Please arrive at your attraction once your boarding group is called. Be advised that late arrivals may not be accommodated."
If you get a spot on the virtual queue for TRON, be ready to drop whatever you’re doing to be at the attraction in time. Walt Disney World is not messing around!
