Well, it looks like I am going to have to abandon that phrase for good now. CURSES Disney! Last week it was announced that the fireworks spectacular Wishes is the next Disney Park staple to go in a series of recent changes to park entertainment.
This sudden announcement has been received with mixed reviews among the Disney community. Some people are happy to have something new and exciting to look forward to while others are hesitant to say goodbye to the show which ends its run in mid-May. Many are feeling much like their beloved traditions are being discarded; first rope drop, and now wishes. The replacement for rope drop being “Let the Magic Begin” a welcome show in front of the castle and now “Happily Ever After” takes the place of Wishes.
If you’re an avid Disney fan, this may not have come as a shock to you. I actually saw this coming when Wishes Dessert party was quietly rebranded to Fireworks Dessert Party on pretty much all the signage in the park, the website and the MyDisneyExperience app. Call me a Disney conspiracy theorist, but all signs pointed to a change on the way… literally.
With this new show comes some questions like; will the Made with Magic items that glow still work with this new experience? Currently, Wishes, Fantasmic, and Epcot World Showcase are synched to the four available Made with Magic accessories (Mickey Ear Hat, Minnie Mouse Headband, Mickey Mouse Glove and the Sorcerer Mickey Wand) that are programmed to light up.
Will fast passes be an option for the hub grass or preferred fireworks viewing? Disney did away with this a little more than a year ago, but without a doubt, the hub grass is one of the best places to plant yourself to watch a fireworks show in front of the castle. If you’re not there early to stake a spot, you can end up standing while you wait, or in a walkway which is a hazard. Inevitably when the parks are packed, it’s already hard to grab a spot for Wishes, and I can only imagine how packed it will be with guests clamoring to see what the new show is all about.
Luckily Disney released a two-minute video on their official blog with a sneak peek at some of the castle projections, animations, pyrotechnics and the orchestra working on the score. The colors of the castle projections look really vivid and the fireworks look insane. Its seems like Happily Ever After is all about incorporating more of the new generation of Disney including Moana, Brave, Big Hero 6, and Zootopia to name a few. There will still be classics like Aladdin, and the Little Mermaid from what I could tell watching the video, which is a sigh of relief for those of us who will surely miss the iconic voice of Robin Williams as the Genie blasting across the park.
For anyone worried about the fireworks dessert party, Disney has assured guests that they can still get their sugar rush from a prime viewing spot at the Tomorrowland Terrace without any interruption.
Changes can be a good thing, and if there is anything we know about Disney it’s that ultimately the changes we see will be spectacular in terms of production quality and value. The new show will debut at Magic Kingdom on May 12th. Until then, you can be sure I’ll be making any excuse to get to Disney between now and May 12th, and when I’m there you can find me on the hub grass during Wishes. I’ll be the woman holding a Mickey Premium bar and loudly sobbing to the show while wearing my sparkly Snow White ears from my shop and eating my feelings.
Erika is excited to be on the TMSM team and where Disney Parks are concerned, you won’t catch her dead on It’s a Small World. If she asks to ride that, this is a clear indication that she is in danger and you must send help. You will, however, catch her performing Random Acts of Disney (R.A.D’s), park hopping with her amazing group of impressively talented and kind friends (usually in some themed attire), hanging out by The Haunted Mansion, and ugly crying during fireworks… then begging for a Mickey Premium Bar to eat her feelings…this is a judgment-free bio.
Otherwise, Erika works for the State of Florida and is actively involved in her community. Erika believes in empowering others and spreading kindness to people from all walks of life. Erika also makes custom designed Disney inspired ears, etched glass, gifts, and accessories. You can check out, like or follow her work on FB, which also links to my shop’s Instagram: www.facebook.com/imagineering.emporium. She looks forward to getting to know everyone and sharing the magic of Disney!
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