Good Evening Ohana! It’s Sunday so that means it is time for my top five list! This week I decided to write about the top five things to do at night at the parks. During the day there is so much to do, but right now here in central Florida, it’s hot! So it is nice to go to the park at night when it is cooler and enjoy the nighttime entertainment offerings, so let’s dig right in!
- Rivers of Light-We are one!
This show can be experienced at Animal Kingdom and usually runs two times a night, which is super convenient especially if you want to check out Pandora at night. The show is using light and water in a beautiful show that is choreographed to music. It’s a stunning show and now there is a new Lion King addition which I love! I mean the Lion King is very popular right now due to the live-action movie so that keeps with that current theme. If you have never experienced this nighttime show I suggest it. If you can get a fast pass, even better.
- Fantasmic
Located in Hollywood Studios, Fantasmic is a great show that tells the story of Mickey Mouse having a nightmare. He gets caught by the villains and finally realizes that he is in control of his dream and he takes down the villains and overcomes his fears. The show has fireworks, water projections, and glow in the dark animals. They incorporate the Lion King as well. Rafiki actually comes out on a boat, & on the island they have animals that are glowing. They have Pocahontas represented, Snow White, Ariel, Belle, and their princes on boats that are part of the storyline too. The end is the best part, all the iconic characters are on this giant boat with Steamboat Willy steering! It’s a cute show and we love watching it when we go to Hollywood Studios.
- Night Safari
This iconic Animal Kingdom attraction is different every time you go on it. You never know what you are going to see, and at night it takes on a completely different identity. Most of the animals on the safari are more active at night and there are some animals that you can only see at night, like the hyena’s which replace the African Wild Dogs. The lions are usually more active at night. If you go just after sunset there is a good chance that they will be up and walking around. Every time I have gone on the safari at night it was amazing. The only drawback is that is can be hard to see at times. They do have night vision binoculars that you can buy and they have night vision apps you can download on your phone. They do have lights that are dim around the Savannah, which helps. If you like the safari during the day, you will LOVE it at night!
- Illuminations
This makes me sad because this is the last few weeks of this show at Epcot. Illuminations has had a long run and it is a great show. Illuminations has three acts… Chaos, Order, and Meaning. There are fireworks, laser lights, fire, and all the country’s ( except for Morocco and Norway) light up. The music is great, at the end you can even hear the music from Tapestry of Nations Parade! Don’t forget about the globe that comes out at the start of the second act, then lights up. At the very end the globe opens and fireworks come out of it. It’s a great show, and if you have not had the pleasure of watching it I suggest you go before October 1stbecause the last day is September 30th.
- Happily Ever After
The Magic Kingdom is my favorite park at night. I still miss Wishes, I loved that show. The new one however is amazing! Happily Ever After has castle projections which are awesome with fireworks all set to music. The show gets very crowded so if you want a good spot to see all the projections you need to plan early, but it’s a must-see. The show is absolutely beautiful and dynamic. Being a local I go sometimes just to see this show and it is worth it every single time. The show incorporates Tangled, Moana, Frozen, Aladdin, and so much more. Literally, I don’t know how they make the castle look like part of it is a rocket taking off or that its made of blocks and falling. Every time I see the show I say out loud how do they do that? Its fun to watch. Now here is a tip for you.. when Happily Ever After is over, don’t make a rush to get out of the park. Ride a few rides, shop it the store, and grab a coffee! By the time you are finished, you can walk right out and get on the boat or monorail.
Well, that’s it for this weeks top five! See you next week!!
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