Disney Might Finally Be Fixing a Post-COVID Problem

Magic Kingdom might be inching closer to the kind of park experience many guests remember from before 2020.

This summer, Disney is adjusting the nightly fireworks schedule at Magic Kingdom—pushing the start time of Happily Ever After from 9:20 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. beginning July 6. That’s not just a scheduling tweak; it might be a clue that Disney is planning to bring back extended hours and nighttime offerings in a big way.

Before COVID-19 disrupted operations, Magic Kingdom regularly kept its gates open until midnight during busy seasons. Fireworks at 10 p.m. were often followed by a second nighttime parade at 11. That classic flow of nighttime entertainment was a big part of the park’s identity. For many guests, those long, immersive nights were the perfect way to end a Disney day.

With the 10:00 p.m. fireworks time now appearing on the calendar, many are speculating that Disney could be preparing to bring back that traditional evening structure. In fact, fans are closely watching for signs of the new nighttime parade, Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away, finally rolling out.

The later fireworks could make way for a first parade at 9:00 p.m., fireworks at 10, and an encore parade around 11—mirroring how Magic Kingdom used to operate in the summer.

Although Disney hasn’t officially announced the parade’s debut or any Cast Member previews, the changes suggest things are in motion. And even if Starlight doesn’t premiere that day, the later hours alone are a welcome development for fans who’ve long felt like the magic ends a little too early these days.

It’s also a big win for crowd flow and guest satisfaction. Extending entertainment and shifting showtimes helps thin out bottlenecks and gives guests more flexibility throughout their day.

For all the conversations about what Disney has changed in recent years, this move feels like a step back toward what so many loved about the Magic Kingdom experience: nights that felt like they could go on forever.