Everyone loves going to Magic Kingdom during the day; characters that come out to play at rope drop, short wait times since no one is there that early, Dole Whips under sunny skies, and the bright and colorful Festival of Fantasy parade are all great examples why Magic Kingdom is great during the day. But there’s a certain charm to Magic Kingdom at night that a lot of people don’t always appreciate. Night owls get the most of Magic Kingdom since they get to see these dazzling sights:
9. Dream Along with Mickey – If your trip happens at the right half of Daylight Savings Time and you can catch this show at Cinderella Castle after the sun has gone down, it’s a truly magical experience! Dream Along with Mickey features Walt’s original three princesses, Peter and Wendy, and Mickey Mouse and friends! This show is worth seeing regardless of what time of day you go and happens various times throughout each day, but if you can catch it at night, it’s like a whole new experience!
8. People Mover – Even though the People Mover itself isn’t the most dazzling sight at Disney, the views from it certainly are – and at night, it’s a whole different experience than during the day! You get a stunning view of Tomorrowland (and Cinderella Castle as an added perk) from up there and you get to see how everything is lit up, like Astro Orbiter and Tomorrowland Speedway.
7. Rapunzel’s tower – Rapunzel’s tower and the surrounding area by the restrooms in Fantasyland are absolutely beautiful at night! It’s similar to the “I See the Light” scene from the film since at night, lights shine on Rapunzel’s tower and the floating lanterns are lit around the restrooms. Even though it’s a bathroom area, there’s no denying how beautiful and even romantic it is, especially at night!
6. Main Street USA – Main Street always has a lovely charm about it. Walt modeled it after his hometown, and it gives Main Street a small town feeling. This iconic street lights up at night, with all of the shops and the views of the castle and Town Square, Main Street is just as beautiful at night as it is during the day!
5. Celebrate the Magic – Celebrate the Magic is a projection show that features different Disney scenes and characters, and even Walt himself, that happens on Cinderella Castle both before and after Wishes. Celebrate the Magic is a touching look at Disney magic and shows and is a great way to pass some time before the fireworks.
4. Prince Charming Regal Carousel – Prince Charming Regal Carousel is absolutely stunning to see at night! The carousel is all lit up and is located behind Cinderella Castle so you can have beautiful views of Fantasyland and the castle from the carousel. Definitely give this a go around at night to appreciate how pretty it looks when the sun has gone down!
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3. Main Street Electrical Parade – This nighttime parade happens both before and after Wishes and is something you have to experience at Magic Kingdom! The electrical parade has the same route as Festival of Fantasy but reversed, so it does go through not only Main Street but also Liberty Square and Frontierland if you want a viewing spot. The bright lights of the parade floats and characters’ costumes along with the catchy Baroque Hoedown song are truly dazzling. This parade features Tinkerbell, Alice, Cinderella and her royal court, Snow White and the seven dwarves, Pete’s Dragon, and more!
2. Wishes – An obvious choice for this list, but a must see! Wishes is the fireworks show at Magic Kingdom that happens every night, usually at 9:00 p.m. Wishes is a long fireworks show with inspiring Disney music and narration from Jiminy Cricket. You can view Wishes the best from along Main Street USA but also from behind the castle, notably by Be Our Guest or Storybook Circus for some unique viewing experiences. Other fireworks shows, like HalloWishes or Holiday Wishes, are also worth checking out at night!
1. Cinderella Castle – Seeing Cinderella Castle shining bright at the end of Main Street is a sight that everyone should see at least once! Cinderella Castle is beautiful, and seeing it at night all lit up makes you feel like you’re seeing it straight from the movie when Cinderella went to the ball. This is especially true during in November and December when the castle is all lit up for the holidays – in the past, the Fairy Godmother covered the castle in the dream lights that resemble snow, but Queen Elsa has let the Fairy Godmother take a break.
Next time you think of skipping Magic Kingdom at night, think again! It would be a shame to miss these things if you only visited the park during the day time.
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Photo courtesy of Disney Photo Snapper