Disney Enchantment – Newest Fireworks Show at Magic Kingdom: Our Thoughts & What You Need to Know

“Disney Enchantment” is the current nighttime spectacular at Magic Kingdom Park, though not for much longer. The show debuted to guests on October 1, 2021, and helped kick off “The World’s Most Magical Celebration,” an 18-month event in honor of the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort. The show continues to have mixed reviews, and when Disney announced the show would end in 2023, many fans rejoiced. What did we think, and what do you need to know? Learn all about the show below.

Editor’s Note: Disney has announced that Disney Enchantment will end its run on April 2, 2023. Happily Ever After will return to Magic Kingdom on April 3, 2023. 

1 – Disney Enchantment

“Disney Enchantment” adds its new chapter to the storied 50-year history of nighttime entertainment at Magic Kingdom in a spectacle of Disney music, stunning fireworks, enhanced lighting, and immersive projection effects extending for the first time from Cinderella Castle down Main Street, U.S.A. It plays out above and around guests in ways never experienced before at The Most Magical Place on Earth.

2 – You Are the Magic

Inspiring everyone to believe in the magic that lives within them, “Disney Enchantment” features characters, moments, and music from cherished films from Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios. An emotional original song anchors the show’s stirring soundtrack, “You Are the Magic,” written and performed by multiple GRAMMY® winner Philip Lawrence. His musical career began as a Disney cast member performing in Walt Disney World shows.

3 – New Introduction to Show Added August 2022

The updated show has a new introduction with projections celebrating Walt Disney’s vision and the “Florida Project.”

Other projections include clips of Walt Disney World’s dedication ceremony with part of Roy Disney’s speech and some nods to some popular classic attractions.

Mickey Mouse also has a prominent role in speaking to the audience. He says:

“Oh boy. This place sure is swell. Some folks like to say that it all started with a dream, but you want to know what makes this place really special? It’s you! Enchant every one of you anytime you set foot here, you leave this place brighter than it was before because you are the magic!”

The new introduction is a huge improvement and does a lot to address the show’s criticism, namely that it did not celebrate Walt Disney or Magic Kingdom itself. It’s great to have Mickey talking to the crowd. It’s too bad that the show did not debut with this introduction. There might not have been so much hate towards Disney Enchantment.

4 – Upgraded Projections

During the show, Cinderella Castle is aswirl in scenes of wonderment, thanks to state-of-the-art projection technology. Guests set sail across the sea with Moana, soar above the clouds on Aladdin’s magic carpet, and more. These projections extend down Main Street, U.S.A., complementing the images on the castle while creating an entirely new immersive and expansive environment for Magic Kingdom. We really feel that the upgraded projection technology is a big step up from Happily Ever After. The images are sharper, clearer, and easier to follow. They really add to the experience of the show.

5 – The “Story” of Disney Enchantment

The story of the show is not as defined as Happily Ever After. In Disney Enchantment, guests are invited to join dreamers like Princess Tiana from “The Princess and the Frog,” Miguel from Disney and Pixar’s “Coco,” Rapunzel from “Tangled” and brothers Ian and Barley from Disney and Pixar’s “Onward” as they set out on a journey beyond the ordinary to a magic land filled with adventure, wonder, empowerment, and enchantment.

In one sequence, Joe Gardner from Disney and Pixar’s “Soul” brings guests with him into “the zone.” As he plays his piano, shimmering blue and purple lighting extend beyond the castle, transporting guests into a magical realm inspired by the art of Disney Legend Mary Blair. This dream-like space is filled with characters from Disney classics such as “Beauty and the Beast” and “Alice in Wonderland” to contemporary tales including “Wreck-It Ralph” and Disney and Pixar’s “Luca.”

Through it all, these heroes discover they have only to look within themselves to find the power to believe and make dreams come true because the magic lived inside them all along.

Narrator Angela Bassett inspires the crowd with these words:

And so, we have found what we seek. The magic of dreams come true, in fact, lies within you. This magical kingdom remains a beacon to those with a wish in their heart, gifting every person who walks through these gates this enchantment. Look inside yourself and realize that you have everything you need to make all your dreams come true. Anything is possible, for you are the magic.

The journey builds to a crescendo as Tinker Bell takes flight and spreads shimmering gold pixie dust over the park, empowering everyone to believe in themselves and the magic all around them.

6 – So Many Disney Movies Represented

Like Happily Ever After, Disney Enchantment celebrates Disney movies – a lot of Disney movies, in fact. One unfounded criticism of the show is that it doesn’t include the “classics,” and that is simply not true. There are over thirty-five movies represented, and there are plenty of classics and lots of Disney princesses! Here is a rundown of the movies we spotted in Disney Enchantment. We spot a few more each time we watch. This list will likely grow as we spot a few more we missed.

1. 1. Aladdin
   2. Alice in Wonderland
   3. Beauty and the Beast
   4. Brave
   5. Cars
   6. Cinderella
   7. Coco
   8. Dumbo
   9. Fantasia
   10. Finding Nemo
   11. Frozen
   12. Hercules
   13. Inside Out
   14. Lady & The Tramp
   15. Lilo & Stitch
   16. The Lion King
   17. The Little Mermaid
   18. Luca
   19. Moana
   20. Monsters Inc
   21. Mulan
   22. Onward
   23. Peter Pan
   24. Pocahontas
   25. Princess and the Frog
   26. Ratatouille
   27. Raya and the Last Dragon
   28. Sleeping Beauty
   29. Soul
   30. The Sword and the Stone
   31. Tangled
   32. Toy Story
   33. Wall-e
   34. Wreck It Ralph
   35. Zootopia

7 – More Fireworks Than Happily Ever After

One thing I love about this new show is that there are a lot more fireworks than Happily Ever After. That show simply did not have a lot of fireworks, especially compared to Wishes. To be fair, Wishes was a traditional fireworks show with no projections, so of course, it had more fireworks. But I always wished that Happily Ever After had more fireworks. Disney Enchantment delivers on that.

8 – Viewing Tips & Tricks

Like Happily Ever After, the main show is on Cinderella Castle, and so the best viewing location continues to be in front of the castle, around the hub, and in the plaza gardens. However, the projections also extend to Main Street U.S.A, so you may want to stand further back on Main Street to enjoy those projections. If possible, you’ll want to view it in many different locations. And while the fireworks can be enjoyed from anywhere in the park and even at Magic Kingdom resort beaches, the “story” really comes from the projections, so you’re best bet is to grab a good spot early and wait for the show. 

9 – Mixed Reaction to the Show

The show has received mixed reactions, with some loving it and many more expressing their disappointment and dislike of the show. The first time I (Cindy) watched the show, I really enjoyed it, got emotional, loved most of the music, and left feeling happy about it. I have to admit I was a bit surprised at the negative reaction I saw on social media over the next several months. Simply put, some people hate this show. I think that’s a bit unfair. It’s not perfect, but it’s still enjoyable, and I still love watching fireworks in front of Cinderella Castle.

We think another part of the problem was confusion over what the show would be about. Many people thought this would be a 50^th anniversary fireworks show about Walt Disney World. It’s not. It’s a new fireworks show that debuted as part of the 50^th anniversary celebration. There’s a difference. It wasn’t designed to go through the history of the park. While the new introduction addresses this, it was too late for many fans.

Another common criticism is that it’s all-new movies and ignores the classics. As mentioned above, this is simply factually untrue. We were surprised by how many of the classics popped up, including some we had completely forgotten about. While much of the core music draws from movies in the last 25 years, there is a great spread of Disney and Pixar characters represented. Chances are, almost everyone is going to spot scenes from their favorite movie.

That’s not to say that the show is perfect or the best thing ever. On my second viewing and Chad’s first, I got a much better sense of some of the criticisms. The songs could be better, there could be more Disney songs, particularly in the middle, and the score could be improved upon. Chad felt that overall the music was a mess. There is no strong melody or a core song you’ll find yourself singing along with during the show or once you get home (like Happily Ever After). There were moments (like the Moana sections) when the fan-favorite songs were strong and clear. However, during much of the show, it seems they are trying to fit too much in, and some of the mash-ups made the show’s music seem confusing and at times, chaotic. Chad also felt that during the parts where the show’s core song, “You Are the Magic”, is playing, there is way too much going on in the arrangement. It was difficult to pick out the words, and he couldn’t find the melody. Overall, the music is the biggest problem with the show. If it fails to catch on with fans, this will be the reason why.

However, on the second viewing, I still got emotional at the message, was even more impressed with the projections, loved the fireworks even more, and I liked the song “You are the Magic” more on the second listen. I remember not liking “Happily Ever After” when that song was first released. Sometimes a new song needs time to grow on you. Chad enjoyed the show and also saw room for improvement. While he isn’t crazy about it yet, he thinks the show can grow on him with more viewings.

As we were discussing the show, we remembered our coverage of the debut of Happily Ever After, our review, and the fan reaction. Back then, people had a hard time letting go of Wishes, and the initial reaction was they didn’t like Happily Ever After. Fast forward five years, and Happily Ever After is the best.

All of this to say that we hope you give Disney Enchantment a chance no matter what you hear. We hope you’ll be able to view it in person, and we hope that you’ll view it with an open mind and ultimately find joy in the show, even if it isn’t your favorite. And we hope that when Tink comes out of that castle and flies across Magic Kingdom and the crowd roars, you still get goosebumps like we do!