Fact: Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida is the highest consumer of fireworks in the world.
Disney World is celebrating its 50th Anniversary with an 18 month-long “The World’s Most Magical Celebration“.
This past summer, Disney World slowly brought back two of their famous fireworks shows in 2021, but with major changes. (All firework shows were stopped in March 2020 because of Covid.)
The World’s Most Magical Celebration features a brand new nighttime fireworks spectacular at Magic Kingdom called ‘Disney Enchantment’.
We got to see it in December 2021 and while it’s good, it’s no ‘Wishes” or “Happily Ever After”.
Meanwhile, over at Epcot is “HarmonioUS,” the new nighttime spectacular that “celebrates the role of Disney music in uniting the world”. This replaced the beloved, long running “IllumiNations” fireworks and the temporary “Epcot Forever” shows. We also saw this show last month. That it’s ‘not great’ is about all we can say about it. Much less fireworks, a lot of projections onto water fans, very similar to the failed and canceled “Rivers of Light” show that was over at DAK. We miss IllumiNations.
Disney Parks doesn’t disclose the cost of all their firework shows, but just the nightly – and sometimes twice a night – ‘Disney Enchantment’ fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom costs about $25,000 a night. Much less than what “Happily Ever After” cost ($45,000/night) because it features a lot more castle projections, lasers, and surround lighting, including lighting down Main Street USA, than actual fireworks. It’s hard to say for sure because Disney fireworks were always so over-the-top, but it’s now maybe 30% – 40% less fireworks used per show?
But, that still means it costs at least $5 – 8 million a year for Magic Kingdom fireworks alone.
In 2019, Disney World put on about 2,500 firework shows a year at three of their parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios). No fireworks displays are ever used Disney’s Animal Kingdom – it would scare the animals! And, there were no fireworks shows at Disney Springs.
But, the fireworks used now at DHS are very minimum during the nightly show in front of the Chinese Theater. And the nightly “Fantasmic!” show with it’s fireworks hasn’t returned yet.
This lower yearly WDW fireworks guesstimate figure doesn’t include any of the special longer fireworks displays that used to happen for 4th of July, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Villains in the Sky at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, Magic Kingdom New Years Eve Fantasy in the Sky, nor the daytime fireworks that are a part of the stage shows performed in front of the Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom throughout the day. These should return in 2022 depending of Covid.
A rough, conservative estimate for all WDW fireworks in 2022: $12 million, way down from 2019’s $45 – $50 million dollars annually. Disney’s budget cutting continues across the board while ticket prices are record high.
Rumor has it that Disney uses the revenue from all their parking lots (currently $25/day ) to help cover the cost of the fireworks. So, when you pay for parking, you’re really paying for the evening’s fireworks show. Be sure to stay for the fireworks and not leave early. Your parking pass paid for that show!
Star light, star bright,
Yes, Tinkerbell has returned with the new fireworks show!
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We’ve written two books about our time working – and playing – as Disney Cast Members at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
Both are available on Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle: Two Girls and a Mouse Tale and Adventures in the Animal Kingdom.
If you’d like to follow our daily Disney blog, here’s the link: https://collinsrace1.wordpress.com/
Have a magical day!
Our Magical Disney Moments 
Great blog post! Very interesting!
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