News Happily Ever After fireworks show returning to Magic Kingdom in 2023

[IMDREW]

Was at Magic Kingdom a while ago. Happily Ever After with a 9.20 start time. It was raining, and suddenly at 9 they started the show. 20 minutes early! Is that something that happens more often? I was in shock, but it did give me 20 extra minutes afterwards to do some rides.

 

[SaucyBoy]

Was at Magic Kingdom a while ago. Happily Ever After with a 9.20 start time. It was raining, and suddenly at 9 they started the show. 20 minutes early! Is that something that happens more often? I was in shock, but it did give me 20 extra minutes afterwards to do some rides.

I've seen it happen a few times if they know inclement weather is approaching. One night back in 2016, there was a ferocious storm barrelling toward the park from the north. I got off Splash Mountains and beelined for the entrance b/c I didn't want to get drenched and while I was walking out, the show started about 15 minutes early.

 

[wdwmagic]

Was at Magic Kingdom a while ago. Happily Ever After with a 9.20 start time. It was raining, and suddenly at 9 they started the show. 20 minutes early! Is that something that happens more often? I was in shock, but it did give me 20 extra minutes afterwards to do some rides.

It is fairly rare for anything to start early, much more common to be delayed. Starting early tends to cause guest complaints.

 

[SaucyBoy]

It is fairly rare for anything to start early, much more common to be delayed. Starting early tends to cause guest complaints.

I think the longest delay I've ever seen was 90 minutes for Reflections of Earth one summer. A lightning storm popped up right off property and just sat there. It didn't rain a single drop in the park but the lightning was close enough that the park was 101. They played both pre-show loops that night, one loop twice. Lol.

 

[IMDREW]

It is fairly rare for anything to start early, much more common to be delayed. Starting early tends to cause guest complaints.

Well, I went to the hub around 5 minutes before 9 and the rest of the park was completely dead. After the fireworks I did seven dwarfs in a loop with no wait at all. It was also cold in the rain, so I thought it a nice gesture to the people that stayed and waited in front of the castle. I've never seen so few people in the hub during a fireworks show. Thought it cool they still showed it full on instead of just canceling or a projection only version.

It was weird they didnt give any announcement though. It just started out of the blue.

 

[TTA94]

For those that know, how has MK nightly attendance been holding up and HEA compared to Enchantment? I’m sure there has been a improvement in popularity, but curious as to how much improvement and if Disney is satisfied?
Once the new Epcot show comes online it will be interesting to see if that pulls guests away from seeing HEA.

 

[Andrew25]

For those that know, how has MK nightly attendance been holding up and HEA compared to Enchantment? I’m sure there has been a improvement in popularity, but curious as to how much improvement and if Disney is satisfied?
Once the new Epcot show comes online it will be interesting to see if that pulls guests away from seeing HEA.

About the same honestly outside of the first few weeks. Mind you, the park is closing earlier now most days at 10PM due to an attendance dip

 

[MagicHappens1971]

For those that know, how has MK nightly attendance been holding up and HEA compared to Enchantment? I’m sure there has been a improvement in popularity, but curious as to how much improvement and if Disney is satisfied?
Once the new Epcot show comes online it will be interesting to see if that pulls guests away from seeing HEA.

I think the majority of people stayed for Enchantment anyway. That doesn’t mean it didn’t have low GSAT scores.

The general public only sees these shows once every 2-3 yearsZ

 

[wtyy21]

Anyone know if the lasers in the finale will eventually return, or is this another abandoned effect for the show. It's when the castle (and likewise Main Street) changes colors, the lasers helps supplement the colorful transitions.

It was last seen working on June 2, 2023.
View attachment 734106
View attachment 734107

Video of the laser effects:


Really hope they restore the effect soon again..

Honestlly, i prefer the current (post-June) HEA finale. The usage of less lasers (while kept castle strobe at the finale) fits well with the show. The final testing of the show in 2017 as well as the first original run of the show (2017-2020) used less lasers, although the difference is the presence of rainbow castle laser projector at the finale.

 

[Starship824]

Honestlly, i prefer the current (post-June) HEA finale. The usage of less lasers (while kept castle strobe at the finale) fits well with the show. The final testing of the show in 2017 as well as the first original run of the show (2017-2020) used less lasers, although the difference is the presence of rainbow castle laser projector at the finale.
View attachment 740980

I hope they bring the rainbow laser effect back, it really emphasized that the castle is changing colors and it just looked great overall.

 

[Starship824]

I've noticed some very minor changes to the projections that I don't really understand and that I think looked better before. They've moved certain clips and made some characters smaller. They also made a mistake when reverting the projections back to the original castle, the Gusteaus sign isn't placed over the clock as it should be. Obviously none of these runin the show or anything but just some things I've noticed.

 

[gerarar]

I've noticed some very minor changes to the projections that I don't really understand and that I think looked better before. They've moved certain clips and made some characters smaller. They also made a mistake when reverting the projections back to the original castle, the Gusteaus sign isn't placed over the clock as it should be. Obviously none of these runin the show or anything but just some things I've noticed.

These are still the 50th modified projections (albeit without the medallion and ribbons).

They never fully reverted the projections for some reason. My best guess is they did some color correction to them when the castle was repainted "pink" and don't want to redo that work with the original 2017 projections.

 

[gerarar]

Honestlly, i prefer the current (post-June) HEA finale. The usage of less lasers (while kept castle strobe at the finale) fits well with the show. The final testing of the show in 2017 as well as the first original run of the show (2017-2020) used less lasers, although the difference is the presence of rainbow castle laser projector at the finale.
View attachment 740980

I would agree back then, but with the new Main Street projections, the colorful lasers are perfect for when the MSUSA buildings sweep different colors. Also works in the hub as the hub trees change colors.

 

[Starship824]

These are still the 50th modified projections (albeit without the medallion and ribbons).

They never fully reverted the projections for some reason. My best guess is they did some color correction to them when the castle was repainted "pink" and don't want to redo that work with the original 2017 projections.

That definitely makes sense since they also did the exact same thing for not so spooky spectacular.

 

[TTA94]

Thought I’d put this here from the Luminous thread since it sounds the most relevant to MK and MK evenings. Steve feel free to remove this if need be.

hmmm. There are some surprising decisions coming.

 

[doctornick]

@wdwmagic did seem to say it wasn’t related to HEA. But it is hard to see what else it might be that is surprising then. Unless it is a pleasant positive surprise (we can only hope!) like adding something new and unexpected

 

[TTA94]

@wdwmagic did seem to say it wasn’t related to HEA. But it is hard to see what else it might be that is surprising then. Unless it is a pleasant positive surprise (we can only hope!) like adding something new and unexpected

I don’t want it to be this but it’s probably a separate projection show. Or it’s the return of Once Upon A Time. If that is the case then I guess this thread is the more relevant one, for now. Steve feel free to tell us if it’s Not a projection show and it’s something better hahaha.

 

[jrhwdw]

I don’t want it to be this but it’s probably a separate projection show. Or it’s the return of Once Upon A Time. If that is the case then I guess this thread is the more relevant one, for now. Steve feel free to tell us if it’s Not a projection show and it’s something better hahaha.

And how close it is, before Christmas? Next year?

 

[Disney Glimpses]

I don't think anyone would consider the return of OUAT as "surprising" though.

 

[cjkeating]

I've noticed some very minor changes to the projections that I don't really understand and that I think looked better before. They've moved certain clips and made some characters smaller. They also made a mistake when reverting the projections back to the original castle, the Gusteaus sign isn't placed over the clock as it should be. Obviously none of these runin the show or anything but just some things I've noticed.

Have to say when I saw it last month I was confused when I didn't see Hercules... makes sense now as he's too low down to be seen from many viewing points. They should at least move the characters that are on the castle gate scrim back upwards so more people can see them.