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Disney offers reserved fireworks viewing area for visitors with Glow with the Show ears

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Published: November 11, 2012 at 3:41 PM
Maybe this is how Disney will convince more visitors to buy a pair of its Glow with the Show mousetekeer ears. The light-up ears create some stunnig visual effects when worn by hundreds of people watching World of Color or Fantasmic! at the Disneyland Resort. Now Disney's adding the Glow with the Show effects to the Believe… in Holiday Magic fireworks show at Disneyland, too.

But there's a hitch - one we wrote about the night that Glow with the Show debuted. As a visitor, you get the reward of seeing the ears in action not when you buy a pair, but only when everyone around you does. It's a "prisoner's dilemma" problem, and Disney's been trying to find a way around it, one that would encourage more people to buy the $25 ears.

Glow with the Show ears

Theme Park Insider readers have suggested several plans, including Disney giving away or loaning the ears. But Disney's into this to make money. Great show is nice, but only if it makes the Mouse some moola.

Disney's actually implementing one of the other plans you voted on. It's one that finally gives people some incentive to buy the ears and bring them to the park, while not costing Disney any significant amount of money in return. Disneyland will set aside a reserved viewing area for tonight's fireworks show, just for people wearing Glow with the Show ears. Visitors with ears should come to the Main Street Opera House starting at 3 today to get first-come, first-served wristbands for the reserved viewing area.

Brilliant! Waiting around for a prime viewing space for big shows like the fireworks is one of the great time sucks, robbing you of valuable ride time during your day. Disney's parlayed that into some valuable dining packages, where people pay extra for meals at certain restaurants to get a reserved space for a big show later that night, such as Fantasmic! at Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney Dreams at Disneyland Paris. Here's another way to get that same time benefit.

Not only does a reserved viewing area reward people who buy and wear the ears, it helps show off the Glow with the Show effect, by concentrating the ear-wearers in one (I would presume very visible) area.

I'm flying to Orlando in the morning, so I won't be heading to Disneyland tonight. But if I had been, I'd definitely bring along my ears, simply to get a prime viewing space for the fireworks, without having to wait. And if I didn't own a pair of the ears, but knew about this deal, it might be enough to get me to buy a pair.

What about you? What do you think about this latest promotion? No word yet on how long it will run, or if it will expand to other shows.

Readers' Opinions

From James Rao on November 11, 2012 at 9:59 PM
If the viewing area is prime real estate, then I am all ears... uh, I mean ... all in!
From 97.106.114.39 on November 11, 2012 at 8:47 PM
When is Disney going to bring Glow With The Show to the Disney World theme parks in Florida?
From Anthony Murphy on November 11, 2012 at 10:26 PM
Sure, why not?
From Tyler Stover on November 11, 2012 at 11:46 PM
So we can't fully enjoy the fireworks unless we buy a stupid, insanely overpriced hat. Lovely. I didn't need another reason to not renew my AP, but now I have yet another one. We'll be spending a lot more time at Knotts and Sea World next year.
From Brandon Mendoza on November 12, 2012 at 7:37 AM
Not since the "Soundsational Parade" and the first AP Glow with the Show WoC show have the AP events been worth our time. One came with free Glow Ears, and the other allowed for AP exclusive food and a partially open "empty" park.

AP events aren't that good any more. Between this and Frankenweenie, I don't bother because everyone can see these things once they're open to the public.

From David Kirby on November 12, 2012 at 9:42 AM
Oh good, Disney found another way to charge people money to watch their shows.
From O T on November 12, 2012 at 7:47 PM
If Disney wants more money they should up the price of a entry ticket, not to drive a bigger gap between people who have to save for a long time to visit Disney and deserve the magic as much as people who have more money.
I'm always in the off season so it doen't effect me but I for sure am not going to buy a stupid hat.
From Mark Kausch on November 13, 2012 at 1:12 AM
Ummm, no. Nobody *deserves* any magic, Disney or not.

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