An Insider's Look at Disneyland's New Fireworks Show - Disneyland Forever

May 17, 2015, 3:24 PM · Disneyland has been offering regular fireworks shows since 1958, when the park debuted its long-running "Fantasy in the Sky" display. By capping the evening with pyrotechnics synchronized with musical accompaniment, Disneyland established a convention for the theme park industry. Fireworks shows not only provide a dramatic visual and emotional climax to a theme park visit, they also send a not-so-subtle message to fans that, well, it's time to call it a day and hit the road.

Indeed, the final act of most theme park fireworks shows plays with thousands of guests standing crammed shoulder-to-shoulder, shuffling as one mass toward to the park exit. (Often, with more than a few guests moo-ing like cows for comic effect.) The crowding's only gotten worse with modern iterations of Disney's fireworks, which have given the castle a more prominent role in the show.

While Fantasy in the Sky could be enjoyed from pretty much anywhere in the park that afforded a clear few of sky north of the park, its successors — Believe... (in 1999), Remember... (2005) and Magical (2009) — incorporated the park's castle more often into the show, with pyro and lighting effects designed to be seen from Main Street USA and the hub in front of the castle. That encouraged fans to crowd that area before and during the performance, though it did free space elsewhere in the park for fans who were willing to pass on the fireworks for short or no waits on their favorite rides.

With its next fireworks production — Disneyland Forever, debuting this weekend — Disneyland marks its 60th anniversary by offering a show designed to more equitably reward fans watching throughout the park, just as the original Fantasy in the Sky did. With projection mapping effects all the way down Main Street, as well as on the Matterhorn, the It's a Small World facade, and the Fantasmic! stage in Frontierland, Disneyland Forever should help draw fans out of the scrum at the hub and into the park to enjoy the nightly show.

Here is a preview of the Main Street projections, along with some of the music from the show:

Disneyland Forever will include two original songs: the opening tune, "Live the Magic," and the closing song "Kiss Goodnight" written by Disney Legend Richard Sherman. In between, the show will feature:

• "I See the Light" from Tangled
• "Step in Time" from Mary Poppins
• Music from Winnie the Pooh
• "Circle of Life" from The Lion King
• "I Wan'na Be Like You" from The Jungle Book
• "Under the Sea" from The Little Mermaid
• Music from Finding Nemo
• "Let It Go" from Frozen
• "When You Wish Upon a Star" from Pinocchio

Ultimately, though, the star of the show is the pyro, which will fill the Anaheim sky with a new mix of colorful blasts... no matter from where in the park you are watching.

We will be offering full coverage of all the new Disneyland Diamond Celebration shows this week, leading up to their public debuts during the 24-hour party this Friday night.

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