Fireworks at Disneyland

Updated April 21, 2025

For many guests, fireworks are an essential part of the Disneyland experience. I’m happy to help you find the best way to enjoy this show.

Follow me for everything you need to know about fireworks at Disneyland.

Where to Watch the Show from Inside Disneyland

You have four ideal locations to watch the fireworks show. They are:

• Main Street
• In front of Sleeping Beauty Castle
• Near “it’s a small world”
• Along the Rivers of America

I’ve shared my thoughts on each of these locations here:

Rivers of America

The fireworks show will most often run nightly at 9:30pm. There are no dining packages that coordinate with this show, however, I share how to incorporate fireworks into your Fantasmic! dining package plans if it’s running on the same night.

Fantasmic! is shown on the Rivers of America. You may watch fireworks from the same viewing locations that you would watch Fantasmic! Music will play and projections will be shown onto water screens to accompany the fireworks show.

Find all about Fantasmic!, dining packages for Fantasmic!, when to set up for fireworks and more at this link.

“it’s a small world”

If you are not watching the show before or after Fantasmic!, I recommend watching from it’s a small world. This location is less crowded than Main Street and the area in front of the castle. It’s also the most kid-friendly space, as it has room for little ones to run around before or after the show. There are restrooms nearby (to the left of Fantasyland Theatre), snacks to purchase at kiosks along the parade path, and a Fuel Rod machine in the shop that you walk through to exit it’s a small world.

Music will play and projections will be shown onto the it’s a small world facade to accompany the show. Fireworks will shoot off to the left of the left of it’s a small world, behind Toontown. Setting up about an hour prior to the show will be sufficient.

Castle View

If you insist on a castle view, Disney typically allows guests to set up 3 hours prior to showtime. If you are not ready to commit this amount of time to saving your spot, choose another location to watch. You may use a blanket to reserve your space, but you may not leave the blanket unattended. Music will play and projections will be shown on the castle to accompany the show.

If I were visiting with kids, I still wouldn’t go through the fuss of competing for a spot in this location. I really wouldn’t without kids, either. Choose it’s a small world or along the Rivers of America instead. Both of those options will incorporate the same projections that you would see shown onto the castle.

Main Street

Main Street might be the easiest option, as you’ll typically be able to walk up and grab a spot to stand about 20-30 minutes before the show begins. Music will play and projections will be shown along the store fronts, so you’ll see a peripheral view with the fireworks shooting off behind the castle.

Where I Recommend You Watch From with a Family and Why

I haven’t shared much about this, as I don’t want to induce panic in anyone, but the world has gone mad, so now I’m saying it. Before the world went crazy, I watched from this favorite spot and will make every effort to now….especially when my kids are with me.

“it’s a small world” is where I would pick for families again and again. There’s room to spread out and it’s consistently the least crowded option. (Scroll back a bit where I detail what’s around this area, including restrooms, snacks, how to keep kids busy and more.) As a mother, I’m always sensitive to exits and where I would go if something sparked the large crowd of people to move suddenly and forcefully. I have visited the parks hundreds of times with a double stroller and three kids on my own. I’ve considered many situations like this over the years and what capabilities I had if I were in a tough situation.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I do not feel unsafe inside the Disneyland Resort. Not at all. Disney Security is phenomenal and I return to these parks because of that. But, the world is crazy. I know every square inch of Disneyland (slight exaggeration) and even with that knowledge, I wouldn’t feel safe trying to flea a crowd on Main Street or in front of the castle. Not with a double stroller or any stroller, really. “it’s a small world” is on the perimeter of the parks and feels safest to me overall.

How to Watch Star Wars Style

Now you can see fireworks from Galaxy’s Edge!

Per Disney: “On select nights Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, guests will be able to take in “Fire of the Rising Moons,” a nighttime experience that debuts a different view of the Disneyland Park fireworks display, accompanied with galactic music like selections from composer John Williams’ Star Wars film scores.

“Fire of the Rising Moons” can be experienced from multiple areas in the land, including the Black Spire Spaceport and the speeder garage.”

Fireworks Viewing Maps

These graphics share approximate viewing locations. Cast members may alter these locations to accommodate traffic flow for the safety of park guests.

From Inside Disneyland:

From Outside of Disneyland:

Where to Watch the Show From Outside of Disneyland

If you don’t have a park ticket to enter Disneyland or simply don’t want to deal with the crowds, consider these alternate options for watching fireworks:

• Set up 15 minutes prior to showtime in the esplanade, which is the area between Disneyland and California Adventure. A crowd gathers each night to watch from this area and it’s a fun place to see the show. You won’t be able to see the castle or the projections, but it’s a simple solution to seeing the fireworks.
• Arrive about an hour before showtime at Pixar Place Hotel, outside, on the 3rd floor deck. This option is open to everyone, whether you’re staying at this Disneyland Resort Hotel, another, or none at all. Simply enter the lobby and take the elevator to the third floor. Walk down the hall upon exiting the elevator, through the glass doors that take you outside, to the right and then toward the edge of the outside deck. Grab a drink or snack at the Sketch Pad Cafe in the lobby of the hotel to enjoy during the show. Sometimes, the bar just to the left of the fireworks deck is open, too. It closes promptly at showtime, however, on most nights. Visit this link to see what the view looks like from this option. To get to Pixar Place Hotel, walk away from the parks, through Downtown Disney outside of the security checkpoint and then take a left. Follow the sidewalk to the circle drive. Cross it, take a left down the sidewalk toward Disneyland Drive and then take a right on Disneyland Drive. The hotel will be on your right. (You may no longer cut through the Grand Californian Hotel to Pixar Place Hotel.) It will take you about 20 minutes to exit Disneyland and walk to Paradise Pier Hotel. If you have little ones, allow at least 30 minutes, as Downtown Disney can be distracting at night with music playing and activity everywhere.

(This image, above, was taken from the Rivers of America viewing location.)

Dining Packages that KIND OF Coordinate with Fireworks

Unlike Walt Disney World, Disneyland does not offer a traditional dining package that coordinates with fireworks. Disneyland is truly immersed in the city of Anaheim with houses just beyond the perimeter of the parks.

Winds can often make fireworks (and the ashes that result from them) too dangerous for the Anaheim area, causing them to be cancelled with very little notice. For that reason, Disneyland does not offer the dining packages like WDW has.

They do have one option that offers a slight view of the show, however, if the fireworks are cancelled, you won’t receive your money back. This is the Tomorrowland Skyline Lounge. Think of this option as a lounge to hang out in with yummy food and sometimes a character visit that MAY INCLUDE fireworks viewing.

I share details from my experience at the Tomorrowland Skyline Lounge here.

New in 2024, there’s an option in Galaxy’s Edge now too! Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo has a fireworks package which includes themed foods, a souvenir novelty cup and access to a standing viewing area for the show. Check it out and book here.

Tips on Fireworks Viewing

• Plan to see fireworks (this or any other show) at the beginning of your Disneyland visit. Unfortunately, these shows get cancelled more often than you might think due to high winds. Disneyland is immersed in the city of Anaheim, with residential neighborhoods surrounding the park. Disney takes every precaution to keep people safe – inside and outside of the parks. Because of this, the show can be cancelled at any time. Often, the winds you’re feeling at ground level won’t feel like enough to shut it down. But, it happens. With that in mind, plan to see it on the first night you’re there. If it’s cancelled, you’ll have subsequent nights to try again.
• Pack glow sticks, bubbles, sticker books or anything else that might keep your little ones busy if you choose a viewing spot that requires you to wait a while.
• If you have more than one adult in your party, trade off taking little ones to a nearby attraction or even just to walk around while waiting. Arrive back within 15 minutes of showtime so everyone can get settled for the show.
• If you’re walking through Downtown Disney, you may see glimpses of fireworks, but I don’t recommend this area for viewing. The buildings impede most of your view.

Additional Resources

Planning a trip? Start with this post. It shares all sorts of basic planning info that will help you get organized.

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