Bonjour, Vanessa! It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that I welcome you to planDisney.
You're planning your very first trip to
Walt Disney World?! Oh, Vanessa, you are in for the most magical moments of your life, and I'm honored to be a part of the planning process. With an incredible Disney Resort hotel booked, fantastic dining reservations made, and plans to catch
Happily Ever After at the end of the night, it sounds like your planning is off to a practically perfect start. Now, let's make sure you're all set to top off your best Disney day in the most magical way.
While the showtimes for fireworks can change from time to time (check the showtime that day on the My Disney Experience app), it looks like Happily Ever After is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. during your visit. While you should still be able to have a fantastic meal at Be Our Guest Restaurant at 6:45 p.m., I do have some suggestions for you to catch the fireworks show.
First, I recommend checking in up to 15 minutes early for your dining reservation. Be Our Guest is a very popular restaurant (for very good reason), so even with a reservation, sometimes, you can have a wait for your table. The earlier you arrive, the earlier you get seated, and the more time you'll have to enjoy your meal in the Beast's castle without worrying about the start of the fireworks.
Typically, for someone's first time viewing Happily Ever After, I recommend watching it from the front of Cinderella Castle, if possible, to enjoy the projections on the castle as well as the fireworks. However, since Be Our Guest is located behind the castle and your dining reservation is close to the fireworks showtime, I would consider watching the fireworks from behind the castle and the carrousel. My family and I love to catch the fireworks here, right in front of Pinnochio Village Haus. While you won't be able to see the projections, it is still such a magical place to view the fireworks. It's much less crowded, so you and your travel party can spread out a bit (and dance around if you're anything like my family).
If you happen to get in and out of your dining reservation early and want to try to make it to the front of the castle before the fireworks start, there are some important things you need to know. By the time you get out of your dining reservation, the area behind Cinderella Castle will likely be roped off to Guests for safety reasons, so you won't be able to walk through or directly around the castle. To get to the front of the castle, take a left or right at the carrousel to take a long way around to the hub near Main Street in front of the castle. Typically, you'd want to snag your fireworks viewing spot about 30 minutes before showtime if possible, but if you have a small party, you might be able to sneak into a viewing spot a few minutes before. Just remember to be mindful and respectful to those who have been staking out their perfect spot.
Vanessa, if you have another evening in Magic Kingdom planned, I must recommend my very favorite way to watch Happily Ever After: at one of the
Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Parties. Seats, sweets and sparkling beverages to enjoy the fireworks? Yes, please! Since it looks like your booking window is open, you can make a reservation for one of these oh-so-special parties NOW!
I hope this helps, Vanessa, and I hope you have the most magical and memorable visit to the Most Magical Place on Earth. If you have any questions along the way, feel free to stop by and ask. Put our service to the test!
Be Our Guest,
Mandy