Hi Melinda,
Thanks for visiting the Disney Parks Moms Panel with your question. As you have probably guessed, many guests head for the exits as soon as the fireworks end. I assume you are asking about the
Wishes nighttime spectacular at Magic Kingdom, but the same basic advice also applies to
IllumiNations at Epcot and
Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular at Hollywood Studios.
To get out ahead of most of the crowd at Magic Kingdom, I'd suggest watching Wishes from the area in front of the Walt Disney World Railroad station at the beginning of Main Street USA. That way, you can turn and be headed to the exit as soon as the finale concludes. That should put you in good position for the next bus to Pop Century.
At Epcot, for IllumiNations, the fastest exit is from the area at the entrance to the World Showcase. At Hollywood Studios, it's from the beginning of Hollywood Boulevard (though the farther you are from Great Movie Ride, the more difficulty you will have seeing the projection part of the show).
Here's another tip from my family: If we notice that the Art of Animation bus line is significantly shorter than the one for
Pop Century, we hop on the AoA bus and then take the walkway across Hourglass Lake to Pop. The walk takes just a few minutes and has on occasion saved us a good bit of time when the Pop Century line was long.
I hope that helps you, Melinda. Please let us know if you have any other questions. Enjoy your time with your family!
Wilma