Hi there Kristen, it's so great to welcome you back to planDisney!
I hope that you had
a wonderful stay at the Disneyland Hotel last month in one of the newly imagined Duo Studios; as you look ahead to your upcoming Disney adventures think that ending a trip at Magic Kingdom Park to finish it all off with fireworks is a great way to end your stay! When we recently ate at
The Crystal Palace, I gazed out toward Cinderella Castle through the large windows and also wondered what the experience would be like in the evening right around the time to watch
Happily Ever After. My dear friend and fellow planDisney expert LeAndra
asked a Cast Member for their thoughts on this, and from my personal experience here are a few insights that may be helpful:
- At the current time, Happily Ever After is scheduled for 9:20 P.M. during the week of your visit, which can coincide with the latest bookable reservation time at The Crystal Palace. (Actual times for the fireworks can be weather dependent and may be subject to change without prior notice.) Personally, I wouldn't recommend the view from inside as even the seating alongside the windows runs the risk of having other guests outside standing directly in front.
- It's a great idea to let your server know as early as possible that you'd like to temporarily duck out to watch the show, bearing in mind that its runtime is about 18 minutes. Generally this should be fine, especially since the Walt Disney World Resort website recommends that guests "stay in The Crystal Palace for 90 minutes in order to engage with all available Characters."
- It's important to note that The Crystal Palace has a very popular porch where other guests might also choose to watch the fireworks from, but certain angles can have trees obscuring the view. (I recommend keeping an eye on it if you can, because we couldn't hear the show music from within the restaurant itself and we found that it filled up quite quickly after the first family went out to occupy the benches on the porch.)
- Depending on the rotation of Winnie the Pooh and the rest of the gang visiting from the Hundred-Acre Wood, just be prepared in the event that you don't necessarily have the chance to meet everyone as you step outside mid-meal - but a quick chat with the Character Attendant helping out our furry friends can certainly help in case there's someone that you missed.
Since offerings and their policies may always be subject to change without prior notice, I always highly recommend letting Cast Members know and asking politely whenever possible just so that they can advise you in case there are any changes you should be aware of. In the meantime, we look forward to
seeing more of your questions here at planDisney again real soon!
Here's hoping you'll get to end your next trip with a great view of Happily Ever After!
Prince