Hi, Paula! Welcome back to the Disney Parks Moms Panel.
I definitely understand your worries about juggling sleepy toddlers, a double stroller, and the amazing
Happily Ever After projections and fireworks. The first time my family and I saw the nighttime spectacular at
Magic Kingdom Park, it was on my daughter’s third birthday. We were new to
Walt Disney World Resort then, so we stood with the masses in the middle of Main Street, U.S.A. While our view was fabulous, it was definitely difficult keeping the sleepy kiddo awake, keeping the stroller out of everyone’s way, and staying on our feet in one spot after a long day of Park hopping. If I knew then what I know now, these would be my suggestions.
First of all, if it’s possible, I would recommend booking a reservation for the
Fireworks Dessert Party at Tomorrowland Terrace. Not only will you get amazing, tasty treats, but you’ll either be escorted to a dedicated spot in the
Plaza Garden at Magic Kingdom Park from which you can watch the show (which is standing room only, but less crowded than other areas), or you can remain seated at the
Tomorrowland Terrace throughout the duration of the show.
If that isn’t an option for you and your family, another possibility is to watch the show from the second level of the
train station at Magic Kingdom Park. The biggest obstacle here is that you’ll need to park here pretty early in order to secure and keep your spot. I’ve seen people stake a claim as early as 6 p.m.! There’s also usually a special VIP section reserved right in the center of the upper-level platform, though, so if you can secure a spot up there, you’ll probably be watching from slightly off-center.
My third suggestion would be to try to get a table outside
Casey’s Corner or the
Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. Once again, you’ll need to secure your spot pretty early to keep it, and you’ll want to grab a hot dog from Casey’s Corner or an ice cream sundae from the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor since this seating is intended for their Guests. Both offer delicious treats at an affordable price, though, so that’s definitely a perk, too. Depending on the crowd in front of you, you might not have an amazing view of the projections, but you should definitely still be able to see from either of these locations.
Hopefully one of these suggestions will work out for you and your family, Paula. Please let us know if there are any other questions we can answer for you as you continue to plan your visit to The Most Magical Place on Earth.
Amy