I’ll be in DL in July and want to see all three nighttime shows F!, WoC and the Pixar projections, but I only have two nights. Assuming the current show schedule doesn’t change, how would you best accomplish this.
F! 9:00, 10:30
Pixar projections 9:30
WOC 9:00, 10:15
I have hopper and am willing to do a F! dining package (either RBT-standard or Rancho) if that will help.
In July the Pixar projections are likely going to be planned to go off with fireworks every night so my ultimate recommendation depends on how much you want to also see the fireworks along with projections. Seeing fireworks with a good view of projections and fireworks both is one of my family’s favorites so we would likely plan for fireworks both nights because we love and also to hedge the likelihood that fireworks are cancelled for winds at higher elevation & 2 nights maximizes our chances to see fireworks. We would then work in the other two shows around that.
So me personally, I would plan for Option A:
Night 1, Dinner- Rancho Del Zocalo F! package for 2nd F! show
Night 1, Show 1- Pixar projections at 9:30 from either Main St (potentially big time committment to be able to see) or it’s a small world (see below for more on viewing spots to help choose which one works best for you).
Night 1, Show 2- F! at 10:30 from the Rancho dining section
Night 2, Show 1- Pixar projections at 9:30pm from a spot in the back half of Main St
Night 2, Show 2- World of Color at 10:15pm (note: must scan into DCA before it closes, but shouldn’t be an issue unless you linger long in Main St after fireworks).
This plan prioritizes getting you 2 shots at fireworks from good viewing spots in case the one night is cancelled and secures you a spot for F! that may get you almost as great a spot as you would for a more expensive dining package. In the past, those that booked the later F! dining packages were sometimes put into one central section together (there were times when they had Blue Bayou taped off to the most front & center, but sometimes it was just all one section for all packages who booked the 2nd show).
Since F! will be the newest show there may a lot more people booking 2nd dining than in the past so it might not get combined like that, but worth a shot! Especially if by July the newness of it has worn off just a bit & isn’t as competitive as it will be when it first comes back at the end of this week. I’ll be seeing the 10:30 show with a Rancho del Zocalo dining package next week & report back what our experience is.
Moving on to viewing locations for projections/fireworks, prime spots to see both projections & fireworks and seeing everything requires committing some time getting into a decent spot (i.e. hub/towards the front of Main St). These are the best spots to see everything (like the flying characters over the hub, the projections on the castle or front of Main St AND all the fireworks, both the big bursts launched behind Toontown and the smaller castle fliers.
If you want to a good compromise that comes with less of a wait, fantastic, crisp projections and the big bursts, then you can watch from small world instead of Main St. You will miss the flying characters over the hub & the smaller bursts done on/around the castle, but what you lose in that view you gain at least 30 & more like 45 minutes in time waiting around for the show.
The back half of Main Street is also fairly decent for most of those things (you’ll see most everything but it will be smaller/farther away especially the castle and may also be dependent on how many kids get put on shoulders for your view). But even if that’s the case, the big bursts and projections should both be fairly easy to see. We like being in front of the Main St. Cinema to see great projections and not have as long of a wait a spot as closer to the front on Main St.
I also came up with options B & C’s in case it wasn’t as high a priority for you to get maximum fireworks & you can add as options the time to see if when you get there you feel differently.
Option B
Day 1, Brunch- River Belle standard package for the first show
Night 1, Show 1- F! at 9 from the River Belle standard package section
Night 1, show 2- Pixar projections at 9:30 from Rivers of America (stay in your same spot from F! as they show the projections on the same water screens used for F! and also play the music, bursts may also be visible from over Big Thunder or GE spires depending on where you’re sitting and if any large trees are blocking).
Night 2, Show 1- WOC at 9 from either the standby on the bridge towards the Lamplight Lounge or a virtual queue section (more explained below in WOC viewing sections).
Night 2, (optional) Show 2- This is if you want another shot at seeing fireworks if the first night’s bursts were cancelled or your view of the bursts from River Belle dining wasn’t great for seeing actual fireworks. As soon as WOC wraps up, walk with purpose to Main St and walk up to the back of Main St to catch what you can of the fireworks. You’ll likely show up a few minutes already into the show, so I wouldn’t recommend this being your only plan to see the fireworks.
Option C
(You could also for Option C book Rancho package for lunch & do the 9:00 show and watch fireworks from your Rancho package dining section after and be done with shows for the night by 9:30 but 9:00pm shows are such a good time to take advantage of some short lines so I would personally aim to do Pirates just a few minutes after 9 and then make my way over from New Orleans Square to the back of the F! viewing sections after the ride).
Night 2, Show 1- Pixar projections/fireworks from Main St or it’s a small world (depending on how much time commitment you want to give to finding a spot).
Night 2, Show 2- WOC at 10:30 from either the bridge standby a virtual queue section.
For the WOC viewing sections: The bridge that goes up to Lamplight Lounge as you walk from Little Mermaid is a really great view if everyone is taller than the high railing and can see over it to get a really beautiful view of the full fountains and great views of the projections & wheel too. My family prefers a railing spot in the virtual queue area and towards the back (we don’t like to get wet/misted and we more dislike the intense heat from the pyro parts so we like to be further back).
For any of the nights where you want to book it back to Main St for fireworks at the end of the 9pm WOC, watch from closer to the back on the “Blue” side (the side closer to Little mermaid) or close to the start of the bridge as you are walking away from Little Mermaid/to Lamplight.
Happy planning & hope you get to find your best options for seeing all the shows! We love them all and like to plan to see them all most trips, so happy to help answer any other questions you have about nighttime shows!