If there is one thing we hear most recently from Walt Disney World fans, it is that they are ready for nighttime spectaculars to begin once again. The fantastic news is that recently Disney announced that Magic Kingdom’s “Happily Ever After” and EPCOT’s “Epcot Forever” nighttime spectaculars are returning! With the debut of these two nighttime spectaculars kicking off on July 1, that leaves us just hours away from experiencing fireworks and projections once again – after over a year of quiet skies above Disney. We simply can’t wait! But, how is the future of nighttime spectaculars looking over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom?
Unfortunately, a recent photo taken by @bioreconstruct was posted on Twitter on June 26, showing that despite our hopes for it’s return soon, Fantasmic is still drained.
Aerial look at Fantasmic, which seems to be collecting rain water. pic.twitter.com/PYqZgi9GTy
— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) June 26, 2021
As you can see in the photo, it doesn’t look like this nighttime spectacular is anywhere near reopening at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Before COVID, Disney’s Hollywood Studios was home to a duo of nighttime spectaculars which included Fantasmic and Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular. Both shows were absolutely stunning. Disney has yet to release information on when/if these two nighttime spectaculars will return.
Moving on over to Disney’s Animal Kingdom… fireworks are not allowed in the park due to the animal care. Pre-COVID, Disney did offer the nighttime spectacular called “Rivers of Light”. The show (which featured water screens, stunning projections, and colorful floats) was popular but never really seemed like a crowd favorite. We learned last year that Rivers of Light will not be returning.
So, does Disney have a plan for a new nighttime spectacular at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? We have yet to hear. Disney did however announce a new daytime form of entertainment called “Disney KiteTails” which is scheduled to debut on October 1 in the former Rivers of Light location (Discovery River Amphitheater).
While we’ll have to keep our fingers crossed Disney returns nighttime spectaculars at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom soon, we do know more plans are in the works for Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. A new nighttime spectacular is coming to Magic Kingdom, plus the reveal date for EPCOT’s Harmonious nighttime spectacular has been announced.