After a glorious thirteen day vacation at Disneyland, I learned a thing or twenty. I’m a creature of habit and a particular little beastie. I like what I like. I usually have a certain path I like to take, place I like to eat and spot I like to stand for night shows at Walt Disney World. Now I’ve got the same thing going on at Disneyland. Below I share details and what I think is the best place to watch Disneyland Forever fireworks from. [Look for follow up posts in the same format about the Paint the Night Parade and World of Color – Celebrate.] Remember the viewing spot opinions mentioned below are my personal thoughts. To help you figure out what you’ll like most, I include lots of detail about why I like each spot and alternatives to help you plan what’s best for you. *wink*
Disneyland Forever fireworks
Disneyland Fireworks Prologue: The Magical fireworks show that danced in the sky each summer before Disneyland Forever was my favorite. It was my first firework show at Disneyland and practically began as I walked into the Park for the first time ever in 2011. With a corn dog in hand, I stood in the middle of Main Street in awe as the little pink castle lit up in vivid colors and an elephant flew before my very eyes. The collection of songs was superb and the tone was splendidly magical and moving. I still love Magical. Especially because it came into my life at a really special time. The year 2011 was my post-college, figure-out-this-life-thing, travel year and Magical was one of the most memorable parts. 
Disneyland Forever Thoughts: Fast forward to 2015 and the Disneyland Diamond Celebration. Happy 60th birthday, beautiful. I should have known not to get too attached to anything interchangeable at Disneyland because it’s well-known they like to switch things up on the west coast. While I love experiencing new Disney things, I had mixed feelings going to see a new firework show because it meant Magical was now just a memory. There are some really great parts in Disneyland Forever but I still prefer Magical. Parts of the Disneyland Forever music are absolutely full of whimsy, stunning and certainly catchy. You’ll be singing ‘come on and live the magic’ when it’s over for sure. The show tells a great story, pays tribute and creates a spectacle. However, I think the projection mapping effects still have a long way to go on Main Street. I think it boils down to the trees and their shadows. Also, the characters and films celebrated in Disneyland Forever feel like an odd collection. Aside from these points, I think the show is fantastic and love the ‘step into the magic’ lyric bits. I love the way the castle lights up and changes which is exactly why the following is my favorite place to watch Disneyland Forever fireworks from.
Best Place to Watch Disneyland Forever Fireworks
This overhead image below is from the Maps app and shows my favorite spot in the house. It’s AMAZING. If you love Sleeping Beauty Castle like I do then listen up. You have to sit front and center for this. Just do it! You will have to dedicate some time to it but it’s so worth it to see that little pink castle twinkle with lights and splash with color and characters. We arrived about an hour and a half before the fireworks on a day with moderate crowds and were able to sit and save a spot on the part of The Hub, the circular street surrounding the Walt and Mickey statue, right in front of the castle. That seems like a lot of time but if you bring over a corn dog dinner to pass the time or have someone go make a churro run, the Paint the Night Parade will be lighting up the street before you know it and then it will be time for Disneyland Forever. I mean my feet were ready for a break at this point anyway. But isn’t this too close you say? Doesn’t the castle block your view? Nay, nay, little pony. (I say that to my boyfriend all the time.) Standing too close to Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World means you may not see any fireworks in the sky. Sleeping Beauty Castle won’t do that to you. She’s amazing, my favorite even, but she’s short. So you’ll have a great view of the castle projections and the fireworks close up. Pro tip: Do know that the fireworks at Disneyland are shot from a little to the left if you’re looking at the castle. If you want the fireworks to appear directly behind the castle stand a little closer to the Matterhorn side. I’d rather have the castle center so I didn’t mind at all. This next detail could change depending on the crowds but as it got closer to the show, a Cast Member told everyone to scoot forward and those sitting on the bricks (outer circle pictured below) to remain seated for the duration of the show. The folks on the street part of The Hub were asked to stand. I think they had us sit because the bricks were on an incline and would have made the folks in the very front the tallest, blocking views behind them. Just a thought. Whatever the reason, it was really nice to sit for the show. Oh. This next part is important. I saw two different horses relieve themselves in The Hub area so do not sit on or around the trolley tracks where the horses walk. Trust me, just don’t do it. Also, don’t try to creep to the front at the expense of others as the show is about to start. A few people tried to do this while we were there and other people that had been waiting asked them to leave. I mean, they had little ones that would have had their perfect view blocked after they had been waiting for so long. It just wasn’t fair. Anyway.. sitting front and center for Disneyland Forever was really amazing and certainly a highlight of our long and wonderful trip. I love Sleeping Beauty Castle so much. I even gave it a nickname, Little Pinky, which has caught on with a lot of folks to my surprise. Having the castle be the close-up center piece really made this show for me. It looks picture perfect with all that appears on it and when it’s lit up in the colors of the rainbow, I can’t even.
Main Street Firework Viewing
Many folks really enjoy the view from Main Street so if you think you’d like being a bit further back and seeing the Main Street shops be an exciting part of the show, have at it. Stuff happens on Main Street. That’s all I want to say, I don’t want to ruin anything. But many people have told me they like the immersive experience being surrounded by the show provides. If you’re watching on Main Street, being in front of the Carnation Cafe or Penny Arcade will be great spots. You will not see much of the castle or any of the Matterhorn or It’s a Small World from here. You’ll have a great view of the sky, fireworks and castle pyro and probably see a bit of what’s going on on the castle but not the tiny details. However, show projections will be right there for you on the shops of Main Street. Remember there are trees on Main Street. These can put the projections off a bit with shadows and such. It’s just good to know. It’s really a challenging thing to do to light up Main Street like this and I’m excited to see how it progresses over time if the magic makers continue to use this effect in the future since this is their first shot at this. Also, since Main Street is a relatively large viewing area, you don’t have to arrive as early to see the fireworks from here. After the parade that took place just before the fireworks, people piled into the street and there was a decent amount of room.
It’s a Small World Firework Viewing
This is a very unique view. You’ll be far from the castle and would have to turn around to see the Matterhorn. This is a great place to go if you want to see the fireworks but don’t want to wait forever or want to see them a few different ways. The projection on It’s a Small World is flawless (minus the one small spot behind the clock tower that you can see below) and the fireworks appear to the left of the attraction so, again, stand a little to the right if you want a perfectly aligned view. That little smiley clock tower adds fun to the show.
Essentially the show that is projected on the different structures around Disneyland is pretty much the same. You’ll see the same projections just in a way that suits the castle, It’s a Small World, the Matterhorn or Main Street. While the experience is different, the show is basically the same.
If you’re going to see the Disneyland Forever fireworks once on your vacation then considering all I’ve mentioned will make you prepared to have the best experience. I sure hope this helps you pick a great spot for the Disneyland Forever fireworks show! Night time spectaculars are like the exclamation point on the end of a Disney day and really bring it all home for me.
Which of these do you think is the best place to watch Disneyland Forever fireworks from?
Do you have another spot or tip to share?
Leave it in the comments below!