For anyone who has spent time in Animal Kingdom, you may notice some HUGE differences from the rest of Disney World’s parks!
Tree of Life
In addition to the fact that it’s got legit live animals, this is also the ONLY park that doesn’t have fireworks. It’s a policy that likely won’t change, either, for good reason. Here’s why!
We love seeing shows like Enchantment in Magic Kingdom and Harmonious in EPCOT. But one park that WON’T be seeing fireworks is Animal Kingdom.
Enchantment at the Magic Kingdom
Compared to the rest of the parks, Animal Kingdom is one that has its own set of strict rules and regulations, all in order to preserve the safety and comfort of its animals.
Elephants on Kilimanjaro Safaris
Since the park has lots and lots of actual live animals, Disney goes above and beyond to ensure their well-being and keep them happy and healthy. A large part of that involves protecting them from loud noises and explosive pyrotechnics — aka fireworks!
Giraffes hate fireworks, we’re guessing
Similar to how the park doesn’t allow plastic straws or balloons, it’s a preventative measure to keep its resident animals comfortable and safe. Just imagine being a flamingo or a rhino! Wouldn’t YOU be disturbed by bright explosions in the sky?!
We can only assume Flamingos prefer the quiet
Animal Kingdom often closes before dark, but has been known to stay open later into the evenings, and we’ve seen Disney innovate in the past to bring a nighttime show without the explosions to the park. Rivers of Light had lasers, light projections, fountains and more in the Discovery River Lagoon. The show was suspended with the park closures in 2020, and later that summer, Disney announced it would not return. The same space is now used for the daytime show KiteTails but it is set to change how it operates as well.
Rivers of Light: We Are One
Tree of Life Awakenings also happens after dark and is a simple way to see a small show without pyro.
So Pretty!
At the end of the day, Animal Kingdom is a park dedicated to its namesake animals, and Disney does their best to prioritize their safety and comfort over everything is, which is something we admire and respect. So when you’ve got that itch for fireworks, just Park Hop over to Magic Kingdom!
8 WEIRD Disney World Rules and Why They Exist
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
Which Disney World park is your favorite for fireworks? Let us know in the comments!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
RE: “Just imagine being a flamingo or a rhino! Wouldn’t YOU be disturbed by bright explosions in the sky?!”
Umm . . . hello. We here in Florida live in the lightning capitol of the U.S. Violent loud visually spectacular thunderstorms are very common and I think the animals could probably handled it. The animals might be able to get used to them just as they deal with nature’s fireworks. Don’t know for sure but just thinking out loud.
I could see Disney having lower to earth pyrotechnics that Don’t have any loud booms!
Or why not a display like Disneyland’s new World of Color! Lots of water features, colorful lights, videos on water fans & low level quiet pyrotechnics at work!!!