Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen a number of things return to or reopen in Disney World including single rider lines, arcades, play areas, and more.

Recently, something BIG officially returned to both Magic Kingdom and EPCOT — fireworks! And while you might absolutely adore the fireworks, with the return of these nighttime shows came something else you might not love as much…

…CROWDS. Now, don’t get us wrong, we’ve seen some days with large crowds in Disney World since the reopening. But last night, we definitely spotted some fairly substantial crowds in Magic Kingdom as we waited for the fireworks.

There were lots of people sitting down and trying to get a good spot well in advance of the fireworks show.

And there was a pretty large crowd near the Castle hub area.

Of course, this was our experience on opening night, which (naturally) was a popular night and drew some large crowds. Still, this is your reminder that if you want to see the fireworks from a popular spot (like right in front of Cinderella Castle), you’ll probably want to keep an eye on the area you’re hoping to sit in.

If you see it already starting to get busy well ahead of the fireworks, consider grabbing a spot there, if that’s important to you. You could also change your plans in terms of where you’d like to see the fireworks from, especially if you’re willing to see it from a spot that’s a little further away.

A current look at crowds waiting for Happily Ever After in Magic Kingdom! pic.twitter.com/itHqDbzZzA

— AJ Wolfe (@DisneyFoodBlog) July 2, 2021

 

 

But, the crowds that were present before and during the fireworks aren’t necessarily the biggest downside. The biggest downside to the return of fireworks is really those crowds that you find AFTER the fireworks end!

You know the crowds we’re talking about. It’s the GIANT ones that form down Main Street, U.S.A. in particular, as everyone is trying to hurry out of Magic Kingdom at the exact same time.

Since everyone is trying to leave from the same area at the same time, it can lead to long lines, big crowds, and a bit of waiting.

With large groups of people trying to get out of the park and back to their hotels, this can lead to long lines for transportation options like Disney’s Ferry Boats or the Disney buses.

If you want the crowds around you at the end of the night to go from this…

…to THIS, then here’s our advice.

Once the fireworks end, don’t rush to the park exit and into the lines for Disney transportation with the crowds. If you and your family can stay up for a little bit longer, hang back in the park and do some other things until the crowds lessen a bit.

For example, tonight the fireworks kick off at 9:15PM in Magic Kingdom, but the park itself doesn’t close until 11PM. After you watch the fireworks, you have plenty of time to hop on a few more rides, walk around and check out some of your favorite park areas at night, or just find a bench, grab a snack, and people watch.

If you and your family or friends are able to stay up late, you could enjoy some spectacular views of the park at night and walk out with significantly less people around you.

Just keep in mind that Disney bus service from the parks to the Disney hotels ends about one hour after park closing! Be sure to keep that in mind as you roam around the park.

With the return of fireworks, the reopening of more restaurants and hotels, and more new things on the way, we expect we’ll see more changes made all over Disney World in the upcoming weeks and months. We’ll be sure to keep an eye out for more updates and let you know what we find.

Click here to see photos and videos from the return of fireworks to EPCOT!

Do you usually spend some time in the park after the fireworks are over so you don’t have to walk out with those big crowds? Tell us in the comments.