Disney Chronicles

Where will you be celebrating?

A variety of special events for Fourth of July are scheduled at Walt Disney World® Resort – such as patriotic parades, live music and spectacular fireworks shows. A street party with live entertainment and fireworks is also planned for Pleasure Island in Downtown Disney. All of the Fourth of July celebrations are included in the regular admission price.

Magic Kingdom will present “Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky.” This patriotic fireworks spectacular, paying homage to the hopes and dreams of America’s forefathers, will light the skies at 9 p.m. July 4 – and for guests who would like to begin the Independence Day celebration early, the show also will be presented July 3 at 9 p.m.

At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, traditional Fourth of July fireworks take on a different spin when Mulch, Sweat, and Shears perform for the all-new “Rockin’ 4th of July Celebration!” These resident landscapers – with serious rock and roll ambitions – take Disney guests on a musical road trip across America that will highlight each region’s contribution to rock and roll. Fireworks, lighting and special effects – backed by the driving live rock and roll of Mulch, Sweat, and Shears – combine to bring a new twist to celebrating Independence Day. Showtime July 4 is 9:45 p.m. Before or after the show, Disney’s Hollywood Studios guests can thrill to Disney’s Fantasmic!, performing July 4 at 9 and 10:30 p.m.

At Epcot, sky-watchers can check out “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” bursting high above World Showcase Lagoon. IllumiNations is a 14-minute spectacular during which pyrotechnics, lasers, water and music are all used to tell a story about the past, present and future of our planet. On the Fourth of July, the show will be enhanced with “The Heartbeat of Freedom,” an overture of traditional Americana themes displayed in a pyrotechnic and laser light event. The show is at 10 p.m.

Also at Epcot, you can hear a “Voices of Liberty 4th of July Concert” and participate in meet-and-greets with Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross and Disney characters wearing their patriotic dress at American Adventure.

No Independence Day celebrations are planned for Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park.

All of the parks will be extremely busy.  So plan wisely!

In the past the parks have reached capacity and guests were turned away- even those with dining reservations inside the closed park.  You need to decide which park you want to visit for the 4th, arrive early and plan to stay the whole day.  Don’t park hop and don’t return to your resort for a break, a swim or a nap.  If you do, you may not get back in the park!  If you are a Disney Resort guest, you are guaranteed entry into a park, but it may not be your park of choice!  Again, arrive early and stay all day.

Have a Safe and Happy Holiday!

Theme park hours on July 4 (subject to change without notice):
Magic Kingdom, 9 a.m. through 11 p.m.
Epcot, 9 a.m. through 10 p.m.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios, 9 a.m.through 10 p.m.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom, 8 a.m. through 7 p.m.

This entry was posted on June 29, 2012 at 9:44 PM and is filed under EVERYTHING DISNEY with tags Fourth of July at Disney, Independence Day. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.