Disney World New Year’s Eve fireworks: Happily Ever After sits out

Magic Kingdom swaps Happily Ever After for Fantasy in the Sky on Dec. 30 and 31, with shows at 6:30 and 11:50 p.m. EPCOT and Hollywood Studios get their own New Year’s countdowns.

Disney World just set its New Year’s Eve 2026 fireworks lineup, and Magic Kingdom regulars will notice one big change. Happily Ever After is off the schedule on Dec. 30 and 31.

In its place, Magic Kingdom runs Fantasy in the Sky both nights, at 6:30 p.m. and 11:50 p.m., WDWMagic and Inside the Magic reported Oct. 28. That’s four shows over two nights.

Inside the Magic called it “a temporary holiday replacement rather than a permanent cancellation.” Happily Ever After should be back once the calendar flips to 2027, and the regular nightly schedule picks up from there.

Here’s last year’s New Year’s Eve Fantasy in the Sky, filmed by Aaron Thomas May:

What fireworks are at Magic Kingdom on New Year’s Eve?

Fantasy in the Sky is Disney World’s go-to New Year’s show. It’s a classic fireworks display set to Disney music over Cinderella Castle, without the castle projections that Happily Ever After uses.

Both Dec. 30 and Dec. 31 get two shows:

• 6:30 p.m.

• 11:50 p.m.

The early show is the family-friendly pick. If your kids are melting down by 8 p.m., you can still catch real fireworks and be back at the hotel before the late crowd shows up.

The 11:50 p.m. show is the countdown crowd. Expect Main Street to be packed well before then, and plan your bathroom break accordingly.

What about EPCOT and Hollywood Studios?

EPCOT moves its regular nighttime show up on Dec. 31. Luminous The Symphony of Us plays at 6:30 p.m., earlier than usual, according to Inside the Magic and Disney Fanatic.

Then at 11:54 p.m., EPCOT runs “Cheers to the New Year: A Sparkling Celebration” over World Showcase.

Hollywood Studios has its own “New Year Countdown Fireworks” at 11:57 p.m. on Dec. 31.

Animal Kingdom doesn’t do fireworks, and no New Year’s Eve entertainment has been reported there. It closes at 6 p.m. that night.

What are Disney World’s New Year’s Eve 2026 park hours?

Here are the hours posted for Dec. 31, per WDWNT and MickeyBlog:

• Magic Kingdom: 9 a.m. to midnight

• EPCOT: 9 a.m. to 1 a.m.

• Hollywood Studios: 9 a.m. to midnight

• Animal Kingdom: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

On Dec. 30, Magic Kingdom also runs 9 a.m. to midnight. EPCOT and Hollywood Studios close at 9 p.m., and Animal Kingdom gets Extended Evening Hours from 6 to 8 p.m. for eligible hotel guests.

Those hours will probably change. “Though these are the current posted hours, we expect them to be extended later,” WDWNT wrote. Magic Kingdom closed at 1 a.m. last New Year’s Eve, and an 11:50 p.m. show with a midnight close doesn’t leave much room.

Will Magic Kingdom fill up on New Year’s Eve?

It usually does. New Year’s Eve is one of the busiest nights of the year at Magic Kingdom, and Disney has closed parks to new guests on busy nights before.

No capacity rules for 2026 have been posted yet. Inside the Magic mentioned only “potential capacity restrictions.”

If you want the late show, the safest move is to be inside the park early and stay put. Leaving for dinner at a resort and coming back at 10 p.m. is a gamble.

How can I see New Year’s fireworks without the crowds?

Pick the 6:30 p.m. show on Dec. 30. It’s the same Fantasy in the Sky, a full day before the big night.

Or watch from outside the parks. Plenty of guests see the Magic Kingdom fireworks from beaches at the monorail resorts. You won’t hear the music as well, but you’ll skip the crush on Main Street.

Early Entry is a half hour before opening for every Disney resort hotel guest, WDWNT noted. That doesn’t help at midnight, but it does help you get a few rides in before the holiday crowds arrive.

Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.

Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Hat Tips:

• WDWMagic (Oct. 28), New Year’s Eve fireworks schedule

• Inside the Magic (Oct. 28), Happily Ever After pause, EPCOT and Hollywood Studios shows

• Disney Fanatic (Oct. 28), show times and dates

• WDWNT (Oct. 21), Christmas and New Year’s Eve park hours

• MickeyBlog (Oct. 21), park hours

• Aaron Thomas May (Dec. 31, 2025), Fantasy in the Sky video

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