3:17am ET
"Ready to begin, feel the wonder take hold..."
Magic Kingdom epitomizes every child's dream.
A carefree world feature love, magic and a place where anything is possible-- and Happily Ever After personifies that dream.
Given a tough hand, Happily Ever After proves the naysayers wrong and becomes a proud successor of the long-running Wishes nighttime fireworks spectacular.
Happily Ever After revolutionizes the nighttime entertainment industry for theme parks around the globe. The show pushes the envelope in terms of how many different types of top-tier technology can be crammed into a sub-25 minute performance; featuring lasers, spotlights, crisp projection images, a full orchestra playing the music and of course pyro (lots and lots of multi-colored, vibrant pyro).
More than just fireworks set to music, Happily Ever After highlights all of the key storytelling components Disney has been accustom to using in its classic films. With scenes featuring friendship, love and heroism, Happily Ever After provides an overarching story of what everyone should set out to achieve in their lives: everlasting bliss.
Past shows across worldwide parks have focused on a limited amount of Disney movies, but Happily Ever After reaches all audiences with a vast selection of favorite characters. Everyone from Wall-E to Shan-Yu, to Syndrome, to Cruz Ramirez make an appearance in some fashion. Other more notable characters like Moana, Merida, Quasimodo and Mufasa have show-shifting appearance with songs that change the mood and seamlessly segue into the next act.
This nighttime performance corrects past mistakes Imagineers have made with nighttime technology. In previous showing like Celebrate the Magic, there was a disconnected between castle projections, pyro and music-- at times it felt thrown together. Now, Happily Ever After maximizes these special effects to progress the story. For example, when Syndrome fires down on the castle (in projection form), the part of the castle where his attack strikes explodes into pyro. Two other examples are when Merida and Mulan's projections in the middle of Cinderella Caste (at different points the show) fire their crossbow and missile respectively, the item launches off the castle's canvas and continues as a firework into the sky.
The cohesiveness and intricacies between showcasing elements is something the theme park industry has never seen in a fireworks performance.
But not every show is perfect.
While Happily Ever After exudes sheer joy and excitement, it also has its lulls. Spanning over the course of 22 minutes, the energy dips for brief periods of time between a few transitions. How did Imagineers try to mask the dips in energy? While the music goes silent, projections on the screen are always constant-- keeping the viewers entertaining throughout the whole show.
Happily Ever After is more than just a show, it's an experience. Reviving memories & characteristics from old movies and harmonizing them with modern-day classics, the show allows all guests to sit and enjoy a complete and thorough masterpiece.
The lasers, smoke, strobes, spotlights, animations, music, pyro and more... there's always something different that viewers will pick up on each time they see the show. Whether it be Lightning Mcqueen & Cruz Ramirez speeding across a moss-covered castle during Merida's segment or gawking at the intricacy of the fireworks during the villains act-- this show is one for the ages.
Oh yeah, the show also hits an unprecedented level of nostalgia once Tinker Bell flutters over the Magic Kingdom towards the end:
Walt Disney World has been working towards making their shows on property even more enchanted... highlighting qualities like inclusion, friendship, self-loving and ambition... Happily Ever After certainly belongs in the same category as Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire and Fantasmic! While fireworks shows typically don't show emotion or deliver a particular message, Happily Ever After certainly raises the bar for both storytelling and firework displays.
The theme song (and original song) "Happily Ever After" by Jordan Fisher and Angie Keilhauer kicks off the the show with "Ready to begin, let the wonder take hold," which opens the storybook of everyone's fairytale as they are set to embark on their dream. Keilhauer then comes in and sings "feel it draw you in, watch the moment unfold..." which is urging the audience to go out and pursue their dream, live in the moment and do what's right... much like many of the Disney heroes featured in the show do. As the beat picks up, both singers come together for a powerful chorus reassuring guests that what's meant to be will happen, but go out and pursue your dream because only you hold the key to happiness in your life: "It's just the beginning, feel your hearts beating faster.. reach out and find your happily ever after." This powerful song becomes the bookends for the show, allowing guests to participate in the key phrase "unlock the magic" during the performance. As the show comes to a close, the lyrics serve as a reminder that everyone has their own key to unlock it, they just have to follow their dreams and embark on the adventure.
This show's predecessor, Wishes, set the bar high with a 13-year run at Magic Kingdom and the longevity of shows is always uncertain... but Happily Ever After is built to last. Featuring state-of-the-art technology, the show also feature many new-age characters that will keep the stories relevant. For example, Cruz Ramirez appears on the castle before the release of Cars 3 (the movie she debuts in). The show also features strong appearances from characters like Merida, Moana, Tiana and Rapunzel whom are all considered new-age characters. While the show focuses on a variety of new-age storylines and characters, there are a handful of montages with classic favorites like Simba & Nala, Snow White, Tarzan, Aladdin and much more.
Magic Kingdom has hit the jackpot with Happily Ever After. Wishes was a beloved show, but Happily Ever After brings in a brand new energy and generation to the park. With posters, hats, shirts, ornaments and much more... this show has made its mark.
Here's a look at some of the merchandise released on Happily Ever After's debut day:
Unlock the magic by watching the very first performance of Happily Ever After: