Disneyland Fireworks Facing Cull After 67 Years Ahead of Drone Takeover

For generations of Disney fans, the perfect end to a park day has always been looking up at the night sky. From castles glowing beneath bursts of color to soundtracks swelling with emotion, fireworks transformed closing time into a defining ritual.

Shows like Happily Ever After, IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, and Remember… Dreams Come True became as iconic as the rides themselves, with Happily Ever After proving so popular that Disney fans essentially bullied The Walt Disney Company into bringing it back out of its supposed retirement.

Yet as the company experiments with new forms of entertainment, questions loom over whether fireworks will remain the centerpiece of Disney’s nights.

Decades of Dazzle, and Growing Discontent

Disney has continually raised the bar for nighttime entertainment. Fantasy in the Sky, first staged at Disneyland in 1958, paved the way for more elaborate productions.

Over the years, the likes of Wondrous Journeys at Disneyland, Momentous: Party in the Night Sky at Hong Kong Disneyland, and Disney Tales of Magic at Disneyland Paris have expanded the formula with fountains, lasers, and projection mapping. These spectacles drew massive crowds — and even more massive costs.

Industry observers estimate Magic Kingdom’s nightly fireworks cost $40,000 to $50,000. Though Disney has never confirmed figures, the scale illustrates why the company has explored alternatives. Environmental advocates have also pushed back, noting that nightly launches contribute to air pollution despite Disney’s efforts to introduce biodegradable materials and compressed-air systems.

For Anaheim residents, the problem is less abstract. The sound, smoke, and light spill over neighborhoods that closely border Disneyland Resort.

Back in 2009, a resident even sued Anaheim in federal court, claiming that by allowing Disney to host hundreds of fireworks displays each year, the city was violating federal water pollution laws. The suit was ultimately dismissed, but the point still stands.

Complaints have prompted Disney to occasionally run projection-only shows, a compromise that underscores how disruptive nightly pyrotechnics can be for surrounding communities.

A Future Lit by Drones

Against this backdrop, Disney has been steadily developing drone technology. Disneyland Paris has already embraced the shift, incorporating drones into Disney Electrical Sky Parade and Avengers: Power the Night. These productions demonstrated that coordinated aerial displays can deliver nostalgia and innovation without the drawbacks of fireworks.

Stateside, Disney Dreams That Soar at Disney Springs briefly brought drones to Florida in 2024. Though it has not returned, the show’s popularity proved there is an appetite for more. Its absence likely reflects logistical challenges in the busy shopping and dining district rather than creative hesitation.

California may be next. Recently, a drone show was tested over Disney Ranch in Santa Clarita, featuring striking imagery from Aladdin (1992), including Genie and the Sultan’s Palace.

Clips of the rehearsal quickly circulated online, fueling speculation about Disneyland’s future entertainment slate.

A Disney drone show was just filmed over the Disney Ranch in Santa Clarita, California! Could a new drone show be coming to Disneyland?

Republished with permission from @plants_of_Disneyland

A Disney drone show was just filmed over the Disney Ranch in Santa Clarita, California! Could a new drone show be coming to Disneyland?

Republished with permission from @plants_of_Disneyland pic.twitter.com/0TxcSnChX7

— Matt (@DisneyScoopGuy) October 21, 2025

Disney has not confirmed any new shows. Still, the company’s patents — covering drone-controlled puppets and 3D light displays designed to mimic fireworks — suggest ambitions far beyond test flights.

Such tools could rival the grandeur of World of Color at Disney California Adventure Park or Fantasmic! at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios while addressing longstanding criticisms.

At D23 in 2024, Walt Disney Imagineering Vice President for Parades and Spectaculars Steven Davison teased the creative possibilities drones unlock for Disney. “It’s one of those things where you start to look at a technology like fountains or fireworks or lights and you say, ‘Oh, what if we did this with it?’” he said, via The Orange County Register.

The following year, Davison expanded on the idea during a Behind the Attraction preview. “[Drones] are very cool,” he said. “They’re kind of a new thing. We’re doing a lot of work in that. So all I’m going to say is, there’s more to come.”

Do you think Disney should incorporate more drones into its parks?