The Magic After Dark

There’s something about Disney that never quite seems to fade, no matter how old you get. I remember the first time I walked through the gates of Walt Disney World when I was just eight years old. Every sight, sound, and detail felt larger than life, the hustle and bustle of Main Street USA, the scent of popcorn filling the air, and, of course, the beauty of Cinderella Castle. It was as if I had stepped into a dream. Thirteen trips later, this magical feeling has never gone away. Even now, as a 20-year-old college student, that same feeling washed over me as I entered the gates of Disneyland Paris for the first time. The way I see it, magic isn’t something you outgrow as you get older, it’s something that grows with you. And nowhere was that magic more alive than in Disneyland Paris’ brand-new nighttime spectacular, Disney Tales of Magic.

No Disney Park day is complete without staying to watch the breathtaking fireworks show, and Disneyland Paris’ did not disappoint. This particular show seamlessly blended multiple elements—water, fire, lasers, music, projections, fireworks, and even drones—to create an immersive storytelling experience. Sleeping Beauty Castle serves as both a backdrop and a canvas, utilizing projection mapping to bring the beloved characters to life. Unlike traditional fireworks shows that you might see at your town’s Fourth of July celebration, Disney’s nightly productions are carefully choreographed performances where each little element plays a massive role in connecting the guests to the story.

In my opinion, the coolest part of the show was the use of drones. Hundreds of drones took to the sky at various points in the show, taking the shape of characters and reenacting scenes from Disney films. At one point, engulfing you in an epic battle between a projection on the castle of Buzz Lightyear and his enemy, the Evil Emperor Zurg, flying through the night sky. The combination of projections, lasers, and drones created a spectacle so immersive that I could’ve sworn I was right in the middle of intergalactic warfare. The synchronization of these elements is a testament to Disney’s ability to merge new technologies with incredible storytelling, making the audience feel more like active participants than just spectators.

The water effects of the show are equally as mesmerizing. Fountains surrounding the front of the castle shoot water a hundred feet into the sky. As the section from the film Moana (or Vaiana in many places around Europe), began, the fountains shifted in perfect coordination with the music, creating the illusion of rolling ocean waves. Projections of Maui and Moana seemed to sail across the fountains, bringing the adventure of the movie to life. The fountains were an absolutely integral part of the show, adding depth to the storytelling.

The infrastructure behind Disney Tales of Magic is a feat of modern entertainment engineering and a standard for Walt Disney Imagineering. The drones are controlled by computers off-site that turn images into synchronized and choreographed groups of drones that rely on GPS coordination to create seamless formations. The projection-mapping technology uses high-powered projectors that are strategically placed all around the park, aligning perfectly with the curves and edges of the castle.

And how could I not mention anything about the fireworks themselves? Perfectly timed to the projections and the musical score, the fireworks painted the night sky with bursts of color. Some would explode in rapid succession, giving the castle and projections a colorful backdrop while others exploded at specific times throughout the show, adding intensity to the climactic scenes. The fireworks are prepared in a warehouse outside the park, right behind the train station in Fantasyland, however, they are set off from inside the park! This is very different from how Disney World in Florida runs its nighttime spectacular Happily Ever After, in which the fireworks are set off in a specific area outside the park. Disneyland Paris actually closes off many areas of their Fantasyland an hour before the official close of the park. This is because the fireworks are set off from on top of the ride building for the Snow White ride, Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains, as well as the gift shop, Sir Mickey’s Boutique.

With all of these moving parts, you’d think that if one element failed, the whole show would be ruined, right? Well, it turns out Disney planned ahead for that. The second night of our Disneyland trip, we were standing on Main Street USA waiting to see the show for the second night in a row. However, five minutes before the scheduled start an announcement was made saying that due to technical difficulties, an altered version of the show would be performed. It didn’t take too long to figure out what was missing after the show started, it was too windy to run the drones. Although this was a slight bummer, it didn’t detract from the experience at all. Actually, if I hadn’t seen it the night before, I wouldn’t be able to tell that this wasn’t the normal version of the show. As all good engineers do, the Imagineers at Disney have a “Plan B” version at the ready. This version of the show utilizes more projections, lasers, and fireworks to make up for the lack of drones.

What truly makes this show incredible is the emotional connection it creates. The combination of music, visuals, and other effects evokes a sense of nostalgia. Whether it’s the melody of a classic Disney tune or the stunning show-stopping finale where every element finally comes together, the show transports you back to your childhood. A time when toys came to life, cars could talk, and elephants really could fly. This show isn’t just a performance, it’s a reminder of the magic that Disney has always been about: a place where the impossible feels real, and the wonder never fades.

Written By: Andrew M

dlrpfans. (2024, November 9). How do Drone Shows work at Disneyland Paris [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq5J2CjqZUI