Credit: DisneyBack on October 1, 2021, the Walt Disney World Resort kicked off its massive 50th Anniversary celebration. The 18-month-long event was full of great new merchandise, limited-time food and beverage offerings, new shows, new experiences, and everything in between. The Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom all had special events to celebrate the momentous occasion.
However, there was one aspect of the 50th that was pretty controversial — removing the Happily Ever After fireworks show and replacing it with a new show called Disney Enchantment.
Related: A Guide to the Happily Ever After Fireworks Show at Magic Kingdom
According to Disney, the new fireworks show would celebrate the “magic, imagination, joy, and hope for all who carry dreams in their hearts.” It was full of classic Disney music and characters fans have come to know and love.
Unfortunately, fans weren’t thrilled with the new show. Happily Ever After was (and still is) one of Disney’s most popular fireworks shows, so Disney Enchantment had really big shoes to fill. Many felt that Disney Enchantment was a fine show, overall, but it didn’t fit with Disney World’s 50th Anniversary.
The show could have been shown at any time, as it was more of a celebration of Disney movies, and it didn’t really honor the Magic Kingdom or Walt Disney World in any way.
Related: Honest Review: Is Disney Enchantment Really THAT Bad?
The show received numerous criticisms that Disney ultimately addressed by adding more images and videos of Walt and Roy Disney, which helped slightly improve its overall reception.
Disney Enchantment was shuttered at the end of the 50th Anniversary, and fans were thrilled that an updated version of Happily Ever After was finally returning. Happily Ever After is still running, and guests cram onto Main Street, U.S.A., every night to sing and dance along to both classic Disney songs, as well as the original song written for the show.
However, Disney wasn’t quite done with Enchantment, and in 2024, the fireworks show was brought back for the hard-ticketed After Hours events at the Magic Kingdom.
Related: Disney World Confirms Added Fees for Extra Hours in Theme Park Moving Forward
Disney Enchantment first returned for the After-Hours events back in 2024, and was brought back in 2025 for After Hours events as well.
Now, the Walt Disney World Resort website has confirmed that the show will return in 2026 for those events as well. The website reads:
Feast your eyes on the returning nighttime fireworks spectacular Disney Enchantment—available exclusively during Disney After Hours at Magic Kingdom Park.
What’s really cool about these After Hours events is that guests can actually watch two fireworks shows in one night! Guests attending After Hours can enter the theme park as early as 7 p.m., allowing them to watch Happily Ever After before the park closes and then enjoy Disney Enchantment during the exclusive event.
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Disney After Hours at the Magic Kingdom will take place on select nights beginning in January 2026 and ending in July. Tickets range in price from $175 per person up to $199 per person.
The 2o26 dates are as follows:
- January 12 and 19
- February 2, 9 and 23
- March 2 and 9
- April 13 and 20
- May 4, 11, 18 and 25
- June 1, 22, and 29
- July 13 and 27
Guests who attend Disney After Hours at Magic Kingdom will be able to enjoy things like lower wait times at some of their favorite attractions and complimentary snacks! Disney offers complimentary Mickey Premium Bars, popcorn, and bottled soda during the event, all of which are included in the ticket price.
EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios will also host After Hours events throughout 2026, so guests can experience the magic at multiple places during their vacation if they want to!
Are you a fan of the Disney Enchantment fireworks show? Are you happy to watch them during After Hours at the Magic Kingdom? What is your favorite Disney fireworks show of all time? Do you enjoy spending the extra money on After Hours events so you can visit a quieter theme park? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!