Why You Shouldn’t Leave Magic Kingdom Right After Fireworks – The Best Time to Ride!

One of the biggest mistakes I see people make at Magic Kingdom is leaving right after the fireworks. I get it—the fireworks feel like the grand finale, the big moment of the night. But what most people don’t realize is that Magic Kingdom is usually still open for a bit after the show. That means the park clears out, the wait times drop, and for those of us who love closing down the park, it's the best time to ride what we want!

On my last trip in January, the fireworks started at 8 PM. I grabbed a spot over by the bridge to Tomorrowland and enjoyed the show. As soon as the 18-minute spectacular was over, I made my way straight to Tron. The posted wait time said 55 minutes, but I timed it—I was on and off in just 20 minutes! By 8:40, with the park closing at 9 PM, I knew I had time to squeeze in more.

Next stop: Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid. The sign said 5 minutes, but it was a true walk-on. From there, I hustled over to Peter Pan’s Flight—another walk-on! With the clock nearing 9 PM, I had time for one last ride, and Haunted Mansion was calling my name. I got in line just before they shut it down for the night (pro tip: if you’re in line by park closing, they’ll let you ride!). The ride did break down three times while I was on it, so I didn’t get off until 9:22 PM, but hey—that’s part of the fun.

Afterward, I took my time strolling out of the park. I grabbed a late-night snack, browsed some of the shops on Main Street (yes, they stay open an hour after the park closes!), and finally made my way to my bus stop at 9:45 PM. No rush, no stress, just a perfect way to end the night.

So here’s the takeaway—if there’s a ride with a long wait all day (Tron, I’m looking at you), jumping in line right after the fireworks is a game-changer. Or, if you prefer, you can hit a bunch of smaller rides with almost no wait. Either way, staying after the fireworks is one of the best-kept secrets to maximizing your time at Magic Kingdom. Next time you’re there, don’t make the mistake of leaving early—stick around and soak up the magic of those last, quiet moments in the park!