Making Memories: Lights, Camera, Pyro! Looking Back at the nighttime show of the Studios!

on June 29, 2021

Each week through the Walt Disney World 50th anniversary, we will be taking a look back at various parades, entertainment, and nighttime spectaculars throughout the history of the resort. Walt Disney World has seen so many different things come and go throughout its 50 year history. So, let’s take a look back at what people remember dearly or forgot quickly.

Continuing with the theme of fireworks as we approach the return of them at Walt Disney World and Disneyland we turn to looking at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. As many know, Hollywood Studios opened with a different name in MGM Studios and may be a park that has seen the most changes over time. Fireworks have evolved and changed at the studios as well. There were many periods where the studios had no fireworks at all.

Disney MGM Studios park opened in 1989 to a huge “Hollywood” style premiere event. Nightly fireworks would not begin until Sorcery in the Sky debuted in May of 1990 however. This big show erupted over the Chinese Theater at the park and included a 55-foot tall inflatable Mickey Mouse and even fired sparks from his finger. This 10-minute show included over 300 firework shells and played to musical pieces from famous movies.

Sorcery in the Sky ran until 1998 when Fantasmic debuts at the park. Similar shows would happen for special events though. The narration for Sorcery in the Sky was originally done by Vincent Price. In late years of the show the narration was done by an unknown male voice.

Symphony in the Stars became a special events show that the Studios would put on. It was themed after the musical scores of John Williams from Star Wars. The show was first shown in 2010. In 2013 it was presented on May 4th for Star Wars Day. Then it next was shown in 2014 for Star Wars Weekends and in 2015 became a nightly spectacular with a retooling called Symphony in the Stars: A Galactic Spectacular. It was retired in June of 2016.

During the Summer of 2014, Frozen the all new hit film was all the craze. To go along with this, Disney went with an all out Frozen celebration at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. At night the day concluded with a Frozen inspired fireworks show. It is one of the only times Disney has done a show inspired by just one film. The finale moment of course played to the song “Let It Go.” The show ran until September of 2014 and didn’t return.

Next up, we have A Galactic Spectacular! This next generation of show would bring in a new launch site for the park, and be one of the largest shows Disney had done. Projection mapping technology would be brought in to be displayed on the Chinese Theater and nearby buildings. Lasers and fire effects were also added to be part of the show.

Due to that new launch site, fireworks would appear off center from the Chinese Theater. Smaller low level pyro would be launched from the tops of buildings surrounding the Chinese Theater. The show featured all of your favorite Star Wars moments and would be updated as new films came out. However, in more recent years due to problems with the launch site being across the street outside the park large scale pyro would be scaled down. This show would run nightly from when it debuted in 2016.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios would also add special projections shows post 2016 as they added the new projection technology. From May 2017 through April 2019, Disney Movie Magic would be projected on the facade of the Chinese Theater. The show featured Disney, Marvel, and Lucasfilm movies. Older films like Old Yeller or The Black Hole all the way to the new Beauty and the Beast live action film would be showcased during this special show.

Following the success of that, Disney created another show called Wonderful World of Animation. This show debuted in 2019 as part of the 30th anniversary of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This 12 minute show takes guests on a journey through 90 years of animation. It includes films like Coco, Sleeping Beauty, The Incredibles, and even our good pal Mickey Mouse.