4th of July Fireworks taken from Bay Lake Tower
At last count, I think I have been to the Walt Disney World Resort more than 25 times. I don’t count; I just enjoy! But in 2014, for the first time, I spent Independence Day at Walt Disney World. Yes, I’ve heard the horror stories about record crowds, but this is something I have always wanted to do. As the mom of a 13-year old boy, we usually vacation at peak times – summer, spring break. So I wasn’t going to let the expected crowd deter me!!
As a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) Member I’ve been fortunate to stay at most of the DVC properties at Walt Disney World. We chose Bay Lake Tower (BLT) at Disney’s Contemporary Resort for this stay. I had a plan in mind. One of the perks of DVC membership is access to the Top of the World Lounge at the top of BLT. It is a wonderful place to have a frosty beverage, a few appetizers, and enjoy a beautiful view of the Magic Kingdom including the fireworks. They dim the lights and pipe in the music, like they do at the California Grill at the top of Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
DIStracted Tip: Most days of the year, you can go to the Top of the World as long as you are a DVC member. You check in at the lobby of BLT and someone escorts you to an express elevator to the 16th floor. However, there are blackout dates when you must be staying at BLT to access the Top of the World. July 3rd and 4th are two of those dates. Because of the popularity of the amazing Independence Day fireworks at the Magic Kingdom, you must be staying at BLT to get to the Top of the World Lounge on those dates.
And were the fireworks amazing? Absolutely!! My favorite nighttime show is Wishes at the Magic Kingdom. It brings me to tears no matter how many times I watch it. Just listening to the music will do that to me. So how did the special 4th of July fireworks stack up? I will admit that I missed hearing the music from Wishes. However, the patriotic songs were wonderful and the fireworks were beyond spectacular! There were fireworks all over the sky, not just behind the castle. It was a wonderful evening and the most difficult part of the evening was waiting for the elevator to go back to our 2 bedroom villa…
DIStracted Tip: Check the schedule at the Magic Kingdom. The Independence Day Fireworks were presented on both July 3rd and July 4th – two great opportunities to see this spectacular display!
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