Disney World is a very magical place, but even in the most magical place on Earth, things happen that can put a damper on your vacation plans.

For example, sometimes rides get shut down due to technical problems or weather. Or at other times, attractions could be down for annual maintenance and sprucing up. And sometimes, fireworks shows get canceled. But WHY exactly do fireworks get canceled sometimes??

But when does Disney World decide to cancel its fireworks shows? Here’s what we can tell you!

After Reopening

Talk about new territory for all of us! Remember when Disney World CLOSED for what felt like forever due to the global pandemic? When Disney World reopened, the parks were adhering to strict health and safety guidelines. That meant that most entertainment was suspended, including nighttime fireworks shows, which usually attract heavy crowds, making it difficult to allow for social distancing.

Fireworks remained canceled for more than a year and only came back in 2021 once health and safety protocols were pared back at the parks.

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Weather

High Winds

Florida weather is finicky — it can be sunny, hot, and bright one minute and then pouring rain the next. So the weather is often the main reason that fireworks get canceled. But even if it’s beautiful outside, if there are high winds, Disney will cancel fireworks.

Let’s face it — if it’s super windy, shooting off a bunch of fireworks could be a recipe for disaster. Disney chooses to play it more safe than sorry. Back in 2014, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train had some firework ash blow onto the ride that resulted in a small fire breaking out. Thankfully, no one was hurt and all of the dwarfs are safe, but that is a big reason why fireworks can be canceled, to keep guests and cast members safe! They also want to protect their multi-million dollar attractions from damage that could easily be prevented by monitoring a weather app.

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Tropical Storms and Hurricanes

Of course, that means that storms WITH high winds, like tropical storms and hurricanes, will also usually result in fireworks being canceled. It isn’t just the rain alone, it’s the winds plus the heavy rain that can cause serious problems.

So again, out of an abundance of caution, Disney World would rather cancel fireworks than risk a dangerous situation for its cast members and guests.

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Heavy Rain

Likewise, really heavy rain makes putting on fireworks shows pretty impossible. We’ve watched fireworks in the rain in Disney World (it’s usually just drizzling). But, if it’s a huge downpour, you’re probably going to miss out on fireworks that evening.

Here’s the thing, though — Florida downpours are notoriously short. So sometimes, you’ll have a delay in fireworks rather than an outright cancellation if the weather is just moving through the area quickly. Disney typically does a good job communicating overhead what the plans are in regards to changes to the fireworks, so be sure to keep an ear out or ask a Cast Member.

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Lightning

Now here’s something that many Disney World guests don’t understand. You might be at Disney World, and nothing’s going on with the weather there — but things begin to shut down anyway, and fireworks are either canceled or delayed. But why? Usually, it’s because lightning was spotted in a nearby area.

Lightning is another situation that could create a dangerous problem for everyone, so if there’s lightning in the area or on its way, Disney World will shut down its outdoor attractions, carts, and activities, including fireworks.

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Other Inclement Weather

Any other weather issues could also cause Disney World to cancel fireworks shows. That includes hail, tornadoes, snow (hey, it could happen!), and the like. Interestingly, we’ve seen fireworks go off without a hitch in very foggy conditions. This is unfortunate for the viewer (AKA you) but safe for everything involved in the fireworks. You might just be struggling to see!

These are far less common though. Basically, if the weather could create dangerous conditions to set off fireworks, Disney will probably cancel the fireworks show.

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Technical Glitches

If Disney found something that could cause a dangerous situation if fireworks went off, they would cancel the fireworks show. This is not something most will ever experience — most nights there’s no problem with the fireworks going off beautifully in the sky. But on the off chance that a problem arises, the fireworks can be canceled with little advance notice.

But as we previously mentioned, in all of these instances, fireworks are sometimes just delayed rather than canceled. It’s always best to keep an eye on the My Disney Experience app if you’re waiting for fireworks to see what the case might be.

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So if you’re planning a visit to Disney World, be sure to check the weather before you leave and keep an eye on the My Disney Experience app while you’re there. That will keep you in the loop on whether fireworks will be canceled or not on any particular day. And as always, we’ll try to keep you updated, too!

What’s your favorite Disney World fireworks show? Let us know in the comments!