Disney Adults know that things are always changing and evolving at Walt Disney World. However, some things are classic and simply stand the test of time. One of my favorite forms of nighttime entertainment has actually been making a nightly appearance (weather permitting) in Disney World since 1971. It is called the Electrical Water Pageant, and it’s been a constant at Disney World since the beginning. However, lots of people are unfamiliar with this complimentary show. Today, I’m going to tell you what it is and some of the places you can see it!
The Electrical Water Pageant
The Electrical Water Pageant is a nightly show that takes place around Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake. Brought to life using a system of barges and 25-foot-tall screens covered in twinkling lights, the show features colorful characters set to catchy synthesized music. It’s the epitome of retro charm.
Fans of Disney classics such as The Little Mermaid (1989) and Peter Pan (1953) will be hit with all the nostalgia. Whimsical electronic versions of iconic songs (think “Poor Unfortunate Souls” and “Under the Sea” as well as “Never Smile at a Crocodile”) play over the loud speakers as part of the soundtrack. Also, each song in the soundtrack accompanies a different sea creature scene. Then, towards the end of the show, the panels switch from illuminating the sea creatures to displaying red, white, and blue stars and American flags while patriotic songs play.
Showtimes
The show lasts approximately 7 minutes and has five performances per night. Locations where you can view performances include:
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
- Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort
You can check the MyDisneyExperience app or speak with resort Cast Members to confirm showtimes on the day you are visiting. However, remember that this is an outdoor show, so the Electrical Water Pageant may be delayed or cancelled due to weather conditions.
Viewing Locations
To view the Electrical Water Pageant, there are multiple spots along the shoreline at the various performance locations where you can see it:
- At Grand Floridian, you can try to grab a spot near the resort boat dock or on the Narcoossee’s patio
- Over at the Polynesian Village Resort, try watching from the boat dock or on the resort’s beach
- At Wilderness Lodge, there is viewing near Geyser Point Bar & Grill
- Fort Wilderness has viewing from the resort boat dock and beach area
- Finally, at the Contemporary, many people recommend watching from the resort boat dock as well. However, I’ll let you in on a secret. Long ago, a Cast Member recommended the resort’s beach area near the boat dock. Ever since, that has been the MouseHouseNews.net team‘s favorite viewing spot. The Electrical Water Pageant seems closer to shore at the Contemporary, and there aren’t as many lights or other sounds competing for your attention over there.
However, there’s something that many guests may not realize until they arrive: Not every Electrical Water Pageant viewing location offers the same experience. At MouseHouseNews.net, we’ve watched the Electrical Water Pageant from several locations around Walt Disney World. We’ve discovered that where you choose to watch can make a significant difference in how much you enjoy the show.
Our Favorite Location: The Beach at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Our preferred Electrical Water Pageant viewing location is the beach at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. The beach provides a broad view of Bay Lake, allowing guests to watch the illuminated displays with no light pollution behind the screens.
One of the things we appreciate most about this location is the opportunity to relax along the shoreline while enjoying the nighttime atmosphere. The combination of the water, resort lighting, and Electrical Water Pageant creates a distinctly Disney experience.
The Contemporary also offers a major convenience advantage for Disney Adults who want to make an evening out of visiting the resort. You can reach the Contemporary using the monorail, and guests visiting Magic Kingdom can also use the walking path connecting the park to the resort. That makes it relatively easy to enjoy the Electrical Water Pageant without committing to a complicated transportation plan.
Also A Great Location: Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Another one of our favorite places to watch the Electrical Water Pageant is from the waterfront area behind the Boca Chica building at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. This location offers a wonderful combination of atmosphere, convenience, and an excellent view of the illuminated screens.
This setting is unique in that you can see the lights from Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the Main Street U.S.A. Train Station, TRON Lightcycle/Run, and Space Mountain in the background. It is a very good reminder that you’re vacationing at Disney World!
For Disney Adults resort hopping at the Grand Floridian, this is a fantastic way to wrap up a resort visit. You can enjoy dinner, explore the resort, and make your way toward the waterfront when it’s time for the show.
Another advantage is transportation. The Grand Floridian sits on the Resort Monorail line, making it relatively convenient to visit from other monorail resorts in the Magic Kingdom area.
The Other Locations Are Not Recommended by MouseHouseNews.net
Unfortunately, we don’t really recommend the other viewing sites. If you happen to be at one of the other locations when the show is starting, by all means, be sure to catch the show. However, if you have an option, we recommend one of the previous two sites.
We simply can’t consider the beach at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort one of our preferred locations for watching the Electrical Water Pageant. The reason is simple: The floating screens are quite far away from Disney Adults watching from the Poly’s beach. The resort’s overwater bungalows extend into Seven Seas Lagoon, affecting the positioning of the Electrical Water Pageant relative to the shoreline. As a result, guests watching from that beach may find themselves viewing the illuminated displays from a greater distance than they anticipated.
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground also offer opportunities to enjoy the Electrical Water Pageant. However, there’s one significant drawback for Disney Adults who aren’t already staying at these resorts: transportation. Neither Wilderness Lodge nor Fort Wilderness sits along the monorail line. Reaching these locations generally requires using Disney’s boat or bus transportation, depending on where you’re traveling from and which services are operating.
Those extra travel plans can make these locations less convenient for guests who simply want to visit a resort to watch the Electrical Water Pageant.
Make Some Time To Watch
Regardless of the reason you’re in the area, the next time you’re around Magic Kingdom after dinner time, why not find a spot along the shore of Seven Seas Lagoon or Bay Lake and take time to enjoy a classic bit of Disney magic? It may become one of your favorite “must do” forms of entertainment at Walt Disney World too.
For more tips and information about delightfully enchanting things Disney Adults can do and see around Walt Disney World, stay tuned to MouseHouseNews.net.
