Summer time 2024 is shaping as much as be the season of theme park drone reveals, with nighttime leisure at Walt Disney World, Common Orlando, Dollywood and extra. Even smaller theme parks like Indiana’s Vacation World are leaping on the drone mild present practice.
I’ve documented many of the greatest drone reveals in 2024 occurring across the nation. That listing is way broader, incorporating festivals, conferences, rodeos and even some semi-private occasions. However right here, I’ve honed in on simply theme parks.
Don’t miss these 5 theme park drone reveals
Common Orlando Resort (Orlando, Florida)
I’m not going to even trouble saving the perfect for final. I’m placing what’s very probably set to be not simply the perfect theme park drone present of summer time 2024, however maybe the perfect drone present of the complete yr, on the entrance of my listing.
Dubbed CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular, the nighttime present at Common Studios Orlando will characteristic 600 drones. They’ll fly in sync to a soundtrack that includes songs from a few of Common’s most beloved movies together with “Harry Potter,” “Jaws,” “Shrek,” “Ghostbusters,” “Trolls, Again to the Future, Common Monsters, Transformers, Find out how to Prepare Your Dragon, E.T., Quick and Livid, “The Tremendous Mario Bros. Film,” “Minions,” “The Mummy” and King Kong.
True to its title, this isn’t only a drone present however a full spectacular. The present takes benefit of its location on the waters of the Common Studios Florida lagoon by incorporating water results too. The present options 228 fountains that attain heights as much as 131 toes, in addition to 4K projection mapping on the buildings across the lagoon.
“CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular” kicks off on Friday, June 14.
To look at it, you’ll want a Common Studios Florida theme park ticket. The price of Common Orlando tickets begins at $116. However, they price extra on busy seasons — which is, sure — most summer time nights.
Walt Disney World Resort (Lake Buena Vista, Florida)
The Common Orlando drone present isn’t the one drone present in Orlando this summer time. You may see drone reveals on back-to-back nights by heading over to Disney Springs. That’s the out of doors buying, eating and leisure district at Walt Disney World.
There, you may watch “Disney Goals That Soar”, which options state-of-the-art drones choreographed to create scenes and characters from beloved Disney tales. It’s all set to a hovering musical rating.
The present runs nightly from Could 24 by September 2, 2024.
And although we anticipate the Disney World drone present to probably not be as giant of a spectacle as Common’s present, there’s one large cause why this one is healthier. It’s free to observe. With its seemingly-endless eating and retailers, Disney Springs makes for among the finest free issues to do exterior the Orlando theme parks. The larger-than-life Disney Lego fashions on the Lego Retailer are museum-worthy. In the meantime, the Disney Springs retailers promote distinctive Disney merchandise past the same old plush dolls and jackets. Don’t miss The Artwork of Disney for gallery-style framed prints, DisneyStyle for on-trend vogue, Disney’s Sweet Cauldron and Disney’s Days of Christmas.
Throw on this free Disney drone present, and Disney Springs is the place to be this summer time.
Disneyland Paris (Marne-la-Vallée, France)
The 2024 Paris Olympics aren’t the one pleasure occurring over in France this summer time.
Head simply exterior of Paris to Marne-la-Vallée, France for Disneyland Paris’s “Disney Electrical Sky Parade.” This drone present pays homage to the basic Major Road Electrical Parade, that includes iconic characters and scenes fashioned by lots of of drones.
The Disney Electrical Sky Parade present has obtained rave opinions, with avid park goers calling it the park’s finest present but. Sure, which means Disneyland Paris has held a number of drone mild reveals up to now, together with a Marvel drone present. One other, referred to as Disney D-Gentle, flew over the theme park’s iconic Sleeping Magnificence Fort.
This present really kicked off again in January 2024, and it runs nightly by Sept. 30, 2024. Think about it one of many finest issues to do in Paris this summer time apart from the Olympics.
Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, Tennessee)
Dollywood’s Candy Summer time Nights will probably be again larger and brighter than ever this yr.
This well-liked occasion is turning into one thing of an annual custom. The first Dollywood drone mild present debuted in 2021, and it’s been going sturdy ever since.
In 2024, its nighttime drone options lots of of drones that accompany fireworks. And simply forward of the present, there’s a dance celebration, too.
In a 30-minute drone pre-show of kinds, a hyped DJ and energetic dancers construct up anticipation within the park’s Wildwood Grove part. Drones sync up with the fruits of the dance celebration, launching simply because the dance celebration ends.
The Dollywood’s Candy Summer time Nights Dance Occasion and Drone Present happens nightly at 9:40 p.m., climate allowing.
Vacation World (Santa Claus, Indiana)
Theme park drone reveals aren’t simply restricted to the foremost gamers. Indiana’s Vacation World has a drone present of its personal, that includes 500 drones. Aside from the free Disney World drone present, this ranks among the many most inexpensive theme park drone reveals you’ll ever see.
Tickets price simply $75 on the gate (and are even cheaper when booked on-line). With a Vacation World ticket, you additionally get extremely beneficiant bonuses you received’t get on the different theme parks. That features free parking, free smooth drinks and free sunscreen. For context round simply how invaluable that’s, parking alone at Common Orlando prices $32.
When you do wish to splurge a bit extra, take into account reserving the Drone Present Dessert Occasion. For an extra $30 on prime of your theme park admission ticket, you’ll get premium seating plus bottled water, fruit, cheese and dessert.
The Vacation World Drone Present kicks off on Saturday, June 22. Climate-permitting, reveals run nightly by Sunday, Aug. 4.
Associated learn: The most important drone present firms on this planet
Why are theme park drone reveals so well-liked?
There are just a few the reason why theme parks proceed to show enthusiasm for drone reveals.
- Beautiful visuals: Drone reveals supply a complete new degree of creativity and suppleness for nighttime leisure. Drones can create intricate formations, dynamic animations, and vibrant colours that conventional fireworks shows merely can’t match.
- Environmentally pleasant: In contrast to fireworks, drones don’t produce smoke or air air pollution. This can be a main benefit for theme parks trying to cut back their environmental impression.
- Quieter expertise: Fireworks may be loud and startling for some company, particularly younger youngsters. Drone reveals, however, are a lot quieter, making them a extra inclusive type of leisure.
- Scalability and suppleness: Drone reveals can simply scale up or down to suit a theme park’s dimension and finances. They’ll additionally adapt to completely different themes and tales, giving park creators extra artistic freedom.
- Lengthy-term affordability: In contrast to fireworks, which necessitate the acquisition of a contemporary batch of gunpowder for every present, drone reveals are largely a hard and fast, upfront price. Usually, mild present drones price about $1,000 every. That’s per drone, however since they’re reusable, drone mild reveals can price about $15,000 for smaller reveals (which implies about 100 drones). The associated fee per theme parks may be even decrease given the repeatability. Quite than one-off drone present occasions for festivals or sporting occasions, these reveals can maintain prices down since there’s much less setup, and no journey prices concerned.
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