Last weekend the new night-time spectacular, Disney Tales of Magic, debuted at Disneyland Paris. Incorporating projections on Sleeping Beauty castle and down Main Street USA, water fountains, fireworks and drones, the show has been very well received. But finding a spot to watch the night-time spectacular has always been a stress, and the popularity of the new show is likely to make that worse! In this blog we’re sharing where you might want to consider staking out your spot to watch the new show.

If you don’t mind paying for the perfect view

The focal point of the night-time spectacular is Sleeping Beauty Castle. In recent years Disneyland Paris has had a trend of charging for priority access for shows, and of course the night-time show is no different! So if you’re willing to pay, you will be dead centre in front of the castle, as the map above shows.

The reserved viewing spot cost 24 euros per person (regardless of age). Paying does give you the chance to view the show with a great view, and with a little more elbow room than elsewhere on Main Street USA. The downside (apart from the cost!) is that even in this area people turn up early in order to get the best spots, so you should still aim to arrive at least 30 minutes before the show.

To access this area on the day you’ll need to head in via Frontierland or Adventureland. Entry into the area is closely monitored by cast members, and they and security are on hand around the area too, mainly to stop people who haven’t paid trying to jump the ropes!

If you do want to book this viewing spot, do so as early as you can. They can and do regularly sell out!

One thing to note though that in this spot you will miss the Main Street projections!

If you have a Priority Pass

For folks who are differently-abled and have the Priority Pass, there is also a roped off area. While not as dead centre as the paid viewing spot, it’s still a great view and pretty close to Sleeping Beauty castle – you can see on the map it’s in the hub close to Adventureland.

The Priority Pass gives access to the area for the card holder and up to two guests – that’s worth noting because it’s less than the rides (which is up to four guests). And Disney strictly enforce this too, refusing entry to larger groups. Please don’t try and bully the cast members into letting more people in! Yes it’s annoying to split groups but they’re doing their job, and we saw some cast members get a lot of abuse.

Like the paid viewing area, people still turn up pretty early to get a good spot. There’s a few benches but they go very quickly. We used this area on our last visit and turned up about 40 minutes before the show started, and got a great spot leaning on a rail with a lovely view (this was a very chilly November night though!).

Although this area is certainly less busy than the rest of Main Street USA, it’s still pretty busy so anyone who really struggles with large crowds might find the area too full for them. It’s also worth staying in the area for a little bit after the show to let the rest of the crowds clear out if large crowds are an issue for you!

To reach the Priority Pass area, you enter via Frontierland. Cast members will check to ensure everyone that enters is eligible. As with the paid area they strictly enforce who has access, we saw a few people trying to jump the rope to get in the area who were quickly rounded up and sent off by Disney cast members towards security – so be warned! Bear in mind this area is put aside for those who are differently-abled and can’t manage the main fireworks crowd, so it’s not fair to try and sneak in if you don’t qualify.

Again, as with the paid area you will miss the Main Street USA projections in this spot.

To get a great view of the show on the castle without paying

If your heart is set on watching the show on the castle with a lovely centre view and little obstructions, then really you need to get a spot in the hub. But be warned, getting and holding on to a spot here can be tricky.

Just as you want that perfect view, so do hundreds of other people! And competition for those spots is fierce. In November people started claiming spots around 90 minutes beforehand, and the space was pretty much filled about 45 minutes beforehand. So if your heart is set on this view I’d recommend using the bathroom, grabbing a snack, and then snagging your spot at least an hour in advance – and prepare yourself for a wait. A book or game could be really handy at this point!

Once you have your spot be prepared to defend it too. Sadly the pushing and shoving by latecomers at Disneyland Paris is common, and some guests have literally no regard for others who may have got there first. So I’d stand firm, have your elbows out and your glares ready!

Also if you are moving around this area in the hour or so approaching the show, listen to what the cast members are saying. They need to keep walkways open and ensure people can get where they need to go safely! Don’t ignore them, or worse, yell at them but follow the instructions.

Seeing the show without staking down a spot for ages!

So what if you want to see the show without camping out in the hub for an hour or more? Well, Main Street USA might be your best bet.

Standing on Main Street may mean you’re further back from the castle so can see less details of the projections there and the fountains, but you’ll still get a good view of the fireworks and drones. Plus they’ve now added in projections down Main Street USA so you get to experience a new part of the show too. Sweet!

In the past we’ve been able to grab a spot towards the back of Main Street that has a little elbow room but still a decent view around 20 minutes before the show. It may be that the additions of the projections down the street might change that, but time will tell.

Another bonus of this spot is that you’re nearest the exit and can make a quick dash for it when the show ends before the bulk of people get there!

Do I have to be on Main Street USA to watch the show?

Technically, no. Practically… maybe. Because of the show’s reliance on the projections, fountains and the drones being viewed by a certain angle, to get the full effect you really do need to be around the hub or Main Street area.

Also bear in mind the show kicks off as the park closes, so some of the other areas of the park will already be blocked off. A lot of Fantasyland closes before the show anyway because of being close to where the fireworks are shot off.

Having said that, we once got a lovely view of the drones and higher fireworks from the Studios park just behind Studio 1! Of course we couldn’t see the projections or hear the music though. Staying within the main park though, there are some rocks around the back of Buzz Lightyear that face the castle and people have had a decent view there, although view of the projections might be limited. You might also have some luck in the pathways leading to the lands off the Hub. Again, listen to the cast members!

If you’re feeling really bougie you could also take one of the park view rooms at the Disneyland Hotel – but they cost a pretty penny so start saving.

Other things to note about Disney Tales of Magic

Here’s a few other points to help you plan around this new show:

• Because the show is so new, expect it to be very popular this year – so you may want to add some extra time on how long you want to hold a spot!
• If there’s more than a very light breeze then the drones may not be part of the show. Disney only tends to decide this and announce it about 10 minutes before the show is due to start so it’s hard to plan in advance for. If your heart is set on seeing the drones but it’s a windy day we’d recommend staying right at the back of Main Street USA and listen out for the announcement. If it’s announced the drones aren’t flying, you can then easily exit the park. (If the drones are flying they won’t announce it, the show will just take place).
• If you pay for the special viewing area I don’t think you get a refund if the drones aren’t part of the show.
• Sometimes in really bad weather (very high winds, torrential rain etc) they can cancel the show altogether. In this case there’s not much you can do about it! As such we wouldn’t recommend staking out a spot for an hour if you have really bad weather just in case, you might get cold and wet for nothing. If the show is completely cancelled I believe that those who bought a spot in the paid area should be refunded (ask in Guest relations to be sure!)
• Once Big Thunder Mountain reopens later in the year try hopping in line a few minutes before park close (when the show takes place). If you time it right you might get to see the show while on the ride!
• If you’re staying in the park until closing but don’t want to watch the show, then use the arcades running along the back of Main Street USA on either side to leave the park. Try to exit before the show ends so you’re not caught up in the mass exodus!

We can’t wait to experience this new show! We hope this post help you plan your viewing, and let us know if you’ve seen Tales of Magic yet, and what you think.