A Disney tale so grand only the nighttime sky can hold it!

Remember when you wished upon a star? It still makes no difference who you are! This is a place where magic happens, and you can relive it at its very best. Wishes, a brand new fireworks spectacular created in 2005 for the 50th Anniversary of Walt Disney's original Disneyland in California, takes you there.

Inspired by the "Wishes" fireworks show in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, this spectacular show of fireworks, light, sound and special effects returns for a second season, to bring all the classic Disney characters together and let you see what happens when the most magical wishes come true...

Join Jiminy Cricket, The Blue Fairy and beloved Disney characters through this fantastic story told amongst the stars. Will Pinocchio become a real boy? Will Cinderella go to the ball? Will Snow White find her Prince Charming? Any wish is possible. All it takes is a little courage to set it free. The classic Disney characters paint the night sky with fantastic colours and breathtaking formations of fireworks as they wish together for their wildest dreams.

Quick, make a wish, but don’t close your eyes – you’ll miss the best part. Sleeping Beauty Castle is aglow with ever-changing colour in time with cherished Disney songs that take you to a place where the most fantastic, magical things can happen, and they all start with a wish...

The Show

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Disneyland Park proudly presents... Wishes!

Starlight, starbright...

The lights around Central Plaza and the pink glow of the castle fade away and the music begins. A gradual build-up of magical sound is joined by fantastic blue light illuminating the edges of the castle from behind. As the music reaches its peak and trumpets ring out to the notes of "Wishes", dazzling lasers streak across the castle, outlining the beautiful features and details of the famous château for a breathtaking opening to this nighttime spectacular.

Brilliant bursts of stars sparkle all over the castle before joining together to present the Blue Fairy herself! "When stars are born, they possess a gift or two. One of them is this - to make a wish come true!" And with that, the first wish of the night is cast high up into the night sky as the castle becomes a never-ending galaxy of stars and more wishes are launched high into the sky. "When You Wish Upon A Star" heralds the arrival of Jiminy Cricket, as he floats down through the wishes to take his place at the base of the castle.

No request is too extreme!

Together with the Blue Fairy, Jiminy reminds us that the most fantastic, magical things can happen, and it all starts with a wish! First to make a wish is Cinderella, who dreams of being able to go to the ball as swirling bursts of fireworks shoot up into the sky. The castle is covered in hearts and romantic red flickers of fireworks fill the sky, as Snow White wishes that someday her Prince will come.

Deep under the sea, Ariel is wishing she could be part of Prince Eric's world, whilst Peter Pan wishes to never have to grow up and heads off for another adventure in Neverland, with dramatic green fireworks sweeping across the sky.

The classic Disney characters aren't out of wishes yet! Pinocchio covers the castle with his troublesome nose and the sky with whirling bursts of colour, before we join Aladdin on his magic carpet as he wishes for Genie's freedom. Suddenly, the magic lamp appears on the castle and the Blue Fairy proclaims "Genie! Genie! You're free!" as a blast of sparkling blue fireworks shoots out from the lamp! In his usual outrageous style, Genie then takes over the show, covering the sky in blue bursts - and the castle with his smiling face! Aladdin and Jasmine soar through the clouds above Agrabah before Genie shrinks the castle with a spectacular laser effect!

Be careful what you wish for...

His time in the limelight over, Genie fades away as the legendary music from the Sorcerer's Apprentice segment of Walt Disney's Fantasia begins with the castle becoming a giant Sorcerer's hat! Soon, strange shapes cover the castle. They move up and down, shrinking as they multiply. They're the enchanted brooms from Fantasia, and once they've completely filled the castle with their eerie presence, a bolt of thunder darts across the castle and dramatic red fireworks shoot out from either side. Things are getting rather sinister... Don't worry, just remember - always let your conscience be your guide...

This is what happens when the power of wishes gets into the wrong hands! "Slave in the Magic Mirror, come from the farthest space! Through wind and darkness I summon thee! Let me see thy face!" A chilling Magic Mirror appears on the castle, with crackles of thunder bolting across its formidable face.

"A blast of wind, to find my fate. A thunderbolt, the cast my spell. Alas, grant me my wish as well!" There's no stopping the Evil Queen now! Crackling, shrieking fireworks tear across the sky in a pandemonium of fear and distress.

Soon the other Disney Villains are joining in too - Maleficent and Jafar shadow over the crowds as they help to continue the wicked wishes with prickly, razor-sharp fireworks cutting through the sky and overpowering thorny explosions blocking out every hint of a conscience!

It's the Blue Fairy!

Luckily, Jiminy returns just in time and reminds us to be careful what we wish for! "It's the Blue Fairy!" he announces, as swirling laser-projected stars and bursts of beautiful twinkling fireworks hail the return of the Blue Fairy. Uniting everyone in the magic of wishes, she says "Remember, we must always believe in our wishes, for they are the magic in the world. Now, let's all put our hearts together and make a wish come true!". And just like magic, a fantastic glow of light erupts from the top of the castle. Dazzling fans of laser light, filling the sky with magic and touching the hearts of everyone as the "Wishes" theme song builds up to a finale of bright white rockets and breathtaking twinkling bursts of fireworks! As the music quietens, a single white firework arcs over the castle, to remind you that all this magic began with just one single wish.

"You see? It's just like I told you. Wishes can come true, if you believe in them with all your heart", Jiminy says, as more wishes are sent soaring up into the sky to a reprise of the "Wishes" theme. Suddenly, the castle turns into a rainbow of colour as laser-projected fireworks explode all over it and countless more bright white wishes are sent up into the sky.

The show reaches its final climax with a breathtaking explosion and blue and white fireworks filling the sky whilst lasers create another twinkling universe of stars on the castle. Just as you thought the wishes had ended, Jiminy says "See what a little wishing can do?" and a dazzling fan of blinding white rockets light up the whole of Central Plaza as they shoot up into the sky behind the castle.

The show ends as the Blue Fairy wishes everyone a good night and the laser-projected stars on the castle join together to form a spectacular version of the "Wishes" logo. The power of wishes is unrivalled - trust your heart, just believe. Make a wish and do as dreamers do, and all your wishes will come true...

The Music

Wishes Nighttime Spectacular at Disneyland Resort Paris draws its soundtrack almost entirely from the original version of the show at Walt Disney World in Florida. This iconic soundtrack, that has also been used as a basis for the 50th Anniversary firework display in Disneyland California, was put together by musical director Steve Skorija at Walt Disney Creative Entertainment, with the soundtrack itself composed and arranged by Gregory Smith.

The show features a new, original theme song - 'Wishes' - which was written by Gregory Smith and takes its inspiration from the classic children's rhyme 'Starlight, Starbight'. The memorable theme created from this song echoes throughout the soundtrack, drawing together the music used from eleven Disney feature films.  The Paris show is 3 minutes shorter than its Orlando inspiration, losing the Hercules 'Go The Distance' segment and the 'Princesses Medley' similar to the park's Disney's Fantillusion parade.

The iconic fade-in and opening fanfare of the music is brought to life further thanks to the incredible projection, lighting and laser effects of the Parisian show. Each theme from the Disney Classics is combined with suitably coloured fireworks and dramatic projections to bring to life the memories, wishes and dreams associated with these classic films, with the wide selection of music ensuring that every guests' favourite Wishes can come true every night.

A Disney Story in the Sky!

In honour of the 50th Anniversary of the original Disneyland in California, this "magical gathering of Disney dreams" debuted in Disneyland Park, Paris to show, in spectacular fashion, the promise and beauty of wishes coming true - just like the wish Walt had all those years ago.

This new night-time pyrotechnic extravaganza was inspired by the original 'Wishes' firework show at the Magic Kingdom of Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Introduced in October 2003 to replace the park's old 'Fantasy In The Sky' show, it brought with it an assortment of exciting new pyrotechnic techniques and effects. The show was designed with around 800 shells being used in each performance and launches taking place from ten new locations around the Magic Kingdom using brand new pyrotechnic techniques and advancements. The pyrotechnic display was designed by Eric Tucker (who also worked on 'IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth' at Epcot), with the overall show created and directed by Steven Davison (who developed 'Believe - There's Magic In the Stars' at Disneyland California).

The Florida show proved an instant success, with the musical score of the show in particular becoming a must-have CD for fans when it was released in April 2004. Sections of the soundtrack were also heavily implemented into Disneyland California's 50th Anniversary fireworks spectacular, "Remember... Dreams Come True", and with the same soundtrack as the Florida show now being introduced in Paris, the emotional and beautiful work of music director Steve Skorija and composer/arranger Gregory Smith has most certainly not gone unnoticed.

Bringing the 'Wishes' fireworks spectacular to Paris took many months of intense preparation by a team of over 30 dedicated crew. Whilst the show shares the same soundtrack and background story, the visual experience is almost completely different to that in Florida. One of the first changes to the show was believed to have been the removal of the 'Villains' section, as this meant the show followed the story of Paris' Disney's Fantillusion parade too closely. Just before the official premiere of the show, however, it emerged that the sections that had infact been cut were the 'Go The Distance' and 'Princesses Medley' sections. It is believed these sections were cut due to the large amount of speech and fewer opportunities given for the use of projection and laser effects, the key feature of the Paris 'Wishes' show.

Another very noticeable change to the show was the addition of new speech from the Blue Fairy. She provides narration in French to translate each of the character's wishes or talk to Jiminy, ensuring that as many people as possible can follow this classic Disney story told amongst the stars. As the design of Paris' castle and its surrounding area is so different to that of Florida's, the effects and pyrotechnics were designed with this in mind, to create an experience that will fit perfectly into the landscape of the Paris park. In addition to the exciting fireworks display, various other effects have been put in place to amaze guests, such as lasers and high-power projectors. These effects, many never before seen in a standard firework show in Disneyland Resort Paris, turn 'Wishes' into much more than a simple nine minute firework display - a true nighttime spectacular.

To celebrate the launch of Wishes, Central Plaza received an impressive new temporary hub decoration during the 2005 and 2006 Summer seasons, showing the Wishes logo and a half-relief image of Jiminy Cricket. The beautiful decoration also hid a large amount of technical equipment used during the show. False bushes and rocks around the Castle moat also hide lighting and projectors for the show.

For its second season in 2006, the show was boosted with even more fireworks, especially during the original show's quieter moments, providing an even more spectacular nighttime display.  Wishes returns for a third season in 2007 as the honorary 15th Anniversary fireworks spectacular, performed just moments after Mickey illuminates the Castle's fifteen candles during Candleabration.

Bringing the concept of 'Wishes' to Disneyland Park allows a new audience to watch the magic as the wishes of classic Disney characters come true in a burst of colour and effects. All it took is a little courage (and a lot of preparation) to set them free!