A while after the sky turns dark above Disney Spring’s man-made Lake Buena Vista, it becomes illuminated once more by what appears to be lights taking flight. These lights then change colors and assemble into recognizable shapes – The Death Star station comes into view as the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi remarks, "That's no moon." This experience is a reality at Orlando’s Disney Springs for a limited-time summer show thanks to the help of 800 drones igniting the night sky in fun Disney patterns.

Walt Disney World and Disneyland have been dazzling guests for decades with their evening spectaculars. Incorporating everything from inspired water projections to the half-million-plus LED lights that brought the Main Street Electrical Parade to life, these nighttime events have provided a fun way for patrons to finish off a busy day at the parks.

Disney has also been experimenting with drones for years and occasionally offering limited-run shows at Disney Springs. And now, Disney has dusted off their highflyers once again to create a new nighttime spectacular in Disney Springs for guests to enjoy – Disney Dreams That Soar Presented by AT&T. This summer, people have the opportunity to watch nightly drone shows in the City Beautiful!

What Time is The Drone Show at Disney Springs?

Every night, 800 drones will take the Orlando skies by storm until September 2, 2024. You’ll have two opportunities to catch the show in one night as there is a viewing at 9:00 and then another at 10:45! In Disney Dreams That Soar, you can expect to see drones dancing across the sky for about 10 minutes during each of the two performances, weaving patterns of familiar characters from beloved movies to a musical score of iconic Disney music and memorable film dialogue.

“We put a lot of thought into making sure that no matter how old you are, or how much of a fan you are, you’re likely to see a character that you love,” said Disney Live Entertainment Executive Creative Director Tom Vazzana in this previous article. “This is an elaborate, one-of-a-kind show of scale and technology where guests will be wowed by the emotion of seeing these treasured stories appear in the sky.”

The entrance to the waterfront viewing areas is located behind the House of Blues on the West Side of Disney Springs. The viewing area is on a first-come, first-served basis, but if you are having trouble finding an uncongested, clear spot to view it from, the drone show is even visible from the top floor of the Orange Parking Garage.

Is The Drone Show at Disney Springs Worth the Hype?

To put it simply, yes! While the 10-minute drone show is short, it’s spectacular to see in person and a wonderful way to end a family-friendly day spent at Orlando’s Disney Springs. Parking in the Orange Garage is free, walking around Disney Springs and viewing the drone show is free, and bonus – for those who play Pokémon Go, there’s plenty of PokéStops around.

Set to an original soundtrack and memorable quotes, figures soar to heights of up to 400 feet to create a visually stunning experience for audiences of all ages. The show's theme focuses on flight, including nods to popular franchises and characters associated with their ability to take to the skies. The spectacle's theme of flight even opens the gates to science fiction films and heroes, from Wall-E and Baymax to everyone's favorite space ranger, Buzz Lightyear. Of course, Disney's most prominent sci-fi properties – Star Wars and Marvel – are not only present but serve as two of the performance's most significant inclusions.

Beyond experiencing the show for its popular protagonists, though, it's well worth watching the performance just to see what's possible when Disney mixes its signature magic with the latest entertainment-enhancing tech. For a brief show, it’s packed with magic.

In Closing

The new Disney Dreams That Soar show, performed nightly through September 2 at Orlando's Disney Springs, is leveraging 800 drones to retell some of Disney's most iconic tales. Those in Orlando get two chances to view the show in one night since there’s a viewing at 9:00 and then another at 10:45!

The expansive character collection offers something for everyone. But beyond experiencing the show for its recognizable protagonists, it's also worth watching to see what's possible when Disney mixes its magic with the latest tech. Through this kid-friendly and adult-enjoyable event, Disney continues to bring the magic.

For those who don’t live in proximity to the event, here’s a look of the show, available in 4K:

Do you prefer drone shows or firework shows? And what are some cool AV-related events happening around your town? Comment below!