Why I Save Frontierland for Last
You should always go to Disney World with a plan. That’s the best vacation advice anyone could give you. It’s essential if you want to get the most out of your day and dollar. While you don’t need to plan each minute, it’s good to have a rough itinerary of your park day.
Since I’m an Annual Passholder at Disney World, my plans are very consistent. I don’t think about what I’m going to do or when I’m going to do it. I know which rides need to do first (Seven Dwarves is always my first pitstop). I know what rides to Fastpass (any Mountain). I know in which lands to visit first (Fantasyland). And I always save Frontierland for last. Why do you ask?
It’s the best place to watch the fireworks
Frontierland is the hidden gem for fireworks viewing. While you won’t be able to see the castle projections, you will get a glorious, front row view of the fireworks. You can come at the very last minute (even during the fireworks) and get a great view of them. There’s no shoving or crowding. Disney even plays the music for the fireworks throughout the park.
One of my personal favorite spots is in the Big Thunder Mountain queue. There is a large rock on one of the turns before you enter the building. It’s big enough for two people to sit on. This spot gives you a little bit of height which gives you a better viewing. And the best part? Most people don’t think to watch the fireworks from a line. So there’s a good chance it will be you and your family watching the fireworks.
Frontierland is the best place to view the fireworks if you want a moment of peace.
Fireworks aren’t the only reason to save Frontierland for last
Generally, Frontierland gets abandoned right before the fireworks begin. And people often forget to come back to it after the fireworks end.
Many families leave the park after the firework. Other families tend to go to Fantasyland or Tomorrowland. Those lands are closer to Main Street and have more E-ticket attractions than some of the other lands.
But Frontierland is in the back of the park. Not as many people want to drag their aching feet to the other side of the park after walking all day. This means that the lines for Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain will be shorter. They will have a shorter wait than Seven Dwarves Mine Train or Space Mountain or Peter Pan’s Flight. If it’s a good day, you will be able to ride both of them more than once. A couple times, the cast members didn’t even bother loading me off the rides. No one else waiting to get on.
The wait times for Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain are often wrong at the end of the night. As it gets later, the wait time estimates become less accurate. Usually, the wait is much shorter than it says.
What I do
I like to save Splash Mountain or Big Thunder Mountain until the fireworks. I will ride one of those attractions during the fireworks, then visit the other one after. The rides are another place where you can get an excellent view of the fireworks without the crowds. If you ride Splash Mountain during the fireworks, you’ll only be able to ride it once. If you ride Big Thunder Mountain, you may be able to ride twice while the fireworks are going.
Don’t avoid Frontierland entirely during the day. Country Bears Jamboree, Tom Sawyer’s Island, and the Railroad are great filler attractions. They’re great to ride in the middle of the day because they have shorter wait times. These attractions will keep you occupied when other wait times are unbearable. You can even play a game or two of Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom in Frontierland.
Frontierland is also my favorite place to watch the parade. It’s less crowded than Main Street. This makes it easier to get a good, last-minute spot. The parade always starts in Frontierland which means it ends sooner in Frontierland. This will allow you to get on a ride while the other guests are still watching the parade on Main Street.
Frontierland may not be my favorite land. But it’s the best land to watch fireworks, hands down.
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Thanks to Brittni Sutter for writing this article. Learn about Brittni here: As a lover of all things Disney, I’ve made it my life’s mission to learn about the history and artistry the House of Mouse. I’ve vacationed to half of the resorts and plan to complete the Disney Parks mecca in the coming years. I fill my life with as much magic as Disney can muster and I love encouraging others to do the same.