“ The most fantastic , magical things can happen , and it all starts with a wish .”
– Jiminy Cricket
JIMINY ’ S WORLD : “ I ’ ll bet a lot of you folks don ’ t believe that — about a wish coming true — do ya ?”
When many Disney fans think of Jiminy Cricket , their mind probably goes to a small wooden boy who becomes a real boy . But that ’ s not where we ’ re going today .
Instead , let ’ s talk about the nighttime spectacular known as “ Wishes ,” which ran at the Magic Kingdom from 2003 to 2017 . Throughout ‘ Wishes ,” Jiminy served as our guide .
“ You know ,” Jiminy quips , “ any wish is possible . All it takes is a little courage to set it free .”
By the time you arrived at “ Wishes ,” you would have spent the entire day at this most Magical of Kingdoms . The sights , sounds , and smells had likely cast a spell on you .
And then , the sun went down . Everyone stood in front of Cinderella Castle as the lighting and music swelled . Fireworks boomed beautifully in the night sky .
But in 2017 , we all learned that “ Wishes ” was ending . It was being replaced by something called “ Happily Ever After .” Why would they do this ? Why discard something so loved ?
“ But just when things look bad , fate steps in to see you through ,” Jiminy Cricket chirps , as if on cue .
In May of 2017 , “ Happily Ever After ” burst onto the scene , a shooting star to light up the landscape . It felt like a natural sequel to “ Wishes .”
OUR WORLD : The perfect spot for “ Wishes ” was incredibly important . Or so I thought .
January of 2012 was my daughter ’ s first trip to Walt Disney World . I had arranged dinner at Cinderella ’ s Royal Table on our first night .
She wore her shimmering blue gown , a replica of what Cinderella wears , her eyes wide as she met the character who donned the dress long before she did .
After dinner , we did not get in the perfect spot for Wishes . We weren ’ t in front of the castle ; we were behind it . My daughter would not experience the perfect send-off the way in which it was intended .
And then , something unexpected happened . Fireworks lit up the sky . They were everywhere . Attempting to follow all of them led to