Disney is and has always been a place that creates memories, unique experiences, and magical moments for guests of all ages, but there’s one particular Disney “hidden gem” that so many guests completely overlook, the “Kiss Goodnight.”
The “Kiss Goodnight” is something that occurs each night at the Magic Kingdom around 20-30 minutes after park close and then repeats every so often until the final guests trickle off of Main Street. It’s not something you’ll be blown away by as a result of pyrotechnic displays or catchy music, but rather the simple joy it provides and the history it harkens back to.
As the vast majority of guests have left for the day, there’s something simply special and nostalgic about this short little reception and final piece of magic rounding out a day in the park. As an announcement plays over the loud speakers and a foray of colored lights light up the castle, there’s just something unique about the moment. It’s as if you’re feeling what Walt felt on his many late night walks through Disneyland long before Walt Disney World was even a concept. It’s just you, the security, and a select few other guests. It feels as if even for a brief moment “old Disney” is back and you’re truly a part of the park and it’s elaborate history for a true “Kiss Goodnight” from the heart of Walt Disney World and the Magic Kingdom.
So many things at Walt Disney World have come and gone, but this simple 3 minute narration of a show is something that always brings back memories of past experiences, the devoted efforts of Imagineers, and Walt Disney’s passion for making dreams a reality. It’s an experience that is hard to put into words.
The park is quiet, guests have finished their time rushing through the vast activities of the day, and you can stand there with nobody around and simply take it all in. It’s a feeling that I’ll never be able to put into words. On our trip last July we finally made it through the day and experienced this first hand for the very first time. To be quite honest, the only regret I had was not doing it every other trip we’ve ever been on. It’s the one thing I’ve thought about since we returned home more that anything else and the reasoning is fairly simple. It’s the one moment of any day at Magic Kingdom that you can just stand there and take it all in with no distractions. The details of what you see, and even what you hear with very little to no one around is simply mesmerizing. You feel, without a shade of a doubt, that the place is something special. It doesn’t feel like a theme park, it feels more like a history book that surrounds you and is displayed prominently on an elaborate scale.
To me, there are very few aspects of a Walt Disney World vacation greater that the feelings this 3 minute “Kiss Goodnight” production evokes. You can easily appreciate why Walt spent so many nights walking through Disneyland long after guests had left for the day. The experience is truly amazing and something no guest should ever overlook.
You wont find it on any time guide, or park map, but there’s a somewhat hushed accomplishment in the Disney community when you find another guest who has experience the “Kiss Goodnight” and truly appreciates the experience. If you don’t understand why, spend a day in the Magic Kingdom, stay for this experience, and as these words are delivered out from the castle across Main Street U.S.A. I can almost guarantee you’ll “get it.”
That “I get it” moment is what so many returning guests understand that many first time guests don’t always expect out of their vacation. It’s an incommunicable aspect of the experience but one that every true Disney parks fan has felt over the years. For each person, the feelings that moment evokes are just a touch different that the next person, but it always creates an inherent desire to come back to Walt Disney World time and time again. It’s unexplainable but at the same time one of the greatest aspects of the parks we all know and love. It’s a piece of the magic that you’ll never forget.
After the show I recommend you do one last thing before you exit the park with a simple yet pronounced joy in your hearts and minds. Head to the top of the Main Street Station and look out over the park one last time. Take in all the details, appreciate the years of had work that made this place a reality, and just watch and listen for a few brief moments. It’s a moment you’ll remember forever and one that cannot be experienced anywhere else.
