10/12/2026
We only had one night in the Magic Kingdom this visit, so I made sure to stay as late as the park would let us. After the parade and fireworks wound down, we grabbed sundaes at the ice cream parlor and watched the crowd slowly thin out around us. Once we finished, my parents headed back to the resort, but I wasn’t done yet. I had one shot left on my list, and I wasn’t leaving without it.
I braced myself for a long wait at Cinderella Castle, fully expecting a wall of guests. Instead, I found the plaza nearly empty. Almost everyone had cleared out after the fireworks, which felt like a small gift all its own.
A few stragglers wandered into frame here and there, but I got the shot. One night, one chance, and I checked it off the list.
