The Kiss Goodnight: Disney World’s Best Thing Few Guests See
Too few Walt Disney World fans know about the Kiss Goodnight at Magic Kingdom. If you just thought, “what’s that?” you’re not alone. The Kiss Goodnight is a little over 2-minutes long, and it is WDW’s way of saying “goodbye” (or “go home!” depending upon your perspective) to guests at the end of a long day in the park.
The Kiss Goodnight usually plays every 30 minutes after Magic Kingdom closes, and starts with Cinderella Castle “twinkling” as the music from When You Wish Upon a Star slowly builds.. This means that you could see it more than once in a single night–we once saw it four times in the same night…its magic wears off a bit after the second time, ha!
Since originally writing this post a few years ago, we’ve seen the Kiss Goodnight many, many times. (Even writing a follow-up further expressing our appreciation of it.) A few people have asked questions about the Kiss Goodnight that we figured we’d answer up front here, though…
The Kiss Goodnight still runs at Magic Kingdom as of Spring 2020. There are nights when it is (inexplicably) not shown, or runs on a different, more frequent schedule. There is no rhyme or reason to this, and we cannot explain why that occurs. Those nights are few and far between in our experience (<5% of the time), so if you miss it one night, try to catch it another.
It’s really only visible and audible from Main Street, so watching from another land is not possible. Finally, there is no Kiss Goodnight at any other castle park in the world. (Sorry, Disneyland fans.) The next closest thing is the seldom-seen burn off for IllumiNations. Those are really the major things to know, so let’s turn to why this little “moment” is so magical.
A narrator then greets the last of the guests in the Magic Kingdom, saying:
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, on behalf of everyone here at the Magic Kingdom, we thank you for joining us today for a magic gathering of family, friends, fun, and fantasy. We hope your magical journey with us has created wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.
Walt Disney said that the Magic Kingdom is a world of imagination, hopes, and dreams. In this timeless land of enchantment, magic and make believe are reborn, and fairy tales come true. The Magic Kingdom is a place for the young and the young at heart. A special place where when you wish upon a star, your dreams can come true.
Until we see you again, have a safe trip home. Thank you, and goodnight.”
Here’s a video I shot of The Kiss Goodnight:
Please excuse the poor quality, as that video was shot a decade ago (probably on an original iPhone–I don’t even remember), long before we ever started this blog. It was my very first upload to YouTube, and the only reason I posted it because there were no other videos of the Kiss Goodnight at the time. Despite happening nightly, it was relatively unknown online.
I wanted to write about the Kiss Goodnight, but it’s something that photos definitely don’t do justice. Most shots simply look like Cinderella Castle at night, albeit with minor color differences…and maybe some twinkling.
Throughout this post, there’s over 11 years of Kiss Goodnight photos, from 2008 until today! From a photography perspective, the Kiss Goodnight may not look different than normal lighting used on Cinderella Castle, but it is. Beyond the twinkling, there are a few color schemes not normally used throughout the night.
My favorite of these is at the very end, when Cinderella Castle is quickly bathed in mostly-white lighting, with extra intensity on the top spire (see above). I actually use photos of this ‘moment’ on the blog quite regularly, as I love the way this photographs and looks.
One of my first Kiss Goodnight photos is from August 18, 2008–a shot I shared in my “Top 30 Must-Sees” countdown on Flickr prior to our then-annual Walt Disney World trip.
On that list, I ranked the Kiss Goodnight as the #2 experience we were looking forward to (#1 was spending time with one another…so the Kiss Goodnight was basically the #1 Disney attraction) on that trip. That ranking and those words still ring true today.
To this day, the Kiss Goodnight is something we look forward to, always make an effort to see, and our day at Magic Kingdom isn’t quite complete without the Kiss Goodnight.
It’s safe to say that for something that lasts only about two minutes to be one of the most anticipated and memorable experiences at Walt Disney World, it must be pretty special.
It goes without saying that for that thing to be the second most anticipated experience at Walt Disney World, especially given the myriad of amazing sights, sounds, tastes, etc., it must be out-of-this-world, jaw-droppingly [insert string of adjectives here] amazing.
Such is the Kiss Goodnight, the proverbial icing on the Cake (Castle!) for us. After a long day in the parks, we can’t help but just stop and watch the Kiss Goodnight, completely frozen and unable to move. For us, the combination of the beautiful light display and hearing about the meaning Walt Disney wanted the parks to have for guests does it every time.
We both still get choked up by the Kiss Goodnight…to this day…even after seeing it more times than I can count.
Being in an almost-deserted park as the ‘young at heart’ during Walt’s favorite time of day, we can’t help but think of his influence, and how special it is to walk alone in the last park he envisioned and take it all in.
The Kiss Goodnight demonstrates what makes the place inherently special and transcendent of the concept of a “theme park.” Simply put, the Kiss Goodnight concisely states and embodies the ‘Magic of Disney.’
Even though it’s almost impossible to explain, this pretty much sums up why we feel the Kiss Goodnight is so special, and why it gives me goosebumps every time I see it. It’s not an amazing, state-of-the-art attraction.
It’s one of those little things that elicits an emotional response from us, and is therefore one of the most important experiences we can have at Walt Disney World. Besides the TTA, it’s likely the “attraction” we experience most on each trip we take to Walt Disney World.
Even though the Kiss Goodnight is the absolute best time to take photos of Cinderella Castle, most of the time I just find myself standing there gazing at the Castle in awe, paralyzed by the beauty of the moment. Not everyone will feel the same way.
If they were to see it, I suspect most visitors to Walt Disney World would probably shrug it off, thinking it of very little significance in the grand scheme of their vacation.
However, I’m convinced that most people who “get” the Walt Disney World theme parks would get goosebumps if they were to stand in a mostly-empty Magic Kingdom and watch and listen to this on a tranquil Main Street USA.
It’s special not just because you’re in the park at such a peaceful time, essentially by yourself with Cinderella Castle, but also because of the significance of the words in Roy O. Disney’s Walt Disney World opening day dedication speech.
The Kiss Goodnight embodies and reminds us exactly why it’s so great and special to get to experience Walt Disney World–and why so many of us are lifelong fans. If you haven’t stayed to experience the Kiss Goodnight before, you should definitely make an effort to do it at least once. It absolutely belongs on everyone’s WDW Bucket List.
Beyond that, being a Disney fan who has seen the Kiss Goodnight makes you part of an exclusive club (we ought to have a secret handshake!). Not many people can muster the stamina it takes to be in the park that late, so those who answer “yes!” when asked if they’ve seen the Kiss Goodnight are among the most passionate of the passionate Disney fans…or perhaps we’re all just the craziest? Either way, there’s something to be said for making the effort to be in the Magic Kingdom during that peaceful and special time of night, and having the Kiss Goodnight put the cherry on top of a day of wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Are you part of the club? What do you think of the Kiss Goodnight? If you haven’t seen it, does this post make you want to stay up late for it? Do you agree or disagree with our take here? Think the Kiss Goodnight is overrated? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Yes! Yes! Yes! You wrote exactly what I feel during the goodnight kiss! Some won’t “get it” but for those of us that do… well it is the only way to end the night after so much magic. I tear up every time. Thank you for this wonderful blog!
Wow this blog post alone made me get teary eyed,, how the heck am I going to be when I watch it next month on our honeymoon!! I love your blogs by the way and your wife is so cute and looks gorgeous in all her Disney inspired outfits.
With the price changes and a child turning 3 this year, we were not able to justify the cost to renew our passes this year. (We hope to wait a few years and do it again, and feel incredibly blessed to have had them for two years.)
We stood with our 3 princesses and 1 prince on Main Street the last night our passes were active watching the Kiss Goodnight…and yes there were goose bumps and tears from these Disney Magic-loving parents.
How can I see it if the park closes?
I’m sure this was posted a while ago, but I recently came across it while looking for tips on planning our New Year’s Eve trip to Disney World this year. I am in tears reading this post. I haven’t been to Disney in about one year, three weeks, and four days and I have to wait until December to be ‘home’ again. Current home is all the way in New York, so I feel very far & also very strange that I literally cry over how much I love Disney and how much I miss it, very often, but reading your posts on how in love you two are makes me feel a bit better. I cannot wait to experience The Kiss Goodnight again and this time share it with my entire family and my own child 🙂
WDW is my center, my medicine, my cure and I love watching the Kiss Goodnight, is a must see every trip. My daughter and I always stay and close the parks. Best feeling ever.
My husband and I did this this last trip, on our couple’s day (we were travelling with my in-laws). It was a 1am event, and my husband was sick and we were soaked from Splash Mountain…and it was the coldest day on our whole trip in December…but the magic of that two minutes was well worth everything, and we will be doing this at least once per trip from now on.
I must thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing this
website. I really hope to see the same high-grade content from you
in the future as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me
to get my own, personal website now 😉
Then, after using the free trial you decide this is not the site for you.
More often than not, a list of awards and achievements will make you come out as
an intimidating, or worse, overbearing individual.
When you make a long term association with a few targeted venues, you
can negotiate better price terms and also obtain credit from the venue owners.
Today we only have a medical care system which is profit driven and not a health care system which cares about people.
That is also the reason why you will almost never be offered ways to overcome a health problem by
natural means. It is a very strict diet and very time consuming but can be carried out
in the home with maybe the help of a support person.
We are heading to Disney World in October this year (so excited!) and I’d love to see this! However, we’re staying off-site and obviously won’t have access to extra magic hours. When the park closes, does it just mean you can no longer go on rides any more or do you have to leave the park? I’d love to stick around for this!
The shops on main street should stay open for one hour after closing time. So no more entering lines for rides but you can still be in park.
DL is my home park, but I am going to WDW for the first time in August. I am so glad I stumbled upon this and can’t wait to see the kiss goodnight. I didn’t watch the video because I don’t want to spoil my surprise.
I did the college program at MK back in 2001, working the turnstiles. I only managed to catch The Kiss Goodnight once. On my very last night I walked down the empty Main Street and got to experience it right in front of the castle.
If we stay this late, will we be able to catch at ride back?
Yes, buses run as long as guests are in the park.
What time do the transport buses run until? If we stay this late, will we be able to catch at ride back?
We just planned our first disney trip as a family:) I am the only one who has been before but it’s been 25 years!!! This article about the kiss goodnight made me literally cry!!! I can’t begin to explain to my husband and kids the magic disney has you feel!!! Walt Disney was an amazing man and this touched me 🙂 I hope I can get the little ones to stay up late enough to watch this although I’ll probably look crazy with tears running down my face lol
I’ve only seen this once, and I don’t remember it. Although, I’m pretty sure we are going to see it in our 2015 trip. It sounds really heartwarming. I could probably somehow cry really easily watching this!
– G.H
Long time reader, first time posting.
Thank you for sharing such great advice Tom; simply outstanding! I too cry like a baby watching Wishes but never have seen the “kiss” and can’t wait until our trip next year.
One question, I’ve read that Disney may not play the “kiss” during non peak times. Does this happen during November?
Love your tip about staying 30-60 minutes beyond MK’s closing! Question though, are they still running shuttles that late in the parking lot or would we have to hoof it to our vehicle?
Yes, transportation still runs! 🙂
I just stumbled upon your website today while Googling WDW. We are going agian in a few weeks!!! I was fascinated by your Kiss Goodnight article. I didn’t realize this was an official nightly happening. The last time we were there we were leaving late and stopped by Casey’s to take a picture of our kids with the castle in the background when the Kiss started. It was so wonderful and brought tears to my eyes as it does now remembering it. I am so glad I know that we can re-experience it when we return!!! Thank you! (Now I am going to find out what other gems you have in your website.)
Hope you enjoy seeing the Kiss Goodnight again, and hope you have a wonderful time!
I’m heading to WDW this September for my first visit, and am so glad I’ve seen this post! I am not staying in a Disney hotel so I don’t get the extra Magic Hours. Do they come into play in the evenings too? Eg. will we get kicked out earlier than most people? Any advice would be great 🙂