Theme park drone shows are the hot new trend, as drones are become the nighttime entertainment of choice at Disney theme parks, Branson’s Silver Dollar City, Dollywood and more. Even smaller theme parks like Indiana’s Holiday World are jumping on the drone light show train.

Silver Dollar City (Branson, Missouri)

Branson’s beloved theme park is getting its first ever drone show this summer.

It’s all part of Silver Dollar City’s Summer Celebration, which will run from June 7 through Aug. 3, 2025. Besides drones, other new entertainment will include a Wild West Comedy Stunt Show and Silver Dollar Circus. And don’t worry, there will still be the usual fireworks.

Disneyland Paris (Marne-la-Vallée, France)

Head just outside of Paris to Marne-la-Vallée, France for the Disney Tales of Magic show at Disneyland Paris.

Disneyland Paris has held multiple drone light shows in the past, including a Marvel drone show. Another, called Disney D-Light, flew over the theme park’s iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle. And in 2024, the same theme park gave us Disney Electrical Sky Parade. That show paid homage to the classic Main Street Electrical Parade, featuring iconic characters and scenes formed by hundreds of drones.

This new one is the latest and greatest, having kicked off on Jan. 10, 2025. And besides drones, it incorporates pyrotechnics and fountain displays, all set to a new soundtrack.

Dronisos, which is one of the world’s largest drone light show companies, puts on the show.

Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, Tennessee)

Dollywood turns 40 this year, so you can bet its summer nights drone show — which is becoming an annual tradition — will be back bigger and brighter than ever this year.

The first Dollywood drone light show debuted in 2021, and it’s been going strong ever since. Each year gets bigger and better, too. In 2024, its nighttime drone featured hundreds of drones that accompany fireworks. And just ahead of the show, there was a dance party, too where a hyped DJ and energetic dancers built up anticipation in the park’s Wildwood Grove section.

If you find yourself in Pigeon Forge, don’t miss other attractions including the Anakeesta theme park and the Titanic Museum. All of those have discount tickets available through Undercover Tourist, which is The Drone Girl’s recommended travel provider.

Related read: The biggest drone show companies in the world

Holiday World (Santa Claus, Indiana)

Theme park drone shows aren’t just limited to the major players. Indiana’s Holiday World has a drone show of its own, featuring 500 drones. Other than the free Disney World drone show, this ranks among the most affordable theme park drone shows you’ll ever see.

The show is a fun one, using drones to celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween and the Fourth of July. Drones fly into formations such as a rotating Christmas tree and a waving American flag. A fireworks finale closes out the show.

Tickets into the park cost less than $50 on some days. With a Holiday World ticket, you also get incredibly generous bonuses you won’t get at the other theme parks. That includes free parking, free soft drinks and free sunscreen. For context around just how valuable that is, parking alone at Universal Orlando costs $32.

The Holiday World Drone Show kicks off on Saturday, June 21. Weather-permitting, shows run nightly through Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025.

Pro-tip: the best viewing spot is at the Party Plaza in the Thanksgiving Section. That’s because a DJ-led dance party kicks off the festivities.

Why are theme park drone shows so popular?

There are a few reasons why theme parks continue to display enthusiasm for drone shows.

• Stunning visuals: Drone shows offer a whole new level of creativity and flexibility for nighttime entertainment. Drones can create intricate formations, dynamic animations, and vibrant colors that traditional fireworks displays simply can’t match.
• Environmentally friendly: Unlike fireworks, drones don’t produce smoke or air pollution. This is a major advantage for theme parks looking to reduce their environmental impact.
• Quieter experience: Fireworks can be loud and startling for some guests, especially young children. Drone shows, on the other hand, are much quieter, making them a more inclusive form of entertainment.
• Scalability and flexibility: Drone shows can easily scale up or down to fit a theme park’s size and budget. They can also adapt to different themes and stories, giving park creators more creative freedom.
• Long-term affordability:  Unlike fireworks, which necessitate the purchase of a fresh batch of gunpowder for each show, drone shows are largely a fixed, upfront cost. Typically, light show drones cost about $1,000 each. That’s per drone, but since they’re reusable, drone light shows can cost about $15,000 for smaller shows (which means about 100 drones). The cost per theme parks can be even lower given the repeatability. Rather than one-off drone show events for festivals or sporting events, these shows can keep costs down since there’s less setup, and no travel costs involved.

Want to put on your drone show? For $10,000, you could launch your own 10-drone light show display. Find out how you could make this $10,000 drone light show kit yours.

The post 4 amazing theme park drone shows to watch in 2025 appeared first on The Drone Girl.