Sky Elements is the first US-based drone light show company to receive FAA approval to attach fireworks to drones. Drone light shows, as we know them, will never be the same. 300 drones took flight over our test field to create a spectacle never seen in the United States. Sky Elements prides itself on innovating […]
Innovation in Aerial Entertainment with FAA-Approved Firework Drones Sky Elements has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in the field of aerial entertainment by becoming the first US-based drone light show company to receive FAA approval to attach fireworks to drones. This innovative development was showcased with a spectacular display involving 300 drones, marking a new era […]
Summer 2024 is shaping up to be the season of theme park drone shows, with nighttime entertainment at Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Dollywood and more. Even smaller theme parks like Indiana’s Holiday World are jumping on the drone light show train.
I’ve documented most of the biggest drone shows in 2024 happening around the country. That list is much broader, incorporating festivals, conferences, rodeos and even some semi-private events. But here, I’ve honed in on just theme parks.
I’m not going to even bother saving the best for last. I’m putting what’s very likely set to be not just the best theme park drone show of summer 2024, but perhaps the best drone show of the entire year, at the front of my list.
Dubbed CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular, the nighttime show at Universal Studios Orlando will feature 600 drones. They’ll fly in sync to a soundtrack featuring songs from some of Universal’s most beloved films including “Harry Potter,” “Jaws,” “Shrek,” “Ghostbusters,” “Trolls, Back to the Future, Universal Monsters, Transformers, How to Train Your Dragon, E.T., Fast and Furious, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” “Minions,” “The Mummy” and King Kong.
True to its name, this is not just a drone show but a full spectacular. The show takes advantage of its location on the waters of the Universal Studios Florida lagoon by incorporating water effects too. The show features 228 fountains that reach heights up to 131 feet, as well as 4K projection mapping on the buildings around the lagoon.
“CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular” kicks off on Friday, June 14.
Walt Disney World Resort (Lake Buena Vista, Florida)
The Universal Orlando drone show is not the only drone show in Orlando this summer. You could see drone shows on back-to-back nights by heading over to Disney Springs. That’s the outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment district at Walt Disney World.
There, you can watch “Disney Dreams That Soar”, which features state-of-the-art drones choreographed to create scenes and characters from beloved Disney stories. It’s all set to a soaring musical score.
The show runs nightly from May 24 through September 2, 2024.
And though we anticipate the Disney World drone show to likely not be as large of a spectacle as Universal’s show, there’s one big reason why this one is better. It’s free to watch. With its seemingly-endless dining and shops, Disney Springs makes for one of the best free things to do outside the Orlando theme parks. The larger-than-life Disney Lego models at the Lego Store are museum-worthy. Meanwhile, the Disney Springs shops sell unique Disney merchandise beyond the usual plush dolls and jackets. Don’t miss The Art of Disney for gallery-style framed prints, DisneyStyle for on-trend fashion, Disney’s Candy Cauldron and Disney’s Days of Christmas.
Throw in this free Disney drone show, and Disney Springs is the place to be this summer.
Disneyland Paris (Marne-la-Vallée, France)
The 2024 Paris Olympics aren’t the only excitement happening over in France this summer.
Head just outside of Paris to Marne-la-Vallée, France for Disneyland Paris’s “Disney Electrical Sky Parade.” This drone show pays homage to the classic Main Street Electrical Parade, featuring iconic characters and scenes formed by hundreds of drones.
Dollywood’s Sweet Summer Nights will be back bigger and brighter than ever this year.
This popular event is becoming something of an annual tradition. The first Dollywood drone light show debuted in 2021, and it’s been going strong ever since.
In 2024, its nighttime drone features hundreds of drones that accompany fireworks. And just ahead of the show, there’s a dance party, too.
In a 30-minute drone pre-show of sorts, a hyped DJ and energetic dancers build up anticipation in the park’s Wildwood Grove section. Drones sync up with the culmination of the dance party, launching just as the dance party ends.
The Dollywood’s Sweet Summer Nights Dance Party and Drone Show occurs nightly at 9:40 p.m., weather permitting.
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.
Tickets cost just $75 at the gate (and are even cheaper when booked online). 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.
If you do want to splurge a bit more, consider booking the Drone Show Dessert Party. For an additional $30 on top of your theme park admission ticket, you’ll get premium seating plus bottled water, fruit, cheese and dessert.
The Holiday World Drone Show kicks off on Saturday, June 22. Weather-permitting, shows run nightly through Sunday, Aug. 4.
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.
Disney Dreams That Soar is a drone show coming to Disney Springs on May 2024 for a limited run this summer featuring Disney characters that take flight.
UVify has achieved a new Guinness World Record for the most unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) airborne simultaneously. This historic event took place in Songdo, Korea, where UVify orchestrated a breathtaking display of 5,293 IFO drones that lit up the night sky, setting a new global standard for drone technology and performance. The fleet of IFO […]
What’s the record for most drones flown simultaneously? As of May 2024, it’s 5,293.
That honor goes to Uvify, which is (unsurprisingly) a swarm drone company primarily known for putting on drone light shows. Uvify set the record on May 3 in Songdo, Korea. There, Uvify put on an artistic drone show featuring 5,293 of its IFO drones in a nighttime light display.
You can watch it here:
Guinness World Record was on hand to confirm the feat. And that feat was not just technologically challenging to pull off, but also challenging from a government level. Uvify had to work with local authorities and air traffic control to ensure safety and compliance with all regulatory standards.
And here’s a pic of the team collecting their record:
Photo courtesy of Uvify
Uvify, which has offices in both South Korea and San Francisco, puts on drone light shows.
It also sells light show drones so you can put on your own drone show — should you want to launch your own light show business. These days, most people know Uvify for its IFO drone. That’s the same drone used in this record-breaking feat. Though exact prices vary, the IFO drone costs roughly $1,700 per drone. That includes all ground control systems as well as other software SW, 24/7 support, and training. Of course, you’ll likely not buy just one. Most drones have at least 50-100 drones.
And at $1,700 a pop, then putting 5,293 drones in the sky at once translates to $9 million worth of light show drones in the air at once.
Photo courtesy of Uvify.
Of the light show companies that rely on Uvify drones, Sky Elements ranks among the biggest. They have put on well-known shows including Serena Williams’ gender reveal party and a Star Wars show. That Star Wars show stands out as the first one that Sally French, The Drone Girl, saw in person.
Before owning the drone light show space, Uvify dabbled in all sorts of aspects of drones. At one point, it had a racing drone called the Uvify Draco racing drone, which I reviewed many years ago.
Drone light shows cost easily $15,000 on the low end. But did you know you can put on your own drone light show for $10,000? The folks over at Drone Dojo put together a drone light show kit that includes 10 drones — and it all costs just about $1,000.
And that $10,000 figure isn’t just a one-time fee. Rather than pay $15,000 for another drone light show company to put on your show, you could put together your own DIY drones for $1,000 each. 10 drones would run you $10,000 — but would enable you to keep those drones to continue running shows time and time again.
The only other cost you’d need? A Blue Belt Membership to Drone Dojo (which typically costs $27 per month) that teaches you exactly how to build out this kit and how to use the corresponding software. Then there’s just any fees you need to actually put on the show (e.g. a drone pilot’s license, which will cost you about $150 in testing fees to earn) and potential permitting, insurance or staff fees, depending on whose land you’re flying for.
The ultimate guide to launching your own drone light show
Whether you’re an entrepreneur looking to launch your own drone light show business, or just a tinkerer with some money to burn looking to make something epic, here’s exactly what you need to do to get started with launching your own drone light show:
Learn how to build your own DIY light show drones
Caleb Bergquist (pictured left) puts on an excellent guide to launching your own drone light show. (Photos courtesy of Drone Dojo)
That said, don’t expect an “easy” or “plug-and-play course. You’ll have to do some labor yourself. That includes soldering and 3D printing (though you can use a 3D printing service if you don’t have your own).
The course also assumes you already know the content from one of its other courses: how to build a Raspberry Pi drone. Alas, that’s the same drone in the guide.
The first 100 people to use coupon code DGLSKIT will get $50 off their PiHawk drone kit, which is currently otherwise running for $900!
But from there, you’ll go through a series of lessons, of which there are about 50.
The course starts by having you put together the actual lights themselves that you’ll put on your drone. Drone Dojo’s course teaches with Neopixel PCBs from Adafruit, which offer eight LEDs per stick.
The course also delves into RTK GPS, which is critical for drone light shows. RTK is commonly used in fields like mapping to ensure centimeter-level accuracy. But, it’s also critical for drone swarms, as that many drones in the sky means the drones must be flying in the exact, right place. (Plus, the animations just look sharper and cleaner with exact accuracy.
Building the drone’s hardware isn’t all though. Then, the course teaches you about drone light show software. Drone Dojo trains you on Skybrush, which is an excellent pick given its freemium model. You can fly up to a certain amount of drones using Skybrush for free. Though, they start to charge for larger fleets of drones around 100 or more.
Then, Drone Dojo’s course teaches some practical tips. For example, you’ll learn best practices for numbering the drones in your fleet, and how you should best layout your drone for takeoff.
And yes, you’ll finish out by actually putting on your own, first maiden drone light show.
You’ll dive deep into all of that in the Drone Dojo Drone Light Show Course, which runs about 6 hours in total across roughly 50 courses. But you can even get much of this information for free. Drone Dojo also released a free, multi-page guide to building a DIY drone light show. It’s not quite as in-depth as the full course, but it’s at least worth a look if you want to try to put together a drone light show without committing to the full Blue Belt membership.
How to access Drone Dojo’s online drone courses
You can access that course by holding a Drone Dojo monthly subscription members. Blue Belt membership, which costs $27 per month, is the cheapest membership tier that provides course access.
And you don’t even have to pay $27! Drone Dojo hooked up the first 100 Drone Girl readers with an exclusive discount code:
The first 100 readers to use discount code DGLSCOURSE will get off Blue Belt Membership for the first month. That’s $9 for the first month, and $27 after that, though you can cancel at any time.
Though if you’re actually planning to buy drone kits from Drone Dojo (more on why you want to do that later) you might also opt for the $47-per-month Purple Belt membership or even the $997-per-month Black Belt membership. That’s because the higher-tier memberships also net bigger discounts on drone kits. Those in turn can easily pay for itself if you’re buying the number of kits you’d need to put on a drone light show.
Here’s some relevant reasons why you might opt for Purple or Black Belt over Blue Belt:
Buying one or two drone kits would easily justify the additional cost of Purple Belt over Blue Belt. For someone seeking custom support, even the pricey Black Belt might be worth it.
The gear you need to build an affordable light show drone
Gear needed to put on a drone light show, as taught by the Drone Dojo online course. (Photo courtesy of Drone Dojo)
The Drone Dojo DIY light show tutorial requires you have quite a few items — though hobbyists and tinkerers may already own quite a few of these things. With a Drone Dojo Blue Belt or higher membership, you also get access to the 3D printable mounts. Those mounts are used to mod the Pixhawk drone kits with the LED attachment.
According to Drone Dojo, their DIY drone show course requires you to purchase pieces including:
It also assumes you have some fairly standard hobby shop gear, such as a soldering iron and solder, electrical tape and a 3D printer (though you might use a 3D-printing service for that part).
Each PiHawk drone kit currently sells for $899 on the Drone Dojo website. Throw in the extra items like the NeoPixel sticks, diffuser, screws, (plus the course cost itself) etc. to get to $1,000 per light show drone.
Though there is some good news. I have a discount code!
The first 100 people to use coupon code DGLSKIT will get $50 off their PiHawk drone kit, which is currently otherwise running for $900!
The Drone Dojo course uses a Neopixel Stick from Adafruit to generate light. (Photo courtesy of Drone Dojo)
And by the way, the $10,000 figure quoted assumes you want 10 drones in your show. 10 is basically the minimum number of drones needed to pull off a drone show. Of course, you could make a single drone that transforms into your colors of choice — and into position — for far less.
It also requires the suite of Skybrush drone light show software, which consists of:
But while this is very likely the cheapest way to have a light show drone, time (and headache) is money. You could very well just purchase largely ready-to-fly light show drones made by other companies.
Among the biggest makes of light show drones includes a handful of American drone companies such as Michigan-based Firefly and Texas-based Verge Aero. There’s also Unify, which is a huge player given their use by Sky Elements, which is one of the top drone light show companies in the world. Sky Elements put on the first drone show I’d seen in person, the Star Wars show at the Oakland Coliseum. It’s also run other fun shows like the Serena Williams’ gender reveal party.
Again, just note the additional cost. Whereas Drone Dojo quotes the total cost at about $1,000 per DIY drone, most other drones cost close to twice that (or more). For example, UVify’s IFO light show drone costs $1,700 per drone. Though, that additional cost also bakes in all ground control systems as well as other software, 24/7 support, and training.
Do I need a license to put on a drone light show?
If launching a drone show on the U.S. that has any sort of commercial ties (not just you launching your own free drone show for the fun of it in your yard), someone on the team, onsite, needs a Federal Aviation Administration Part 107 License. That’s an FAA requirement, which states that all commercial drone flights have a Remote Pilot In Command, which is a person who holds a current Remote Pilot Certificate.
You’ll also need a waiver to fly multiple drones at once (assuming you have more drones than pilots). FAA Part 107.35 states that “a person may not manipulate flight controls or act as a remote pilot in command or visual observer in the operation of more than one unmanned aircraft at the same time.”
To get around that, you can apply for an FAA waiver. Lawyer Jonathan Rupprecht has some pretty good information about that waiver and FAA waivers as a whole. Rupprecht also has a business of helping drone pilots get waivers, so in exchange for money, he can do the legal work for you.
Plan ahead, as it can easily take more than a month to get approved for one of those waivers. Luckily though, waivers tend to be per company, not per show. They usually last for about two to four years.
Do I need insurance or permits?
There are no federal or state regulations requiring aircraft insurance. However, it’s unlikely you’d put on a drone show without insurance given the risk involved. Though not legally required, you’ll likely want:
Drone Liability Insurance: Commercial drone operations require liability insurance to protect yourself from potential property damage or injuries caused by your drones.
Event Permits: Depending on the venue and scale of your light show, you might need various permits. That might include permits for airspace closure, temporary flight restrictions, or special events from local authorities.
Local Permits: Check with your local municipality for any additional permits or regulations regarding drone activity in your area.
Especially if you’re trying to land clients at wedding venues, festivals or other big event sites, it’s unlikely the landowners would even book you if you didn’t have drone insurance.
There are also some situations where you might need additional permits, such as if you’re flying over 400 feet AGL. Consult an attorney before launching a drone show.
Launching a drone show company
Sally French, The Drone Girl, at the stage of a Sky Elements drone light show in Oakland, California.
So you’ve got all your drones together. You’ve learned how to operate them. You’ve consulted with an attorney. From there, you can launch a drone show company. You likely won’t be able to do it all yourself. Your team should include:
Drone Pilots: Invest in experienced and certified pilots comfortable with drone operations.
Choreographer: The magic lies in the captivating movements of the drones. A skilled choreographer with software and/or computer animation expertise is crucial to design and program stunning light show sequences.
Tech Crew: Reliable technicians ensure your systems functions flawlessly — and knows how to prepare before and after the show.
And luckily, demand for drone shows is huge. Hundreds of drone shows occur around the world every year, especially during times you’d expect to see big fireworks shows. Drone shows really light up around New Years, July Fourth or for other major festivals, such as annual rodeos or state fairs.
As far as the price of a drone show, it’s the drone show businesses who tend to have the upper hand in terms of cost right now. That’s largely thanks to little competition driving down prices. Most drone show companies charge at least $15,000 per show. And that means companies with smaller fleets might be able to make up their upfront costs fairly quickly.
Much of how much you can charge comes down to both quality of shows (check out the best drone shows of 2023 to see what you’re competing with) and marketing. Companies like Sky Elements have leveraged social media to market shows — their YouTube channel is one of the best drone YouTube channels, period. Additionally, network with event planners, venue managers, and marketing agencies to reach potential clients.
Don’t wait to be a part of the future of entertainment — and don’t sleep on being on the cutting edge of the drone industry. Your next business venture could be launching your own drone show business. And for $10,000, a 10-drone light show kit might be that first step.
The first 100 readers to use discount code DGLSCOURSE will get off Blue Belt Membership for the first month. That’s $9 for the first month, and $27 after that, though you can cancel at any time.
As drone light shows grow in popularity, an increasing number of companies specializing in drone light show services are emerging to meet the growing demand.
Drone light shows have emerged as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional fireworks, offering visually stunning displays without environmental harm. And as more and more drone show companies pop up, compete with each other — and ultimately push the limits of creativity — we continue to see new and innovative ways to surprise viewers. If you need further proof, just watch these videos of the best drone light shows on display, to-date.
However, the high cost of a drone light show remains a huge barrier. Even the cheapest drone shows can cost north of $10,000. For example, Sky Elements show prices start at $15,000 for smaller shows. A huge reason for high drone show costs has to do with the drones themselves.
Most drone shows entail at least 100 drones (but often many more). Considering that the cost per individual light show drone can easily run between $1,000 and $2,000, it’s easy to see why drone light show companies charge so much. The good news? Drones are a fixed, upfront cost. Unlike fireworks, which necessitate the purchase of a fresh batch of gunpowder for each show, drone shows don’t incur many ongoing costs beyond the cost of travel and compensation for staff running the show (and perhaps a few other fees, like venue rental fees or permitting fees). Given that, expect drone light shows to become more affordable — and more ubiquitous — in the years to come.
Here’s a closer look at drone show companies like Sky Elements and other big names. We’ve included their locations, notable performances, and — where available — the costs associated with their shows.
Botlab Dynamics, an IIT Delhi-incubated startup, orchestrated the captivating 1,200-drone light show at the Narendra Modi stadium during the cricket World Cup final on Sunday. This spectacle wowed not only the nearly 100,000 spectators present but also the millions watching on screen. BotLab says it takes about a month for them to prepare for any given drone show. They have also set an Indian national record when they flew 3,500 drones at Rashtrapati Bhavan last year.
Dronisos recently established their first American office, setting up a space in Orlando, FL because of the proximity to major theme parks. Drones have the ability to fly both indoor and outdoor and it is dedicated to delivering entertainment for theme parks around the world. Last year, they put on Europe’s biggest-ever drone show for Bastille Day celebrations at Disneyland Paris. Using 1,495 drones, the show took place above Sleeping Beauty Castle.
Firefly is based in America, making it an ideal pick for businesses looking to support other American drone companies. They put on smaller-scale, simpler shows as opposed to multi-layered ones. Firefly is different from other competitors in the market because they’ll not only put on the show but also sell you what you need to put on a drone light show yourself.
The Geoscan Drone Light Show has put on more than 100 shows. Also, they have a fleet of over 3,000 drones. Additionally, since their drones are under 250g there’s no need for permits. The prices for a Geoscan drone show depend on the details of the objects and their complexity, just a 100 drone show starts at $26,500.
HighGreat has a complete drone manufacturing chain from product design, model, manufacturing, processing to product assembly. In 2017, the company created their drone performance leg of the company. Since then, they have had over 5,000 drone shows in over 300 cities, including the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Lumasky uses up to 7000 drones in their shows. Though it’s based in Dubai, Lumasky has been performing light shows all over the world since 2018. Among those most delightful shows? Lumasky put on a light show for McDonald’s Panama, which featured McDonald’s famous golden arches. Besides McDonald’s, Lumasky has worked with other big brands such as Samsung, Hyundai, Formula 1, FIFA and Lexus.
Nova Sky Stories has become one of the largest in the field after acquiring the Intel fleet. With over 9000 drones, they have an extensive portfolio, including collaborations for events like Formula 1 and music festivals. Recently, with the Oceanic Preservation Society they put on a drone show in NYC to draw attention to the global climate crisis and inspire action at scale.
Another America based company, Sky Elements holds two Guinness World Records including “Largest Fictional Character made with a multi-rotors or drones” and “Largest aerial images made with multi-rotors of drones.” Their shows include a 400-drone light show at the 65th Grammy Awards and the Oakland Athletics Star Wars Light Show. Check out Drone Girl’s saved instagram stories for a behind-a-scene look at the Oakland A’s Star Wars light show. Prices for a drone light show from SkyElements start at $15,000 for a smaller stock show to much higher amounts for larger, more intricate performances.
Other notable shows in the Sky Elements portfolio include the drone light show for Serena Williams’ gender reveal party. Sky Elements also holds a Guinness World Record by producing 40 drone shows in a single weekend, which it did during the 2023 Fourth of July weekend.
SKYMAGIC has had some impressive clients, including the King. They were even included as part of the celebrations for the coronation of King Charles III. The drone show was the largest ever multi-location drone show in the UK. They also put on that Pokemon drone show for Pikachu Weekend.
Based in: Seoul, South Korea (U.S.A., Canada, and China)
Uvify announced earlier this year that its IFO drone show won “Best LED Light Show Drone” award at LDI 2023. Uvify also sells their drones to be used for other light shows, Sky Elements being their largest client. The IFO model, which is designed for light shows, is priced at $1,700 per drone. This price includes the complete ground control systems, additional software, 24/7 support, and training. They’ve performed notable shows for events including a K-Pop concert and Hyundai’s annual countdown, showcasing their innovation and global reach.
Verge Aero has been featured on events ranging from President Biden’s victory celebration to America’s Got Talent: Extreme to Macy’s 4th of July celebration in NYC. Verge Aero recently launched a new software tool, Verge Aero Composer. The software aims to make the drone show industry more accessible by allowing individuals to create their own drone shows—no technical experience required.
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Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida just announced a brand new drone show called “Disney Dreams That Soar” thats set to run through the summer. Even better? It’s free to watch.
Kicking off on May 24, 2024 and running nightly until September 2, 2024, this high-tech spectacle will feature drones lighting up the sky above Disney Springs, which is the free-to-visit shopping and dining district on Walt Disney World property. A curated soundtrack will accompany the whole experience.
Rather than flying over places where people walk, the drones will fly over Lake Buena Vista, which is the lake that borders the shopping center. Expect the best views from the skies above the West Side of the massive outdoor retail district, which spans 120 acres.
A history of Disney World drone shows
It’s been more than seven years since Walt Disney World last hosted a drone show. Back during the 2016 winter holiday season, Disney Springs hosted another drone show. Called ‘Starbright Holidays’, the show was done in partnership with Intel, which at the time was among the most robust drone light show companies in the world. That Disney Springs holiday drone show ran twice every night and lasted six minutes. Re-live the 2016 show on YouTube, here:
But while this is only the second-ever drone show to arrive at Walt Disney World in Florida, the company is no stranger to drone shows. Among its biggest and best drone shows yet is the Disney Electrical Sky Parade. Held in France over at Disneyland Paris, the drone show pays homage to the iconic Main Street Electrical Parade. That parade launched at the original Disneyland theme park in California in 1972. In that French show, drones resemble iconic parade floats (albeit in the sky) including a train and Elliott from the 1977 film “Pete’s Dragon.” Check out that show here:
And it’s no secret that The Drone Girl is a huge Disney fan. Alas, that here means this drone show necessitates its own blog post. But this nightly summer series is just one of hundreds of drone shows around the U.S. in 2024. Major festivals, sporting events and community holiday celebrations are set to include drone light shows this year. That includes a show for the popular Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, a show at the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival, and shows at various MLB baseball games (check out my recap of last year’s Star Wars drone show at the Oakland A’s game in August 2023).
Other theme parks including Dollywood and Universal Studios have also embraced drones. Unlike Disney World, those parks have actually held drone shows inside the gates.
How to watch the Disney World drone show
The Aerophile balloon at Disney Springs
Simply head to Disney Springs, which is free to visit. Even standard self-parking is free at the Disney Springs area.
You’ll best see the show on the West Side. That’s also where you’ll find Aerophile, the massive, hand-painted helium balloon. Aerophile is tethered to the ground but also floats over the water. Since there’s a massive walkway along the water, it should be pretty easy to find a viewing spot. Plus, the show is in the air, so you likely won’t worry about someone blocking your view.
And while the Disney World drone show is free to watch, know that Disney World trip costs aren’t cheap. Especially if you stay at a Disney-owned hotel and end up buying theme park tickets (and on-property food, too), budget at least $300 per person per day. That figure includes food, a hotel room and theme park tickets.
Hundreds of people gathered at the Marina Bay waterfront on the first day of Chinese New Year (Feb 10) to watch a stunning spectacle of drones forming a dragon against Singapore’s skyline. Many stayed on for the display even though it rained. “The Legend of the Dragon Gate” was a mesmerizing drone show that took […]
Sky Elements is the first US-based drone light show company to receive FAA approval to attach fireworks to drones. Drone light shows, as we know them, will never be the same. 300 drones took flight over our test field to create a spectacle never seen in the United States. Sky Elements prides itself on innovating […]
