Nighttime celebrations at Walt Disney World are filled with fireworks, lasers and magnificent lighting displays. In fact, when visiting the area with my family, I make it a point to see at least one of the three in-park shows, no matter how many times I may have seen it before.

This is the first in a series of three separate posts that will provide a little insight on Disney’s “Fantasmic,” “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” and “Wishes” after dark productions.

“Fantasmic,” which takes place at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, is a light and laser-filled story in which the forces of good and evil battle inside a Mickey Mouse dream.

The 25-minute show combines the efforts of 50 performers and special effects along with animation and well-known Disney music. However, be warned, the presentation takes place in the 6,900-seat amphitheater that is behind The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, just off Sunset Boulevard. In other words, there’s limited seating. However, the facility can also accommodate 3,000 standing guests.

Tip:  The amphitheater fills up very quickly. During our last visit, we claimed our seats an hour and a half before the show was scheduled to begin, and we certainly weren’t the first ones there.

The presentation’s overall storyline is varied and easy to follow. Villains intrude on Mickey’s fantasy and quickly turn his peaceful dreams into nightmares, beginning with the “Fantasmic” musical score and the tale of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

Abbreviated and somewhat altered versions of other “good vs. bad” stories are also presented, including “The Lion King” and “Pocahontas.” Eventually, the Evil Queen from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” brews a magical spell to defeat Mickey and calls for assistance from other villains including Ursula, Cruella, Scar, Frollo, Jafar, Maleficent and Hades.

Though I certainly root for the good guys when I see this particular show, I have to admit that it’s pretty impressive when Maleficent unexpectedly transforms into a 40-foot-tall dragon whose breath ignites the performance area’s waterway with a sea of flames.

Ultimately however, as you may have already guessed, Mickey triumphs and the show concludes with Disney characters happily sailing past the audience on a river boat.

The presentation is definitely appropriate for all ages but there are a few brightly lit and thunderous explosions that may temporarily catch some guests off guard.

It’s also important to remember that “Fantasmic” is only presented on select nights with performance times varying based on park hours.

Guests wanting additional information on “Fantasmic” may visit AAA.com/Disney.

Look out for the next two blog posts in this series.