An Old Rumor

[circus4u]

From the time that the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, I have heard that due to the enormous amount of fireworks used in the parks, Disney had its own fireworks factory somewhere on site. Just wondering if anyone else ever heard this and whether it is true or not. I suspect "not true," but you never know.

 

[OKW Lover]

not true.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

It is really rather cool! There is a large fireworks facility on site. Go to Google Maps Satellite or Google Earth, go to Disney World and search over the north west corner of the property along Maple road. You can't miss it. You will see an open area with buildings spread far apart with a secure border and lots of lightning rods (I think.) Cars only park near the entrance. This is their secured facility for explosive / fireworks storage and preparation.

 

[OKW Lover]

I can buy the storage & preparation part of this, not so sure they are actually making them there.

BTW, Maple Rd is in the northwest section of property.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

I can buy the storage & preparation part of this, not so sure they are actually making them there.

BTW, Maple Rd is in the northwest section of property.

Thanks, I corrected my post. It is hard to tell from the satellite images. There are lots of storage buildings and then several large buildings. Disney could assemble the fireworks that are built elsewhere. How much "manufacturing" goes on onsite is not known. I would think they would by basic fireworks materials manufactured elsewhere, and then assemble their own canisters and other items. But that is just a guess. It is a cool facility one way or the other.

 

[circus4u]

Very interesting. As a retired military munitions maintenance person, definitely a storage facility and probably two maintenance/assembly buildings. Really surprised at how close it is to the Magic Kingdom though. Fire break all the way around it and possibly an earthen berm. Imagine they must contract the actual manufacturing out. Disney uses compressed air to launch the shells rather than a powder charge like most public fireworks displays. As many fireworks as they use, they must get shipments in several times a week.

 

[rteetz]

From the time that the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, I have heard that due to the enormous amount of fireworks used in the parks, Disney had its own fireworks factory somewhere on site. Just wondering if anyone else ever heard this and whether it is true or not. I suspect "not true," but you never know.

Not true but disney is the largest explosives buyer in the country behind the government.

 

[gsimpson]

Several years ago there was a post, and several follow up post, that talked of train shipment of fireworks materials that was delayed/seized by homeland security.

 

[wilkeliza]

Disney does not put the actual shells together on property. The storage facility described is probably just the MK storage facility and the over flow for DHS and Epcot. I know at least a few weeks worth of fire works are stored pretty close to each show in a bunker of sorts back stage. I've drove right past the Epcot ones many times and said hello to the guys and gals preparing the barge for that nights show.

If Disney made their fireworks in house they would never run out but ask any CM who works on Mainstreet, at Fantasmic, or maining disability viewing for Illuminations and they will tell you that often things are slightly different. There was a while that my favorite firework was missing because the distributor went bankrupt and didn't think to give Disney a heads up first.

 

[jon18uk]

The actual firework shells are almost certainly made in China, most fireworks are. All they would do on-site is arrange them into the firing tubes (which might even be done in situ as the tubes may be permanent) and wire the fuses into the electronic firing system.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

The fireworks are made in the USA. It to expensive to ship premade shells from overseas with newer hazmat rules and regulations.Whether they are made on property I do not know.

I believe they are now fired with compressed air and not explosives any longer. The system was designed for illuminations and DCL and is a lot cheaper and safer.

AKK

 

[Goofyuk]

The fireworks are likely bought in bulk thousands at a time, however in the factories on site, they would set them up in the timed devices to create the big firework displays, so there is some manufacturing work happening on site but not the actual gunpowder manufacturing.

 

[Princess Marsha]

Disney gets their fireworks from a company here in Florida call Santore and Sons. My step-sister works for them.