Best place to view Disneyland fireworks: Chapman Grand

Chapman’s close proximity to Disneyland gives Chapman Grand residents the opportunity to view the fireworks each weekend

Students confirmed that the top of Chapman Grand’s parking garage is the best place to view the Disneyland fireworks which occur Saturday and Sunday nights at 9:30pm. KALI HOFFMAN, Photo Editor

Every weekend at 9:30 p.m., the fireworks from the Disneyland theme park can be seen showering the skies of Orange with their pyrotechnic display. For Chapman students, the four-mile distance between Chapman’s main campus and the happiest place on Earth makes study breaks at 9:30 p.m. something to look forward to. However, the main campus isn’t the only Chapman-owned property where the nightly extravaganza can be witnessed. In fact, the two-mile distance from the theme park to the Chapman Grand apartment complex makes the location a desirable lookout point for its student residents. 

The Panther conducted a poll this week and found that the 60 percent of surveyed students prefer visiting the rooftop of the parking structure at Chapman Grand, located in Anaheim, California. It’s the ideal spot to gather your friends in the brisk, nighttime air accompanied by thermoses filled to the brim with hot chocolate to keep you warm while you enjoy the vibrant display of colors. 

Chapman Grand’s rooftop wasn’t the only top location to watch the Disneyland fireworks. Others voted their favorite spot to be the third floor patio of the Keck Center of Science and Engineering and another mentioned the fourth floor of Beckman Hall as their ideal location. However, the rooftop of the Chapman Grand parking structure was, in fact, the most favorable amongst those polled.

Since Chapman Grand is much closer to Disneyland Park than the university, the colors and shapes of the fireworks are more visibly pronounced, making the experience similar to being at the park itself. However, for students who are on campus and need a moment to breathe from studying and to receive some form of instant gratification, the show can still be seen from Beckman Hall’s fourth floor. The booming sound of the fireworks from this location is also more muffled, which may be preferable for some.

For students who are not residents of Chapman Grand or don’t want to view the fireworks from campus, driving to Downtown Disney is your next best option. Admission into Downtown Disney is the closest off-site spot to view the popular display without entering the park. While you have to pay for parking, you can get it validated for up to three hours if you spend over $20 (or five hours if you have Downtown Disney table-service)! If you haven’t had the opportunity to see the fireworks yet, gather your friends tonight and bring them to one of these desired destinations for an experience you won’t forget.