Finding a spot for Illuminations immediately after Candlelight Processional

[LittleBuford]

My partner and I are going to WDW next month for the Christmas Party (yay!) and will spend one of our evenings at Epcot. Our plan is to watch the last performance of the Candlelight Processional (which starts at 8:15 and lasts 40 minutes) and then find viewing spots for Illuminations in either Italy or Japan. For those of you who have experience of the parks at this time of year: Will there be any decent spots left along the lagoon by 9 o'clock? We could try to go to an earlier showing of the Candlelight Processional, but that would mess with our other plans, which is why I'm hoping to see the last performance and Illuminations back-to-back. Some added context: this will be on Monday 10 December, and the narrator isn't a headliner (I'd never even heard of him!).

Thanks in advance for any advice or tips!

 

[JohnD]

Great question. I'm in the same predicament. I'll be there on 12/10 also. Dessert Party is sold out and is on the other side of the lagoon. No more ADRs for Rose & Crown or Spice Road Table either. I tentatively have an ADR at Tokyo Dining for dessert and an after dinner drink. I'm told you can watch the fireworks from the balcony without an ADR. While there are window views next to the balcony those aren't guaranteed as someone could be standing right in front of the window. I decided to keep the ADR anyway. My logic is this: I'm a paying customer. I should be able to get up from the table and go outside to watch it.

Not sure if this means anything to you but the narrator, Bart Millard, is the lead signer of Mercy Me, a Christian band. They have some really great Christmas albums which include not just Christmas hymns (e.g. Silent Night, Do You Hear What I Hear) but also pop culture Christmas songs (e.g. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Have a Holly Jolly Christmas). So, at a minimum, you can be assured he'll be a good narrator because of where he's coming from.

 

[DisneyOutsider]

Illuminations is definitely the easiest nighttime spectacular in terms of finding viewing. I've been at Epcot for New Year's Eve the past three years plus one other Xmas week, and we never have a problem finding a good place to view it last minute. I'd never pay extra just to have a reserved viewing spot.

You won't be able to be right against the railing.. you're going to have people standing in front of you (maybe several rows of people), but you should still be able to find a good vantage-point close by to see everything. If this is your only chance to see Illuminations and it's of the utmost importance that you have a completely unobstructed view of the show, then you should alter your plans. However if you simply need to have a decent view to see the entire show, you should be just fine.

 

[LittleBuford]

Great question. I'm in the same predicament. I'll be there on 12/10 also. Dessert Party is sold out and is on the other side of the lagoon. No more ADRs for Rose & Crown or Spice Road Table either. I tentatively have an ADR at Tokyo Dining for dessert and an after dinner drink. I'm told you can watch the fireworks from the balcony without an ADR. While there are window views next to the balcony those aren't guaranteed as someone could be standing right in front of the window. I decided to keep the ADR anyway. My logic is this: I'm a paying customer. I should be able to get up from the table and go outside to watch it.

Not sure if this means anything to you but the narrator, Bart Millard, is the lead signer of Mercy Me, a Christian band. They have some really great Christmas albums which include not just Christmas hymns (e.g. Silent Night, Do You Hear What I Hear) but also pop culture Christmas songs (e.g. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Have a Holly Jolly Christmas). So, at a minimum, you can be assured he'll be a good narrator because of where he's coming from.

I can’t see why they wouldn’t let you out onto the balcony during your reservation—good luck! That’s one of the spots I was considering, so I may well see you up there.

And thanks for the additional info on the narrator.

 

[LittleBuford]

Illuminations is definitely the easiest nighttime spectacular in terms of finding viewing. I've been at Epcot for New Year's Eve the past three years plus one other Xmas week, and we never have a problem finding a good place to view it last minute. I'd never pay extra just to have a reserved viewing spot.

You won't be able to be right against the railing.. you're going to have people standing in front of you (maybe several rows of people), but you should still be able to find a good vantage-point close by to see everything. If this is your only chance to see Illuminations and it's of the utmost importance that you have a completely unobstructed view of the show, then you should alter your plans. However if you simply need to have a decent view to see the entire show, you should be just fine.

Thank you for your helpful answer. Not being behind people is fairly important to me (I’m short, and this’ll be the last time I get to see Illuminations before they replace it), so I’ve rejigged our plans in order to attend the middle performance of the processional. That way, we’ll have more time and opportunity to stake out a really top-notch spot for Illuminations. Hopefully, the area near the gondolas in Italy won’t be cordoned off, as that offers a perfect vantage point.

 

[JohnD]

Thank you for your helpful answer. Not being behind people is fairly important to me (I’m short, and this’ll be the last time I get to see Illuminations before they replace it), so I’ve rejigged our plans in order to attend the middle performance of the processional. That way, we’ll have more time and opportunity to stake out a really top-notch spot for Illuminations. Hopefully, the area near the gondolas in Italy won’t be cordoned off, as that offers a perfect vantage point.

I think I'm going to keep mine. I have a 4:40 or so ADR at Via Napoli for the 8:15 show. If I give this up, I'll never get it back. And it's one of the more "less expensive" options for VIP dining ($57). So, like you until recently, I need to find a spot to see Illuminations after the show. So I'm going to try my luck at Tokyo Dining. Fortunately, I have a good video from Rose and Crown from a prior visit. But this show will have the Christmas tag at the end.

 

[LittleBuford]

I think I'm going to keep mine. I have a 4:40 or so ADR at Via Napoli for the 8:15 show. If I give this up, I'll never get it back. And it's one of the more "less expensive" options for VIP dining ($57). So, like you until recently, I need to find a spot to see Illuminations after the show. So I'm going to try my luck at Tokyo Dining. Fortunately, I have a good video from Rose and Crown from a prior visit. But this show will have the Christmas tag at the end.

I think you’ll be fine, unless (like me) you really hate the idea of being behind people.

I also wonder whether you couldn’t convince them to give you the voucher for the 6.45 show, despite what your ADR officially says.

 

[JohnD]

I think you’ll be fine, unless (like me) you really hate the idea of being behind people.

I also wonder whether you couldn’t convince them to give you the voucher for the 6.45 show, despite what your ADR officially says.

I guess that depends on availability. The frustrating thing is you don't know which show you have until after you have completed your reservation. I did notice that lunch ADRs tend to be the first show at 5:15. I'm definitely going to keep my Via Napoli ADR and might try requesting the earlier show as you suggested.

 

[Mark P.]

The frustrating thing is you don't know which show you have until after you have completed your reservation. I did notice that lunch ADRs tend to be the first show at 5:15.

Is this true? I booked a lunch package at Biergarten and my confirmation indicates that it's for the 8:15PM show.

I actually wouldn't mind getting a seat for the earlier show, which is why I stopped in here in the first place: we also are currently holding a FP+ for Illuminations, which seems somewhat impractical if we're in fact attending the 8:15PM CP, doesn't it?

 

[Jeremy Geertsema]

If I remember in the past, Candlelight Dining Packages included a reserved fireworks viewing area infront of Germany. That was a few years ago - not sure if it has changed.

 

[JohnD]

Is this true? I booked a lunch package at Biergarten and my confirmation indicates that it's for the 8:15PM show.

View attachment 329756

I actually wouldn't mind getting a seat for the earlier show, which is why I stopped in here in the first place: we also are currently holding a FP+ for Illuminations, which seems somewhat impractical if we're in fact attending the 8:15PM CP, doesn't it?

It's true. What I don't like is you don't know which show you're attending until after you've booked your ADR. I'm also attending the 8:15 show on 12/10 but then again I have a "dinner" ADR for Via Napoli at 4:45 which is one of the less expensive VIP ticket options.

 

[Mark P.]

It's true. What I don't like is you don't know which show you're attending until after you've booked your ADR. I'm also attending the 8:15 show on 12/10 but then again I have a "dinner" ADR for Via Napoli at 4:45 which is one of the less expensive VIP ticket options.

When I went to finalize my reservation it already had the show time displayed before the package was fully booked. We actually changed the aforementioned Biergarten ADR to a little earlier in the afternoon and the show time changed from 8:15PM to 5PM.

 

[JohnD]

If I remember in the past, Candlelight Dining Packages included a reserved fireworks viewing area infront of Germany. That was a few years ago - not sure if it has changed.

Would be nice. I have a vague recollection of that but they monetize everything now. I think you're on your own after CP for seeing fireworks. One option, naturally is the dessert party on the other side of lagoon.