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Illuminations - best seat??
- Thread starter k9kris
- Start date
General Grizz
New Member
Across from many pavilions, there are several..."balconies" over the Water. They are usually the best...reserve a bench near the front for the ultimate experience!! 
You gotta be there *very early* for it. Put Grandpa lying down on the bench, and have the rest do every World Showcase film...
You gotta be there *very early* for it. Put Grandpa lying down on the bench, and have the rest do every World Showcase film... 
RobFL
Account Suspended
Between Germany and the Outpost is an area hidden behind some trees on the lagoon side. It offers a perfect unobstructed view. Look for a planter on the other side of the fence, and if you look at the edge of it, you can see where some of the fireworks are fired from.
-Rob
-Rob
DisneyCP2000
Well-Known Member
There's a seating area inbetween the two shops at the entrance of World Showcase.
Check out the island inbetween France and UK. (Check around 4 to make sure there isn't a convention going on.)
China, Norway, Germany, Japan, and Canada has a good spots, but fills up early.
A side note: Make sure the wind is at your back when viewing the show. Debris will fall if the winds are strong enough...and you don't want that stuff getting on your clothes or eyes. Just check the flag on American Adventure to see where the wind's blowing.
enjoy the show!!!
Check out the island inbetween France and UK. (Check around 4 to make sure there isn't a convention going on.)
China, Norway, Germany, Japan, and Canada has a good spots, but fills up early.
A side note: Make sure the wind is at your back when viewing the show. Debris will fall if the winds are strong enough...and you don't want that stuff getting on your clothes or eyes. Just check the flag on American Adventure to see where the wind's blowing.
enjoy the show!!!
Just as grizz said, I would say right in front. I didnt even notice that this was the best place till I saw it from Future World on a night we were skipping Illuminations for the shorter ride lines.
I havent tried to get a seat there for it yet, but I got there even after the show started, and I found that standing on the bridge to World Showcase (preferrably standing on a bench or something) it was still a great show. Everything is "symmetric" and you will see the show the way it was meant to be seen. Still, the show is great from anywhere from an unobstructed view.
I havent tried to get a seat there for it yet, but I got there even after the show started, and I found that standing on the bridge to World Showcase (preferrably standing on a bench or something) it was still a great show. Everything is "symmetric" and you will see the show the way it was meant to be seen. Still, the show is great from anywhere from an unobstructed view.
CAPTAIN HOOK
Well-Known Member
I've heard that the Rose And Crown offers a good view while eating. I've never viewed from here before but will be trying it next time.
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
The best seats are definitely the seating-only area at the entrance to World Showcase. That is the closest you can get to the fireworks (in terms of distance), and no one abstructs your view b/c everyone must be seated. Also, the area doesn't even open until about 8:45 pm, so you can show up at about 8:20 pm, wait for the rope to drop, and sprint up to the fence...much nicer than sitting on a bench for two hours. Another nice spot that people seem to look over is the bridge in front of Canada, which offers and unobstructed view--but you don't get the same effect from the lasers as you do from the entrance to World Showcase, as The American Adventure is one of the three countries that is equipped with lasers.
GenerationX
Well-Known Member
We watched Illuminations from an outside table at the Rose & Crown last year. This was a fabulous view. We made our PS for 8:00pm (9:00pm show) and mentioned that we hoped to watch Illuminations from our table. We repeated this when we showed up at the restaurant. We were not promised an outdoor seat at either time, but we were lucky enough to get one.
The guidebooks say to make your PS at 7:30pm, but I thought that was too long for my kids to be sitting at a table waiting.
The guidebooks say to make your PS at 7:30pm, but I thought that was too long for my kids to be sitting at a table waiting.
disneyfan123
New Member
I have recently arrived back from my three week holiday to Florida... I had a great trip! Anyway we watched the Illuminations twice during the holiday. We were late to Epcot one evening and grabbed a place on the bridge between Morocco and the entrance area to the World Showcase. We found that this was a good place to watch the show. However, on the second trip we were at Epcot all day and managed to get a place in the balcony area just off of the entrance to the World Showcase.... this was most definitely the best place that I have watched the show. We took our places at approx. 7.30pm!!! Mum and Dad sat there while my sister and I took a walk around the lagoon!!!! :lol:
DSCMSteph
New Member
I can highly recommend Norway...
Good, unobstructed view, if a little off-center. Saw it from here for the first time ever and the angle didn't affect my being blown away!
(Also great for ToD--see the late showing--then you have about 45 minutes to turn around for IllumiNations.)
Good, unobstructed view, if a little off-center. Saw it from here for the first time ever and the angle didn't affect my being blown away!
(Also great for ToD--see the late showing--then you have about 45 minutes to turn around for IllumiNations.)
stuart
Well-Known Member
The best place to watch illuminations is from the rose amd crown pub. There is no need to have a meal there, you can sit at one of the tables in the pub gardens, and there is a great view accross the whole world shocase lagoon, and you can see the globe's journey to the center of the lake. Also if you sit in the pub garden you can keep going up and getting drinks from the pub.
Now you will need to be there early, about 7/7.30 and you will have to put up with us brits who all go there and once we are there nothing will usually move us.
There is one place which aint a good place. Do not view them from the shops at the spaceship earth side of the lake round to mexico because on most nights all the smoke drifts over that way.
Now you will need to be there early, about 7/7.30 and you will have to put up with us brits who all go there and once we are there nothing will usually move us.
There is one place which aint a good place. Do not view them from the shops at the spaceship earth side of the lake round to mexico because on most nights all the smoke drifts over that way.
dliddi
New Member
I had two places, the first, is in the Mexican pavilion, it's the Mexican cantina outside, if you can grab a seat right up against the railing, grab some food, and a margarita, it great.
The other was in France, pretty much the same, get up against the railing, there are some round tables that you can sit at, get some French cheese and pasty from the bakery down the ale, and some French champagne, also very nice.
If I could make a suggestion were ever you sit, wait for the crowds to die down a little, then take a walk around the long way (if on Mexico’s side go tords Canada and visa versa) the pavilions are almost deserted marking it a nice chance for night time photos in front and around the pavilions. The other added benefit is the busses and monorails have cleared out some making it less of a wait, and crowded transport.
The other was in France, pretty much the same, get up against the railing, there are some round tables that you can sit at, get some French cheese and pasty from the bakery down the ale, and some French champagne, also very nice.
If I could make a suggestion were ever you sit, wait for the crowds to die down a little, then take a walk around the long way (if on Mexico’s side go tords Canada and visa versa) the pavilions are almost deserted marking it a nice chance for night time photos in front and around the pavilions. The other added benefit is the busses and monorails have cleared out some making it less of a wait, and crowded transport.
Married@WDW
Member
My favorite place to watch Illuminations is sitting on the edge of the fountain on the Isola in front of Italy. You're high enough to not have your view blocked.