IlluminNations fastpass+ viewing area

Father Robinson

Father Robinson

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We always stand in the middle of WS plaza between the two shops, at the top of the incline, front and center. We always get there around 8 abd just wait and listen to the preshow. I'm reading that the fastpass+ viewing area is in that area. I don't know if it's the whole area or not though. Does this mean if we don't book a fp+ for IllumiNations, we can't stand in WS plaza?? Or do they just rope off a certain section of it? And of they do, dows anyone know where?? PLEASE HELP!! Trying to book our fp+(s) now for May.

Thanks as always.

FR
 
Tom

Tom

Beta Return
The FP+ viewing area is just to the right (as you face the lagoon from Future World) of where you usually stand. It's a great viewing location, between the gift shop and the railing. It's as close to front and center as I've ever been, and you don't have to get there at 8.
 
Father Robinson

Father Robinson

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Tom said:
The FP+ viewing area is just to the right (as you face the lagoon from Future World) of where you usually stand. It's a great viewing location, between the gift shop and the railing. It's as close to front and center as I've ever been, and you don't have to get there at 8.
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So the fp+ viewing area is not BETWEEN the two shops at all? Is that correct?
 
Tom

Tom

Beta Return
From what I could tell, the FP viewing area is in the area I've outlined in red.
Capture.jpg
 
ABQ

ABQ

Well-Known Member
Tom said:
The FP+ viewing area is just to the right (as you face the lagoon from Future World) of where you usually stand. It's a great viewing location, between the gift shop and the railing. It's as close to front and center as I've ever been, and you don't have to get there at 8.
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What time do you have to get there? Do they oversell the FP+ "admission" for lack of a better term?
 
Tom

Tom

Beta Return
ABQ said:
What time do you have to get there? Do they oversell the FP+ "admission" for lack of a better term?
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I think the time range that displayed was 8:30 - 8:55 or something like that. We got there around 8:30 or shortly thereafter. We stood up by the gift shop, by choice, and the view was just fine.

I don't know if that night was typical, but it was not shoulder-to-shoulder in that area. I would definitely utilize it again.
 
MeandMickey

MeandMickey

Active Member
FP+ area for Illuminations is exactly what is highlighted in the picture above. It is a nice location to view the show. They do not open the area lower than the shrub islands on the right though. This is for safety reasons regarding the wind and fireworks. We got there at 8:30 and the area never really filled up. There is just a rope across the area to separate the FP+ from the middle of the plaza and the two poor castmembers at the rope had to chase everyone from trying to go over/under to get to the open viewing space. They really need a better deterrent than a rope, but nothing permanent either.
 
MeandMickey

MeandMickey

Active Member
You can still do that if you wish. The dessert party takes up the area that says "Disney Traders" in the picture and does not cover the entire middle of the plaza. The dessert part is also outlined in ropes to keep the "riff-raff" :) out. There is still plenty of seating, but it was elbow to elbow outside of the dessert party and FP+ area. Glad we took advantage of the FP+ that night we were there.
 
Father Robinson

Father Robinson

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Would hate to have reserved a fp+ for ROE only to have that area in the path of oncoming wind. You can reserve your prime viewing location for a smokeshow before you leave home!!
 
Tom

Tom

Beta Return
Father Robinson said:
If that's the area in question, that's more than perfect! We always stand in the middle and in front of the two green areas at the top/middle of the picture. Do they rope off the area in red in your picture?
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Yes, they do rope it off. You enter the area on the west (right, as approaching from FW) side of the gift shop (left side, in the image).
 
kma71677

kma71677

Active Member
The last time we watched illuminations, we stood right at the shrub wall at the "gate" to the FP+ area. Basically we got the same show as the people who wasted a FP+, just 10 ft behind them. Saw the whole thing and were the first people out of the park afterwards.
 
MeandMickey

MeandMickey

Active Member
kma71677 said:
The last time we watched illuminations, we stood right at the shrub wall at the "gate" to the FP+ area. Basically we got the same show as the people who wasted a FP+, just 10 ft behind them. Saw the whole thing and were the first people out of the park afterwards.
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Um, no I don't think you stood at the "gate" for FP+ as that is on the Canada side of the gift shop and you would have been behind a couple of trees and not had the same view as FP+. If you were on the other side of the area, the central plaza, you were in between the two roped off areas for FP+ and the dessert party (depending on what day you were there). So, that may have been you the poor castmembers had to keep chasing away from trying to sneak under the ropes to get a better view? Oh, and FP+ guests can show up and get a spot less than 10 mins. before the start of Illuminations with plenty of elbow room to spare. Good luck with that at any another area around the lagoon during spring break! They do revome the ropes as the show is ending so we were two steps behind leaving the park. Sorry if we nipped any heels with our stroller. Of course we did have a couple of people just jump over the thing like LeBron dunking on a point guard. :eek:
 
J

jaysmom4285

Member
For what it's worth, I watched Illuminations a couple times last week from the area between the two gift shops. The descriptions are correct about the areas roped off for the FP+ people and for the dessert party. I showed up about 8:40 and was able to walk all the way down to the fence. just a little to the left (as you face the lagoon) of the FP+ area. There were a bunch of people milling around, and a lot of people were sitting on the ground a little way back from the fence. I had no problem moving up to the fence, and I didn't have to cut in on people or shove anyone out of the way. There were plenty of open spaces amongst the people standing in the general area, and they seemed content to stay where they were, so I just wandered on down to the fence. The FP+ section seemed to be pretty tightly packed, and I had just a good a view without being jammed in amongst a crowd. Not saying it never happens, but I didn't observe anyone trying to sneak under the ropes into the FP+ area. The crowd seemed very orderly, and there were a few CMs there visibly guarding the ropes and chatting with people. There was sufficient viewing space outside the ropes anyway, so there wasn't much incentive to try to get into the FP+ area.
 
kma71677

kma71677

Active Member
MeandMickey said:
Um, no I don't think you stood at the "gate" for FP+ as that is on the Canada side of the gift shop and you would have been behind a couple of trees and not had the same view as FP+. If you were on the other side of the area, the central plaza, you were in between the two roped off areas for FP+ and the dessert party (depending on what day you were there). So, that may have been you the poor castmembers had to keep chasing away from trying to sneak under the ropes to get a better view? Oh, and FP+ guests can show up and get a spot less than 10 mins. before the start of Illuminations with plenty of elbow room to spare. Good luck with that at any another area around the lagoon during spring break! They do revome the ropes as the show is ending so we were two steps behind leaving the park. Sorry if we nipped any heels with our stroller. Of course we did have a couple of people just jump over the thing like LeBron dunking on a point guard. :eek:
Click to expand...

OK? I must've been making this up then. Don't know how to take you with this response, but whatever. Just trying to help others out. Stand wherever you want- my view was pretty nice.
 
kma71677

kma71677

Active Member
jaysmom4285 said:
For what it's worth, I watched Illuminations a couple times last week from the area between the two gift shops. The descriptions are correct about the areas roped off for the FP+ people and for the dessert party. I showed up about 8:40 and was able to walk all the way down to the fence. just a little to the left (as you face the lagoon) of the FP+ area. There were a bunch of people milling around, and a lot of people were sitting on the ground a little way back from the fence. I had no problem moving up to the fence, and I didn't have to cut in on people or shove anyone out of the way. There were plenty of open spaces amongst the people standing in the general area, and they seemed content to stay where they were, so I just wandered on down to the fence. The FP+ section seemed to be pretty tightly packed, and I had just a good a view without being jammed in amongst a crowd. Not saying it never happens, but I didn't observe anyone trying to sneak under the ropes into the FP+ area. The crowd seemed very orderly, and there were a few CMs there visibly guarding the ropes and chatting with people. There was sufficient viewing space outside the ropes anyway, so there wasn't much incentive to try to get into the FP+ area.
Click to expand...


Exactly. Best place to watch IMO- and not FP+ used either!! :)
 

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