Illuminations Questions

[defendthehill]

We are going to be staying at the Beach Club for our upcoming trip. On one of our days we are spending the day at the resort and pool complex. But we will be entering EPCOT for dinner that evening with plans to stay for Illuminations.

I have never used a FP+ for Illuminations and have read mixed reviews about the FP area. Is the FP area worth it?

Would anyone suggest it vs finding a good spot in front of Japan/Canada area?

Even a little crazier is the Illuminations Cruise worth the 350 bucks or so vs the FP or finding a good spot?

Just looking for some with some experience an opinions on this please and thanks!

 

[Klayfish]

We used FP+ once...never again.

FP+ get squeezed into a...relatively speaking...small space right by the twin gift shops. The WS is so incredibly big that you can walk up literally last minute and find a prime spot. There are very few "bad" spots to see it. Heck, even on literally July 4th, we showed up 10 minutes ahead and get a pretty good spot. IMO, I would just do standby. The cruise sounds like fun for sure, but not for that kind of cash.

 

[Alesia]

We are going to be staying at the Beach Club for our upcoming trip. On one of our days we are spending the day at the resort and pool complex. But we will be entering EPCOT for dinner that evening with plans to stay for Illuminations.

I have never used a FP+ for Illuminations and have read mixed reviews about the FP area.
1. Is the FP area worth it?

2. Would anyone suggest it vs finding a good spot in front of Japan/Canada area?

3. Even a little crazier is the Illuminations Cruise worth the 350 bucks or so vs the FP or finding a good spot?

Just looking for some with some experience an opinions on this please and thanks!

1. No. If you decide to do it anyway, make sure you show up about 45 to 60 minutes before the show. Also be aware that if the wind is blowing toward you, you'll be watching with a face full of smoke.

2. Don't try to plan a spot in advance - you have no way of knowing which way the wind will be blowing. Wait until 20 to 30 minutes before the show starts and find an upwind spot with a clear view of the center of the lagoon.

3. That's a personal choice.

 

[PSUGuy]

We did the Illuminations Cruise in March 2000 when it was, if memory serves, $125. Glad we did it once, wouldn't repeat even for the original cost, $350, never.

Bill From PA

 

[Murron]

FP+ no, cruise no (I did it once, never again...smoke ugh). In the past, I've scouted out a place to hold ahead of time for Illuminations and found it's just like the park parades. You can have a great place to sit and watch until everyone crowds you out of your space, becomes rude, etc. Just not worth it to me. You did not say if it was just you and spouse or children etc. For us it is usually just myself and husband. So we just slowly walk around the entire World Showcase during the show. The lighting is lovely, romantic, you can stop here and there, you can see the show from many perspectives. We do it all the time now.

 

[sky13]

I rather like the FP+ area - and usually use it if I can get it as a 4th FP, or if I'm not entering a park until late in the evening. It gives a good view, is sloped so you generally get a decent view, and isn't usually too crowded. If you want an awesome view from the FP+ area you would still need to get in early to stake out a spot right at the front, but I've had good views getting in at 8.55pm.

 

[JETSDAD]

We use a FP for Illuminations and enjoy the view from there but we don't bother getting the FP until we are within an hour or so from the FP time. If you plan to do rides beforehand then just wait and grab one after. If you don't plan to use the FP's for other attractions then might as well book one for Illuminations...you can always choose to not use it anyways.

 

[Eccle]

We used the FP area, I got it as a 4th fastpass and as a bigger group with children it suited us as we could just go in a few minutes before, I felt we had a decent view

 

[DisneyChris2016]

We did it once - didn't think it was worth it. We got the FP+ near the end of the day (5th FP+ maybe?) after we were done doing rides, so we figured why not? We were shocked to see how long the line already was about an hour before the show. We kind of panicked and got in line around 8:20 with more than 100 people already in front of us. We couldn't get a front-row view so ended up with a mediocre view, with people all around us so we couldn't even really move. Then the smoke blew directly at us for the entire show (you could see the ash all over our clothes and it was getting in our eyes). I can't imagine that we couldn't have found a better spot somewhere else 40 minutes before the show started. Live and learn...

I've since read the advice that if you do go into the FP+ area, you'll have a better view (and be less crowded) if you stay near the back of the area. So if you're set on getting the FP+, you might want to try that. But I wouldn't bother.

 

[goofyintoronto]

We used FP+ once...never again.

FP+ get squeezed into a...relatively speaking...small space right by the twin gift shops.

Totally agree with this. FP+ is not worth it at all. They squeeze everyone into that small space. Its awful. And you still have to show up early to reserve your spot! Don't get me wrong, that's the perfect location to view illuminations. I would definitely try to view from here in future, but without a FP.

 

[FastPasser.]

We used FP+ once...never again.

FP+ is not worth it at all.

What time of the year was that?

 

[BrianL]

The thing about the FP+ area is that on most nights they won't allow you onto the truly prime viewing spot due to wind conditions. The Fire Marshall makes the call minutes before showtime and if everything is good they will remove a rope restricting access to the little lower area right in the center. It's still decent viewing, but it's not worth wasting an FP for since decent viewing can be found all over.

 

[goofyintoronto]

What time of the year was that?

It was mid October for me.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

You can find decent viewing spots all over WS, not worth a FP for me. We did the illumination cruise in Late November and we loved it. We’re gonna do it again this coming November.

 

[Hope Soda]

I have done FP+ for Illuminations twice, and I thought it was really nice. We aren't into showing up super early, so we pushed until the end of our window. All of the spots against the railing were taken, so we sat down on the ground in front of the doors to the gift shop on the right hand side. We were able to spread out a bit, which was nice. The standers were well in front of us and did not block our view, and the finale was really impressive from this spot. FP+ is certainly not a must, and I wouldn't get it if I could get Soarin', Test Track, or Frozen at a time early enough to make it out in time to watch Illuminations. But it's a fine way to catch the fireworks if it works out.

 

[FastPasser.]

The thing about the FP+ area is that on most nights they won't allow you onto the truly prime viewing spot due to wind conditions. The Fire Marshall makes the call minutes before showtime and if everything is good they will remove a rope restricting access to the little lower area right in the center. It's still decent viewing, but it's not worth wasting an FP for since decent viewing can be found all over.

That area is always roped off during the fireworks.

 

[BrianL]

That area is always roped off during the fireworks.

Well, they may have changed it, but I have absolutely watched Illuminations from that area. We were all held at a rope and a couple of minutes before showtime, they allowed us to all go and sit right up against the rail. There is a star on the concrete which legend has it was the perfect viewing spot as determined by the show designers. I was right near that spot. On my last trip, in October 2017, I did use an FP got Illuminations only because Fantasmic! was downed and I hustled own the walking path and used my FP to get into the Illuminations area. Again the CM was holding us at the rope and while I did not speak with her, it did seem that she was waiting for a signal that never came in that instance. Maybe they never open it up anymore, but it sure seemed like a similar procedure to when we were allowed in.

 

[FastPasser.]

Well, they may have changed it

Probably

 

[Dumbo777]

FP+ no, cruise no (I did it once, never again...smoke ugh). In the past, I've scouted out a place to hold ahead of time for Illuminations and found it's just like the park parades. You can have a great place to sit and watch until everyone crowds you out of your space, becomes rude, etc. Just not worth it to me. You did not say if it was just you and spouse or children etc. For us it is usually just myself and husband. So we just slowly walk around the entire World Showcase during the show. The lighting is lovely, romantic, you can stop here and there, you can see the show from many perspectives. We do it all the time now.

Is it a ton of smoke? My daughter has asthma and smoke really aggravates it. Should we avoid the show?

 

[FastPasser.]

Is it a ton of smoke? My daughter has asthma and smoke really aggravates it. Should we avoid the show?

It varies from night to depending on wind speed and direction. In the extreme, it's not only the smoke, but ash can also fall on guests. Because I can't leave wherever I am, I've had fireworks debris fall on me causing small spots of temporary skin discoloration. They disappeared within a few days.