Illuminations

For Epcot’s award-winning show, the options are relatively similar, albeit with one interesting addition. If you want to guarantee seating for the show, you’ll want to utilize a FastPass+ selection. That’s tough, because it is also a Group A selection, meaning that you cede a FastPass for Test Track or Soarin’ if you go this route. That’s…not optimal. Epcot doesn’t have many rides, so their finest attractions have a tendency toward extremely long lines. Those two in particular frequently have waits in excess of an hour. If you don’t choose this path, there is only one other way to get guaranteed seating, though.

In another instance of Disney offering upsells to people willing to pay more to get more, there is an Illuminations Sparkling Dessert Party option available. It’s not cheap, and it’s not great for people on diets. If you want the best possible view for Illuminations, however, this $49 per person package is your best bet. Plus, you’ll enjoy decadent international desserts and delicious wines during the show. It’s all included in the package.

Booking a restaurant with a great view of Illuminations is trickier than Fantasmic, albeit less expensive. The reason why is because you can’t technically guarantee that your meal will last until the show. You also can’t be certain that you’ll receive a table with a view of the event. There’s nothing more frustrating that hearing the sounds of Illuminations without seeing anything.

If you want to try this tactic, the best restaurants are conveniently also some of the finest options in the World Showcase. La Hacienda de San Angel at Mexico, Tokyo Dining at Japan, and Rose & Crown at Great Britain. All three provide breathtaking views of the water, and so the choice comes down to your dining preference while you’re in town. The second floor of Monsieur Paul at France is also viable, but you’ll need to sit by the (narrow) windows to have a decent view.

I strongly suggest that you make an Advance Dinner Reservation for whichever location you select. You’ll want to target 7:30 – 7:45 if possible. Note that these restaurants do tend to book early since a lot of longtime Disney guests know these tricks. So, if you must take an earlier time, ask for the specific seating with the view and tell the hostess that you’ll wait if needed. The reverse is true if your reservation is for later. Show up as early as possible and ask to be seated. Then, hope for the best. Either way, you’ll want to time your meal to match the start time of Illuminations. You may have to order an appetizer and dessert in order to stretch your seating time the appropriate length. The good news is that the waiters all know the deal, so please remember to tip them well in exchange for hogging a table for longer than normal.

If none of the above works and you simply want to find a nice spot in the park, head to the World Showcase around a half hour prior to Illuminations. That’s a tough decision, because a lot of the other rides tend to have their shortest lines of the entire day around this time. The benefit is that if you arrive in that area early enough, you won’t have any tall people hoisting children on their shoulders standing right in front of you. Pick a spot where there aren’t any trees, because limbs can block your view of the fireworks.

The best spot by far is between the two gift shops (the ones pimping Duffy like there’s no tomorrow) at the front of the World Showcase. It tends to get crowded early, so if that one doesn’t work, head over to Mexico. Gauge the number of people nearby and keep walking until you find an area somewhere between there and Norway that is sparsely crowded. You should have a fantastic view of the fireworks, although you’ll be a bit distant from the globe.

The downside of this area is that if you aren’t exiting Epcot via the back gate, you’ll be one of the last people waiting in line at the monorails, which could add a full hour to your departure time. Be wary of that when you strategize. Ceding a better view toward the back of the World Showcase in exchange for a viable exit strategy is a clever way to deal with Illuminations.