Happily ever after tips?

[bmalonef45]

We saw HEA last year in early June. We loved the show but the crowd and wait before were a bit over the top. I think our lack of understanding of the process was part of the problem. We sat there for 45 min in a taped off area and had decent spots. About 5-10 min before the show everyone in the crowd stands up and starts moving forward compressing towards the castle. We had members of our party that were headed back to us from getting snacks and that became a bit dramatic for us. There were people that understood this last minute compression that just came in at the end and started crowding in. It made me upset and was a bit annoyed. It all worked out in the end but it was a mess. Its a huge crowd and WDW staff do their best, but I wish there was a better way. I will say, that hands down, in our opinion this show with all the great projections is as good if not better than Wishes. And I loved wishes. The technology and the music along with some of the choices of less well known Disney movies is a great mix.

 

[lisa cameron]

Thank you for the details!

We saw HEA last year in early June. We loved the show but the crowd and wait before were a bit over the top. I think our lack of understanding of the process was part of the problem. We sat there for 45 min in a taped off area and had decent spots. About 5-10 min before the show everyone in the crowd stands up and starts moving forward compressing towards the castle. We had members of our party that were headed back to us from getting snacks and that became a bit dramatic for us. There were people that understood this last minute compression that just came in at the end and started crowding in. It made me upset and was a bit annoyed. It all worked out in the end but it was a mess. Its a huge crowd and WDW staff do their best, but I wish there was a better way. I will say, that hands down, in our opinion this show with all the great projections is as good if not better than Wishes. And I loved wishes. The technology and the music along with some of the choices of less well known Disney movies is a great mix.

Thank you for the details! So if they squish everyone together the last few minutes, what is the point of getting there so early? I haven’t been to MK in 27 years when I was a kid; so I really have no reference other than what I am reading on this forum.

 

[fiasco32]

We got lucky last Wednesday and they opened the side alley and we watched HEA without heavy crowds from there. Partially obstructed view, but worth it to not be packed in like sardines.

 

[hsmamato2]

My opinion is perhaps unpopular. I've enjoyed the show from the hub, halfway down Main Street, and on the dock at the TTC.

1. The hub gets you very close to the projections, but the trade-off is a very crowded and potentially stressful situation. You definitely need to get there early (or purchase a premium viewing package). Aside from the wait and the crowds, I felt a bit too close to the projections in the hub. There's so much going on and the projections dominate the action so much, that people complained that it was impossible to focus on the castle and the fireworks. It felt like complete sensory overload.

2. Watching from halfway down Main Street gives you a beautiful view of the show, with the castle perfectly framed and centered by the iconic buildings on each side. This was the perfect balance between projections and fireworks. Even on a busy summer day (during the first week of the show, no less!) we were able to pick out a spot just 15 minutes before the show (making sure we didn't block people behind us), and there was plenty of elbow room to be relaxed. Instead of waiting for 30-60 minutes (or longer) to get a spot, this was definitely worth it. And the projections are clear and crisp, and the fireworks were not off-center (like they would be from many angles in the hub). Also, they were not blocked by any trees. I dare say this is better than the hub, though I know many will disagree with me. Also, standing further back from the castle makes the fireworks look bigger, giving them a bigger role in the show.

3. Watching from the TTC was such a treat! I recommend everyone do this at least once during a visit to WDW. Not as a substitute for watching in the park, but as a completely new experience. I've heard that Happily Ever After actually has more fireworks than Wishes, but the projection show is so dominant, people don't realize it. The nice thing about the TTC is that they pipe in the music, it's utterly uncrowded. Also, from this distance, the fireworks look enormous! If you don't believe me, look up videos from YouTube and you'll see how amazing it is. You can't really enjoy the projections, but seeing the fireworks looping far above the castle, with sparkling reflections in the water as the ferries ply the lagoon, is so magical and worth doing imho. Especially if you're a romantic.

when you say halfway down the street, do you mean just randomly pick a spot in the middle of street and watch? or near something? also at TTC, do you stay near ferry dock to watch?

 

[bryanb]

when you say halfway down the street, do you mean just randomly pick a spot in the middle of street and watch? or near something? also at TTC, do you stay near ferry dock to watch?

Yes, "halfway" is kind of a rough example, since I was a little closer than halfway . I'd pick a spot where you have a good, clear view of the castle and the skies above them. I think as you get further back from the hub, the less the projections will dominate the show (which some people find overwhelming), and the more the fireworks will.

At the TTC, you can line up around the ferry dock. Once the show starts, if there's no boat there, the cast members will sometimes open it up and let people stand along the edge. Both times I've been at the TTC the show started right after a boat left (not sure if this is on purpose), so we were able to stay on the dock the whole time. There are some good views on YouTube of the show, if you want to see the view and the tradeoffs of not viewing the projections.

 

[ChristineOH]

We saw HEA last year in early June. We loved the show but the crowd and wait before were a bit over the top. I think our lack of understanding of the process was part of the problem. We sat there for 45 min in a taped off area and had decent spots. About 5-10 min before the show everyone in the crowd stands up and starts moving forward compressing towards the castle. We had members of our party that were headed back to us from getting snacks and that became a bit dramatic for us. There were people that understood this last minute compression that just came in at the end and started crowding in. It made me upset and was a bit annoyed. It all worked out in the end but it was a mess. Its a huge crowd and WDW staff do their best, but I wish there was a better way. I will say, that hands down, in our opinion this show with all the great projections is as good if not better than Wishes. And I loved wishes. The technology and the music along with some of the choices of less well known Disney movies is a great mix.

We went in early June too, and were trying to cross the Hub 15 minutes before the show, using the taped off and cleared path. We made it almost across, and then they just let everyone fill in the path and we couldn't move! So we just watched from where we were. But there was a lady with a stroller in front of us trying to get to her family, a guy with a bunch of food who ended up forcing his way on through (perhaps this was someone from your party? ) and a church youth group behind us who was getting yelled at by a lady behind the tape, saying she had been there for an hour and they couldn't just block her view. Fun times! None of us could move, so what do you do? It ended up being a decent place to watch, albeit shoulder to shoulder. But we are going back in June, and we will probably book the dessert party.

 

[pens4821]

Are there alot of people on the Tomorrowland bridge? I hate staking out a spot real early (although have done it before for wishes). Don't mind if it's not a perfect view, will trade off being able to get there closer to starting time.

 

[ChristineOH]

Are there alot of people on the Tomorrowland bridge? I hate staking out a spot real early (although have done it before for wishes). Don't mind if it's not a perfect view, will trade off being able to get there closer to starting time.

That's what we were trying to find out, but we never made it! Ha! You can go to YouTube and search for Happily Ever After and a location and find videos from almost every view you can think of. There's definitely some videos from the Tomorrowland bridge that can give you an idea.

 

[larsonb74]

That's what we were trying to find out, but we never made it! Ha! You can go to YouTube and search for Happily Ever After and a location and find videos from almost every view you can think of. There's definitely some videos from the Tomorrowland bridge that can give you an idea.

we like the bridge area, there are benches you can sit on if needed while you wait . usually not crowded.

 

[JerseyJanice]

OP, HEA is worth seeing and you got some great advice in this thread, but I want to add that you should try to catch Once Upon Times (OUAT). It is a shorter, smaller show that is like HEA-Lite. I think it plays still after HEA—it did when I was there in September.

 

[WaterLinds]

Thanks for all the tips everyone! I'm liking the idea of watching from partway down Main Street, I would assume that would make getting out a bit smoother, too, and the view sounds good.

I'm curious about exit strategies after the show--we have young kids and the youngest may not even survive to watch (maybe a stroller snooze, or we might even split the group and have someone take him back early, depending on how things are going). The older one will want to stay but be exhausted, so in an ideal world I'd like to get out of there fast--but I know thousands of other families will be trying to do the same.

Do most people head out right after HEA or stick around for OUAT? And is there a difference in the tide surging out when there is a longer gap between the show and park close? HEA is at 7:55 both nights we could go, but one night the park closes at 9 and the other at 10--will enough people be hanging around until 10 to make exiting that night any easier?

We are staying at POFQ and will have a car. We haven't decided yet if we'll be driving to MK or taking the bus--I'm guessing exiting either way is going to be mobbed, but potentially faster to just hop on the bus back and not deal with monorail crowds and then all the cars leaving at once?

 

[ChristineOH]

The crowds leaving will be awful both nights. There will likely be higher crowds in the park the night of the 10pm close, negating any benefit from some people staying in the park a little later. We try to wait until the crowds clear out some, but even that can feel crazy at times. It's hard to get out of the way of the masses.

If you're near the Tomorrowland side, they sometimes open up a path behind Main Street, and that's easier than exiting on Main Street. If you watch from midway on Main Street, though, you'll just head toward the exit.

DEFINITELY take the POFQ bus. We have stayed at POR twice, and one of my favorite tips is to take the POFQ bus back and then walk to POR, because the POFQ bus never seems to fill up. You don't want to have to wait for a ferry or a monorail if you don't have to.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

@WaterLinds - FYI, OUAT is not always after HEA. Sometimes it’s before. Check the schedule for your day just to be sure.

Have fun!

 

[WaterLinds]

@WaterLinds - FYI, OUAT is not always after HEA. Sometimes it’s before. Check the schedule for your day just to be sure.

Have fun!

It's after for both our possible days (right now at least--the schedule has changed many times over the last month!), but thanks for the tip!

 

[WaterLinds]

On a whim I decided to look into the dessert party last night and it turns out there are still tickets available. We need to talk over the expense/value here, but am I right that if we do the Plaza viewing it lets us out that "backstage" path behind Main Street? Is that always true or only some nights?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

On a whim I decided to look into the dessert party last night and it turns out there are still tickets available. We need to talk over the expense/value here, but am I right that if we do the Plaza viewing it lets us out that "backstage" path behind Main Street? Is that always true or only some nights?

The Plaza Garden dessert party is close to the Main Street bypass. It seems like they have it open more often than not during/after fireworks these days, but I’ve seen it not open too.

Hope that helps.

 

[pitpat]

most of the fenced in areas around the fountains have concrete benches on the back, right? I assume those are prime real estate and to take them if you can get them?

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

So if the process is that the CMs allow the walkways to fill in and people are packed in like upright sardines and the area in front of Casey’s is going VIP (at least partially), is there anywhere that kids and shorter people can actually see this show? We go in May so Casey’s msy not be an option for us. Any recommendations or is the dessert party the only way my kids will have a view of the projections? They’re too old to be shoulder kids (joke!) and I don’t think I want to pay for our family of 5 for the dessert party.

 

[brave321]

Does anyone have a guess about what crowds will be like in coming years? After HEA has been running for a few years and isn't so new? Or do you guys think it will stay just as crowded?