Best room to view IllumiNations

[ConnecticutNonna]

Hi, basically planning a 5 day visit early next May and I'm wondering which rooms are best for viewing IllumiNations...
I checked the room finder on TP, but that wasn't an option. I think I read somewhere that Beach Club had the best views, but not sure.
Thanks

 

[MsThumper]

We were at BWI the first week of April in a standard view room. We were on the 5th floor facing the inner courtyard. The Eiffel tower in Epcot was directly in front of our view and I don't think you could have had a better view from a hotel room then what we had. Our room number was 5304.

 

[loves to dive]

Both BC and YC have rooms that sort of kinda face Epcot or the lake. You can also just stand outside at any of the Epcot resorts and see them.

 

[Quellman]

I would suspect that some of the Swan and Dolphin rooms might have some nice views, but to be fair the hotel is only kinda Disney with regards to what perks are available.

 

[ahutton]

Boardwalk Villas in the Crest of the Wave building have a nice view of the higher fireworks also. However, for any hotel, you will only see the higher ones, much of the show is at water level and can only be seen within EPCOT.

 

[Hopefully]

No hotel has a good view of Illuminations. It is not just a fireworks display. It is fireworks and music, and fire, and water and wonderful!! As @ahutton stated much of the show is at water level on the lagoon and only visible from inside Epcot.
That said, there are some Beach Club, Yacht Club and Boardwalk Inn rooms that have a bit of a view of the high fireworks.

 

[wilkeliza]

No hotel has an actual fire work view. However, Boardwalk has several that have views where you can see some of them. Beach and Yacht has a few.

 

[JerseyJanice]

We had a great view of the fireworks from our balcony at the Dolphin.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

And if you're booking based on hopes of views of Illuminations, there's a pretty high risk you won't get one of the handful of rooms with particularly good fireworks views.

 

[Babsy]

The only place where you can BOOK a room with a view of the higher fireworks from Illuminations is the Dolphin. These are Epcot/fireworks view rooms and can be booked as with or without a balcony. They are the most expensive room category at the Dolphin (excluding suites/ other specialty rooms).

All the WDW Epcot area resorts have some rooms that will have a similar view, but these cannot be booked and you would be lucky to get one as they are not very plentiful. AT the BWI and BC standard or woods view might get you a partial fireworks view. AT the YC you would need a lagoon view to see some fireworks.

If you want to see fireworks from your room, the MK resorts give a nice view of 'Wishes' from the TPV rooms. CR has the best view of all from the tower TPV rooms.

 

[MrToadfan]

We had a very nice view of Illuminations from YC, Third Floor, facing crescent lake/boardwalk. Closest wing to the Dolphin. It was a bit of a hike from the lobby, but the view was very nice.

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

Thank you all for posting!!!!
I should have clarified...
1... We will probably never stay at S or D
2... We've been to WDW more times than I can count, so have seen IllumiNations many, many times.
3... We will have a 2 1/2 yr old with us, so can't be at the parks late.
4.... I'm really looking for the best view of them from a room, and do not like Boardwalk. (Hate the creepy clown pool) We want to be able to sit and watch as much as possible from our balcony while littlest fairy sleeps.
5... Sorry I wasn't absolutely clear in first post!

 

[vicki_c]

So you're looking for the best view from the Beach Club then, correct? (Since you don't want the other Crescent Lake choices.). I think it's unlikely you will get a room with much of a view of the fireworks due to the trees, the views are generally not much on the Epcot side of the buildings (BC or BCV). But you could get lucky of course.

 

[dansdad]

Thank you all for posting!!!!
I should have clarified...
1... We will probably never stay at S or D
2... We've been to WDW more times than I can count, so have seen IllumiNations many, many times.
3... We will have a 2 1/2 yr old with us, so can't be at the parks late.
4.... I'm really looking for the best view of them from a room, and do not like Boardwalk. (Hate the creepy clown pool) We want to be able to sit and watch as much as possible from our balcony while littlest fairy sleeps.
5... Sorry I wasn't absolutely clear in first post!

Points 1 and 4 take away the best viewing options.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The only resort that has a bookable view for Illuminations is Dolphin. Only a handful of Beach Club garden view rooms have any glimpse of Illuminations, and half the BC rooms have Juliet balconies. If your limitation is you want a room at BC that can view Illuminations, you are highly unlikely to get one. It's not bookable as a view, and the rooms with any view of it are limited, and not all of them even have a full balcony, limiting your hoped-for room even further.

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

Beach or Yacht club...
I thought you wouldn't be able to see at all from YC

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

The only resort that has a bookable view for Illuminations is Dolphin. Only a handful of Beach Club garden view rooms have any glimpse of Illuminations, and half the BC rooms have Juliet balconies. If your limitation is you want a room at BC that can view Illuminations, you are highly unlikely to get one. It's not bookable as a view, and the rooms with any view of it are limited, and not all of them even have a full balcony, limiting your hoped-for room even further.

Thank you! That's the info I needed.

 

[MrToadfan]

 

[MrToadfan]

Hope those posted ok. This was the YC view that I mentioned from the third floor. We were almost all the way to the Dolphin. We also had a 3 year old with us who we put to bed early, so it was delightful to sit out with a glass of wine and enjoy what we could of Illuminations from the balcony. We've had other rooms in the YC overlooking storm along bay, where you could also see the upper fireworks of illuminations, but not quite as well as being closer to the Dolphin. Hope that helps.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Hi, basically planning a 5 day visit early next May and I'm wondering which rooms are best for viewing IllumiNations...
I checked the room finder on TP, but that wasn't an option. I think I read somewhere that Beach Club had the best views, but not sure.
Thanks

There are a lot of trees between the BC and Epcot, so partial views of the high fireworks are plentiful if you book a garden view room. I've watched those fireworks from our balcony many times, and it is nice to sit out there and listen to them. But the fireworks are also extremely loud in those rooms.

A YC lagoon view room in the end of the wing closest to the lake will have a nice view of the fireworks and won't be quite as loud as in a BC room. But you can't guarantee that view.