Best spot for Spectromagic & Wishes

[mom2isaac&ella]

We have just decided to add another day onto our trip (we started out with 7 days & now we're up to 10 ) Now we've added another MK day & I was thrilled to see that Wishes will be at 10:00 that night (instead of 11pm like the other days during our trip). When & where should we stake out a spot? This will be the first week in August, Spectomagic is at 9:00, Wishes is at 10:00 & its an evening EMH, which we will not be staying for. I want to have a decent spot, but will sacrafice a bit for a quicker exit. Yes, I know no exit is quick after fireworks, but my kids (DD2 & DS4) will be exhausted by 11:00 & would like to get out as quick as possible so they can sleep in the car on our way back to the hotel. Thanks!!

 

[GarrettJD]

Here's what we do. We find a spot for Spectromagic somewhere in Frontierland or Liberty Square about 30-45 minutes before the scheduled time. If you do this, and the parade starts at 9:00. it'll take about 15 minutes for the parade to reach you (it starts on Main Street.) After the parade is over (about 9:35-9:40) we walk to Main Street and find a spot by Casey's Corner (the last building on Main Street closest to the hub and castle) for Wishes. Anywhere near Casey's is fine for Wishes-- I wouldn't get much closer to the Castle because the effect of the fireworks is not as good from there. Also, you don't want to be on the other end of Main Street, because they don't turn off the lights close to the train station. A lot of people like other spots for the fireworks, but I like to have the castle in view because it's incorporated into the show.

 

[DemonLlama]

oops created a double post when I fixed the link See below

 

[DemonLlama]

We prefer watching the parade from Main Street and personally, I grab a spot for fireworks early than 20 minutes before start, so my advice would be a bit different.

I'd claim a spot at Casey's or across by the ice cream parlor for Spectro and then stay for fireworks, if they are only an hour apart. We usually trade off sitting and go browsing through Main Street in pairs in between the parade and fireworks.

An alternate place for fireworks that I like is a little closer and right of the castle in the sunken walkway off from the ice cream place toward Tomorrowland. It's a different perspective and the fireworks aren't "synched" right over the castle. This little spot doesn't fill up nearly as fast as Main Street.

Here is a link to that view:
Wishes, Finale

 

[Belle1111]

We tend to be park hoppers- especially in the summer. The day we went to watch Spectromagic and Wishes we spent the morning at AK, the afternoon at the pool and then made it to MK in time to find a spot near the train station at the entrance to see the parade. We then ate a lite supper and spent the time in between sightseeing in the park until time for Wishes. We watched Wishes on the walkway to Tomorrowland- it was a little crowded (it was August!) but Tink flew right over us.

 

[mom2isaac&ella]

Thanks for the link! My DS4 loved it. He claims he saw a Hidden Mickey in the lights. I've already brainwashed him into a Disney freak.

 

[Robo]

Here's what we do. We find a spot for Spectromagic somewhere in Frontierland or Liberty Square about 30-45 minutes before the scheduled time. If you do this, and the parade starts at 9:00. it'll take about 15 minutes for the parade to reach you (it starts on Main Street.) After the parade is over (about 9:35-9:40) we walk to Main Street and find a spot by Casey's Corner (the last building on Main Street closest to the hub and castle) for Wishes. Anywhere near Casey's is fine for Wishes-- I wouldn't get much closer to the Castle because the effect of the fireworks is not as good from there. Also, you don't want to be on the other end of Main Street, because they don't turn off the lights close to the train station. A lot of people like other spots for the fireworks, but I like to have the castle in view because it's incorporated into the show.

Excellent advice!

 

[DisneyChristmas]

Another alternative is to watch the parade near the beginning on Main Street and then follow just behind the end of the parade toward the castle. Drop out when you've reached a place you like.

Get some popcorn while you wait.

As others have said - if you get too close to the castle, you can't see all of the fireworks. It's a perspective thing, because they're not fired directly over the castle.