Fastpass viewing area for Illuminations

[Simba77]

I don't suggest choosing a partially obstructed viewing spot.

Then I'd honestly (I'm genuinely serious here, I'm not being a jerk) love to know how and where to find a good viewing spot without having to wait 30-45 minutes. Do you suggest a specific area that's a little more "secret" than the others? I've had luck with Italy, and I can accept I won't be in the front row if I get there 15-20 minutes before showtime - I can handle being a few rows back if it's otherwise unobstructed (but my GF isn't very tall). Being able to find a quality spot 15 minutes before showtime would definitely be fantastic, but I'm trying to picture it in my head based on past experience and I'm already feeling like that just can't be enough time.

Of course, as an added bonus, I'll be there during food and wine, so that's probably not the best time for Illuminations viewing

Just seems like FP+ is the most convenient way to at least guarantee a decent spot as long as we don't catch a wind from the south. Better than wasting it on M:S, anyway.

 

[jsebsirois]

I think it's easy to find a spot 15 minutes before Illuminations with a decent view, and this is why I have Illuminations rated low on my FP+ priority list. Additionally, I wouldn't want to be stuck with a reserved spot that turns out to be downwind from WS Lagoon.

OMG, totally agreet and forgot about that! Nothing magic about getting the smoke in your eyes for 15 minutes.

Not the kind of tears you want to have at Disney

 

[mesaboy2]

Then I'd honestly (I'm genuinely serious here, I'm not being a jerk) love to know how and where to find a good viewing spot without having to wait 30-45 minutes. Do you suggest a specific area that's a little more "secret" than the others? I've had luck with Italy, and I can accept I won't be in the front row if I get there 15-20 minutes before showtime - I can handle being a few rows back if it's otherwise unobstructed (but my GF isn't very tall). Being able to find a quality spot 15 minutes before showtime would definitely be fantastic, but I'm trying to picture it in my head based on past experience and I'm already feeling like that just can't be enough time.

Of course, as an added bonus, I'll be there during food and wine, so that's probably not the best time for Illuminations viewing

Just seems like FP+ is the most convenient way to at least guarantee a decent spot as long as we don't catch a wind from the south. Better than wasting it on M:S, anyway.

We seem to have different definitions of "good" and "decent", and that's fine of course. I have no problem finding an unobstructed view anywhere around WSL 15 minutes beforehand, but that would likely include a row (or at most two) of people in front of me. That is not what I would call "best", but it does fit my definition of good or decent. The difference of a row of people in front of me or not is not worth 30 additional minutes of my time (or burning an FP+) for this particular show. YMAVs.

 

[Simba77]

We seem to have different definitions of "good" and "decent", and that's fine of course. I have no problem finding an unobstructed view anywhere around WSL 15 minutes beforehand, but that would likely include a row (or at most two) of people in front of me. That is not what I would call "best", but it does fit my definition of good or decent. The difference of a row of people in front of me or not is not worth 30 additional minutes of my time (or burning an FP+) for this particular show. YMAVs.

Yeahhhh that makes sense. I think I might have been too strict, and not differentiating between what I considered good/decent/quality/etc

I don't consider it burning a FP+ in my case. The only attractions I'd really use FP+ for would be Soarin and TT. All the others I can find a time to ride when there's no wait. So I'd probably use the Illuminations FP+ simply because it's nice to have it. In the event I don't want to worry about hunting for a decent spot (or walking around the lengthy lagoon), I can just walk up at the last minute so to speak and have that reserved area that's right there.

If it were like the MK, with so many attractions, I might not "waste" it on Illuminations. But at Epcot it's worth it to me.