Free Entrance to EPCOT for Illuminations?

[billwendy]

Hi,

I was wondering if they allowed you to go into epcot at like 8pm or so just to see illuminations?????

thanks, wen

 

[ceecee]

Not without park admission.

 

[swilshire]

Sometimes the parking is free if you go that late, but they check admission to the bitter end as far as I know.

Sheila

 

[Mickey527]

I have stayed at BCV and decided last minute to go into the park for Illuminations. This happened to me twice, but it was very late.
I got to the gate at about 5 of 9, just before the talk before the torches are blown out.
I tried to find my pass and the people at the gate had just waved me in. I don't know if they recognized me or just didn't want to see me empty everything out of my fanny pack.
This was before the security checkpoints once, but after the 2nd time. I had already been checked by security so I guess the CM's knew I had nothing in my pack.
But don't try it unless you want the embarrassment of being turned away. The bridge at the entrance is a fairly good view for the high fireworks if you can't get into the park.

 

[disneylovr1]

They used to do this, before Illuminations 2000. I don't think it was ever actual policy to let poeple in for illuminations at 9:00 at the back entrance, but I read about it here back then and tried it - and we got in. But the next year was 2000, and we went back 2 nights and they didn't do it. There were some other people there waiting also. I don't think they ever went back to letting people in after that year. I wish they would, it made for a very nice night after walking at the BW. No matter what everyone says, I don't think you can see much of anything worth watching from outside of Epcot - on the bridge or anywhere else.