Happily Ever After best viewing experience for shorter people?

[Accident]

What time were your reservations? Are they all the same? Do they walk everyone out together?

I think 7:45. No clue if they stagger everyone but many were in there when we arrived already and we weren't late but we weren't early either. We were shown the table, told where things were located and told we just had to let them know when we were ready to head to the viewing area. I had asked how long we could wait and she said until 5 minutes before. I think they used to walk everyone out together OR they do that for those that are still left to get out at the very end. We finished up earlier and were ready to sit in the hub so I wasn't there for the last of the stragglers.

 

[disneyholic family]

i almost just booked - it would be something like $389 for our group...sounds like a lot, but compared to what this whole trip to WDW is costing, it's not even a drop in the bucket...
but what if it rains? we're really not interested in the deserts at all, so to pay for the deserts without fireworks, that would be a waste....

and what if the toddlers just aren't up to staying up late that particular night?

and we really do like standing in the dead center or as close as possible...

and maybe we should just be like those obnoxious people who walk up at the last minute and squeeze in front of the people who have been staking out their position for 2 hours? (and then they always lift the kid up to the shoulders - never ever ever fails)...

but no, we won't do the baby on the shoulders thing....they'll be in our arms, held at chest level...(though with my 6'7" husband, chest level is pretty high up there)...

decisions decisions...

 

[Bloom28]

You wouldn't be able to see the castle projections with either of these options.

Thanks for that info.

 

[yulilin3]

they block it off a lot for vip guests so it's a little bit of a gamble.

vip viewing for HEA is actually near the Hub area now

 

[disneyholic family]

vip viewing for HEA is actually near the Hub area now

where?

 

[yulilin3]

where?

facing the castle, it is towards the right

 

[disneyholic family]

facing the castle, it is towards the right

i think we'll try for the hub...somewhere...

 

[North of Mouse]

BUT the whole 'nice place to view the fireworks' makes it worth it?

I value my money much more than that, so no, IMO, it's never worth it! We always get a great view the last 15 min. in the front of the castle. People are constantly shifting, moving to another spot, etc. You're looking 'up' so it's great! The crowd 'always' dies down before the projection show, so that's never been an issue with us - was just there.

 

[linzbear]

For what it's worth, I viewed HEA from the old FP area on Saturday (2nd showing ever) with my family. We got there 1h beforehand, and weren't in the greatest spot, but could still see all of the projections. 3yo didn't see the lowest ones, but he didn't care much about the details. The fact that it rained hard that afternoon likely helped (clear sky for the show, though!).

 

[KrazeeK120]

You wouldn't be able to see the castle projections with either of these options.

I disagree. I always watched Wishes from the train station (including last Thursday, the last night of Wishes). They used to do a projection show on the castle before Wishes and I could see it just fine. What makes you think the projections can't be seen from there? It's a dead on straight view of the castle!

 

[siskaren]

I disagree. I always watched Wishes from the train station (including last Thursday, the last night of Wishes). They used to do a projection show on the castle before Wishes and I could see it just fine. What makes you think the projections can't be seen from there? It's a dead on straight view of the castle!

Because it's too far away. I watched the live stream and couldn't really see detail on the projections except on close-ups (although of course then I couldn't see much of the fireworks).

 

[KrazeeK120]

Because it's too far away. I watched the live stream and couldn't really see detail on the projections except on close-ups (although of course then I couldn't see much of the fireworks).

As a short person myself, I'd still take my chances from the train station than gamble on the person in front of me not putting a kid on a shoulder, shuffling positions with a taller person, etc. But, that's me. I understand others may have different opinions.

 

[buzznina]

I think if it's a one time trip or you rarely go to WDW then give it a shot. For us, we tried it and probably will not do it again.
We have been on many trips and rarely have an issue finding a decent spot to watch the castle show and fireworks, especially the fireworks because the majority of them you are looking up. DW and I both decided that we would get more out of it by using that $$ towards souvenirs etc. I love being at the train station for the fireworks, but totally agree with siskaren , that it is to far away for the castle show.

 

[bizeemom4]

Do these problems also exist at the dessert party locations though?

Unfortunately, I had a dad put what looked like the size of an 8 year old boy on his shoulders. Really sucked as the area was pretty full and hard to find a spot last minute.

 

[pmaurer74]

From that picture it certainly looks like the garden view would be the best shot at making sure we get the least obstructed view. I've read in some other threads that people tend to sit down on the grass when viewing from the garden location. Do you think people will still do that for Happily Ever After though? Is there really that much open space around this garden view for people to sit on the grass and still see the projection on the castle?

Anytime I have been in this location, they have made us stand up.