Illuminations cruise?

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

My friend and I are going to WDW in February and we've always been interested in an Illuminations cruise and we want to do it this trip.

I'm just wanting to make sure the experience is worth the price tag.

I absolutely adore Illuminations so I want to ask... is it a spectacular view and can you hear the audio well? (I read somewhere that the less expensive option of the 21ft pontoon at $299+tax does not have audio piped in where as the more expensive 25ft boat at $349+tax does. Is that true and if so can you hear it well without the audio piped in?)

 

[Robo]

No need to have any audio piped in.
Your boat will be within about 50 feet of one of the giant speakers
used for IllumiNations audio.

The view is basically the same angle (although lower in height)
as standing on the bridge between UK and France.
(That bridge [6a on the map below] is one of the best IllumiNations viewing locations in Epcot.)

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

No need to have any audio piped in.
Your boat will be within about 50 feet of one of the giant speakers
used for IllumiNations audio.

The view is basically the same angle (although lower in height)
as standing on the bridge between UK and France.
(That bridge [6a on the map below] is one of the best IllumiNations viewing locations in Epcot.)

Thanks. One more quick question... is theme park admission even required for this experience ?
I realize I'll be trying to book relatively "last minute" since you can do it at 180 days out and going in mid February we are well past that mark so I'm trying to keep all options open and one option could be the day we arrive if theme park admission is not required.

 

[paradesintherain]

Theme park admission is not required. And if anything I thought the sound was TOO loud. The speaker was so close. We thought the experience was worthwhile at least once. A unique vantage point, snacks, and a boat ride with a pleasant captain made for a very enjoyable evening!

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I went ahead and booked it.
To my surprise every day I'm at WDW was available.
For only operating 4 boats per night you'd think it would have been harder to get one.
I kinda wanted to do arrival day but opted to do the day we plan on going to Epcot because going mid February I was concerned that if our flight gets delayed we would not make it and then lose our money.
So a Mardi Gras Illuminations cruise it is!

 

[hllb]

We have it booked for our arrival night, though we are supposed to arrive at 10 am so a delay shouldn’t be an issue either. Enjoy!

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

We have it booked for our arrival night, though we are supposed to arrive at 10 am so a delay shouldn’t be an issue either. Enjoy!

Our flight lands at 5pm so any delay in flight or DME and we'd be in trouble.
We'd already be down to the wire if everything went smoothly.
I don't want to feel stressed.

 

[hllb]

Our flight lands at 5pm so any delay in flight or DME and we'd be in trouble.
We'd already be down to the wire if everything went smoothly.
I don't want to feel stressed.

Yup, very good choice!