Illuminations ECV viewing?

[Simba's Mom]

I looked in the FAQ and couldn't find an answer to this. Is there a viewing area specifically for ECVs and their parties? If so, where is it? Does it tend to get extremely busy?

Edited to add: I did a google search and found there was one by the shops where WS and FW meet. There was also one between Canada and UK. Are both those areas still in use for HA viewing? There was some question since this was last year, and FP+ may have changed the locations.

 

[Toffeewoffy]

2 years ago it was in the garden next to the shop which sells all the cooking/kitchen stuff. When you walk towards World Showcase, turn right towards Canada, UK etc and it's not far from there.

By the time we got there it was pretty full, but I managed to sweet-talk the young chap into letting me and DD in. DD stood further back once the fireworks started, and the two able-bodied people standing behind another party kindly moved to a different place so I could pull into the second row.

Basically, if you want to watch from there, get there nice and early! Mind you, it's not the best viewing area because there's something which juts out just to the right so it was a bit of an obscured view.

 

[TammieLandry]

Great info!

 

[SueM in MN]

You can find the handicapped viewing areas marked on any park map. They are marked with a wheelchair symbol with a big letter 'I' next to it. Here is a park map detail where I marked the areas with a blue star.

In all of the handicapped viewing areas for parades in other parks or Illuminations for Epcot, mobility devices are lined up very close together (almost touching) across the front of the viewing area. Typically, there is not space for a companion to stand next to the mobility device; there is space for one companion to stand right behind and the rest of your party behind that person.
If the area is not full, there is more space and you be able to have at least one of your group next to you. If more guests using mobility devices show up (as happened with Toffeewoffy), those guests standing along the front are expected to move to make room up front for the mobility device.
Our experience has almost always included being told that information at the time DD was given a spot for her wheelchair.
Most guests are understanding, but some occasionally refuse to move.

The only viewing places that have totally unobstructed views are in the Showcase Plaza area. Because of that, those are the most crowded areas and it is not uncommon to have 2 or even 3 rows of mobility devices. Many people also want to be in that area to be able to leave quickly after the show.
I would recommend NOT trying to leave until the crowds thin out, which usually takes about 10-15 minutes after the show. If you leave right away, you will be walking out in heavy crowds and packed buses. Waiting a bit allows for walking out comfortably and the bus might not even be full.

The space in Germany is the one we most often use. It's not huge, so may fill up. Whatever area you use, plan to arrive at least an hour before Illuminations begins.
You can park an ECV along the fence by the water anywhere around World Showcase. The closer you are on either side to the Showcase Plaza area, the busier it will be.
You can also look for spots as you walk around during the day. The area where the globe is on the map will be about where the globe will be during the show.

 

[Sarahraegraham]

Question: the WC areas are in the FP section. So do we need to have FP, or will they just let us in since we are in ECVs?

 

[Toffeewoffy]

We were in the area just above the 'show' in showcase. Actually, I found the view of all the countries on the right (ie, Canada and UK, and half of France) were severely restricted as you can't see past the awning over the walkway to the Friendship boats.

Oh, and as a general piece of advice, don't sit in the stone seats outside the China pavilion: the globe glided across the water - and then stopped EXACTLY behind the clump of trees on the island between us and the final position of the globe. We couldn't see anything that happened with the globe.

 

[SueM in MN]

Question: the WC areas are in the FP section. So do we need to have FP, or will they just let us in since we are in ECVs?

It just looks like it from the map; the wheelchair viewing areas in Showcase Plaza are actually outside of the Fastpass areas.