Illuminations Pontoon Boat?

[Marthasor]

Hi Everyone! I am planning my family's WDW trip for Dec. 14 - 18 and am considering booking a pontoon boat to view Illuminations. Has anyone done this? I would love to hear your experience - I have heard everything from "It's fantastic!" to "There was fireworks smoke in my face the whole time!" Would also love to hear how the view was - could you see the EPCOT countries or just the fireworks? Thanks everyone!!

 

[TZMOM]

Hey - good morning!!! I did not book this boat, but shared the boat w/some others I "met" through another Disney board. Truthfully, I was not impressed - we didn't have smoke in our faces or anything like that, but just sat kinda far away in a boat. It might be more fun with your family, but it was my DS & myself and a few people we didn't know. I much more enjoyed seeing Illuminations on land with all the people around us.

Have fun whatever you decide!!
Jane

 

[travelin' tigger]

Hi Everyone! I am planning my family's WDW trip for Dec. 14 - 18 and am considering booking a pontoon boat to view Illuminations. Has anyone done this? I would love to hear your experience - I have heard everything from "It's fantastic!" to "There was fireworks smoke in my face the whole time!" Would also love to hear how the view was - could you see the EPCOT countries or just the fireworks? Thanks everyone!!

I've done 3 Illumination cruises over the years with Capt. Ron and each one was GREAT!!! I've never experienced a problem with smoke, but it could happen. Bringing my firend who has never seen Illuminations and will be sharing one with another DISer in Oct.

About the cruise: After a cruise around Crescent lake, the boats all raft together under the bridge by the Int. Gateway and you have a water-level view of the fireworks, the globe and the countries (well, most of them) around the lagoon. There's nothing like it!!!

Hope this helps in your decision!!!

 

[Laurajean1014]

I did it as a surprise birthday gift to my DH. At first, he said it was expensive, but I heard him tell someone a few months later.... "Wow, there's nothing like watching Illuminations from the water." " It was the best view and we all had a great time."

There was my proof.

We had great weather and no smoke. I think it's great and well worth the cost.

 

[mareed]

I did not book this boat, but shared the boat w/some others I "met" through another Disney board. Truthfully, I was not impressed - we didn't have smoke in our faces or anything like that, but just sat kinda far away in a boat. It might be more fun with your family, but it was my DS & myself and a few people we didn't know. I much more enjoyed seeing Illuminations on land with all the people around us.

This was also our experience. Would only recommend it if your family/group is filling the whole boat, and also perhaps on an otherwise non-park day as a way to see Illuminations without using a day on passes. We definitely have a much better view when we just watch from within the park. And this was when it was $120 (basically $10/person). Now that I believe the price has gone up quite a bit, I would not personally do it again.

 

[Marthasor]

Wow! Thanks for the input everyone! This is very helpful!

 

[chamonix]

We loved it and would do it again (also with capt ron, he's great fun). However, I wasn' impressed with the view. I have had much better views on land. I felt like we couldn't see all around the lake, it felt like our view was blocked somewhat from being so low. Not sure why I feel this way and everyone else thinks the view is so great!? We always get great places on land to view, maybe that's it? I think I prefer the more "straight on" view you can get from other places around the lake, not from the bridge area where the boats park.

Oh, and we had no smoke problems at all.

I would do it again though, no matter the cost--we love boats, and not having to fight the crowds for a spot is priceless. It's just the whole experience that we enjoyed--the relaxing tour of crescent lake first up to MGM and back, the food and drink we had on board, etc. You should definitely try it if you don't mind the cost, and you are lucky enough to get a boat. That's the worst part: I would do it every trip, but we can never book the boat! Anyone have one available for Oct 7-15th? LOL

 

[ILuvBrent&Disney]

We did it when the cost was much less and brought our own snacks on board. It was a wonderful experience and we filled the boat with family and friends. If cost is not an issue you can't beat it.

 

[moet7]

HI,
We did it in 2001 and loved it. We had 8 people in our boat, all family.

The thing we loved the most was not having to camp out early for a spot on land to watch.

We walked over to Beaches and Cream an hour before the boat was to leave and had some ice cream.

Boarded the boat and off we went. The tour was great. We had a young girl as our captain and she was full of great Disney things to tell us.

As other posters said, you raft off of other boats under the bridge.

I thought the view was fine. maybe NOT perfect, but really nice and relaxing on a boat with your family and watching the sky light up at the happies place on earath. Sure beats sitting on a wall or standing on concrete to have the "perfect' view.

Another highlight, by the time the boat returns, most of the people have left Epcot. It's a great time to get some picutures without people in the background and the park looks sooo pretty when it's empty.

No problem at all with smoke. We were there in June. Maybe the poster with smoke was there in the fall when there might be more of a breeze.

It is hard to get the boats, but I would go for it.

Hope this helps!