Illuminations: Reflections of Earth

[steve_rob]

Got back five days ago (already seems ages though) and while I haven't been able to do a trip report yet, I do have something you might enjoy in the meantime - a video I took at Epcot of the best bits of Illuminations.

CAUTION - it is 7 minutes long and over 20MB in size, so I recommend you right-click the link and choose Save As, rather than try and play it straight from the web. It's also in WMV format, so you'll need Windows Media Player version 8 or above to play it.

For first 30 seconds or so of the fireworks, the camera is slightly off-centre, but I do eventually correct it! I wanted to watch the show live, not through a viewfinder, so just before it started I rested the camera on a pillar, pointed it in the general direction and hit record. I only bothered looking down after about a minute to see whether I was getting a picture or not and that's when I noticed!

All that said, if you want to see it this is the link you want. Enjoy!

 

[fizz13]

Thankyou so much for sharing this, I love when people post videos, it gives a great felling of being closer to WDW. Looks like you had a great view and it came out really well.

Thanks again,
Claire xx

 

[cazzie]

Thanks for posting the link it was great, I love watching the videos it brings it all back and having just bought a camcorder I am hoping to have lots to watch when I come back next time.

 

[disneyholic family]

wow!! really well done!!! brilliant!!!

and the fact that it was off center a smidgeon was not a big deal (i think you corrected it at about 3:30 into the clip)..

where were you standing?....you seemed to have a really spectacular spot...

the one thing i hate about illuminations is jockeying for position....(and all those obnoxious people who come up at the last minute to push their way in front of you....) we haven't seen it in a few years because of that...
and also, we prefer Wishes.....but this was a great clip....thanks so much for posting.....
i'm in the middle of writing up a touring plan for a grandfather and his granddaughter who've never been to WDW....i wasn't going to include illuminations on their plan, but i think i will now..
i just don't know where i should tell them to stand....somewhere where they don't have to walk a lot to get to would be good..

 

[steve_rob]

wow!! really well done!!! brilliant!!!

and the fact that it was off center a smidgeon was not a big deal (i think you corrected it at about 3:30 into the clip)..

where were you standing?....you seemed to have a really spectacular spot...

the one thing i hate about illuminations is jockeying for position....(and all those obnoxious people who come up at the last minute to push their way in front of you....) we haven't seen it in a few years because of that...
and also, we prefer Wishes.....but this was a great clip....thanks so much for posting.....
i'm in the middle of writing up a touring plan for a grandfather and his granddaughter who've never been to WDW....i wasn't going to include illuminations on their plan, but i think i will now..
i just don't know where i should tell them to stand....somewhere where they don't have to walk a lot to get to would be good..

Because I was pointing the camera into the darkness, it was only when the globe came out that I had a frame of reference as to where to centre the shot.

I've never seen Wishes so I can't compare the two - actually that's not strictly true; last trip we SAW Wishes, but it was on the ferry going over to MK so we didn't get the music and everything that goes with it, just the fireworks. This trip we saw 'Holiday' Wishes instead of the regular one and it was good, but I still preferred Illuminations - just the way the fireworks are synced up with the music - and that music still sends a chill down my spine when I hear it too. Hopefully next trip I'll see the proper Wishes and will see what all the fuss is about!

We were standing in Canada, right next to the fence, just to the left of a big rock formation (you get a bit more shelter there). We have a number of good viewing locations in various places round the lake, but the major thing is to make sure you're downwind - the last thing you want is to have your view obscured by clouds of smoke from the fireworks. Canada just happened to be perfect this time (wind blowing towards France).

Didn't notice any pushing for position even though Epcot was VERY busy (final Saturday of the Food & Wine festival), but then we did scout out our place quite early. DW stood there from 7pm to about 7:45 while I got food / rode rides, then I swapped with her for the next half hour (brought a book to read and a flashlight!) before both waiting together from about 8:15 onwards.

 

[Miffy2003]

Thanks Steve! I will look forward to watching this later!