July 4th Question About Viewing Fireworks from MK Resorts

[djc9699]

We are staying club level at WL the first week of July. Me, DDIL (21), DD (14) and DGD (3). Girls Trip! We will be in MK on July 3rd and will likely leave before the insanity of the fireworks or will watch them from FL or TL. I will not subject my GD to the hub during the FWs. We watched HEA from the reserved dessert party area during Spring Break and are watching that again on the 5th from CL reserved area. They will not allow reserved CL viewing on 3rd or 4th with the FP purchase. We chose AK for the 4th, hoping for less insanity. We have an ADR for Happily Ever After at 6:20. I am planning on being back at WL before fireworks start. My question is two-fold. Is there somewhere we can watch the show from the Grand Floridian and should we, or is the better plan to go back to WL and find a spot there and just see what we can? Is there a good spot to see them from WL? I don't expect the full effect of the show, but I really like the idea of having dinner and then just relaxing at our home resort with a decent viewing of parts of the show. Do any club level standard rooms face MK? This is our first trip in July, and we like fireworks, but don't always watch them on the 4th so its not detrimental to our trip, but since we are there we might as well see some of it from wherever we are. All advice and opinions welcome. TIA.

 

[Robo]

Well...
The below is copied in from the MAPS Sticky post at the top of this forum:
============
Magic Kingdom Fireworks Viewing from Outside the Magic Kingdom

The new "Happily Ever After" evening spectacular at MK
features many projections on the front facade of Cinderella Castle
in addition to the many fireworks in the show. Since those projections
will not be seen from viewing locations outside the MK park, seeing the
"full effect" of "Happily Ever After" will dictate viewing the show at least once
from a good vantage point inside MK, on Main Street, preferably in or near the Hub.

The Beach at the Polynesian Resort offers a great view
of the FIREWORKS portions of the MK Fireworks spectaculars.
However, the area with an MK view is now much smaller than it used to be
due to the recent construction of the new DVC on-the-water rooms.

They do "pipe in" the audio of the shows.

Here's a photo I took from the Poly Beach-

MK Fireworks (MVMCP Christmas Finale)

-----------------------------

More Viewing Spots-

You can see the MK fireworks shows very well from the TTC
(and they pipe-in clear, crisp audio from the show.)
Note: you are not allowed to stand directly in the actual Ferry loading area.

You can see the MK fireworks from the boat-dock and an outside
observation deck near Narcoossee's restaurant at the Grand Floridian.
There is rumored to be an upcoming paid "Wishes Dessert Party" that will be held on that boat dock.
The Narcoossee's Deck shown is now reserved only for guests of the restaurant.


Good viewing from the Gasparilla Grill Patio overlooking the Marina.
The sound of the show is piped into these areas too.

----------------------------
At the Contemporary, there is viewing on an outdoor
observation area on the 4th floor.
The California Grill observation areas are reserved for patrons that day of the Grill or Bar.
(The audio of the fireworks show is also piped in to these locations.)

(Fireworks shown above are simulated.)

----------------------------
At Wilderness Lodge, the "secret place" to watch the MK fireworks is from the northern area of the Cast Member (CM) Parking Lot.

----------------------------
At the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds Marina (angle shown on the map below,) some of the view (especially of the "Fantasyland" pyro)
is blocked by the now unused Discovery Island in Bay Lake and by the high-rise buildings of the Contemporary Resort.
But, the view from the Ft. Wilderness' sand beach (farther north) is more open.
Still the tree-level can block the views of the lower-firing pyro.


Here are the angles of the views in the Bay Lake area.

Below are the angles of the views in the Seven Seas Lagoon area.

----------------------------------

As for viewing the MK fireworks from INSIDE the dining area of restaurants (you need ADRs, and most are usually busy during the shows)...
you can see (and hear) them at California Grill at Contemporary,
'Ohana at the Poly, at Trader Sam's and Trader Sam's outdoor patio at the Poly, Narcoossee's at the Grand Floridian,
and (if you have access there) the Top of the World at Bay Lake Tower.

 

[djc9699]

Thanks Robo. I so love your maps! So the viewing from the cast member parking area is good? I was worried about all the trees from the WL. Is there a safe place to sit with the little one? Maybe I should try to change my ADR to Whispering Canyon, even though I am not fond of the chaos. The girls will probably like it and we wont need to go back out into the madness.

 

[Robo]

Thanks Robo. I so love your maps!
1. So the viewing from the cast member parking area is good?
2. I was worried about all the trees from the WL. Is there a safe place to sit with the little one? Maybe I should try to change my ADR to Whispering Canyon, even though I am not fond of the chaos. The girls will probably like it and we wont need to go back out into the madness.

1. Not really.
2. There's no sound, so not much point in watching from there. It's just sort of a novelty.
Not something I'd do for special fireworks like July 3rd or 4th.

My real point of laying out so many of the "outside MK fireworks viewing" is to show that there are some "OK" spots
and some "better" spots.

About the best is TTC which features a head-on view and great audio.
Grand Floridan's Gasparilla Grill/pool area is not bad and has audio.

 

[djc9699]

Gotcha. So, we can take the monorail to TTC after dinner, watch the show and then take the monorail back to MK and take the water launch or bus to WL. Will that work?

 

[Robo]

Gotcha. So, we can take the monorail to TTC after dinner, watch the show and then take the monorail back to MK and take the water launch or bus to WL. Will that work?

It'll be busy - busy - busy,
but that would be a way to do it.
(Another would be the ferry from TTC back to MK.)

When you are at WDW on one of the very top busiest days of the year,
you'll need to allow for extra time to do everything.

 

[djc9699]

It'll be busy - busy - busy,
but that would be a way to do it.
(Another would be the ferry from TTC back to MK.)

When you are at WDW on one of the very top busiest days of the year,
you'll need to allow for extra time to do everything.

Yes. We have been at Christmas and Spring Break. That is why I was just leaning towards staying at the WL on that night. Are there cabs parked at the TTC? We drive to Disney but always take the bus to MK. Of course the cab would also have to fight traffic out of the parking lot.

 

[PatMcDuck]

I have a friend who has been at MK for July 3-4 fireworks several times. She told me that if you are eating at Crystal Palace, they let you go outside for the fireworks and there is sort of a spot there, that they only let guests who are eating inside use. I am not saying it is fantastic, but it is pretty good and you are not squished in with the general population. Any truth to this? We are staying at Poly, so we can comfortably watch from the beach there (on the 3rd). But I am also wanting to see them from inside the park, leaving the Poly Beach as plan B. Thanks all!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

OP - As to your question about WL CL rooms with fireworks views.... WL CL rooms either face the interior courtyard or the outside towards MK/CR. You cannot book a specific view in CL, but you can request a view. Many of the CL rooms that face towards the MK have a pretty darn good fireworks view now - they took out a lot of trees when they built the cabins that really opened up the view corridors. If a MK facing room is important to you, I would make sure to request as such.

Also I’d add, for the 7/3 and 7/4 shows they also shoot fireworks off from an island in the middle of the 7 Seas Lagoon. The fireworks shot here “mirror/simulcast” what is shot from the traditional behind the MK launch point. Effectively, this improves fireworks viewing from a variety of spots around the 7 Seas Lagoon that might not otherwise be good spots (but the same viewing angles/advice in Robo’s maps still apply).

I was at Poly last year for 7/3 and 7/4, happy to answer to any questions about our experience, crowds, etc.

 

[piratepride]

We have watched the fireworks from the GF and Poly...excellent views from both resorts! The music is piped in too!

 

[Wood Nymph]

The least stressful way to watch the fireworks from outside the park would be from the Wilderness Lodge Club lounge. They pipe in the music and the view is decent. But if they won't let you view from the lounge than you can watch the fireworks from Geyser Point. It isn't the best view but they do pipe in the music. The second less stressful way to watch the fireworks from outside the park is from the Contemporary. You can walk or take the monorail from MK. The 4th floor observation deck pipes in the music. Then you can take the resort boat from the Contemporary to the WL. That keeps you away from the insane traffic mess after the fireworks.

Although the view of the fireworks is best from TTC, second best from GF, getting back to the WL from either of those locations could be a huge nightmare. Taking any transportation that goes anywhere near the MK, like the monorail or boats, could take forever.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Could you hop a boat over to the Contemporary and watch either from the parking lot by BLT or from the bridge connecting BLT with CR? I've watched from the parking lot at BLT once when we were coming back to BLT a bit late to go up to the lounge or the bridge and it was pretty good.

 

[djc9699]

The least stressful way to watch the fireworks from outside the park would be from the Wilderness Lodge Club lounge. They pipe in the music and the view is decent. But if they won't let you view from the lounge than you can watch the fireworks from Geyser Point. It isn't the best view but they do pipe in the music. The second less stressful way to watch the fireworks from outside the park is from the Contemporary. You can walk or take the monorail from MK. The 4th floor observation deck pipes in the music. Then you can take the resort boat from the Contemporary to the WL. That keeps you away from the insane traffic mess after the fireworks.

Although the view of the fireworks is best from TTC, second best from GF, getting back to the WL from either of those locations could be a huge nightmare. Taking any transportation that goes anywhere near the MK, like the monorail or boats, could take forever.

Yes, this (transportation) is what I was thinking as well. I didn't realize you could watch the fireworks from the lounge. We have never stayed club level, but we have stayed at WL so I know the trees block a lot. If we didn't have my grand daughter we would just go to Epcot or MK, but I don't want to do the crowd and fight back to the resort with her. Thanks for the reply.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

The MK fireworks on July 3rd and 4th are a different story. The show is different, it's very heavy on the actual fireworks and less on the projections. We watched from Poly both nights last year, and here's my two cents:

• The music for this special show is broadcast from the water parade barges which will be out on the lagoon. So you can hear it on the Poly beach and from the walkway area between the Poly and the Grand Floridian.
• Watching from these areas is really really great for this particular show--the fireworks fill the sky between GF and CR. They are shot off from more locations than the regular HEA fireworks.
• On the 4th, there will be a ton of people watching from these areas, and the Poly beach will (most likely) restrict access to those with dining reservation or guests of the resort. Last year they did restrict access, and it was still crazy crowded.
• On the 3rd, the crowd levels were much lower.

I suggest watching the MK fireworks from the Poly or area between Poly and GF on the 3rd, and doing something else on the 4th. I'd probably opt for the WL club lounge if I was in your position.

I think CR restricts access to its viewing area on these dates, and the area there were you can go without dining at Calif Grill is really small already.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

The only problem with the WL CL lounge is it only has two tiny balconies. It doesn’t really have any windows or other ways to see towards the MK, just the balconies. Depending on how many people have your same idea, it might not be ideal.

I’d also say that while the view is OK, it’s not what I would describe as a great view. Some pics below may help.

 

[Wood Nymph]

The only problem with the WL CL lounge is it only has two tiny balconies. It doesn’t really have any windows or other ways to see towards the MK, just the balconies. Depending on how many people have your same idea, it might not be ideal.

I had a very nice CM give me a tour of the WL lounge last March and it seemed to me that they combined the two small balconies into one large one, although I'm not too sure of that. But I agree that it could be very crowded on the 3rd or 4th.

We saw the fireworks on the 3rd of July from the Grand Floridian, in front of Gasparilla's. It was a wonderful view, but if I was to do it again I would watch from the boat dock area.