Spectromagic questions

[scrapmoose]

1. We have an ADR for CP at 7:35pm will this leave us enough time to eat and then get to a spot to watch the parade?

2. Where is the best (least crowded) spot to watch the parade and not have to stake out the seats for hours?

3. How long in between the Parade and Wishes? We want to see the Parade but also see Tink fly in wishes.

Thanks for your help. We will be there mid May and can't wait.

 

[Jules76126]

Well I can't remember if the Parade is at 8 or 830 but either way you will probably miss it. Even with a ADR they still make you wait when you check in, although it is so worth it. I have watched wishes from many points (outside the CP, near the enterance to Liberty square, in front of the castle) I found that any spot was really good and you can usually get one right up until the fireworks begin. If you are looking for less crowds you should stand outside CP or somewhere around there, it gets pretty crowded near the front of the castle. Wishes is at 10 right now. I know that the parade runs again after wishes around 11. If you want a good spot for the parade that isnt crowded I would recommend the bridge that goes from the castle into LIberty square. All the floats go right over the bridge and you basically have a front row seat, plus there is less crowds there than on mainstreet, and since the area is secluded there isnt a lot of foot traffic flow.

 

[Robo]

Because the SpectroMagic parade STARTS at the front and moves SLOWLY to the back of MK, there is big difference in "wait time" between the end of the parade (depending on where YOU are standing) and the beginning of Wishes (which can be seen at the SAME TIME throughout the park).

If you watch from near the Main Street Train Station at the FRONT of MK:
Parade Starts- 9:00pm
Parade Over- 9:20pm
>>"Between" wait time- 40 minutes
Wishes Starts- 10:00pm
Wishes Over- 10:13pm

If you watch from near the Splash Mountain at the BACK of MK:
Parade Starts- 9:25pm
Parade Over- 9:45pm
>>"Between" wait time- 15 minutes
Wishes Starts- 10:00pm
Wishes Over- 10:13pm

The preferred spot to watch Wishes is from Main Street or somewhere around the "Hub" (the circular area right in front of the Castle where the other "Lands" are entered.)
The real "SWEET SPOT" is exactly in front of the ICE CREAM shop.
(Don't stand under the umbrella tables, just NEAR them.)
From this spot, the fireworks appear "centered" over the castle from there (very crowded).
Up Main Street as far as the PAL MICKEY store is great viewing as well.
This is where Wishes is DESIGNED to be fully appreciated.
The Castle's front facade (with added lighting and projections) is actually a part of the show.

NOTE: If you go up toward the train station any FARTHER than the PAL MICKEY store... they DON"T turn off the LIGHTS of Main Street in that area. So you'll be viewing with hundreds of lights still in your line-of-sight.

The next-preferred spot is on the bridge between the Hub and Tomorrowland (on the Hub end, not Tomorrowland.)

"Tinkerbell" also flies from the top of the castle over to just above the "Noodle Station" open-air restaurant at one point early in the show.

The reason to see Wishes at least ONCE from the "sweet spot(s)" is that there are "front" fireworks (fired from the roofs of Fantasyland) that are best viewed from in front of the castle.
There are "rear" fireworks that are aimed to erupt behind (and centered over) the Castle.
So, if you can withstand the CRUSH of people, and don't mind the longer "in-between" wait time after the parade goes by, the Main Street area is tops for viewing "Wishes".

WARNING: No matter how tempting in may seem... Do NOT stand on the sidewalk between the Hub and Frontierland OR on the sidewalk between the Hub and Adventureland... the (nearly INVISIBLE in the dark) trees BLOCK the main fireworks and the sound is ABSENT/MUFFLED here (by design?).

AND in spite of how good the idea may look before the show, unless you KNOW EXACTLY what you're doing, do not attempt to view Wishes from the Noodle Station seating area.
The main fireworks are hidden from MOST of the seats at this restaurant area and they don't kill the lights or pipe in the music.

There are PLENTY of other places to see both SpectroMagic and Wishes.
Many here have their favorites.
MY spot is way back in Frontierland by the "Turkey Leg Stand" (we don't eat the legs, but its a great place to view the parade!) As I stated above, the parade reaches this spot by about 9:25pm.

Then, RIGHT after the parade ends, we jog across the "bridge" to Splash Mountain and take a quick ride ("nobody" is in the queue, most folks are still at the parade route).

Then, after the Splash ride, we walk back to the "bridge" from Frontierland and usually get there just in time to see ALL of "Wishes" from there.
The SOUND is supplied back there, and you can see nearly everything (including Tinkerbell).
The things you MISS back there are the fun/beautiful castle-front effects and the symmetry of being in the "center of the stage" for the fireworks.
But the fireworks are HUGE, regardless, and the BIGGEST ones ("rear" fireworks) are actually sent UP from the back of MK, near BTMRR and Splash.

So pick your spot, and enjoy the show.

 

[scrapmoose]

Thank you so much Excellent information.

I think I will try and change the ADR for earlier or for an early breakfast some other day.

 

[MickeyMaz]

Great Post. Can anyone add anything to this? We are going in early December.

 

[Princess Amy]

We saw spectro last week and they started at 9pm. We had dinner at Narcoossee's (great dinner by the way) and headed to the MK afterwards. Since the parade already started when we entered the park it was wall to wall people lining the streets. I was quite disappointed, but hey what did I expect coming in late. Anyways, I happened to look up at the train station landing at the beginning of Main Street and it was empty. Just a few people here and there. So we decided to snatch a spot "up above". It was the most wonderful spot I have ever had to view spectro. You could see everything!!!! Our pictures came out wonderful!! I definitly recommend staking a spot out here.

 

[iwynlea]

We've seen Spectro from several places, but my favorite is in the area in front of the Frontierland Shooting Gallery. There's sort of a "courtyard' created with the shooting gallery at your back. Move toward the building on the right, and right up to the rope, which is at a slight angle, and you'll find yourself being able to see the parade as it makes the turn from Liberty Square into Frontierland so you can see the floats coming at you. Then, you have a great view of the sides of the floats, too, as the way that the ropes are secured here you're actually closer to the floats than at other places in the parade.

From this spot, I have had Cinderella in her carriage notice my birthday button and say Happy Birthday to me (a year ago) - this year she noticed my mouse ears and said she liked them (and yes, you can actually hear her voice from this location!), and many characters come over to give you a high-5 or a hug (especially if there's kids here).

We've also seen it from the Hub and in front of Splash where it ends backstage. There's really no 'bad' place that I've ever found! I love Spectro, and we make it a point to see it every trip!

 

[Karnak]

Excellent detailed post on the SpectroMagic by Robo. Good advice all the way.

I once got lucky, ending up with yet another excellent viewing spot for the parade, but quite by accident. In fact, I hadn't even planned to watch the parade at all on that particular evening.

I had made a dinner reservation at Tony's Town Square Restaurant for 7:00 (Sunday, March 19), planning to enjoy EMH in the park afterwards.

After a brief wait, I was seated at a table on the railing overlooking Main Street. I enjoyed an excellent meal, and watched the parade while having desert. Couldn't have been better, and made my day even better than it already was.

But if one attempted to plan it that way, it might be difficult to do. Don't know that you could be assured of getting a table outside. And it might depend somewhat on the size of your party. I was traveling solo that day.

Enjoy.

 

[HappyCamperToo]

AND in spite of how good the idea may look before the show, unless you KNOW EXACTLY what you're doing, do not attempt to view Wishes from the Noodle Station seating area. The main fireworks are hidden from MOST of the seats at this restaurant area and they don't kill the lights or pipe in the music.

This rest. used to have a different name, right? And it was closed for a long while? If I'm picturing it right, isn't it kind of like on a pathway between main street and tomorrowland, and tink flies right above it? There is seating on sort of a raised patio, and there's a covering, too? I think I've watched Wishes from a railside table here (brought DD some food from another restaurant), and thought I was seeing a great show. Did I miss things that I don't even know I missed? Or are the railing views good views? I was all set to go back to this spot in about 60 days!, but now I'm wondering....

 

[QueenT]

Just got back from a trip that ended 10/12, we found a great spot for spectromagic right in front of the train station on main street. DH actually sat in the shoeshine chair and had an awesome view, there is lots of room right there and not very crowded, you are above the people lined up on the street but about eyelevel with the floats, so it is great. You can also sit on the main set of stairs or up above on the terrace. The shoe shine chair is the best though.

This is not such a great spot for wishes, you can't hear the music as well under the terrace & you don't get such a good fireworks view. But if you step out onto main street the view is good. And you are positioned for a quick exit. It took us only 17 minutes to exit MK, board monorail, exit monorail, & walk to car (we were parked pretty close).

 

[Robo]

This rest. used to have a different name, right? And it was closed for a long while? If I'm picturing it right, isn't it kind of like on a pathway between main street and tomorrowland, and tink flies right above it? There is seating on sort of a raised patio, and there's a covering, too? I think I've watched Wishes from a railside table here (brought DD some food from another restaurant), and thought I was seeing a great show. Did I miss things that I don't even know I missed? Or are the railing views good views? I was all set to go back to this spot in about 60 days!, but now I'm wondering....

Yes, that's the restaurant in question.

Most tables down there have a severely blocked view of the main fireworks.
But there ARE a few (very few) of the tables that are good for seeing the show.
The problem is you must either KNOW exactly which ones are prime, or be incredibly LUCKY, to pick the right ones.

I shot a 6-camera video recording of Wishes earlier this year and took 3 nights to determine which table to stake-out for the best camera position from this area.

(No, not all of the "railing" tables are good ones... in fact, many are blocked by the monoliths that are a part of the bridge that goes between the Hub and Tomorrowland.)

Regardless, the lack of good sound and the fact that the CMs leave the ceiling lights on during the show are a couple of negatives, from the "get-go."