Watching Illiminations for free?

[billwendy]

Is there any way to get into epcot just to watch illuminations at night? i remember somebody mentioning a shopping pass before????

thanks, wendy

 

[disneydreamer98]

I have never heard of this. They do not even let you into a park to eat at a restaurant unless you purchase a park pass. If there is a way to watch Illuminations without buying a pass I would be VERY surprised. Good luck!

 

[billwendy]

Thanks, just wondering,,,,,,,

 

[ducklite]

There used to be a shopping pass, maybe ten years ago. Now, if you want to watch Illuminations, you'll have to buy a ticket.

Anne

 

[Lewisc]

Disney used to let guests enter EPCOT, through the International Gateway Entrance, to watch Illuminations for free. You were waved in just after the park lights dimmed. They stopped that almost 10 years ago, shortly after test track opened.

 

[princess pooh]

Once my brother and I were outside the gates watching Illuminations and they let us in the park for free. That was a looong time ago though and it hasn't happened since. The bridge to the Boardwalk is a good place outside the park to watch it though

 

[NHLFAN]

Is there any way to get into epcot just to watch illuminations at night? i remember somebody mentioning a shopping pass before????

thanks, wendy

Taken from Deb's allearsnet.com :

I have heard you can get a one hour shopping pass, what is this?

This was available from Guest Relations at the major parks at one time but seems it has largely gone the way of the dinosaurs. A 'shopping pass' as they were called is part of a "time limit" admission media. Distributing a time limit pass is an exception to the general admission media rules. All time limit admission media is distributed at the sole discretion of the Guest Relations CM distributing the media. Most will not allow it to be done anymore. My advice is if one CM tells you there is no such thing as a shopping pass that you ask him/her to check with their supervisor.

Part of the demise of these "shopping pass" admissions has been the result of Disney Merchandising. At one time, each park had many items that were specific to that park and were only available at that park. For example, a Splash Mountain sweatshirt could only be had in the Magic Kingdom itself. But now, the existence of park specific merchandise is extremely limited. A higher percentage of park merchandise is just as available outside the actual Theme Parks as inside their gates.

Just in case you find yourself the rare exception and still manage to obtain a one hour park shopping pass, here is how it works. This shopping pass is available only at the Guest Relations window at the four major parks. The deal is you must put a charge card imprint (they may take cash for it but I'm not sure) equal to the amount of a one day park pass at full price. You will have one hour to enter the park and do your shopping or whatever.

If you do not make it back to the same Guest Relations window within an hour, they will put your charge through as a purchase and you become the owner of a one day pass. If you do get back in time, the charge slip is voided and it will have cost you nothing.

This was set up to allow people to go back to a park to purchase an item or items that they forgot and are only available in the park. Only one person in your party will be allowed in on the shopping pass.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

the Swan has a pretty good view!...I'm not sure if you can see them if you aren't in a room though. I think you can also see them from the boardwalk itself.

 

[jlcbshaw]

I think you can also see them from the boardwalk itself.

Not very well, you can see a few of the fireworks that are higher, but that is about it. You also can not hear the music, which in my view is better than the actual show. What a score!

As others have said, walk to the actual entry gate at the International Gateway and you can stand outside the gate for free, but that is probably it.

 

[Lewisc]

If you're buying MYW tickets you might just add on a day. It is literally only a few dollars and might be worth it even if you're not going to be doing much more than watching Illuminations.

 

[bicker]

Disney used to let guests enter EPCOT, through the International Gateway Entrance, to watch Illuminations for free. You were waved in just after the park lights dimmed. They stopped that almost 10 years ago, shortly after test track opened.

Test Track opened eight years ago.

However, it was sometime after that that they stopped allowing folks in to see Illuminations without a valid (used) ticket. Folks were still able to see it for free into 1999. I think that ended with the beginning of the Millennium Celebration.

 

[Lewisc]

Test Track opened eight years ago.

However, it was sometime after that that they stopped allowing folks in to see Illuminations without a valid (used) ticket. Folks were still able to see it for free into 1999. I think that ended with the beginning of the Millennium Celebration.

I wasn't sure of the exact date it ended, I used that courtesy in the beginning of 1997. I'd heard it ended due to TT but no reason to doubt your information. Make sense they'd stop free Illuminations viewing when the new version came out for the Millenium celebration.

I posted to let others know it wasn't a "Disney legend".

 

[bicker]

Yah, understood. Your message just poked my curiosity about when these things actually happened, so I had to look it up in my old notes... thought I'd spread around what I found.

 

[castlegazer]

Wanted to resurrect this thread since it asks my exact question. I plan on heading over to the International Gateway to view Illuminations on our first night at WDW. We are staying only one day at the parks so we will only have a day pass for the next day - so no adding on a day to a pass just to enter Epcot to see this. I also want to see Illuminations since Wishes is at a time of night that does not work for my kids historically at this time in the season.

Where is the best spot for me to be at just prior to the park? Do you have a fairly good view? Can you hear the music?

 

[kdtwiss]

we are staying at CB and have heard you can actually see iluminations quite well from there - you may want to poke around abd find the CB FAQ thread and ask the resident experts. I would think a nice glass of wine sitting on one of the beaches over at CB would be better than hanging out in the parking lot!

 

[castlegazer]

Hmm, good point, but we could have dinner on the boardwalk and then stand at the gateway to see it.

 

[bicker]

There used to be a moderately decent view of Illuminations from the bridge between the Beach Club Resort and the BoardWalk Resort, up until 2000. After that, much of the show is below the treeline. Personally, I wouldn't bother seeing Illuminations if I couldn't get a spot right by the lagoon itself.

 

[annsteere]

You can see the high stuff from the sandy beach at the CB. But, no music, no lazer stuff, etc. We've enjoyed cuddling our kids in the big hammocks on a practically deserted stretch of sand. But it is NOT the same as being at the lagoon.

 

[mikess]

Hmm, good point, but we could have dinner on the boardwalk and then stand at the gateway to see it.

We watched it every night when we stayed at Boardwalk. You can't really see the whole show, but the fireworks are awesome and Broadwalk is FREE. There is a nice grassy area between Broadwalk & the B&Y Club to sit.