ECV during parades and fireworks

[lolcow]

I would like to see the fireworks at MK but cannot recall, do they have a special area for ECVs? Does Illuminations also have a special area?

I recall being in a special area for the MK afternoon parade, is this still in place?

Thank you

 

[Simba's Mom]

I wondered this also, especially illuminations. And if they have them, how good? How crowded?

 

[lolcow]

I wondered this also, especially illuminations. And if they have them, how good? How crowded?

The MK parade one was really good but it got busy very quickly.

 

[RaySharpton]

I wondered this also, especially illuminations. And if they have them, how good? How crowded?

Hi, Simba's Mom. Here is a link to some photos that I took in December 2018 for watching EPCOT's Illuminations Handicap/Accessible sections.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/epcot-handicap-illumination-viewing-spots-photos-12-2018.3724971/

I give more details in the link above as well as FP+ section.

 

[gap2368]

MK now has a spot for the fireworks but it gets full fast

 

[RaySharpton]

I would like to see the fireworks at MK but cannot recall, do they have a special area for ECVs? Does Illuminations also have a special area?

I recall being in a special area for the MK afternoon parade, is this still in place?

Thank you

Magic Kingdom Guide Map showing handicap areas for firework viewing.

Best viewing areas

The walkway beyond the fenced-in green space between the two columns will be a roped off area before the fireworks. Look to the left of the guest in the partially orange jacket. This is on the same side as The Plaza Restaurant.

This is a mirror section on the other side near the Crystal Palace that will be roped off before the fireworks.

Pretty good view for the fireworks, but you must get there pretty early. The rows can be about four deep from the fence. This photo is from the front row of the fence. The green space with the fountain and next fence is in the photo.

For the parades:

Here is a photo of Magic Kingdom City Hall, restrooms, and the Fire Department. The Disney cast members are playing jump rope and they still have the poles up for a parade. I haven't seen the accessible area for mobility scooters since they moved it to this area supposedly in front of the City Hall/restroom area.

This is not a very good photo and it is older. You can see the wheelchair area on the left lower part of the photo during a slow day, I think. It is located on the center island and on the lower quarter segment of the island. It takes up about one-quarter of the center island in front of the castle. I notice that they don't have the poles and ropes up in this photo like they usually do. If you were looking straight at the castle it would be located on a clock at between the 3:00 o'clock and the 6:00 o'clock area of the center circle at the end of Main Street.

This is a photo of the Frontierland accessible viewing area. They have the rope and poles up on this one. Across from the handicap, the area is the Hall of Presidents.
.

 

[Talking Hands]

The area by City Hall is actually a terrible spot compared to when it was on the opposite side. Best try for the Hub or the area by the liberty Bell and across from Hall of the Presidents. On Mon and Thurs a portion of the area across from the Liberty Bell is reserved for guests who use ASL interpreting. it is the area closest the the Bell.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Hi, Simba's Mom. Here is a link to some photos that I took in December 2018 for watching EPCOT's Illuminations Handicap/Accessible sections.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/epcot-handicap-illumination-viewing-spots-photos-12-2018.3724971/

I give more details in the link above as well as FP+ section.

Thanks so much Ray. The one by Canada looks like a cool area to see Illuminations in September for one last time before it leaves. I see that the sign says "available after 8:00". Would you recommend being there right at 8:00, or is closer to 8:30 OK then? I really don't want to hold down space for an hour, unless it's needed. And now that I see the Liberty Square one in MK, I might check out the afternoon parade next time!

 

[mamamelody2]

Thanks so much Ray. The one by Canada looks like a cool area to see Illuminations in September for one last time before it leaves. I see that the sign says "available after 8:00". Would you recommend being there right at 8:00, or is closer to 8:30 OK then? I really don't want to hold down space for an hour, unless it's needed. And now that I see the Liberty Square one in MK, I might check out the afternoon parade next time!

I know this isn't quite an answer to your question, BUT, when we were in Epcot last September, my son was in a wheelchair. We didn't realize there was wheelchair/ECV viewing. We watched Illuminations from Japan. We got to our spot about 30 minutes early and had no problem at all getting right up front. It was a really great spot!

 

[RaySharpton]

Thanks so much Ray. The one by Canada looks like a cool area to see Illuminations in September for one last time before it leaves. I see that the sign says "available after 8:00". Would you recommend being there right at 8:00, or is closer to 8:30 OK then? I really don't want to hold down space for an hour, unless it's needed. And now that I see the Liberty Square one in MK, I might check out the afternoon parade next time!

It is a very good place and also one of the more popular sites since it is near Canada.

Although the trees provide shade during the day, some guest may not like the trees blocking the higher fireworks.

The FP+ section fills up very early. I have lined up over an hour before they open.

The others depend on how busy EPCOT is that day. It also depends on how many wheelchairs/mobility scooters show up that day. Sometimes there is no one in 2000, other times there may be several there early. The time listed just means the time a cast member is supposed to show up and set up the rope gates and rope fence. Sometimes they will ask other guests to leave for the handicap viewers when the cast member shows up at their designated time of 2000 for that day.

I would go by there during the day and check out space next to the fence next to the lake to see what it looks like.

Most people don't show up for this spot very early, but they have wheelchairs/mobility scooter line up next to the fence and once full they try and line up the rest behind those.

I like that one in MK, too. But that one fills up early sometimes, too.

If you have any questions just ask the cast member when they show up.

 

[RaySharpton]

I know this isn't quite an answer to your question, BUT, when we were in Epcot last September, my son was in a wheelchair. We didn't realize there was wheelchair/ECV viewing. We watched Illuminations from Japan. We got to our spot about 30 minutes early and had no problem at all getting right up front. It was a really great spot!

Yes, there are a lot of nice non-handicap areas to sit at the fence and that is a nice one.

I think that like parades, sometimes there are people standing to your immediate left and immediate right when sitting in a mobility scooter. And because the seat is 1-2 space back, you may only be able to see straight ahead for parades. Not as important for some guests watching Illuminations.

The nice things about Disney's designated handicap reserved spaces is that the person next to you is the same height and not the guest's bottom height of a standing guest.

 

[ttintagel]

The drawback I experienced watching Illuminations from the front row in a non-HA area is that parents further back will send their small chldren to elbow their way through the crowd to the front. Several of these unsupervised youngsters climbed on my ECV, one of them standing on my broken foot