I seem to recall that there was a decent viewing spot (including music and projections) that you could get to in a more of a last minute way instead of camping out. Can anyone help with this or am I actually dreaming it?
Also, I’m vertically challenged-5’0"-so I need to be able to see over things. No funds for the party and DH doesn’t want to spend 60-90 minutes waiting in a spot. I’m aware that this may be an impossible ask lol.
ETA: I’ll be there near the end of this month, MK day not on a weekend.
I can’t speak to this, really, since we stayed to watch HEA for the first time in years this past March 9th. But we did get into the central hub area about 45 minutes before the show. It was already crowded, and the CMs were telling people to cram together even more. About 30 minutes before the show, there was a public announcement made that was saying the Main Street area was a maximum capacity. They weren’t letting anyone else into Main Street nor the Central Hub at that point.
My wife is 5’ 0" (on a good day), so we were very fortunate to find ourselves standing behind this family consisting of entirely short people…even the mom and dad. So, her view was unobstructed. It ended up being a great location…but we entirely lucked out in that.
We did ask a CM when we first got to the (very crowded) hub area about where to go. She looked at my wife’s height and told us to press forward toward the front, because apparently it is easier for short people to see the closer you are.
So…I would definitely try to get there early if you want to watch. And I don’t think it is a good idea to even have one person find a spot. There was a family near us that tried to hold a spot for their parents (maybe?), but by the time the parents were trying find them, the CMs were not allowing anyone through.
Definitely keep in mind, though, that you were there in peak crowds (spring break).
I’ve never had quite that experience of hearing Main Street and Hub were at capacity.
I don’t think there is anything guaranteed that has it all in a last minute time frame, especially for the vertically challenged.
Any last minute advice I’ve heard that included projections was more of the “slide into the gaps” or hover by some certain taped off area and spring into action when the CMs let people eventually flood into the space.
(We thought about the hover technique years ago, but the CMs were not having anyone hanging around and kept us moving.)
I’m not a last minute fan, especially at over 6 feet I feel bad sliding in front of anyone.
(And now my son is taller than me so double trouble!)
My DW and DD are on the smaller end of the spectrum - so even if we did slide in, small chance (no pun intended) they’d have a good view anyway, in my experience.
I can’t blame him. We just saw it, and was a bit disappointed. Not nearly as good as Wishes was. I wouldn’t go out of my way to see it again anytime soon.
I watched from Poly beach and from the grassy knoll, I watched from Contemporary rooftop, and I watched from Grand Flo Ferry dock. I would say ferry dock was my fave.
I ran into this in early December 2022 on an evening when MK had a late close.
The CMs tape off a walkway that passes by the Christmas Shoppe, the Portrait Gallery, then makes a hard right turn just before the bridge to the Hub. Security and CMs absolutely do not allow anyone to stand or pause in that tapped off walkway as it is the only exit from Liberty Square (remember the Hub is 100% full). In the area of the Portrait Gallery are some set-back spaces where you can stand outside of the tape and not have anyone block your view for any extended period. You have an unobstructed (but not head on) view of the castle and the overhead view is clear. This is by no means an ideal view but it does save you from having to camp out in the Hub or Main Street. I was able to get this spot around 20 min before show time.
I echo what Ryan1 said (about viewing not Wishes) as this mirrors our experience last July. Very busy 45 minutes out and at 30 minutes they shoved everyone closer - it wasn’t too bad as people who were sat down then stood and it created a ton more space. Anything less than this and you’ll be on a restricted view. HEA is the only thing I’d willingly wait an hour for and trying to bag a spot in front of a hedge or something is probably the only way to guarantee a view - what with phones being held up and kids on shoulders. Just don’t choose a point in a pathway that they close off!
