Epcot's Private Fireworks Cruise

A few months back, my sister and I surprised our parents with a private Disney fireworks cruise.

I have had the opportunity to do these types of cruises several times and absolutely love them!

I have done the fireworks cruises for both Magic Kingdom and Epcot and at the end of this post I'll tell you which one I prefer!

We kept this cruise a secret until we actually arrived to the Disney Boardwalk.  Let me back up a moment.  During this trip, we were actually staying at Disney's Wilderness Lodge. The boat was docked at Crescent Lake ( near the Disney Boardwalk, Yacht and Beach Club).  We did not have a car with us at the resort at this time, so we relied on Disney transportation.  From the front of Wilderness Lodge, we got on the bus for Hollywood Studios. To our surprise, it was a charter bus and we were the only ones on it! 

My family is pretty active and mobility is not a problem, so we like to walk. We walked from the bus stop at Hollywood Studios to the Boardwalk resort area.  It Probably took us about 10-12 minutes. It was a nice walk.  The friendship boats that run from Hollywood Studios to the Boardwalk resort area are another option to get the the Yacht Club.

We checked in at the marina at the Yacht and Beach Club resort and met our captain. Her name was also Miranda! We knew that we would have plenty of snacks and drinks on board, but we were told that we could also bring libations if we wished. With that, Lacey head in to the Market Place at the Beach Club to get an adult beverage to bring on board!

We were ready to go by 7:45 pm. There were about 5 other boats going out at this time. These are large pontoon boats and I believe they accommodate up to 10 guests. 

We cruised around the lake, past the Swan and Dolphin resorts, past the Boardwalk Villas, and in front of Hollywood Studios. We were cruising around until sunset. We had some great conversations with our captain before heading to Epcot through the International Gateway entrance. 

We found our place in line with the other boats and had a perfect view for the show.  

The show we saw this night was Harmonious. I've also seen Illuminations from this vantage point and I have to say as much as I enjoyed Harmonious, Illuminations will always be my favorite, it's a classic! On the other hand, I did really enjoy that Harmonious brought in so many songs from popular Disney movies. That was nice that it was music the whole family could recall. 

The fireworks cruise is pricey but it is so worth it. 

1. You can potentially split the cost with up to 10 passengers making this a great deal!

2. Free snacks and beverages! 

You know Mickey rice crispy treats are approximately $5 a piece and I think we got 5 of them in our snack basket along with brownies, cookies, chips, and pretzels.

3. This is the best view in the house, hands down.  

4. You don't have to waste hours out of your day to get a "good spot" for the show.

5. You have comfortable seating. 

6. When the show is over, you can beat the crowd out.

7. You don't even need a park ticket to see the show!

For these reasons, I think a fireworks cruise is the perfect option for families traveling with older folks that will need somewhere comfortable to sit without being in a crowd.  It's also a great option if you are not going to visit all the parks during your trip.  If you have more than 4 people in your family/party, paying for the fireworks cruise is cheaper per person than purchasing park tickets for everyone. 

I have done fireworks cruise for both Epcot and Magic Kingdom. You can read about my Magic Kingdom Fireworks cruise HERE. Because there are so many other places outside of the park to watch Magic Kingdom Fireworks ( like on the Polynesian beach or on the observation deck at the Contemporary), I think it is more beneficial to do the Epcot fireworks cruise. Also, when you are out on the water in front of Magic Kingdom, you can not see any of the castle projections, therefore it takes away part of the show. Now don't get me wrong, you can still enjoy the Magic Kingdom Fireworks without seeing the castle projections, we do it all the time. But my point is, if you are going to pay a premium to see the fireworks show from a great vantage point, then you should see ALL of the show.  With the Epcot fireworks cruise, I feel that you get to see ALL of the show from the best vantage point.  

To book a Fireworks cruise for either Epcot or Magic Kingdom, you will book through the "Enchanted Extras" department and ask for a "specialty Cruise. You can book at 60 days out ( or at least that was the rule when I booked) More information can be found HERE or call (407) WDW-PLAY

Do you think a Fireworks cruise would be a good option for your family? -M