Originally Posted By Nelsonian First time posting, but have read a lot of the threads. We are planning a trip to the US in early April for 3 weeks, ending with 5 days in Disneyland from Sun 15th April -Friday 20th April. My plan was to get a 3 day park hopper for Disney and the other 2 days would be spent at Universal Studio's and Sea World. However I really really really really wanted to see the fireworks and now discover after checking the calendar that the only night we can get to see them will be on the first night ie the Sunday. The problem is we don't arrive at John Wayne airport until 5pm and probably won't check into the Candy Cane Inn until 6.30pm have a meal could be 7.30pm. If we go into the park that night to see the fireworks will that use up a day on our 3 day hopper pass? Is there another alternative like finding a great place outside the park to see them or am I going to have to miss out. I really wanted to see Fantasmic too and that is not schedueld at all. I guess I chose the wrong time to go. I should have scheduled the first week in April instead. Any ideas how to get a great view of the fireworks.
Originally Posted By CoreyJepSLC We have stayed at the Paradise Pier Hotel several times and even though we havent tried it I am told you are able to see the fireworks at Disneyland from the rooftop pool area. The reason I mention this is I believe from other posts here that the hotel has the sound from the show piped into the pool area as well. This would give you the best total show I believe. Since I havent done this before maybe others may confirm this. I dont believe you need a hotel key to get into this area but again I may be wrong.
Originally Posted By jomach08 You can watch it from the Main Entry Plaza (The area between DL and DCA). Last time I checked, they played the music there, but that may have changed. That will give you roughly the same view as Mainstreet, plus the music. If you want a completely different view, the top level of the parking structure is a nice place to watch.
Originally Posted By redlegtwo I've seen the fireworks from the pool at the Paradise Pier. They do have sound there, and it's a great place to see the fireworks if you can't be inside the park. You can also see the fireworks from the second level of the Candy Cane Inn, but there won't be music. I thought the fireworks started at about 9:25. Do they start sooner than that when you're there? If they start at 9:25, I think you'll have plenty of time to find a spot to watch the fireworks. If you go into the park to see the fireworks that night it will use up a day of your park hopper pass.
Originally Posted By Nelsonian Thansk everyone. Can you just walk into the Paradise Pier Hotel without being a guest there. Is there a specific entrance we should use? We are travelling from New Zealand so want to make the most of this trip. I have just dicovered too that Splash Mountain will be down when we are there. Now I'm really sad!!!!
Originally Posted By redlegtwo Yes you can just walk into the Paradise Pier Hotel without being a guest. Walk through Downtown Disney towards the Disneyland Hotel, turn left at the book store (I think it's called Compass Books) and walk towards the Paradise Pier Hotel. The pool is on the 3rd floor. I believe you can just walk up the stairs at the parking structure of the hotel and access the pool area. The parking area will be on your right. You can also turn left into the hotel and take the elevator to the 3rd floor to access the pool. As you face the pool, turn right and walk to the end of the patio area. That's where the music is piped in. It's been over a year since I've done this, so if any of my information is wrong I hope someone will correct it.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss Just go to the top of the Mickey and Friends parking structure... great view!
Originally Posted By Nelsonian Thanks for the info. I think we might have to splash out on a 4 day hopper pass only $ 20.00 extra per person and go inside to get the total experience.
Originally Posted By retlawfan I agree with trekkeruss. We've gone to the top level of the M&F parking structure to watch. No music though. I have never tried the PP pool area. It is not as close as the parking structure, so the music vs. distance might be a consideration.
Originally Posted By ni_teach > Just go to the top of the Mickey and Friends parking structure... great view! I will second this location. It's a great place to see the fireworks.
Originally Posted By DlandDug Welcome to the boards! If you do get the extra day, go straight to Disneyland, have your meal there, followed by the fireworks. Since this is the only time to see the fireworks, if you are outside, I recommend the plaza between the Parks. You will see only the high bursts (that's most of them), and I cannot say for certain that the sound will be piped in. (I have never heard the soundtrack there.) But for the ambience, it is much better than other locations around the perimeter of the park.
Originally Posted By jomach08 For on top of the parking structure, I have the music on my iPod. It works out great. One time we even moved the car close to the walkway, and played the music from there. As for music in the main entry plaza, I've heard the music there before, but also have been there when the music was not played. I'm not sure what the current policy is. Also, if you are close enough to the DL gates, you can kind of hear the music from town square.
Originally Posted By Schmitty Good Vibes Back in the old days, there used to be a restaurant in Anaheim called Ruby Begonia’s. It’s been so long ago now that I’m not entirely sure where it was, but my memory says it was immediately across I-5 from Fantasyland when I-5 didn’t have so many lanes. On top of the restaurant was a lounge and deck put there just to watch the fireworks. That WAS the best place outside the park to watch the fireworks, because they used to be launched from just in back of the area that is now Toon Town. You seemed to be closer to those fireworks on that deck than you were at the Hub. Also back in the old days, the best place to watch the fireworks INSIDE the Park was on top of the Captain Hook Pirate Ship! That is, if you liked things that went BOOM!! Anyone else get to do that?
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <Also back in the old days, the best place to watch the fireworks INSIDE the Park was on top of the Captain Hook Pirate Ship! That is, if you liked things that went BOOM!! Anyone else get to do that?> Yes, absolutely. It rocked. Especially because my sister hated loud noises and was so annoyed when we watched from there. Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha. You also got a good look at where Tinkerbell used to end up.
Originally Posted By atigger2 I stayed at the PP four years ago and I am pretty sure you needed a room key card to get into the pool area. I had tried to use the same room key card to swim at the Disneyland Hotel and it didn't work, much to the dismay of my family. It sounds to me like the parking structure would be your best bet.
