Fantasmic or World of Color

[meredith55]

We are going in October and were surprised to see Fantasmic scheduled for Thursday, the 9th. We had not planned on that, so now I'm torn. Not sure my kids will be able to stay up late two nights in a row to see WOC and Fantasmic. If you could choose just one, which would you choose? My kids are 6 and under if that makes a difference. Thanks!!

 

[figment_jii]

We are going in October and were surprised to see Fantasmic scheduled for Thursday, the 9th. We had not planned on that, so now I'm torn. Not sure my kids will be able to stay up late two nights in a row to see WOC and Fantasmic. If you could choose just one, which would you choose? My kids are 6 and under if that makes a difference. Thanks!!

That is a tough question because both shows have their fans and their dissenters. I too am surprised that there will be a Fantasmic on 10/9, but the only thing I can think of is that they expect higher than historic crowds for the Columbus Day weekend. I also wouldn't be surprised if that turned out to be a glitch/error in the calendar (along with being open until 11:00 pm).

If you do have the option of seeing either show, I would probably start by watching both on YouTube to see if either show seems better suited for your family. They are very different, both in terms of style, effects, and elements.

I generally think that Fantasmic! can be scarier than WoC for young children because of the snake (Kaa) and the dragon (Maleficent). It does, however, also have some of the better non-water screen elements (e.g., the Columbia, the Mark Twain, the dragon, etc.). For information about the viewing area and other tips, you can check out the two SuperThreads.
WoC: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2542717
Fantasmic: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2671983

For me, personally, I always choose Fantasmic over WoC, but I don't small children with me. I went to see WoC with a little one once (3 years old) and she really liked the show. She wasn't scared by it, but she did have to be held up to see the show. They do not want parents to place their children on their shoulders (or on trash cans), so she had to be held up like a sack of potatoes. The viewing area is not friendly to children or short adults, which is one of the reasons I don't like WoC as much as Fantasmic! If you can't see the water surface, you're missing out on a lot of the show...which makes it kind of not worth seeing. Much of Fantasmic is above the water surface, so you can see it even if you're on the shorter side.

I know this isn't a clear "go see this show" answer...ultimately, I would watch the YouTube videos and decide which is better for your family.

 

[disney world dreamer]

i'm not a fan of fantasmic.
i absolutely loved world of color.
i just had to see it twice while there!

 

[superlarz]

I would pick Fantasmic, but I would never go to a first or only showing, due to not being willing to camp out to get a seat. So in your case, I would choose WoC. I also thing the Mark Twain is going under refurb soon, and in that case, the finale of Fantasmic is underwhelming.

 

[jcarwash]

I think I've give the nod to Fantastmic! because it's more character-centric and so might have more appeal to your kids. There are some scary parts (like any Disney attraction or show) but Mickey is the hero and it's just so exciting.

But, with one showing it's going to required more planning and time to get a good spot. When there are two showings, the second show is much easier to get a spot with less than an hour wait time. With the first show, people start camping out spots in the late afternoon.

I love World of Color, but my wife and I think World of Color is harder to see with small children. It's a standing show, so assuming you're not standing up against a railing, you're likely to have people in front of you, and you'll probably have to hold your kids up for the 25-30 minute duration. An advantage to WoC is that your FastPass admits you in the viewing area, so you'd be looking at an hour or so ahead of time to get into a viewing spot, and then you are also allowed to come and go if necessary. So from that perspective it's a little more organized/controlled than Fantasmic!

 

[figment_jii]

I would pick Fantasmic, but I would never go to a first or only showing, due to not being willing to camp out to get a seat. So in your case, I would choose WoC. I also thing the Mark Twain is going under refurb soon, and in that case, the finale of Fantasmic is underwhelming.

Have the crowds significantly eased for WoC? I remember having to get there super early (~90 minutes) if you wanted to secure a descent spot to see WoC. I know Fantasmic can be busy, especially the first or only showing, but WoC seems worse to me because it's all standing and there are very few good viewing spots if you're on the shorter side.

 

[DisneyBiskit]

I would do WOC just because of the crowd factor. I HATE being in New Orleans Square during that time because it is literally wall to wall people and I start to get panicky. To me, its more manageable over in DCA for WOC.

 

[KateDrake]

I love both, but if I could only choose one, it would have to be WOC. Fantasmic! is very nostalgic for me, but I also feel like the show is quite dated.

Something else that may help you decide is to determine which type of characters your kids like more. F! doesn't have any of the Pixar characters, and it's more based on the classic, older movies. Think Peter Pan, Jungle Book, Sleeping Beauty, Fantasia. There is also a big princess chunk in there.

WOC has more of the newer characters. So Pixar, Lion King, Little Mermaid, etc. I hadn't really thought about that, but when we took my DD (then 3) to see F! the first time, she didn't recognize a lot of the characters. But in WOC she recognized just about everyone.

 

[aacvacation]

I have never seen Fantasmic, on either coast. Maybe I have no say here because of that, if so, sorry. On the other hand I saw WOC (2 or 3 years ago) and I am not joking when I say that to this day I would pay my 2 day admission all over again just to have seen that show. Of course, that was like a once in a lifetime trip for me and the show was relatively new, and we had gotten the premiere viewing spot because we had dinner at Ariel's Grotto (which was just ok but worth the spot). So I guess it really depends on your circumstances. But I think this show shouldn't be missed.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

I haven't seen either and are having the same dilemma for the Sunday prior.
I had decided on Fantasmic due to the the Gay Day schedule meaning WOC will be even more crowded than usual, but since reading that the Mark Twain is out of action, I'm now swaying back towards WOC.
I have seen Fantasmic at WDW and was underwhelmed. But having watched a YouTube video of the DL version, I had to agree that the finale at DL is quite a bit better. Now with the Mark Twain out of action, I'm not convinced the fight to get a good seat will be worth it.
In fact, I'm starting to weigh up the option of skipping both shows altogether and making the most of lighter queues on the rides.

 

[jbgdst]

Easily Fantasmic.

 

[mesaboy2]

Easily World Of Color.

 

[summerw]

I would for sure watch a youtube of fantasmic. There are some clips they show projected on the water that are about 3 minutes made up of every scary Disney scene with red eyes or an angry face. DS5 has been a fan of hm and every scary thing there is since he was 2 and fantasmic scares him a little. That's all aside from the giant dragon but he loves malificent. I personally think fantasmic is really dated.

We both really love world or color. Read the word of color super thread on here to help you get a good spot. If your stroller is the kind you can, I always have my son stand on his stroller seat and I put my arm around him. Then he's about the same height as the adults and I don't get dead arm holding him that long. Grabbing dinner to eat in your spot is a great way to pass the time and you and another adult could tag team the kids to the bathroom. Ds5 usually ends up making friends with the kids waiting near us and the time flies.

So if it's just about getting a good spot, fantasmic may have a slight edge, but I think woc definitely has the edge in terms of the show unless your desire to see peter and hook fight on the pirate ship (best 2 minutes of fantasmic IMHO) or see a lot of characters wave as they float by outweighs scary clips, neon monkeys and really really bad music. Plus the herding before and after fantasmic can be a rough crowd.

 

[Midnightred]

We had reserved areas for both last time we were there, and everyone in my family preferred WOC. It is just indescribable.

Midnightred

 

[Mabel67]

Fantasmic hands down. But only with dessert package.

 

[ColdNeverBotheredMe]

World of Color, definitely.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I personally enjoy Fantasmic much more than WOC. For some reason projections on water is just dull for me despite the music and fire effects, though many love the show. However, as a child Fantasmic terrified me! My parents waited awhile before they took us again lol. (If only WOC had been an option a couple decades ago.) As previously recommended YouTube is a great option for previewing the shows, though nothing compares to seeing the shows in person.

 

[Fantaluminishes]

How to see World of Color without leaving your home.
1. Turn out the lights, or move your big screen tv outdoors at night.
1. Put on a DVD or Blu-Ray of your favorite non-classic Disney/Pixar film.
2. Using a spray bottle filled with water, or a garden hose, simply spray water in front of your tv, creating a "screen" of water with the movie playing behind it.

Tip: For an even more realistic experience, invite every person in your neighborhood to cram into a tight space to watch the presentation, and be sure to stand behind all of them. Or, take your family to a nice, expensive dinner before your show, and then return home, but have everyone in your neighborhood stand behind you and your family as you watch the presentation.

DONE!!

Now...If you want to see real characters, dancers, live action and fireworks, Fantasmic is the only option. Sure, it will be crowded, but by the time the show comes around, you will be used to crowds.

 

[lucysmom]

Fantasmic dessert package is the way to go

 

[Amilo]

How to see World of Color without leaving your home.
1. Turn out the lights, or move your big screen tv outdoors at night.
1. Put on a DVD or Blu-Ray of your favorite non-classic Disney/Pixar film.
2. Using a spray bottle filled with water, or a garden hose, simply spray water in front of your tv, creating a "screen" of water with the movie playing behind it.

Tip: For an even more realistic experience, invite every person in your neighborhood to cram into a tight space to watch the presentation, and be sure to stand behind all of them. Or, take your family to a nice, expensive dinner before your show, and then return home, but have everyone in your neighborhood stand behind you and your family as you watch the presentation.

DONE!!

Now...If you want to see real characters, dancers, live action and fireworks, Fantasmic is the only option. Sure, it will be crowded, but by the time the show comes around, you will be used to crowds.

Lol!