? about Fantasmic crowds

[aprila]

My husband and I plan on taking turns each night taking our older children to Haunted Mansion, Indiana Jones etc around that time. Since I am not a veteran of the park I don't know how crowded it gets during fastasmic and I don't want us to get stuck in the crowd when we want to go enjoy the rides. Any advice would be great from anyone

Thanks so much! Actually info on the parade crowds and what areas, what times would also be helpful. I have 6 children and really don't want to get stuck in these when we are trying to head back to the hotel or for dinner, etc.

 

[4girlsmom]

and got caught up in a huge crowd one night but escaped it the next night.

What didn't work was: the night we we did Splash Mountain and Haunted Mansion during the 9:00 Fantasmic! & 9:25 fireworks, then attempted to cross the park in the big herd. Bad timing. The whole mob was steered through narrow Adventureland back to Main Street. It was hard keeping our group together (me, DH, 4 kids & an adult friend) and crossing the hub to get into Tomorrowland. That experience had me not looking forward to doing another night, but the next night we had a more successful time.

What DID work was: We watched the 9:00 F! and the fireworks (from Premium Riverside seating) and then headed back to Critter Country. We had saved Splash FPs from earlier in the day. You're traveling against traffic for just a little bit, and then it's all clear. By the time we did Splash, Winnie the Pooh, and bought something from the little shop, the 10:30 F! crowd was sitting down and there was a clear path back through the park. We could have popped right on to HM and Pirates, but we'd done those plenty already. My DH & 2 awake kids enjoyed a ride on the Matterhorn while I sat with the 2 sleeping kids, and then we easily made it to the Monorail station to head back to the hotel. I don't think the park was any less crowded the 2nd night. We just managed to avoid being in the place where it was most condensed, and that made all the difference.

 

[4girlsmom]

I guess one approach you might try could be to start at Indy when F! is going on, followed by Pirates & Haunted Mansion, and then duck over to Critter Country to wait out the crowd. If you started at Haunted Mansion and worked your way back to Indy, I'm not sure what your best route would be from there, but hopefully others will have suggestions.

 

[crazymomof 4]

How was the Riverside viewing? Was it worth it?

 

[disneychrista]

Depending on when you are going I would avoid that side of the park after 9pm, unless you are planning to view Fantasmic. It is just too nuts and too hard to get around.

 

[4girlsmom]

Riverside was great. My DH, who was skeptical about spending the $$, was really impressed and wants to do it again. I didn't get a look at the buffet because I had our 2 year old on my lap, but my DH brought a delicious assortment of cookies, Mickey crispy treats and chocolate dipped strawberries over. Junior, one of the CMs, brought us coffee, hot chocolate & sodas, took our picture for us and was just incredibly friendly. We stayed put for the fireworks and didn't mind at all the fact that we weren't seeing them from the hub. I highly recommend this very special experience.

 

[crazymomof 4]

Thank you! It is hard to justify spending money on that to my husband! But at least I can hold out hope. I am glad you had a good time!