Allocated seating trial at Fantasmic***Now with another new twist, see page 15, #288***

[CAS239]

Honestly the whole thing where you have to show up hours in advance and make your kids sit there with nothing to do to get a spot not all the way at the back where they can probably see (until at the last minute somebody scoots down and you end up behind the tallest family in Orlando that day) is a miserable experience to me. I'm sure this has as much to do with not having to hear people complain about how their entire night sucked so they could have 30 minutes of a crappy view is a big motivator.
I would rather be able to know in advance if I had an good spot already or if I needed to waste my time. I have done the dining and FP+ versions and both still meant we had to devote the entire evening to this one thing. Currently I have to assume that we are eating super early and wasting the entire night if we decide to see the show.

Whether you get an assigned seat or not, you still won't know who will be in front of you. You could easily get a seat ticket return time pass thing in the morning, show up 10 min before show time, then 2 min before show start a 7 foot person sits in front.

 

[CAS239]

This is stupid and should be first come first serve and have free choice of seats. Someone shouldn't get a better seat than someone else because they got a ticket 2 min after rope drop and others went to ride a ride before getting one. Not to mention different people prefer different areas, rows, closer or further back. I don't see this working out and lasting

 

[Robo]

Nothing requires that someone must arrive early to see a show... or even that they must see the show at all.

Choice.

C H O I C E.

 

[DetroitDisney]

I love the idea of getting a spot in Fantasmic early in the day to prevent you from needing to wait before the show to ensure you get a seat.

I DONT like the idea of assigned seating. This will just be a giant headache when you have thousands of clueless people trying to find their seats, people in the wrong seats, and cascade of fail that causes as people just steal other peoples seats. It would be ok if they assigned a certain section, but a specific seat is madness.

 

[Tomh]

I like the idea, but as Robo has pointed out, assigning a "seat" on a bench . . . maybe not the best idea. How exactly do you decide ahead of time how many people are going to fit on that bench. Still, I can see having your seat reserved ahead of time, placing an order on MDE for dinner, and having it delivered to your seat just after you sit down.

 

[CAS239]

Then another issue would be how early would these seats be handed out? Because if it's early in the day, then it screws park hoppers.

We have sometimes headed to HS at night just to watch Fantasmic. Doesn't seem like it would work with this.

And just like Robo said, it's all about choice. No one has to wait hours to see the show.

 

[DetroitDisney]

Then another issue would be how early would these seats be handed out? Because if it's early in the day, then it screws park hoppers.

We have sometimes headed to HS at night just to watch Fantasmic. Doesn't seem like it would work with this.

And just like Robo said, it's all about choice. No one has to wait hours to see the show.

wait, are there people that actually do a full day in DHS still?

 

[g-dad66]

So instead of sitting for 30 minutes while munching on some snacks and laughing at the pre-show bantery, we get to stand for 30 minutes waiting our turn at a FP+ kiosk instead?

No thanks.

(I realize I exaggerate, but the last time I used a FP+ kiosk, there was only one group ahead of me, and it took them 10 minutes to decide what FP+s to book.)

 

[Robo]

So instead of sitting for 30 minutes while munching on some snacks and laughing at the pre-show bantery, we get to stand for 30 minutes waiting our turn at a FP+ kiosk instead?

No thanks.

(I realize I exaggerate, but the last time I used a FP+ kiosk, there was only one group ahead of me, and it took them 10 minutes to decide what FP+s to book.)

As I read someplace...
Whomever is dreaming up these schemes has never actually visited WDW as a regular guest.

 

[Nancyg56]

I usually reserve judgement on an idea until I can see how it is implemented and the then decide how I feel about it. Not for this idea! I have to wonder if the people who were charged with reducing the traffic jam that is Pre Fantasmic have actually been to see the show! If these folks really want to make a positive change, they need to spend a few days in DHS and use the same rules the rest of the World is using: plan your day 180 days in advance, book your meals and then 60 days out book your FP.....and then on the long awaited day toss all of that out and race to arrive at DHS, trot themselves right over to the brand new Fantasmic FP line and see how that works out with the rest of their plans.

It is kind of clear that in this case, the people who are creating these new ideas do not have the restrictions in place that the rest of us have. My family has seen Fantasmic once. It's not that we don't like the show, but for us, there is too much involved to allocate the time, but we know that as it stands now, if we want to see it there are several tools we can use to alleviate some of the stress in terms of finding a seat. This seating plan and FP race is not one of the tools I would even consider.

 

[sharona]

There are no "seats" at the Fantasmic! theater.
There are only long, backless aluminum benches.
Attempting to assign "seat numbers" (or the like) to those benches is (again) lunacy!

Many older sports venues assign seat numbers to benches. Not ideal but not lunacy either.

I'd much rather get an assigned seat than waste 2 hours in line.

 

[Nancyg56]

Many older sports venues assign seat numbers to benches. Not ideal but not lunacy either.

I'd much rather get an assigned seat than waste 2 hours in line.

If I could book online I would give this plan a chance. But in this case, you need to get to DHS in time to book your FP for a seat, and with all of the disruptions in DHS< many people plan a late arrival, just in time for the attractions they want and then to see the show. With this plan, they cannot do this. They need to get to DHS early, race to the FP kiosk, wait til they get a pass and hope it is where they like to sit, and then begin their day at another park.

I am not saying an assigned seat is a bad idea. I am saying this plan to assign seats needs to be revisited after the planners actually go through the mtions of planning a WDW vacation, and how Fantasmic plays into those plans. I get all twitchy in the BOG line when I am behind a family who cannot figure out how to order a meal after they spent ten minutes deciding what they want to eat. I would probably need a pill if I was behind that same family in a FP line trying to decide which show, what side, and just where they want to sit. It is why I gave up on the 4th FP. That kiosk was a nightmare so I had to walk away, and winged it.

 

[nluvwithdisney]

It will be 3 years since our last visit. Maybe it's the time of year that we usually go, but I have never lined up 2 hours early for the show. Usually get there 5 -10 minutes before showtime and get our favorite spots near the back. Has it gotten this far out of control just to see Fantasmic? Again just putting a band aid over a bullet hole. Future expansion at DHS better be spectacular!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Can't you get wet in the front seats? I hope you get to pick whether you want to sit in that section or not.

Yes, you can get wet in the front rows, not really the best seating. Damp to soaked, depending on the wind. Keep in mind, that with the triple water screen at the venue, really all seating is good. Actually, further back is better.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

It will be 3 years since our last visit. Maybe it's the time of year that we usually go, but I have never lined up 2 hours early for the show. Usually get there 5 -10 minutes before showtime and get our favorite spots near the back. Has it gotten this far out of control just to see Fantasmic? Again just putting a band aid over a bullet hole. Future expansion at DHS better be spectacular!

Last September they stopped letting people into SB about 30 min prior to show time.

I think a lot of this is tied to a couple things.

1) Not locking people out of the chance at a 4th FP because they book an evening show
2) Ensuring a little more shot at actually filling the stadium and not having people constantly walking around asking people to slide in and make room when they leave a 4 person gap between them and the next group.
3) Making people more likely to show up. If they're already there to get the ticket they may be more likely to use it than people who reserve it in case they arrive early enough on travel day or they want to go over after AK closes and then don't show up.

 

[mountdew1]

As I read someplace...
Whomever is dreaming up these schemes has never actually visited WDW as a regular guest.

Why would anyone in WDW management need to actually visit the parks? They have all this awesome data from these new fangled band thingies that tells them exactly how guests move in the park..........

 

[mom2rtk]

IMNSHO, the only reason it appears they're trying this is to get people out of line and back into the restaurants and shops.

The level of money-grubbing at WDW is really getting hard to stomach.

Well, it's not like there are that many rides people can be doing with any time they save not waiting in line. So I suppose that leaves only eating and shopping......

 

[mom2rtk]

It's actually sort of amusing. They clearly have been working overtime reading all their survey data. And apparently people are complaining about spending too much time waiting in lines on their Disney vacations. So they are trying to solve that problem.

"All right everybody......we MUST solve this problem. No stone will go unturned. All options are on the table. Oh....... all options EXCEPT adding more attractions. Now... GO. Solve the problem."

That's how they come up with nonsense like this.

 

[bcrook]

Last September they stopped letting people into SB about 30 min prior to show time.

I think a lot of this is tied to a couple things.

1) Not locking people out of the chance at a 4th FP because they book an evening show
2) Ensuring a little more shot at actually filling the stadium and not having people constantly walking around asking people to slide in and make room when they leave a 4 person gap between them and the next group.
3) Making people more likely to show up. If they're already there to get the ticket they may be more likely to use it than people who reserve it in case they arrive early enough on travel day or they want to go over after AK closes and then don't show up.

Good points.
Follow-up questions:
1. Could they fix #1 by allowing some one to grab a 4th FP after 3:00 pm? Or after the second pass is used? Or Give people with Fantasmic access to a fourth FP sooner. Or disconnect Fantasmic from tier 1. Or I'm sure there are more. Wouldn't the problem be the same at MK?
2. Is filling the stadium a problem?
3. Are no shows a problem if the standby line is always robust? If the standby line is not full, then why bother with any of this?

At Disneyland getting a section FP early in the day seemed to work well... But of course that is based on the old legacy touring strategy. And that worked well all around for me. So is this a sign that WDW is ready to go back to arrive early first come first serve? Lol

It does fly in the face of the convience of online scheduling.

It does hurt hopping.

I hope it prints a little ticket with my number on it, so I can remember my seat if my phone dies.

 

[Disney Khi]

When I visited Disneyland Resort in 2011 I had to get FP for World of Color at DCA like this. I think the FP gave us a certain section to sit in. I know that by the time we got there we had to get FP for the second show. We happened to be walking by before the first show and saw some standing room in the back, so we just stood and didn't use our FP. (That's why I can't remember for sure if we had an assigned section with our FP, but I feel like we did.) Anyway, this is not unprecedented in Disney Parks. Maybe it will work out for Fantasmic. Maybe it will be a colossal failure. I feel like they are at least working on trying to alleviate wait times. Although I do wonder how they will handle people that need wheelchair seating during an assigned seat test or assigned row test. I guess a CM will have to staff the FP machine and handle those situations. Assigned seats does seem overly complicated to me.