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

[bcrook]

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......

If they continue closing down everything behind the stage for fireworks ... Then all those people in line have Sunset Blvd to mingle. They can go wait in a different line or block up the street. Big improvement.

 

[mom2rtk]

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.

The DL WoC fastpass only assigns one of two sections, either yellow or blue.

 

[bcrook]

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

The more I think about it, the more this does look 'stupid'. If they really just wanted good customer service they could make Fantasmic a tier 3 and let people book it online. If they have two shows a night that is about 14,000+ slots to give away. You could book a section online.

Going back to forcing kiosk use with their multi billion my magic + system seems barbaric!

This is rich with irony. It must not really be about customer service.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Wow, it's like they are combining all of these annoying things to make everything more annoying.

Pick a lane here. Is it FP+ prebooked or FP-at-a-kiosk.

I wonder if they are trying to get Fantasmic package sales back up? I know we canceled a package last year because we got the FP+ for it (which worked well)

 

[mom2rtk]

This is rich with irony. It must not really be about customer service.

 

[bcrook]

Wow, it's like they are combining all of these annoying things to make everything more annoying.

Pick a lane here. Is it FP+ prebooked or FP-at-a-kiosk.

I wonder if they are trying to get Fantasmic package sales back up? I know we canceled a package last year because we got the FP+ for it (which worked well)

That would at least be a viable motive for this chicanery. Lol.

 

[Disney Khi]

The DL WoC fastpass only assigns one of two sections, either yellow or blue.

Thanks for clarifying that. I just couldn't remember that!

 

[socrateze]

This sounds an awful lot like Legacy FP to me.

 

[ArwenMarie]

That would at least be a viable motive for this chicanery. Lol.

If they stick with this, I know that's what I would do, go back to the package. I do like having some sort of reserved seats (not actual seats though!) And we have to eat anyway.

 

[Praying Colonel]

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.

I keep seeing this stuff about waiting 2 hours in line. Are there really people who wait 2 hours in line to see Fantasmic? Because in my non-Christmas touring experience, that's not necessary. The earliest I've ever shown up was 45 minutes, and that was because I decided to get something to eat and sit there to eat it while I waited. I usually show up 20-30 minutes beforehand and get a seat, or better yet, wait for the 2nd show which is almost always walk-up.

I do agree that putting numbers on benches isn't difficult; Rupp Arena in Lexington, which holds 24,000, has an upper level that's all bench seating which holds at least 12,000, and people have no problem negotiating it. But then again it's configured for that with multiple entrances and walkways. This won't have that.

Every time I think they've messed things up about as much as they can with their ride rationing and crowd managing, here comes something else to prove me wrong.

 

[mom2rtk]

FP+ schedules 60 days out. How are they testing this in the next few days? Did they not issue FP's for those days 60 days out? Or do so few people choose them it doesn't matter?

 

[socrateze]

FP+ schedules 60 days out. How are they testing this in the next few days? Did they not issue FP's for those days 60 days out? Or do so few people choose them it doesn't matter?

Maybe they canceled that FP+'s and gave the people 10am GMR FP+'s instead!

 

[ArwenMarie]

FP+ schedules 60 days out. How are they testing this in the next few days? Did they not issue FP's for those days 60 days out? Or do so few people choose them it doesn't matter?

It must be in addition to those. I can't see them pulling all of those FPs out of the system, that would be lunacy. Oh wait, maybe I can.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Keep in mind they will be testing 3 configuration.....specific seats, then rows and then sections. If any other successful, I would think it would be sections.

....We've been told that on July 21 and 22 2015, the test will be allocating specific seats to guests. On July 23 and 24, the system will be allocating specific rows, and finally on July 27 and 28, just a section in the amphitheater will be allocated....

 

[mom2rtk]

It must be in addition to those. I can't see them pulling all of those FPs out of the system, that would be lunacy. Oh wait, maybe I can.

So those people gave up a chance to ride TSMM or RnR with FP for Fantasmic, and now they could have just walked up and gotten one in addition to one of those? Figures.

I still question the validity of tests like this since prior knowledge by the public has a pretty big impact on how things go at Disney.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

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.

1) There is more to do at MK so even if you don't get the 4th FP there are a lot more options plus there isn't a finite number of people who can see the fireworks and parades.
2) I think it has more to do with stopping the usual bullrush from the cattle herd at the ropes when they open the stadium. If you know where you are going you're less likely to knock down the 5yr old that's blocking you from that first row seat.
3) According to some CMs we've spoken to they are turning away SB only to have lots of empty seats in the end. They would rather tell someone no before they get in line than have them wait only to find out they can't come in or let people fill in from SB and then have the missing FP+ show up.

The primary problem is they implemented a system based on a pitch with no concept of how things would function in reality and now that they know it's a train wreck they can't figure out how to get out.

 

[nanaka]

If they must have assigned seats, I would much rather have the option to select it at home. Like when you select your seat for your airline or a concert

 

[bbjunkie]

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.

Michigan Stadium manages to do it with 108,000+ people for home football games. MLB stadiums do it in their bleacher sections. There are lines painted and a number written on them. You get that space as your seat, just as if you get a certain amount of space in a real seat. People are acting as if it can't be done, and it is done ALL THE TIME.

 

[mom2rtk]

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.

I think at the very least, if they have any hope of this working, they would have to make choices for "wet zone" and "non wet zone" available when you get a FP.

 

[RogueKnits]

I think this is a great idea. I never understood needing to arrive hours before the show and then just sitting there. If you can know ahead of time that you'll have a seat even if you arrive only 20-30 minutes early, that would be my preference. I'd much rather spend that time getting some dinner and being free to stroll around. When we saw Fantasmic last summer, I was pretty miserable even being only an hour early because I'm super uncomfortable on bench seating, we ended up sitting near a particularly annoying family, and I felt like I was getting eaten by mosquitoes the entire time (even with repellant on). Cutting that time down would have been greatly appreciated.