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

[Robo]

Timing is everything.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I interpreted the article differently. It said:

Disney is keen to reduce the pre-arrival time to around 30 minutes maximum...​

I could be wrong, but I think "pre-arrival" is different from "arrival". I don't think the plan is to have all the guests show up at 7:30 for an 8:00 show. I think the plan is to not have guests show up at/or before 6:00 for an 8:00 show.

Not aimed towards you, but I also think the worries of only accessing this untethered Fantasmic! FP+ via kiosk are a bit premature. This is only a test. Who's to say, if implemented, it wouldn't be accessible via MDE?

Quite possibly that is what they mean. I just hope that the "gates" open at a proper time with the correct logistics in mind.

 

[Robo]

I interpreted the article differently. It said:

Disney is keen to reduce the pre-arrival time to around 30 minutes maximum...​

I could be wrong, but I think "pre-arrival" is different from "arrival". I don't think the plan is to have all the guests show up at 7:30 for an 8:00 show. I think the plan is to not have guests show up at/or before 6:00 for an 8:00 show.

What is the purpose of saying "30 minutes maximum?"

They only want guests to arrive around 30 minutes before what, if not the show?

 

[ArwenMarie]

I remember seeing something recently that they wanted to try to speed up the seating for Lights Motors Action too...does anyone else remember that? Maybe I am imagining it lol

 

[tstidm1]

Out of the three test methods, I think the one that is most reasonable for fans is going to be your assigned a section like at Disneyland for Fantastmic/World of Color. Since their metal benches like at Dover Speedway (Sports Venue), you don't have to find your specific seat in the dark. You just have to find the seat you want in the section your assigned. With 7000 people, I think that ends up being fastest for guests.

 

[wisblue]

I think assigned sections would work well.

Some people would still arrive early to get their preferred seats within the section, but at least you would eliminate having to get there an hour early just to be sure you get a seat at all.

My biggest objection would be if all tickets would be gone early in the day because, as others have said, that could eliminate coming to DHS around 5 PM or later with the mIn objective of seeing Fantasmic.

 

[bookgirl]

While I would welcome section assignments, assigning seats on a bleacher will just flat out suck. Those seats are not one size fits all and so if you have more than one person who is plus size the # aspect is pretty much out the window and all you have is arguments.

And I say this as the owner of a plus size 'seat'.

 

[Disneyliscious]

Went to Fantasmic once, stood in line for 2 hours. It was the worst show I have ever seen in Disney (my opinion of course). None of our party of 4 liked it and for the life of me, ten years later, I still cannot understand the popularity of this show. We have not been back to see it nor do we plan to (We havent even visited DHS since that trip ten years ago because the park is so lame, its NOT a $100 a day park).

But even so, based on what I experienced, assigning seating would be a benefit. I agree it will likely be done in assigned sections and not seats. But anything to reduce that god forsaken line to wait in before the show opens.

 

[mummabear]

I love this idea. I would like it better if you could FP+ it and be allocated a spot.
Getting allocated a section is very similar to how you pull FP's for WOC at DCA.
I think they only way that will eliminate seat anxiety is to assign a seat, if its a section people will still line up early to try and get the best seats in their section.

 

[mummabear]

While I would welcome section assignments, assigning seats on a bleacher will just flat out suck. Those seats are not one size fits all and so if you have more than one person who is plus size the # aspect is pretty much out the window and all you have is arguments.

And I say this as the owner of a plus size 'seat'.

I do agree here, as well as noting that it may cause more arguments of "your in my seat" in general. As I have said just above though if they are looking for a way to stop people lining up really early then seat assignment will be the only real way to do that.
I think in the case as you have mentioned above there is a lot of parents who would put a young child on their lap and save some space that way.

 

[SmithSmith]

What is the purpose of saying "30 minutes maximum?"

They only want guests to arrive around 30 minutes before what, if not the show?

I don't know. I didn't write it and it's not my test. If I were to presume, I'd say 30 minutes before the theatre opens, and not 30 minutes before the show begins.

I really don't think we were given enough information to draw solid conclusions. I have far more questions than I do answers. Like:

1. Is the theatre still going to open up 90 minutes before show time?
2. Are these FPs on paper or MagicBands?
3. If on paper, are CMs going to hand them out at the Kiosks or is a machine printing them?
4. If on MagicBands, are there enough tapstiles to handle 8,200 guests in a timely manner?

Because of this lack of information, I'm not going to waste my time speculating any further.

 

[sharonabe]

When I first saw this, I immediately thought of WoC and the colored sections, and thought "the section option would probably work very well for F!." But after reading through the thread, I'm thinking even that won't work as well as WoC because the reason it works so well at DL is the proximity of the two parks. You can walk over to CA some time in the morning and get your WoC FP and still tour DL. If you want one colored section over the other, you can even time your trip over to get the one you want. You can't do that at WDW; you would have to dedicate the morning to HS to get your FP. Our experience with WoC was that without a FP, you couldn't see it. If they can leave a section of seats out of the FP allocation for people who hop late in the day just for F!, it could still work. FP holders would need to be in their seats no later than 30 min before the show, then open the theater for all those without FP. I don't know. It seems like a complicated answer to a complicated problem.

WAIT! I have the answer. Why not just open the theater two hours before the show. Instead of lining up on Sunset, people could just go wait in the theater. Voila! No more line on the street messing up things. It wouldn't be any different than lining the streets for the parades.

 

[Planogirl]

I don't know. I didn't write it and it's not my test. If I were to presume, I'd say 30 minutes before the theatre opens, and not 30 minutes before the show begins.

I really don't think we were given enough information to draw solid conclusions. I have far more questions than I do answers. Like:

1. Is the theatre still going to open up 90 minutes before show time?
2. Are these FPs on paper or MagicBands?
3. If on paper, are CMs going to hand them out at the Kiosks or is a machine printing them?
4. If on MagicBands, are there enough tapstiles to handle 8,200 guests in a timely manner?

Because of this lack of information, I'm not going to waste my time speculating any further.

I bet that most offsite visitors don't bother with magicbands. If those are required than that just adds even more interest.

 

[SmithSmith]

I bet that most offsite visitors don't bother with magicbands. If those are required than that just adds even more interest.

I guess I should clarify. It should have read:

2. Are these FPs on paper or MagicBands/ticket media?

I'm not suggesting that MagicBands would be required.

 

[bcrook]

When I first saw this, I immediately thought of WoC and the colored sections, and thought "the section option would probably work very well for F!." But after reading through the thread, I'm thinking even that won't work as well as WoC because the reason it works so well at DL is the proximity of the two parks. You can walk over to CA some time in the morning and get your WoC FP and still tour DL. If you want one colored section over the other, you can even time your trip over to get the one you want. You can't do that at WDW; you would have to dedicate the morning to HS to get your FP. Our experience with WoC was that without a FP, you couldn't see it. If they can leave a section of seats out of the FP allocation for people who hop late in the day just for F!, it could still work. FP holders would need to be in their seats no later than 30 min before the show, then open the theater for all those without FP. I don't know. It seems like a complicated answer to a complicated problem.

WAIT! I have the answer. Why not just open the theater two hours before the show. Instead of lining up on Sunset, people could just go wait in the theater. Voila! No more line on the street messing up things. It wouldn't be any different than lining the streets for the parades.

That would be simple. Sell a ton of snacks.

And you are right. It is easy to run back and forth and get those FP at DLR.

 

[bcrook]

I guess I should clarify. It should have read:

2. Are these FPs on paper or MagicBands/ticket media?

I'm not suggesting that MagicBands would be required.

Offsite guests still have cards to scan. Making that Mickey head turn green 7000 times would take some time.

 

[Robo]

Offsite guests still have cards to scan. Making that Mickey head turn green 7000 times would take some time.

That's NOTHING compared to the time and staffing requirements of CMs needing to "show" single guests, families, and multiple Tour Groups to individual specific seats.




On a bench.

 

[SmithSmith]

Offsite guests still have cards to scan. Making that Mickey head turn green 7000 times would take some time.

I know, I agree.

But I believe it's actually 8,200, not 7,000. The amphitheater expanded their seating 2 or 3 years ago.

 

[bcrook]

That's NOTHING compared to the time and staffing requirements of CMs needing to "show" single guests, families, and multiple Tour Groups to individual specific seats.


On a bench.

I think people would just move. If there was no ticket, CMs would then have to walk around with mobile readers and scan ticket media over and over again.

Unless.....they installed a sensor in every seat that read your magicbands/card and if they didn't match up red lights started flashing or the CMs would get a message on their iPads. Or maybe a Mickey head to sit on. If you are in the right place it turns green. Blue? Keep moving.

I like that. Clean and simple.

 

[bcrook]

I like sharonabe's idea