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

[Robo]

Thank You!
That is what I wanted to know. My fam wants TSMM as their tier 1 FP+, I want Fantasmic, they are willing to wait in line so I'll go sit without them, get my beer and enjoy my break while DH wrestles in line with all the kids.
Wasn't going to try and take them with me. They had the choice

If you all arrive about 50-60 minutes before F! starts, you can all just walk into the theater together and find a place to sit together.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

The only consistent thing I've seen at Disney since FP+ was introduced is that Fantasmic is ALWAYS available as a 4th FP+. Always. On trips in August, October, December, and June, FP+ has always been available for Fantasmic after everything else is "sold out." Why they keep pushing this idea of needing a prebooked FP+ for Fantasmic is crazy to me. And I feel bad for anyone who wastes their Tier 1 on Fantasmic, since they could use a Tier 1 for TSM or RNRC and still have a Fantasmic FP+ waiting for them afterwards.

The only way I see this working is if they have reserved sections (not specific seats...how long would it take to paint seat numbers on the whole stadium??), if they somehow disconnect this from the system, and if they make it so that it's bookable online instead of at the kiosks.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

If you all arrive about 50-60 minutes before F! starts, you can all just walk into the theater together and find a place to sit together.

When we were down in March they were telling people going into stand by they wouldn't be allowed in until 15 min before show time and they didn't open that waiting spot until about 20 min till show time.

 

[Robo]

When we were down in March they were telling people going into stand by they wouldn't be allowed in until 15 min before show time and they didn't open that waiting spot until about 20 min till show time.

Sorry, but that is far, far from the normal situation.

They simply could not load the theater in that amount of time.

Also, what "waiting spot?"
First or second show of the evening?

 

[3DisneyFanz]

Sorry, but that is far, far from the normal situation.

They simply could not load the theater in that amount of time.

Also, what "waiting spot?"

FP+ people were sent up the main drag and SB were funneled into an area off to the right where they were basically in a holding pen until they released them into the stadium in a mad rush.

 

[bbjunkie]

FP+ people were sent up the main drag and SB were funneled into an area off to the right where they were basically in a holding pen until they released them into the stadium in a mad rush.

They did this with us on June 10th of this year, too. 2nd show.

 

[Robo]

They did this with us on June 10th of this year, too. 2nd show.

Second show, I can see that.

First show, not so much.

The second show holds EVERYBODY in the long, long pathway until about 25 minutes before show-time.
They do that because the CMs have to clean the theater seating following the first show.

There are so many things to know about something as complex as Fantasmic! seating.
Now, there is a strong rumor that they will be testing new ways to load the theater,
some of which could make a disaster out of what has been just a complicated but doable situation.

 

[ELSA711]

The only consistent thing I've seen at Disney since FP+ was introduced is that Fantasmic is ALWAYS available as a 4th FP+. Always. On trips in August, October, December, and June, FP+ has always been available for Fantasmic after everything else is "sold out." Why they keep pushing this idea of needing a prebooked FP+ for Fantasmic is crazy to me. And I feel bad for anyone who wastes their Tier 1 on Fantasmic, since they could use a Tier 1 for TSM or RNRC and still have a Fantasmic FP+ waiting for them afterwards.

The only way I see this working is if they have reserved sections (not specific seats...how long would it take to paint seat numbers on the whole stadium??), if they somehow disconnect this from the system, and if they make it so that it's bookable online instead of at the kiosks.

I didn't have this experience in October 2014, at 3pm no FP+ was left for anything.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

The only consistent thing I've seen at Disney since FP+ was introduced is that Fantasmic is ALWAYS available as a 4th FP+. Always. On trips in August, October, December, and June, FP+ has always been available for Fantasmic after everything else is "sold out." Why they keep pushing this idea of needing a prebooked FP+ for Fantasmic is crazy to me. And I feel bad for anyone who wastes their Tier 1 on Fantasmic, since they could use a Tier 1 for TSM or RNRC and still have a Fantasmic FP+ waiting for them afterwards.

The only way I see this working is if they have reserved sections (not specific seats...how long would it take to paint seat numbers on the whole stadium??), if they somehow disconnect this from the system, and if they make it so that it's bookable online instead of at the kiosks.

I didn't have this experience in October 2014, at 3pm no FP+ was left for anything.

Just checked for today and for a party of 3, Fantasmic is still open at 6:15 p.m. In fact that and Muppets is the only thing that is open for FP+.

 

[ELSA711]

Just checked for today and for a party of 3, Fantasmic is still open at 6:15 p.m. In fact that and Muppets is the only thing that is open for FP+.

This is good to know
Maybe we just chance it and my day at HS was a fluke

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

This is good to know
Maybe we just chance it and my day at HS was a fluke

At 6:45, the Fantasmic is still open but it is for the 2nd show. It is also a p.m. EMH.

 

[ELSA711]

Yeah, when we go its usually late Oct with one early show at night

 

[Angel Ariel]

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...-allocated-seating-at-fantasmic-next-week.htm



OK.

Our Party of 4 arrives at F! theater gates at 8:30 for a 9PM show.
(pre-arrival time to around 30 minutes maximum)

Our Party of 4 encounters appox. 2,500 other guests arriving at the same time.
It is now 30 minutes to lights-out, pitch-black, super-loud, show-time.

Our Party of 4 does not know where to find seats Poca J-24, Poca J-25, Poca J-26, Poca J-27.
So, they wait behind appox. 2,000 other guests who also do not know where to find their specific seats for a CM to take them there, or at least explain where to go.
By now, there are about 4,200 guests waiting to get to their seats.
It is now 20 minutes to lights-out, pitch-black, super-loud, show-time.

Our Party of 4 does now has been told where the Poca(hontas) SECTION is in the theater, but they can't quite get there due to 3,587 guests in front of them.

Also, they don't know exactly where seats Poca J-24, Poca J-25, Poca J-26, Poca J-27 are, in the Poca(hontas) section.
It is now 15 minutes to lights-out, pitch-black, super-loud, show-time.
5,900 guests are "somewhere" in the F! theater.


Our Party of 4 now reaches the Poca(hontas) SECTION is in the theater, and they walk down the aisle/steps to locate row J.
When they do find row J, there are already about 30 guests sitting in that row.
They try to side-slip by 20, or so other guests to find seats 24, 25, 26, 27.
No room.
Somebody is in the wrong seats.
They must side-slip by the 20, or so other guests back out to the aisle/steps.

It is now 10 minutes to lights-out, pitch-black, super-loud, show-time.
6,900 guests are "somewhere" in the F! theater.

Three members of Our Party of 4 stay put, clogging the aisle/steps while
Member One goes to find a CM.
Member One spies a harried CM (who is helping about 15 other guests at the time.)
Member One finally gets to ask CM.
CM says Our Group of Four is not in the Poca(hontas) section.

The Poca(hontas) section is one section over.
It is now 5 minutes to lights-out, pitch-black, super-loud, show-time.
7,100 guests are "somewhere" in the F! theater.

Member One makes his way back down the aisle/steps.
Can't find the rest of the group.
7,100 guests are attempting to do The Wave with the requisite "WOOOOs."
Member One spies the rest of the group "WOOOing" at the bottom of the aisle/steps. (They were in the way, so they moved.
It is now 2 minutes to lights-out, pitch-black, super-loud, show-time.
8,000 guests are "somewhere" in the F! theater.

Our Party of 4 trudges back up to row J, turns to the next section which IS the correct Poca(hontas) section.
Row J is full. Someone is in the wrong seats.

SHOW-TIME!
Lights-out, pitch-black, super-loud.

Lunacy.

I agree. I was at a concert this weekend at a large outdoor venue. Only the covered seating was open (they didn't sell the lawn seats). It's a *very* large outdoor theatre. I'd say close to F!'s size, but I haven't been to F! in WDW in a while, so I can't say for sure. They opened the venue for entrance 1 hr prior to show time. The concert started over 30 mins late, and there was a continuous (large) stream of people continuing to enter the theatre until at least 20 mins after the show was *supposed* to start. That's not going to work at WDW.

 

[Planogirl]

I agree. I was at a concert this weekend at a large outdoor venue. Only the covered seating was open (they didn't sell the lawn seats). It's a *very* large outdoor theatre. I'd say close to F!'s size, but I haven't been to F! in WDW in a while, so I can't say for sure. They opened the venue for entrance 1 hr prior to show time. The concert started over 30 mins late, and there was a continuous (large) stream of people continuing to enter the theatre until at least 20 mins after the show was *supposed* to start. That's not going to work at WDW.

Many people seem to be comparing this to sporting events where it would be much like a concert. People arriving very early and many also arriving late is pretty normal in such venues.

 

[ChelleFeegan]

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!

I was thinking this - there aren't any numbers?

 

[Robo]

I was thinking this - there aren't any numbers?

Nope.

Not only are there no SEAT numbers, there are no ROW numbers/letters.

Can they remedy that? Yes.

Will it actually help matters for guests trying to find assigned "seats?"
Not much.

I've been to a lot of theaters. "Guests in the wrong seats" are an everyday problem.

 

[mom2rtk]

Nope.

Not only are there no SEAT numbers, there are no ROW numbers/letters.

Can they remedy that? Yes.

Will it actually help matters for guests trying to find assigned "seats?"
Not much.

I've been to a lot of theaters. "Guests in the wrong seats" are an everyday problem.

I guess we'll find out after tonight's show since they're supposed to be testing specific seats tonight and tomorrow night.

I hope someone reports back on how that goes.

 

[Amanda999]

When we were down in March they were telling people going into stand by they wouldn't be allowed in until 15 min before show time and they didn't open that waiting spot until about 20 min till show time.

As PPs have said, perhaps that was the 2nd show of that evening? Or perhaps there was something being repaired?? (I went in Jan., Feb. and April 2015, and none of those times did they limit entry to 15 minutes prior.)

 

[Robo]

I guess we'll find out after tonight's show since they're supposed to be testing specific seats tonight and tomorrow night.

I hope someone reports back on how that goes.

The biggest test would be if they actually tell guests that they cannot wait outside the gates until 30 minutes before show-time.

I'd like to be there with a camera.

 

[WillAustin]

The biggest test would be if they actually tell guests that they cannot wait outside the gates until 30 minutes before show-time.

I'd like to be there with a camera.

Definitely.

Isn't this like a legacy FP for F!?