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

[jtowntoflorida]

I am going to the section testing next week as well - it's the one that I think would also work best.

As far as capacity, this probably partially in response to the fact that people don't seem to care that the second showing is only ever half-full. Tram operators say this. Signs around the park say this. People just don't seem to want to go to the later showing for whatever reason. If a small amount of the 9pm show would defer to the 10:30 showing, then everyone would be able to have that buffer space

Well, if they wanted to make a second showing more attractive, maybe the solution is to make both showings a bit earlier than they are now.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I am going to the section testing next week as well - it's the one that I think would also work best.

As far as capacity, this probably partially in response to the fact that people don't seem to care that the second showing is only ever half-full. Tram operators say this. Signs around the park say this. People just don't seem to want to go to the later showing for whatever reason. If a small amount of the 9pm show would defer to the 10:30 showing, then everyone would be able to have that buffer space

If we're traveling with DD, no amount of signage or knowledge is going to have us attending the 10:30 F! showing. It's just too late to have her out, even taking into consideration that we do push her bedtime later when we're at Disney. A 9pm showing is pushing it in the first place, but we'd do it if we really wanted to see F!. A 10:30 is just not happening unless we have grandparents willing to miss the show and take DD back to the hotel for us.

ETA: part of why we're choosing DLR this year instead of WDW is the fact that we're going during what will be considered holiday season, and (based on historical park hours), the hours will be 10am-8pm, with fireworks every night (b/c it's holiday season) at 7:45pm. You can't really get much more perfect toddler timing than that when talking about theme park hours.

 

[ELSA711]

Wholeheartedly agree! I would be happy if they slowly reverted back to legacy without ever admitting that FP+ was a failure. I think if FP+ was such an overwhelming success, they would've made Fantasmic a FP+ admission in the MDE app.

Also, I can understand why the seats are shrinking in arenas, airplanes and theaters, but for Fantasmic? Disney isn't generating additional revenue......yet. So why not allow the guests to be as comfortable as possible.

So even with this testing, it's not 100% out of the realm of possibility they won't do Fantasmic FP+ through MDE app much like they did originally for BOG lunches? Separate from other 3 FP+? or am I missing something. I think the paper aspect is a test, but I do think it will launch through the app eventually unless they were adamant it won't

 

[SureAsLiz]

Well, if they wanted to make a second showing more attractive, maybe the solution is to make both showings a bit earlier than they are now.

It's not dark enough to do the shows later. 9PM is the earliest any nighttime show starts in the summer

 

[3DisneyFanz]

So maybe they would need to rename the sections. They could have a Jafar section. And a Pooh section. And a Dwarf section.

I'm starting to think this could work............

That would put my whole family in different sections! Come to think of it though that might not be a bad idea when traveling with the whole pack.

 

[SureAsLiz]

If we're traveling with DD, no amount of signage or knowledge is going to have us attending the 10:30 F! showing. It's just too late to have her out, even taking into consideration that we do push her bedtime later when we're at Disney. A 9pm showing is pushing it in the first place, but we'd do it if we really wanted to see F!. A 10:30 is just not happening unless we have grandparents willing to miss the show and take DD back to the hotel for us.

I absolutely understand this with younger kids and that's why I mentioned that only a small portion really need to switch (I'm talking even 1 section would help). The Frozen fireworks don't start until 9:45, Wishes doesn't start until 10, and kids stay (and stand) for those all the time. I'm just suggesting that since crowds did not change their pattern by suggestion, this is simply another form of crowd management to try

 

[mom2rtk]

That would put my whole family in different sections! Come to think of it though that might not be a bad idea when traveling with the whole pack.

Some people might pay extra for that little perk.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I am going to the section testing next week as well - it's the one that I think would also work best.

As far as capacity, this probably partially in response to the fact that people don't seem to care that the second showing is only ever half-full. Tram operators say this. Signs around the park say this. People just don't seem to want to go to the later showing for whatever reason. If a small amount of the 9pm show would defer to the 10:30 showing, then everyone would be able to have that buffer space

I never knew the second show was half empty usually (we never make it that late).

As a previous poster said, this could be a way to cut out the second show. Smush everyone into the first show.

 

[SureAsLiz]

I never knew the second show was half empty usually (we never make it that late).

As a previous poster said, this could be a way to cut out the second show. Smush everyone into the first show.

There's not enough space to squish everyone in to just one show during peak. The 10 sections plus overflow are full during the first showing, and 5-6 sections are full for the second depending on the night. Squishing people would not make enough room to accommodate 6 more sections

 

[Dis703]

I don't think I like this idea for our family. Like others I'm all about finding seats closer to the top and where I'm sitting on an end so I can get up and down 5,000 times for food and bathroom trips. I don't mind needing to go earlier to find what I want but the idea of a random seating assignment and having no control over where we sit isn't appealing to me.

 

[ArwenMarie]

There's not enough space to squish everyone in to just one show during peak. The 10 sections plus overflow are full during the first showing, and 5-6 sections are full for the second depending on the night. Squishing people would not make enough room to accommodate 6 more sections

I was thinking more "optimize" the capacity for the first show, and then that's it. Reduce the second showings. Maybe because so much of the park is going to be shut down they are thinking crowds are going to be lower there for a while as well.

 

[socrateze]

So even with this testing, it's not 100% out of the realm of possibility they won't do Fantasmic FP+ through MDE app much like they did originally for BOG lunches? Separate from other 3 FP+? or am I missing something. I think the paper aspect is a test, but I do think it will launch through the app eventually unless they were adamant it won't

I was just speculating. None of us really know what Disney will do once they're done with the testing.

 

[LOL!]

There's obviously nothing I can do to change the minds of people who have convinced themselves that individually assigned seats (if it even turns out that way) would be physically less comfortable than the traditional seating method. The assumption seems to be that assigned seats would result in more people per row than there were before.

I think that's a valid assumption and a likely reason Disney is conducting this test. I didn't have to convince myself that your comparison to stadium seating illustrates how uncomfortable it could be, you put forth a very compelling argument.

 

[ELSA711]

I was just speculating. None of us really know what Disney will do once they're done with the testing.

Oh I know
I was more or less asking my self if Disney stated it would stay paper FP because that just sounds silly to me

 

[wisblue]

I think that's a valid assumption and a likely reason Disney is conducting this test. I didn't have to convince myself that your comparison to stadium seating illustrates how uncomfortable it could be, you put forth a very compelling argument.

Of course, you are torturing the point I was making.

With a couple of inches more per seat, and a much larger percentage of children in the crowd, the seating at Fantasmic would be significantly more comfortable than at a football stadium with 18 inches per seat.

Unless you know how many people (including children) used to be in an average row under the traditional seating system, you don't know if assigned seating would result in more or less people per row.

The testing may be an attempt to see if they can get more people into a show, or it could be an attempt to reduce the massive lines that build up before the theatre is opened. Or it could be a combination of the two or something else again.

 

[Jeff from Texas]

My guess, is they will go with a system similar to the one in place at DLR. There, the fastpass assigns a section for you to be "seated" in (just sitting on the ground there), they also have specific sections allocated to the different F! dining packages. We did the Blue Bayou F! dining on May 22, were given our fastpass tickets at dinner and were able to arrive just a few minutes before the show started with no problem at all. So I see the assigned sections being the route that will be taken, and probably cutting (so to speak) the sections that exist into a lower and upper type category. so basically have 20ish sections for assignments, with some or all of a section reserved for the dining packages.

 

[LOL!]

Of course, you are torturing the point I was making.

With a couple of inches more per seat, and a much larger percentage of children in the crowd, the seating at Fantasmic would be significantly more comfortable than at a football stadium with 18 inches per seat. (or slightly less uncomfortable?)

Unless you know how many people (including children) used to be in an average row under the traditional seating system, you don't know if assigned seating would result in more or less people per row.

The testing may be an attempt to see if they can get more people into a show, or it could be an attempt to reduce the massive lines that build up before the theatre is opened. Or it could be a combination of the two or something else again.

I simply don't agree with your assumptions but it's not that important to me to be drawn into an argument about it so I'll politely exit at this point.

 

[lugnut33]

If we are a group of 5 and I say we are 6, is there any way for them to know we are really only 5? I'm assuming not everyone needs be present to get a ticket?

 

[mummabear]

If we are a group of 5 and I say we are 6, is there any way for them to know we are really only 5? I'm assuming not everyone needs be present to get a ticket?

I was somewhat wondering this too-if it would be using our magic bands/tickets to get FP's for them. I was wondering this because it would mean anyone travelling with an under 3 would have a lap child the whole time.

 

[SureAsLiz]

If we are a group of 5 and I say we are 6, is there any way for them to know we are really only 5? I'm assuming not everyone needs be present to get a ticket?

For this test, no. They do not scan your bands and they do not need everyone present to get a seat