Anyone else skip the fireworks/Fantasmic?

[wareagle57]

It seems strange people complaining about uncomfortable seating for Fantasmic, but neither of the other nighttime spectaculars even have seating.

I haven't seen Illuminations (well I have but I wasn't old enough to remember it) but I will be seeing it in about a week! I don't have a lot of high expectations for it. I expect to still like Fantasmic much more. Wishes is definitely the best though, for me.

 

[catherines_mama]

We are getting to the point where the crowds are getting to be a bit much for us. We have young teens so we've been a lot over the years.

We see Illuminations each trip, we watch from back in Germany and enjoy a slow walk out after. No rush at all. If we are staying at an Epcot resort, even better.

We haven't seen Fantasmic since they were very little and are excited to go again this summer.

MSEP and Wishes... Those are the ones where the crowd gets us. We've always been a Main St an he before family and it's just gotten ugly. I think this year we will skip 1st MSEP and just watch Wishes then enjoy the quieter 2nd parade. A benefit of older kids.

We also plan our late nights (like a 2nd parade night) with relaxing mornings to follow.

 

[Mikie]

Surprised at how many really dislike the nighttime shows! I saw Fantasmic the first time this trip & we really enjoyed it with the F! Dining package (we would have a dinner ADR anyway, so we were glad you could do that AND get good F! Seating). Entering F! Was far more insane than I expected and my brother really struggled with it and his 2 preschoolers. We loved the show though. Likewise, the skies opened up to a downpour immediately after, so we attributed our crazy exit to the rain. I'd say if you like any disney shows (vs being a rides-only person) and if you like any laser/fireworks shows it's worth seeing at least once. If it's a huge hassle to get a FP, or doesn't fit your plans, it won't kill you to miss it.

Illuminations I love. I like fireworks anywhere and think the illuminated globe is very unique. Of all the nighttime shows, I think Epcot is the easiest place to find a good spot for watching with little wait in advance and no shoulder-to-shoulder crowds.

For me, seeing at least one fireworks/night show per trip is a must. I pick whichever fits our schedule best and consider myself lucky if another one happens to fit our mood and plans at the time. We might want to see more as the kids get older and enjoy late nights better than early mornings.

 

[arcticdisneylovers]

We LOVE fireworks but we do not tend to stay at WDW for them We much prefer to watch Wishes from our CR balcony. We don't think the crowds are worth it for Illuminations and Fantasmic. Truthfully we're up early and exhausted by suppertime. We rarely have the energy to stay in the parks till dark

 

[Hopefully]

I would never EVER skip Illuminations. One of my favorite things at WDW! I've seen Fantasmic and once was enough. Too much wait time on uncomfortable seating

Totally agree. We Love Illuminations. We don't care if we ever see Fantasmic again

Last November (2013) we skipped all fireworks. My son, then 4, just couldn't stay up and he had a MASSIVE meltdown before our planned viewing of Fantasmic (had the FP+ for it). He sort of saw the fireworks on the boat back to Wilderness Lodge but only just barely.

This coming May, we are pushing him to his limit of wakefulness to do the Pirates and Pals fireworks cruise. He LOVES Captain Hook and Smee so this will be a treat. I hope he manages to stay up. lol We aren't planning on staying for Wishes IN the Magic Kingdom (though we'll do the MSEP).

Honestly, if we miss fireworks, it's fine. He's still into the characters and not late nights.

WHY would you PUSH your 4 -5 yo to his limit? I don't get it.

I agree that Fantasmic is overrated. But lots of folks love it! The one time we saw it, we did the whole Fantasmic dining package to try to skip some of the wait. When we finally saw the show, we were pretty much "Meh??" I don't plan to see it again.

I do like Illuminations, but luckily it's pretty to find a place to view it from (as opposed to Fantasmic, which has limited seating).

Yes

Illuminations: a big yes

Fantasmic: a big no in my book.

I agree totally

 

[Fratthouse]

I think each of the nighttime shows are worth seeing at least once. As you can see from all the responses, everyone has different preferences, so there's no real way to know which one(s) you will love without seeing them for yourself. That said, we've never made it to all the fireworks displays in a single visit. We usually make it to 1 or 2, and then are too tired for the last one. We much prefer rope drop, and our 3 yr old just can't hold out that late.

I've seen them all, and the one we usually skip (at least viewing in the parks) is Wishes (GASP!). There are several other great places to view the fireworks, that don't involve the absolute chaos of main street once the fireworks are over - TTC, the Contemporary Resort, and previously the beach at the Poly (RIP).

Illuminations is actually my favorite in terms of the convenience of viewing / getting out of the park. We hang around in our spot for a few minutes after the display ends, then take a long stroll around World Showcase after it empties out. They play awesome music and it's so beautiful and relaxing

 

[Jfine]

It seems strange people complaining about uncomfortable seating for Fantasmic, but neither of the other nighttime spectaculars even have seating.

This. I'll take a hard bench vs nothing any day. We usually see all the fireworks each trip. Illuminations is my least favorite. I love history, but I get bored during Illuminations. It's just too far away and too much. Wishes just barely beats out Fantasmic for me. I think Fantasmic makes complete sense at Disney. Movies play a role in Disney's history and present so there should be a show to celebrate that. I'd agree that everyone should try each show at least once.

 

[MinnieGi]

We have seen all of them in the parks, however we now mostly watch from outside the parks:

MK - from CR's balcony. On the concourse level, anybody can use it.

Epcot - From the bridge between Boardwalk at Beach Club, again anyone can use it.

We have also had rooms at BWV facing Illuminations and at BLT we also faced WISHES. Were even surprised at our recent stay at Kidani we saw WISHES from our balcony.

I'm more surprised that so many posters think Disney's fireworks are just ok. Maybe because we are there during the holidays when the fireworks shows have additional time that I think Disney's shows are wonderful!! At least in our area the 4th of July fireworks shows I've seen are cool, but do not compare. They also only put them on once a year. I think Disney is amazing that EVERY night there are several night time shows!!! We just went to Universal for the first time and saw their night time show which was so skimpy in comparison. It was Illuminations Jr., very Jr.

 

[preemiemama]

We are usually a mid-day break family, so we tend to be out later at night (usually back at the hotel by 10-11, so not too crazy!). We have been a half dozen times in the past 10 years. In that time, we have seen MSEP and Spectro many times, usually as we are walking through Frontierland.

We have done the dessert party once in order to see Wishes all the way through, which was nice. The rest of the time, we try and catch it as we ride Splash or Thunder Mts- and that suits us perfectly. (We have also see the 4th of July fireworks from the sunroom at Tony’s, which was a neat experience…)

This past summer is the first (and quite possibly only) time we have seen Fantasmic in that time. We did the dinner package, but I still felt like a canned sardine sitting in that theater. It was just not magical for us, and that’s ok. At least we can say we experienced it.

The one thing we DO make a priority every trip is Illuminations. I won’t say it is anything more special than the others, and we don’t stake out a seat for hours in advance. We make a 7:15-7:30 dinner reservation at Rose and Crown and ask to be seated on the patio. We like eating dinner there, and we love the view of the show there as well. Plus, once the show is over, we are typically finishing dessert, so that gives the crowds time to disperse. (Also, we typically stay at BWV, so the short walk “home” is an advantage over the bus!)

Bottom line, you have to do what you feel is right for you and your family.

 

[drea21]

I'm on team skip Fantasmic also. We had a FP last year, but I don't remember that doing very much, I think we just walked in a different line. When the show was over we all agreed that we weren't fans, THEN we had the insane walk out. Not knowing the lay of the land had sat pretty much in the furthest area from the exit. Trying to get out of there with two little kids and everyone pushing and shoving and shoulder to shoulder ensured we will not be trying that again.

I haven't seen Illuminations since '09 now that Epcot is usually a half day park for us now starting with a princess breakfast. I remember really enjoying it and would definitely see it again in the future.

Our last 3 trips we did MVMCP and watched the castle show/fireworks on the little path leading down towards Tommorrowland. We were at the WL all of those years and never had to wait long at all for a boat. I wouldn't miss that show for the world, and it is the #1 thing I'm going to miss about the Christmas season there. I hear the "Spirit of the Season" song and immediately tear up.

This year we are at BLT, we have Wishes dessert party reservations but I was hoping for an earlier Wishes, just found out it is at 10pm so we are thinking of canceling because of having to keep the kiddos up so late. There is a day earlier in our trip that Wishes is at 8pm and I was able to snag 2 FP for, but I need 3 more and doubt they open up.

BUT that's just us. Everyone has different circumstances and opinions, so I don't think you will know until you try!

 

[drea21]

Oh, and we also have a Cali Grill date night every trip and we make a reservation that lets us be just about on dessert when Wishes starts. They do a really good job dimming the lights and piping in the Wishes music, but I still don't think it's the same as being right there and seeing it. That could be an option for you if you want to avoid the crowds though!

 

[Marthasor]

I'm not a big fan of Fantasmic and will never do that show again. The one in DL was so much better and trying to get out of the theater in DHS is a nightmare.

Illuminations is another story - love it! - however we only stay to see it if we are staying at an EP resort. If you want to see it without the hassle of the buses at the end, I would recommend viewing it somewhere around France or the UK and then exiting out the IG and grabbing a cab back to your resort from the Beach Club. I don't know where you are staying, but if it's onsite, it will cost you about $20 to take a cab. Worth it to see Illuminations and beat the crowd IMHO

 

[emldrl]

I saw that you are staying at CBR in May. I thought I read somewhere that you could see Illuminations fireworks from there? Wouldn't be the whole show, but better than nothing. Or, have your son take a nap so he'll be able to stay up. Or, like others have said, watch near the exit and take a cab. Whatever you decide, good luck, and have a good time!

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

We were very underwhelmed by both Fantasmic and Illuminations, though I liked Illimunations better of the two. We love Wishes though and see it at least once every trip. Seems the very essence of "Disney" to us. I will say that when we saw Fantasmic it was FREEZING so going when the weather is nicer might make a difference.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

I'm not really big on Fantasmic or Wishes but illuminations is my favorite fireworks show at WDW.

Fantasmic after I saw it at Disneyland I just have no real desire to see it at WDW again, when you compare the two Disneyland's is better because of using the columbia and the mark twain in the show.

Wishes to me seems like any other set to music. It's just fireworks being launched to music.

Illuminations to me is just a better show over all because the music was composed to go with and complement the fireworks rather than the fireworks being put around the music. Plus I'm a pyromaniac and the inferno barge is just plane cool with it's big balls of fire and jets of flame shooting out around the lagoon it's kind of hard to beat that.

 

[HopperFan]

It seems strange people complaining about uncomfortable seating for Fantasmic, but neither of the other nighttime spectaculars even have seating.

For me it's not the actual seats but sitting in the arena with up to 10,000 other people that I don't enjoy. The whole process, the wait, the crowds and noise are not enjoyable to me. I'd rather watch the fireworks out in the park.

 

[mickyzzzzz05]

My husband and I went to Illuminations this week. A little before 9 pm I was standing next to the fence a bit left of center facing America. Great unobstructed view.
My husband did not want to walk in that far but came to the walkway to the First Aid station and sat there on a bench.
I love Illuminations and am willing to brave the crowd to see this show at least once a trip.
The big surprise this week was as we made our way out of the park at the end of the show it seemed to us to be not as crowded as we remembered. Usually when we get into large mass of moving people we slide off to the side and sit on a bench for a bit. We never ran into that this time.
Then a bit of Disney magic. As we walked up to the All Star Sport bus stop there was a bus loading. The group of 5 older adults ahead of us waved us by them as they did not want to stand for the ride.
I do not remember ever getting back to the hotel that early after watching the show.
Everything worked great. It doesn't always happen but it can!