arriving early for parades/night shows???

[iHEARTflorida]

arriving early for parades/night shows???

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i'm going to WDW again in August and havn't seen the parades/night shows for along now.i wanna watch the parades and night shows, but i dont wanna have to get there 45minutes early to get a good spot.

if i got there like 10mins before could i get a good spot, and i have heard u need to be 2hrs in advance for Fanstmic!!!!!!

help please, can i still see if i go there only 10-15mins before hand

 

[Bev J]

Last June people were staking out spots 2 hrs ahead of time for Spectro/Wishes. We could hardly even walk around the park. People are so cranky about their 'space'. I had to keep saying, just trying to get to the other side, not take your space...and gots lots of grumbles and dirty looks...this 2 hrs before! Don't hold your breath for a prime spot 10-15 min ahead

Bev

 

[ougrad86]

If it was later in August it might work, but the date you have it'll still be busy. Frontierland as a rule tends to be less crowded than say Main Street, but you still have to stake out a spot. The best place I found was in front of Pecos Bill's, which is right near the end. This was in March, but while Main Street was wall to wall people, Frontierland didn't start filling up until the tape went down.
Fantasmic can easily be had by eating at one of the restaurants that will give you a voucher. Then you have an area reserved for the ones that received the voucher. It was not crowded when we did it, but the rest of the arena was packed when the show started. I just figured I had to eat anyway, so...although I have heard of problems even with that area during the more crowded parts of the year.
Best suggestion is stake out a spot early and bring something to pass the time - guide books or souveniers, etc. That the only realistic (and polite) way to do it.

 

[iHEARTflorida]

Fantasmic can easily be had by eating at one of the restaurants that will give you a voucher. Then you have an area reserved for the ones that received the voucher. It was not crowded when we did it, but the rest of the arena was packed when the show started. I just figured I had to eat anyway, so...although I have heard of problems even with that area during the more crowded parts of the year.

what resturants give you these vouchers????

 

[iHEARTflorida]

bump bump bump bump bump

 

[Robo]

what resturants give you these vouchers????

Here you go-

http://allearsnet.com/din/fantdin1.htm

Lots of info.
No one can predict EXACTLY how large the crowds will be or how early you should go to find a seat for Fantasmic! on any given day.
It has totally to do with the whim of the crowd at MGM on that day, and the general crowd LEVELS.
How much time you wish to "invest" in waiting is a personal decision. We never do the formal Dinner Package, and have always seen the show (dozens of times).

(Take all of these as "average" numbers, sometimes the crowd will be MUCH greater and the theater can fill up much sooner.)

VERY Busy days:
If you go to the first show of the evening (or "only" show that evening), if you arrive about 75-120 minutes before show-time, you can sit just about anywhere.
45-60 minutes before: Good seats
20-40 Minutes: will vary between seats at edges and rear of theater to SRO or even "closed" to further guests.

Busy days:
If you go to the first show of the evening (or "only" show that evening), if you arrive about 50-60 minutes before show-time, you can sit just about anywhere.
40 minutes before: Good seats
25-35 Minutes: will vary between seats at edges and rear of theater to SRO or even "closed" to further guests. (The crowd of "last-minute" arrivals can be slow to get seated before show-time.)

Off-Season (not busy days):
You should be OK to enter by 10-20 minutes before, but you'll likely be seated to the outer edges, and/or way at the back.

If you do the dinner pkg. you can enter 30 minutes before (or a bit later) and still be guaranteed "pretty good" seats (not my "first choice" area, but fine), regardless of crowd-levels.

If there are TWO Fantasmic! shows in one evening, the second one will have lower crowd level than the first one. You can arrive a bit later and still find a seat.

Be aware that the second show waiting area will LOOK like the show is "too crowded".
That's because they HOLD the 2nd crowd outside the theater while the CMs CLEAN it after the first crowd has exited.

Then, they will let those waiting together in that big group IN... all at once, and there will be PLENTY of room.

(The theater holds 10,000 guests!)

We like to eat our evening "meal" while waiting for Fantasmic! to start.
You can bring in items from the counter-service places in MGM, or they DO have concession stands at the rear of the theater serving "baseball stadium-type" food and drinks. Yes, even beer, sold strictly ONE-at-a-time, one-only-to-a-person, so a single person can't go and buy beer for other members of a group... all guests wanting to buy a beer must be present in-person at the counter.
We have a hot dog, maybe a pretzel, later some popcorn or cotton candy (Disney Health Food).

 

[iHEARTflorida]

for the night shows is it a good view from anywhere u sit???

in fanstamic is it a good view where ever i sit????

 

[Robo]

fin fanstamic is it a good view where ever i sit????

Pretty much anywhere.
I perfer down front in the center, but with the show being SO BIG, you can enjoy it from most spots in that huge theater.

for the night shows is it a good view from anywhere u sit???

Wishes:

If all you want to see is FIREWORKS, you can stand at MOST areas in the MK.
(And a wide variety of places OUTSIDE the MK.)

But if you are NOT at CERTAIN SPECIFIC LOCATIONS, you will MISS the "full impact" of the SHOW called "Wishes".

Wishes has two fireworks "STAGES":
One fires its missiles from a location FAR BEHIND any public area of MK.
The other fires its missiles from the ROOF-TOPS of Fantasyland/Liberty Square/the Castle.
The guests' VIEWING ANGLE will affect "if and how" these two stages can be viewed together (they are designed to be viewed "together".)

There is a full AUDIO TRACK that is synchronized with the fireworks.
It is the "motivation" for the unique fireworks effects that change with each MOOD and SECTION of the audio track.

The audio, and positioning of the two fireworks "stages" relative to the viewer will affect the impact of the show.

The front of the CASTLE ITSELF is part of the "show".
There is an elaborate lighting system that is used to change the color of the castle to suit each MOOD, and even "textures" and shapes are projected on the castle at key points in the show (Mickey's Sorcerer's HAT is a great one).

Tinkerbell's flight (which used to take place PRIOR to the old fireworks show at MK) is now WITHIN "Wishes". She doesn't fly EVERY night, but she OFTEN flies and you should be in a position to see her.

The SWEET-SPOT for Wishes is: starting from approx. the "bridge to Tomorrowland" ...on up Main Street to the "Main Street Cinema" (Pal Mickey Store).
That is simply the "optimum viewing" area.

There are MANY other places to watch, but they are all compromises that diminish the "full effect" of the show in one way or more:

Some have little or no SOUND.
Some have obstructed views of the fireworks.
Some only allow viewing of one of the two fireworks "stages".
Some places (like the Main Street train station) don't turn off the lights in the area, so there will likely be lights in your field-of-vision.
Some don't allow a view of the castle-front and/or Tinkerbell when she flies.

So, if you don't MIND this, you can choose from a multitude of "viewing spots" throughout the MK.

My point is that the show is designed for "FULL EFFECT" to be seen from the "Sweet spot" areas I described. (But, yes, those can be C-R-O-W-D-E-D!)

Wishes is the only fireworks show that can be (for the most part) seen from outside the presenting park.
Good viewing can be found at the beach of the Polynesian Resort (walk along the sidewalk there until you see a view of the castle unobstructed by trees.)
The Ohana restaurant at the Poly offers good views (and they pipe in the audio of the show). Same goes for the California Grill Restaurant (and outdoor terrace) at the Contemporary Resort.
At Grand Floridian, "Narcoossee's" is the restaurant with the MK and Wishes views (and sound).

The MK parking lot (TTC) offers views, as well as do other outdoor spots for several miles in any direction of MK. But without the sound, you miss a lot of the "show".
Best analogy:
Sitting across the highway from a Drive-In Theater and "watching the movie" with binoculars. You can do it, but it LACKS something.

-----------------------------------

IllumiNations:

Great viewing from:
Bridge between UK and France (under this bridge is where the so-called "IllumiNations Cruise" boats view the show.

The plaza area on the water (lagoon) at Italy.

Near Norway is prime.

Area to left of UK "Rose and Crown Pub" (this is also near a roped-off Wheelchair viewing area.)

Front area of WS near the "twin gift shops" (very crowded here). Many times guests are asked to SIT on the pavement so others behind them can see.

Actually too many "good" spots to list.
Just remember that you don't want to stand under tree-limbs (obstructed sky-views) or DOWN-WIND of all that fireworks fall-out and SMOKE.