Best way to be sure to see Fantasmic without dining package?

[shmoogrrrl]

We will be at Disney in mid-August and I am VERY interested in seeing Fantasmic. I've wanted to do it the last four times that I have been to Disney, but there is always something keeping it from happening. This time, my Daughter is old enough and I am looking forward to seeing this finally!

We don't want to do one of the packages with dinner as we really want to do the 50's Prime Time and they don't seem to participate, so we will be lining up with everyone else. Do I need to stress about getting in, or are we likely to have no problem? We don't have to have the worlds best seats or anything (as long as we can see!)

How far in advance should we actually get in line?

Anything else that we should know?

 

[MellaWDWnut]

We are going in July and would also like to know.

If it is a big deal we can book the package...but really don't want to.

 

[a |PiX!e |)uSt]

go to the later show there is still no gurantee but MUCH better of a chance. we went a couple of weeks ago to the later show and there were many vacant areas of bleachers.

 

[Lisa AF]

We always grab dinner in the park and carry it into the stadium about an hour before the show. We have dinner picnic style while we wait. You should have awsome seats if you get there an hour early.
One suggestion. Either sit in the center or in the center of the side section. There are 3 water sprays. During part of the show they play movies on these. If you are between the sprays you can't see the movies that are on them.

We also take uno/cards to entertain ourselves!

 

[beattyfamily]

Well, I went without the package on a Friday the end of September and we got there about an hour before the show. There was no line, they were already going in to sit down. It was the only showing. I believe there is only one showing for most of August as well.

We got right in the middle, center.

I know mid-August is probably more crowded but thought I'd give you an idea. I was pleasantly surprised. It was my first attempt without the package.

 

[Lisa AF]

go to the later show there is still no gurantee but MUCH better of a chance. we went a couple of weeks ago to the later show and there were many vacant areas of bleachers.

We've done this off season and it worked great, but when we went in the summer the line was all the backed up to the main street. They couldn't let anyone in until they cleared out the previous show so the line became huge.

 

[traviesojmt]

We are going at the end of Aug. and there is only one showing that week. I have been in July but not end of Aug. Any ideas as to the crowd levels for Fantasmic during that timeframe? I too am not wanting to do the package.

 

[Karnak]

I would recommend that you have dinner that evening at a nearby counter service location, such as Catelina Eddies or Rosie's Cafe, and plan to enter the amphiteater about one and one-half hour before show time if going to see the first or only show of the evening. There will be no enterance line for the first show.

However, if going to a second show there will likely be a line for enterance while the people who just watched the first show are exiting. There will most likely be a smaller crowd for the second showing however.

For your information: The theater seats about 6,900 with room for an additional 3,000 standing late comers. There are restrooms in the amphiteater, just inside the enterance. There are CMs selling things up and down the aisles before the show - just like at a major league baseball game. There are stands where you can buy your favorite drink. And the general atmosphere is fun. The wait for the show always seemed to pass rather quickly for me.

Enjoy.