CP or CM before F!

[g3pak]

The night we want to see Fantasmic we have the choice of Cafe Mickey's or Crystal Palace at 5:30 p.m. Assuming we show up early and are seated on time, which would you suggest to allow the most time to get to DHS for the show?

 

[vicki_c]

What time is Fantasmic? Either of those are a problem, I think - you need to arrive very early w/o the dinner package for Fantasmic most nights.

 

[g3pak]

I know it will be cutting it close. It is at 8 p.m. Fortunately it will be off-season. My hope is to be at the check-in early, be seated about on-time, and since they are both buffets, eat and be out by 6:30 p.m. May be wishful thinking. Then 30 minutes to get to DHS and in the gate by 7.

 

[guitarob]

If you want go guarantee yourself a seat for F! I would definitely look into eating somewhere that offers the F! diner package in DHS (Mama Melrose, The Brown Derby or Hollywood and Vine) that way you don't have to show up at F! too early.

However, if none of those appeal to you, I would still suggest eating at DHS on your F! night, and early (depending on what time the performance is) just to make sure you can get in line and get a seat without waiting for a bus (which may or may not be running on time).

The Sci-Fi Dine In and 50's Prime Time Cafe both have wonderful family atmospheres and decent food.

 

[g3pak]

Unfortunately we have a long list of our favorite restaurants that fill up every night of our trip, and none of them are at DHS. Actually, as I look down my list of restuarants that we want, all of them are at monorail resorts or in MK or EPCOT

I guess let me ask it this way (and this may not be a "restaurant" question): is it faster to leave CP, get to the TTC and take a bus to DHS, or take a bus from CM to DHS

 

[vicki_c]

It would be fastest to take a cab from the Contemporary to DHS and that is what I would do. To do a cab from CP/MK, you still have to boat or monorail to the TTC and that will be a big time sucker.

PS - we arrived on Sunset around 7:15 in January (very low crowds - end of January) for the 8 PM show. The street was shoulder-to-shoulder packed with people. We ended up off the center, much lower down in the seats than I wanted to be. I was sorry we didn't get there earlier, even though it kills me to wait that long for anything.

 

[catne]

I think you'd be very, very lucky to make it to Fantasmic, at all, with that schedule. First, it would be unusual to get seated right on time at those two buffets -- very popular places. Even if you're in & out of Crystal Palace by 6:30, you then have a long walk to the busses, followed by the ride to DHS, then going through bag check/turnstyles...then a long walk to the F! theater. I really doubt you'd get to the theater by 7:00 p.m...I would guess it would be after 7. Chef Mickey's usually backs up even more than CP, so don't count on getting seated at your ADR time, even if you check in early. I've read about 30 minute waits at CM being common.

And sorry to say, even during slow times of the year getting to F! less than an hour before show time could be too late to get a seat. We've been there during slow times when 45 minutes before showtime was standing room only -that was for an 8:00 show, too. Problem is, during slow times, they cut back even further on the number of shows - sometimes only once a week. So while the crowds may be low in the parks, EVERYONE in the parks will go to DHS that night to see Fantasmic, because it's the only chance they'll have.

I'd use the table service for lunch that day, and do a counter service meal and get to Fantasmic theater 75 to 90 minutes before show time, just to make sure you have a seat.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

If you are at CM you can get a direct bus from the Contemporary.

If you are at CP you have to leave the MK, go to the TTC, and get a bus there.

And, if you find you will be cutting it close, if worse comes to worse you can get a taxi directly from the Contemporary.