Fantasmic and Osborne Lights on the Same Night?

[PatsGirl]

We're planning to spend only one day at MGM, Thursday December 1st and want to see Fantasmic (at 7pm) and the Osborne Lights. We have an ADR at Mama Melrose for 5 pm too. Is this doable? Should we try to see OL between dinner and Fantasmic or after Fantasmic? TIA. Brenda

 

[pxlbarrel]

Good question...I was wondering that myself. We have ADRs at Hollywood and Vine (Fantasmic Dinner Package) at 4:20 pm (about a week before Christmas). I had been planning on seeing the Osborne lights afterwards...I hope the park is still open for that!

(I seem to remember doing that before but that was 2000)

 

[MickeyMacks]

I'm also trying to figure out what's the best way to go. We're only at MGM one evening (Fri. Dec. 9) and we don't have a dinner package so aren't time restricted that way. My dad hates crowds so I'm wondering if we can do the Lights after Fantasmic. I hear OL is very crowded when it first opens, but if the crowd thins out and we can mosey through after Fantasmic, that would be great.

How do I get over there without being "directed" out of the park after Fantasmic?

 

[mom2rb]

When we went last year, we went straight from Fantasmic to Osborn Lights. It seemed like that was what everyone was doing. In fact we ducked into the ABC Commissary for a quick bite to let the crowds die down first.

 

[disneyvoice]

We did the OFSL last year for the first time and it was INSANE!! The line to get into it started forming about two hours before it opened and it wound all the way through the park. It was complete and total gridlock both in the park around the line as well as once it finally opened. It was so crowded that you couldn't even stop to look at anything, you just got carried along with the huge crowd.

My DH and I were contemplating trying to see it just prior to the park closing, hoping that the crowds would be lighter, but then we remembered the total gridlock at the front gates at MGM as we leaving!! You actually had to wait in line to get OUT of the park, plus there was an enormous crowd waiting to get into the park to see it. We weren't there on the first or night it was open either. I assume it is this crazy all the time. With that said, I don't know how successful (or pleasant) you would find trying to do both Fantismic and OFSL in one night.

 

[helenk]

We've always done the Osborne lights after Fantasmic, alot of people do this, jut follow the flow of the crowd.
It is crowded but doable, we have alway been able to mosey along looking at the light without being crushed in a crowd of people.

 

[disneyfreak71]

Fantasmic is only at one time correct? I believe the park closes at 7pm. The hours for MGM are not disney.com today...anyone know?

 

[helenk]

Fantasmic is only at one time correct? I believe the park closes at 7pm. The hours for MGM are not disney.com today...anyone know?

Before the hours were earased from the WDW site I had printed them. The park hours for MGM were until 8:00, Fantasmic was scheduled for 7:00pm except for 12/4 and 12/10 when Fantasmic was scheduled for 7:00 and 8:30.
I did not get the rest of the month

 

[virginiamama]

We're only at MGM one evening (Fri. Dec. 9) and we don't have a dinner package so aren't time restricted that way. My dad hates crowds

From what I can tell, that is the night of the Pop Warner party at MGM. I was under the impression that the park was closing early that night, and I wasn't sure if they were having Fantasmic or not. I did hear that some folks got ADRs for late Friday night though. But expect large crowds of chaperoned youth football players and cheerleaders that evening.

 

[MickeyMacks]

Virginiamama, thanks for the Pop Warner tip! We're at MGM on the previous Tuesday afternoon but have an ADR for Boma for 7 pm. Maybe we can change it to a later time so we can take in the Osbourne Lights before going over...

 

[pxlbarrel]

Hmmm...they day we're going to Disney/MGM is a Saturday and the park closing time is 8pm with Fantasmic at 7 pm. Maybe I should plan on another evening and hop over just to see the lights. Ack.

Oh...www.disney.ca has the December times on their calendar if you can't see it on the disney.com site.

 

[MickeyAnne]

Anyone ever seen OL on the weekend after Thanksgiving? I will be there this year and am wondering about the crowds I should be expecting.

 

[Brier Rose]

Be VERY careful when trying to do both on the same night.....

It didn't work out for us last year when we went to see the Osborne Lights.

We had asked earlier in the day if it was possible to see the lights after Fantasmic, and was told yes. We had my Grandmother with us who was just recovering from breast cancer, and was on what will most likely by her and my Grandfather's last trip to WDW. So, in other words we were trying to pack in as MUCH as possible, and thought after we were told we could do both, that we could well... do both! NOT!!

After Fantasmic ended we went as fast as we could for the lights only to run into a barracade of CM's not letting people into the lights because of a private party! Truly they did not have to let us in, because just as soon as we stepped up, and I'm talking seconds here, they made the offical closed announcement. Even though there were people with in arms reach of us that had just gotten in they would not let us or the 8 other VERY mad people standing there through. One man's family had gone in ahead of him while he was in the restroom, and they would not even let him through to catch up to them! He pushed past them,and then security was called....a huge mess!

I was not mad, just totally heartbroken for my Grandmother. I cried for hours. I know the people on the tram to the parking lot thought I was crazy.
It was every bit my fault, but honestly had we known, we would have just skipped Fantasmic, as she had already seen that a few years before.We just did not think it was going to be a problem doing both, because we were told it wouldn't be, and also because we had done it that way for the past 5 years ourselves without ever having this happen. As a matter of fact Guest Services even told us that it would not have been a problem that night either had it not been for the private party!
And I am NOT saying anything about the folks having the private party...just wish I would have known.
__________________

 

[pxlbarrel]

Gosh, Brier Rose, that's terrible.
Did you try to explain the sitch to the CM's who closed off the lights to the public? I can only say that never say never and my hopes are that your grandmother and grandfather get to enjoy another trip to WDW.

I've decided that we'll try to see the lights after Fantasmic but if that doesn't work out, we'll hop over there a couple of days later after we get kicked out of the MK (it's MVMCP that night so we'll get kicked at 6pm). We'll probably finish MK early anyway so we can hop over there, maybe have some dinner at Prime Time or Sci-FI (we'll try to be walk-ins and try our luck).

 

[Brier Rose]

Gosh, Brier Rose, that's terrible.
Did you try to explain the sitch to the CM's who closed off the lights to the public? I can only say that never say never and my hopes are that your grandmother and grandfather get to enjoy another trip to WDW.

I've decided that we'll try to see the lights after Fantasmic but if that doesn't work out, we'll hop over there a couple of days later after we get kicked out of the MK (it's MVMCP that night so we'll get kicked at 6pm). We'll probably finish MK early anyway so we can hop over there, maybe have some dinner at Prime Time or Sci-FI (we'll try to be walk-ins and try our luck).

Yes, we did try and explain, but they said there was nothing they could do. The CM's along with manager that were at the barracade, we not being very nice, but then neither were most of the folks trying to get though.
Like I said, one man got trapped on the wrong side of the barracade, and we could all SEE his family on the other side, but the CM's would not even let him pass to catch up to his family! He PUSHED through them, and they called security.

Everyone else headed straight to guest services at the front of the park, so we followed them. We talked to a VERY nice CM that saw how distraught I was, and I could honestly tell he felt very bad for me. He even went and pleaded with the manager to do something, but he said there was nothing he could do.

I understand though, not blaming anyone. I didn't want to intrude on the private party anyway. Don't really know what I wanted...guess some childish part of me believed..this is Disney they can make anything happen!

He did insist that we take complimentary one day park hoppers. We don't need them, because we have annual passes, so I guess I'll hold on to them in case we do ever get the chance to take my Grandparents again. God willing her health is pretty good right now!

Thank you so much for your kind thoughts.

 

[speakupjc]

If there are 2 Fantasmic Shows go see the lights during one of them and you will have less of a crowd to contend with

 

[PatsGirl]

Thanks everyone for all your help. I think we'll take our chances and play it be ear. We'll see Fantasmic at 7 and then see how the crowds are. Again, thanks. Brenda