Fantasmic - delays getting in with no FP+

[BraveCruiser]

Or those of you trying to decide what to use your FP+ selections on at HS, here is some information. We showed up at Fantasmic last night at 8pm for the 8:30 show. There were putting up ropes to hold back the standby people. They told us they would reopen the rope 10 minutes before the show after all the FP+ and dining package guests were seated. They finally did open the line for us and there was a mad rush for the few seats left on the left side. We did get a seat and it was a great show. However, don't plan to just stroll up and go standby anymore. Seems like a dining package might be the way to go in the figure for us. Anyone else with the same experience?

 

[Itinkso]

I watched 3 Fantasmics in February, DD's a Fant performer, and that was the case for the first show of the night. The CMs ensure Fp+ holders sit on the left side of the stadium and standby on the right so they can estimate how many waiting standby guests they will allow in right before the show.

For future visits, if you don't want to do the Dining Package, attending the 2nd show of the night is much less crowded than the first show. The same seating sections apply for Fp+ and standby for the 2nd show.

 

[shyjade]

Thank goodness! We completely wasted our FP+ last October when there was no separate line or seating area for those of us with FP+. Apparently there was a "designated area", but anyone could (and did) sit there. While our seats were fine, it sure was disappointing to waste valuable FP+'s!

 

[Itinkso]

Thank goodness! We completely wasted our FP+ last October when there was no separate line or seating area for those of us with FP+. Apparently there was a "designated area", but anyone could (and did) sit there. While our seats were fine, it sure was disappointing to waste valuable FP+'s!

The large walkway from the street to the amphitheater is divided by a rope. Fp+ on the left; standby on the right. The Fp+ tapstiles are near the stroller parking area and at the top of the amphitheater, the rope blocks off the Dining area. Management CMs are lined up in this area to keep Fp+ on the left side and on the opposite side, they only allow the Dining guests in and make sure standby guests stay on the right,

It's very rigid in that each section is filled one by one... but this does give management a good estimate as to how many standby guests they will allow in at the last minute.

 

[buggy2727]

When they fill in the FP area, do the make the first guest go all the way to the end or do they fill up the middle first? I know its been said (over and over) that FP for Fantasmic! is a waste but with the Star Wars bfast needing 2 credits, we dropped our Fantasmic dining package. Having 3 kids under 8 we are trying to minimize our wait time but also don't want to waste a FP!

 

[Itinkso]

When they fill in the FP area, do the make the first guest go all the way to the end or do they fill up the middle first? I know its been said (over and over) that FP for Fantasmic! is a waste but with the Star Wars bfast needing 2 credits, we dropped our Fantasmic dining package. Having 3 kids under 8 we are trying to minimize our wait time but also don't want to waste a FP!

Buggy,
They fill Pocahontas section first... That is the prime Fp+ seating area as it is adjacent to the center Dining Package section. I sat near the top of Pocahontas by arriving 45 minutes before showtime. 50% of the seats in Pocahontas were available but I didn't want to be near the water.

5 minutes before showtime, seats were still available in the far left section, this was the day after Presidents' Day, and waiting standby guests were allowed to fill in that section.

You still need to arrive at least 30 minutes early to get the more central seating than to be in the far left section.

 

[tjknitz]

We are going the week before Thanksgiving - so not sure how crowds would compare from when you went. Our plan was to show up for F! about an hour before show time with the idea of eating dinner in our seats while waiting for the show (hot dogs, nachos, etc). We planned on showing up as standby. IYO would we still have to wait about 10 min before show time? Is there decent seating available to standby that shows up that early?

 

[Itinkso]

We are going the week before Thanksgiving - so not sure how crowds would compare from when you went. Our plan was to show up for F! about an hour before show time with the idea of eating dinner in our seats while waiting for the show (hot dogs, nachos, etc). We planned on showing up as standby. IYO would we still have to wait about 10 min before show time? Is there decent seating available to standby that shows up that early?

You will be fine an hour before showtime. I always enter around 45 minutes before a show and the standby area still has more than one section empty at that time.

 

[buggy2727]

Not to beat this topic to death but... When do they start letting the SB folks in? Do they start letting both SB and FP people in at the same time? And is there really a bad seat in the house? We will have a 4 yo so we don't want to sit too close so hopefully she's not too scared but just want to have a good view with minimal wait

 

[ArwenMarie]

Do they let the dining package in before the FP+?

 

[Itinkso]

They open the seating to all guests an hour before showtime per the directions in my previous post. I always sit in the front of the Beast section when DD is in the show. When she is over at JTA, I sit in Pocahontas. Central seating is the best view. Upper far left (Beast) is okay... better than lower left.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Do they let the dining package in before the FP+?

Dining package is roped off, so it really doesn't matter who gets in first...only dining package people are allowed in the dining package area. We saw many, many FP+ people being turned away from the dining package area in October.

But to answer your question...dining package people and FP+ people both enter in the FP+ line, so they're let in together according to their place in line.

 

[Itinkso]

Do they let the dining package in before the FP+?

Dining Package has the two center sections, Sorcerer Mickey and the one to the right of it, and they can enter whenever they want as it is reserved for them.

I noticed that most Dining guests arrived close to 30 minutes before show.

 

[JeremyGNJ]

Do they let the dining package in before the FP+?

I imagine it has to be only a matter of time until they stop the Fantasmic! packages right? With FP+ being the thing they want to use for all experiences, it would probably migrate. (likely at the same time that BOG FP+ gets merged in)

 

[Princess Michele]

I watched 3 Fantasmics in February, DD's a Fant performer, and that was the case for the first show of the night. The CMs ensure Fp+ holders sit on the left side of the stadium and standby on the right so they can estimate how many waiting standby guests they will allow in right before the show.

For future visits, if you don't want to do the Dining Package, attending the 2nd show of the night is much less crowded than the first show. The same seating sections apply for Fp+ and standby for the 2nd show.

On our July trip we will be hopping to HS and attending the 2nd show so we will not have FP+ or the dinning package option that night. Do they open up the dinning package seating to standby or FP+ holders for the 2nd show? Thank you.

 

[Itinkso]

On our July trip we will be hopping to HS and attending the 2nd show so we will not have FP+ or the dinning package option that night. Do they open up the dinning package seating to standby or FP+ holders for the 2nd show? Thank you.

In February, the Dining Package section was filled by standby guests. They entered the standby section via the right side entrance and then migrated into the Dining section.

We watched this from the Beast section and had a great view of the migration while all the Fp+ people remained seated in the left section.

 

[tjknitz]

They only offer two shows on certain nights - right?

 

[Itinkso]

I imagine it has to be only a matter of time until they stop the Fantasmic! packages right? With FP+ being the thing they want to use for all experiences, it would probably migrate. (likely at the same time that BOG FP+ gets merged in)

No, they won't stop them. It's what fills the TS restaurants at unpopular hours.

Plus, that's why they stopped reserving the center sections for Fp+ because TS Fant packages were getting canceled in favor of Fp+.

Now, Fp+ is just a little better than standby but not as good as Dining Package.

 

[Meech Loves Mickey]

So in other words, if you are stand by, you have to show up an hour ahead of time to get in OR wait until all the dining and FP+ people are seated and they open up stand by close to showtime??

I'm wondering if with the new "extra" FP+ you will be able to book F! after you've used all of your 3 FP+ for the day??

 

[Itinkso]

They only offer two shows on certain nights - right?

Correct. On a weekend or EMH there will be two shows depending on time of year. High crowd times such as Christmas may have three shows.

If DHS is crowded and they decide to extend park hours "day of," they will add on a Fant.