Question with regard to Fantasmic! packages in general (by the way, we did H&V and it was good, but the buffet thing was kind of a pain after being on our feet all day). This time we want to try something new, heard Mama Melrose was great, but unfortunately no dinner packages are available at the time we wish to eat (although I did get normal ADRs at Mama's for 6:00 pm).
But my question relates to the
1- Fantasmic! package deal itself and whether it is
really necessary.
I know the reserved seating is nice, but
2- when we did it last time we got drenched by the fountains (windy night) which also caused my relatively new video camera to go on strike (my mistake for trying to video tape in the mist!). Also, I recall there not really being a "bad" seat in the house,
3- and it appeared that everyone who came in got a seat.
4- Is it possible that you would be turned away if you just do a normal ADR and take your chance coming in right before show time? We are so not picky about where we sit so we're willing to take a chance and sit wherever. As long we can get in
I also read on the dining reservations page that seating for the show is NO LONGER GUARANTEED anyway, so I'm just wondering if it really is worth taking an earlier 3:00-ish dinner just to get the package deal.
We're going in beginning of May when crowds do not appear to be too bad, and touringplans.com rates the park as a "5.6" on the day we're going. I just want to know whether there's a chance we're not getting in at all if we just do the normal ADRs.
Any advice for the seasoned Disboarders would be most appreciated!
2- That would depend on how close to the front you were seated and, of course, how windy the weather, in general, and in what direction the wind happened to be blowing on that night.
3- That can totally depend on the crowd on the night that you attend. And that can vary a lot.
4- The theater can fill to capacity well before show-time on many evenings,
but, on other nights, seats can still be found right up until the show begins.
1- 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 DHS on that day, and the general crowd LEVELS.
How much time you wish to "invest" in waiting is a personal decision. We have never done 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: Outside seats likely still available.
30-40 Minutes: will vary between seats at edges and rear of theater to SRO or even "closed" to further guests.
Yes, the lines can start forming over 2 hours before the show-time.
At about 120 min. before show-time, they will open the gates and begin allowing guests in line to approach the theater seating.
(See my maps. It is a very long ramp.)
They will continue with the lines of guests walking in until the theater is completely filled or the show begins, whichever comes first.
They will "hold open" the Dining Pkg. seating area ONLY for guests who have the Dining Pkg. voucher.
BUT, if the theater is over-crowded (a very likely scenario in 2009)
then, at about 35 min. before show-time,
the CM's will
cease holding the DP area open for DP voucher guests
and, at that time, begin to allow ANYONE
who still needs a seat to sit in (any seats left) the DP area.
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.
60 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 30-50 minutes before, but you'll likely be seated to the outer edges, and/or way at the back.
Dining Package:
New Dining Pkg. Entrance was added in mid-Sept. 2009.
If you do the Fantasmic! Dinner Pkg. you still SHOULD enter by AT LEAST 35-45 minutes ("safer" at 45 minutes) before show-time and still be guaranteed "pretty good" seats (not my "first choice" area, but fine), regardless of crowd-levels. Remember, the DP is only valid for the first show of the evening, if there are 2 or more. If you do have DP and you spy some seats outside the DP "reserved" area, you are free to choose to sit anywhere outside that area you like, no problem.
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 (generally, 45-60 minutes) and still find a seat.
(Some say less advance time will be needed, but I'm cautious.)
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 seats over 7,000 guests.)
When you enter the theater, there will be CMs along the way directing the flow of traffic, but you may (if you are early enough to have a choice) simply choose any open seats in the theater to be your own.
If you want to exit more quickly, choose a seat farther back and to towards audience-right.
If you want to be immersed in the show (and sometimes, immersed in water-mist, if the wind is blowing "in") choose a seat towards the front.
We like to eat our evening meal while waiting for Fantasmic! to start.
You can bring in items from the counter-service places in DHS, 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).
http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menu_fan.htm
Click above for the "menu."
But, nothing ALWAYS happens the same way at WDW.
I would be cautious about assuming anything, as WDW has been experiencing
unpredictable (sometimes record-breaking) crowds even over the past couple of years.
If its IMPORTANT to see a particular show, arriving a bit
too early will be better than arriving a bit
late.
If its not a really big deal to see a particular show, you may certainly arrive closer to show-time and just see if you get lucky.
Many folks do.
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