Fantasmic dining package & wheelchair seating

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Hi All,

We will be making our annual pilgraage to WDW in early Nov.

Travelling with 80 year old parents in wheelchairs, will be making reservations for Fantasmic Dinning package probably. Including 2 parents in wheelchairs our group size.... 2 children and 5 adults. Will we be able to sit together in the fantasmic stadium ? Since we are doing the dining package how early do we need to arrive ? How early do you all suggest we arrive ? Will we have to wait in line or with the package can we go in and be seated as soon as we arrive ?

 

[Mary976]

DD and I just did the dining package this week. It included reserved seats for the first show (back when I booked it there was only one show, but then I guess Disney decided to add a second show at the last minute). Keep in mind this is spring break week, so major crowds happening right now.

Our show was at 8:30. The waitress told us to be there between 7:45 and 8:00, and to use the bathrooms before going in (good advice!). You enter where the exit is for the Beauty and the Beast show. You don't have to wait in line per se, but it is a long uphill walkway to get into the theater. The reserved section when we were there were the Witch and Ursula sections, which are all the way on the far right (as you face the stage). The view from Ursula is a little better because it's not as far to the side. We arrived at 7:30 and had our pick of seats. You are allowed to bring snacks in and then there is a snack vendor in the back of the theater too. The kids can get up and stretch their legs a little too because the reserved area isn't opened to the general line until about 8pm.

Basically, seating for the wheelchairs is in the back row. One member of the party is allowed to sit on a bench right next to the chair, and then everyone else is on the bench right in front. You do have a larger party though, so I'd get there on the earlier side. If you get there right at 8pm you might have to split up, depending on how many other wheelchairs there are.

One more tip, have everyone ready to go as the show is ending. It's a stampede to exit, so you don't want to waste time packing up.

Have fun!
Mary

 

[KPeveler]

I agree with everything you said, except I suggest sitting there until most of the crowd has left. It is easy to get separated in that crowd and impossible to maneuver wheelchairs. I definitely think your party will end up getting split between two rows, with one or two people next to the wheelchair and the others in the row in front of that - don't worry, it makes it easier to talk while you wait!

 

[SueM in MN]

I agree with everything you said, except I suggest sitting there until most of the crowd has left. It is easy to get separated in that crowd and impossible to maneuver wheelchairs. I definitely think your party will end up getting split between two rows, with one or two people next to the wheelchair and the others in the row in front of that - don't worry, it makes it easier to talk while you wait!

I agree about waiting. We wait until most of the crowd has left before even trying to get out. It’s a lot easier that way and you will really not save much time trying to rush out ahead of the crowd since it moves much more slowly at the beginning than after most people have left.

There are marked parking spots.

The CM is standing in one of the parking boxes and the 2 rows right ahead are handicapped seating, marked with blue paint. Even with one wheelchair and a total of six people, we were asked to sit in the 2 rows directly in front of our person with a wheelchair. The space in rows in front of the next wheelchair spot was for the guests with the person parked in that spot. Since you have 2 guests with wheelchairs, if they are able to park right next to each other, then you will have a bit more space.

The wheelchair/ECV seating is across the entire back row of the theater, with space for the rest of your party to sit in the benches directly in front of the wheelchair. how quickly the wheelchair spots fill up for the dinner package or for the general seating fill up depends on how many people with special needs are attending. When we went in October 2010, we arrived between 7:10 and 7:15 for the general seating (not dinner package). At that point, the CMs were announcing that it was standing room only. We managed to get the next to last space for someone who was not able to get out of their wheelchair. We stood for a while in front of the dinner package seating and ir appeared that the wheelchair seating for the dinner package area was already full. So, my advice if to get there early since you can’t know how many guests with wheelchairs will be there.

 

[Mary976]

I think we jumped in with the rest of the exiting herd because DD was in a hurry to use her ToT fastpass. But yes, waiting until the crowd clears would probably be the smart thing, especially with a large party!

Mary