Fantasmic! FASTPASS Testing-NOW (April 22-27)

[mom2rtk]

So once they tweak it, and eventually probably give priority to FPs, if you are park hopping somewhere else and just coming for the show at night, you are screwed.

Why does Disney have to fix something that isn't broken?

And no matter how early you park hop over to DHS, those FP folks will have priority over you, leaving less room in the stadium for standby.

I expect that to really complicate things for a lot of folks.

 

[Marshay]

I would imagine that they are working this in with FP+, and a Fantasmic FP would be able to be reserved remotely (either on your computer at home/hotel, or on a smartphone). If that's the case, you should be able to reserve a FP and park hop without a problem.

The downside to that, from what we know at the moment, is that you wouldn't be able to advance FP anything at the park you were at in the morning (whether or not there will be same day FP available on top of those you can reserve is unknown). You can only hold advance FP+ at one park/day, according to the terms and conditions. So if you wanted to FP Fantasmic, you'd have to schedule your other advance FPs at DHS as well.

This is what concerns me. I can work with reserving FP in advance ... But would want to do one park FP in the AM and another at night for a show like F! So I can just show up right beforehand.

Thanks for all the info!

 

[houseful of boys]

And no matter how early you park hop over to DHS, those FP folks will have priority over you, leaving less room in the stadium for standby.

I expect that to really complicate things for a lot of folks.

But that's where I'm confused. Will the FP folks have priority? It sounds like they are walking down a different path but merge with the stand by folks as they all walk in towards the stands and all share the same seats. So what advantage is there to having a fp?

 

[mom2rtk]

But that's where I'm confused. Will the FP folks have priority? It sounds like they are walking down a different path but merge with the stand by folks as they all walk in towards the stands and all share the same seats. So what advantage is there to having a fp?

It sounds like they don't yet. But I have a hunch they'll be tweaking that. If there's no advantage to FP, they'll never get someone to give up a FP for TSMM or RnR to take one for Fantasmic instead.

 

[mom2rtk]

I can work with reserving FP in advance ... But would want to do one park FP in the AM and another at night for a show like F! So I can just show up right beforehand.

You and a whole lot of other folks.

 

[seashoreCM]

The acid test: If you show up with your fastpass when they start letting folks in or 30 minutes before show time, whichever comes second, then you should never be turned away because the place filled up.

 

[brooke789]

Do we know if they have set another week for testing FPes or if they are going to continue using them immediately after this test week?

We're going the week of 5/13. We're planning to be in another park the morning we do Fantasmic...and have reservations at Sci-Fi for shortly before we'd need to go line up.

 

[ghtx]

So once they tweak it, and eventually probably give priority to FPs, if you are park hopping somewhere else and just coming for the show at night, you are screwed.

Why does Disney have to fix something that isn't broken?

Some would look at the fact that families have to arrive one to two hours early to guarantee a seat to Fantasmic during some weeks of the year as evidence that it is in fact something that is broken.

 

[njmomboys2]

We were in Disneyland this past Dec/Jan and they have fastpasses in place for their World of Color Night time show.

It does NOT affect any of your other fastpasses.......it is only for that show and it assigned to you one of the 4 seating areas for the show.

You could use that FP to get access into one of those seating (actually standing..LOL) areas 1 hour prior to the show.

The earlier you got the FP the better (closer to the water/lagoon area) you had.

It worked really well and we were back and forth in the 2 parks that day..and had no other FPs issues.

Not sure if this will be simliar but it did work.

 

[Robo]

Some would look at the fact that families have to arrive one to two hours early to guarantee a seat to Fantasmic during some weeks of the year as evidence that it is in fact something that is broken.

Completely disagree.

When a show that is this long-running with virtually no changes, and it remains so incredibly popular that Disney performs it (virtually) every night of the year, and often more than once... it is a sign that they are doing something right.

No guest is required to see the show, they do it voluntarily.
Guests who do want to make the effort to show up early (just as it is with arriving early for Rope Drop)
should be allowed to do so at their own benefit.

 

[mom2rtk]

We were in Disneyland this past Dec/Jan and they have fastpasses in place for their World of Color Night time show.

It does NOT affect any of your other fastpasses.......it is only for that show and it assigned to you one of the 4 seating areas for the show.

You could use that FP to get access into one of those seating (actually standing..LOL) areas 1 hour prior to the show.

The earlier you got the FP the better (closer to the water/lagoon area) you had.

It worked really well and we were back and forth in the 2 parks that day..and had no other FPs issues.

Not sure if this will be simliar but it did work.

Of course we won't know until it rolls out for real. But I'd bet the house it will count against your other fastpasses. They are adding FP for Wishes and parade viewing in the MK. They are adding FP+ to attractions that have never needed a FP before. That is because they need as many "slots" in the FP system as possible to dole out when this thing goes live.

The FP for Fantasmic will indeed count as one of your limited selections for the day. No matter how the test works. And no matter how they do WoC in DCA.

 

[ghtx]

Some would look at the fact that families have to arrive one to two hours early to guarantee a seat to Fantasmic during some weeks of the year as evidence that it is in fact something that is broken.

Completely disagree.

When a show that is this long-running with virtually no changes, and it remains so incredibly popular that Disney performs it (virtually) every night of the year, and often more than once... it is a sign that they are doing something right.

No guest is required to see the show, they do it voluntarily.
Guests who do want to make the effort to show up early (just as it is with arriving early for Rope Drop)
should be allowed to do so at their own benefit.

Hmmm. Maybe. But by this argument, there is no rationale for any Fastpass.

"No guest is required to ride [Toy Story Mania, e.g.], they do it voluntarily. Guests who do want to make the effort to show up early should be allowed to do so at their own benefit."

What is different about every other attraction that has FP, compared to Fantasmic?

 

[parkhopping]

Someone posted their experience with it this morning over on the easyWDW forums:

http://www.easywdw.com/forums/showthread.php?12122-Fantasmic-Fastpass-Test

This part really concerns me:

If you're in the standby line there's a very good chance you will not see Fantasmic. The reason they gave the CMs for doing this is because they don't want people sitting in the stadium for 90 minutes before the show (of course the don't, they want them out spending money) but I think it also has something to do with Fastpass+

If that is the case, I doubt I will be seeing Fantasmic much in the future because it will seriously screw with my current method - enter the theater 60-90 minutes prior to the first showtime and eat dinner while I wait. I doubt I would want to sacrifice an attraction FP+ for it, either. (I also question what FP+ availability will be like for local passholders like me, but that's another story....)

 

[jade1]

Hmmm. Maybe. But by this argument, there is no rationale for any Fastpass.

"No guest is required to ride [Toy Story Mania, e.g.], they do it voluntarily. Guests who do want to make the effort to show up early should be allowed to do so at their own benefit."

What is different about every other attraction that has FP, compared to Fantasmic?

 

[PrincessTori96]

Someone posted their experience with it this morning over on the easyWDW forums:

http://www.easywdw.com/forums/showthread.php?12122-Fantasmic-Fastpass-Test

This part really concerns me:

If that is the case, I doubt I will be seeing Fantasmic much in the future because it will seriously screw with my current method - enter the theater 60-90 minutes prior to the first showtime and eat dinner while I wait. I doubt I would want to sacrifice an attraction FP+ for it, either. (I also question what FP+ availability will be like for local passholders like me, but that's another story....)

Oh, This is my concern! I usually only decide which park I want to go to the day of, and sometimes I just pop in to see Fantasmic! Or wishes or something. This is seriously going to mess up my system!
Does anyone know if the disability pass will work like they do on attractions or if t will be invalid?

 

[mummabear]

Completely disagree.

When a show that is this long-running with virtually no changes, and it remains so incredibly popular that Disney performs it (virtually) every night of the year, and often more than once... it is a sign that they are doing something right.

No guest is required to see the show, they do it voluntarily.
Guests who do want to make the effort to show up early (just as it is with arriving early for Rope Drop)
should be allowed to do so at their own benefit.

Yes they are doing the show right weither they are dealing with the lines right perhaps not.
I think putting a FP on this puts it on par with other attractions/rides with a long wait-you can choose to show up early and wait or you can choose to FP it.
I welcome FP+ and the ability to FP these shows, meet and greets etc.Every group will have different priorities annd it makes no difference to me if I am using FP on a 60 minute wait for a ride a 60 minute wait for a show or a 60 minute wait for a character I am saving time....

 

[Rivergirl2005]

So if this continues...it looks like you may want to purchase the dinning package to be guaranteed seats or even good seats?

 

[mistysue]

I definitely see the system as broken when you have to wait an hour or two to see the show. A few years ago we went at the end of August (slow season) and people were lined up 2+ hours in advance. We had a dining package with dinner at 4:40. We were over by the entrance around 6 and people were crowding around. If we hadn't rushed into the line by around 7 I'm not sure we would have gotten seats, as they didn't hold the dining package section at all.

We generally regard it as the stupidest thing we ever did at Disney. We loved the show, but taking up 3 hours of our day for a half hour show was just a waste. The kids didn't want to sit like that and we were all miserable by the time it even started.

I'm sorry for those of you who like to sit there and wait, but maybe now you can reserve it in advance and go do something fun with your time.

 

[FortForever]

Someone posted their experience with it this morning over on the easyWDW forums:

http://www.easywdw.com/forums/showthread.php?12122-Fantasmic-Fastpass-Test

This part really concerns me:



If that is the case, I doubt I will be seeing Fantasmic much in the future because it will seriously screw with my current method - enter the theater 60-90 minutes prior to the first showtime and eat dinner while I wait. I doubt I would want to sacrifice an attraction FP+ for it, either. (I also question what FP+ availability will be like for local passholders like me, but that's another story....)

On the 22nd, my stand-by butt went in before the FP and dining people. I guess things got confused the first night and I lucked out.

At least I can see the advantage of FP now. After my experience, I was seriously

 

[skwarepants]

I'm going to HS on Saturday the 27th. We are probably going to be arriving between 1 and 2pm, so I assume the FP will be gone. We shall see.
We plan to see Fantasmic, so I will report back with my observations.