Fantasmic FastPass

[one11sgt]

A friend was just at HS. She had a fast pass for Fantasmic at 830. She arrived at 820 and was denied entry due to capactity. Has anyone else had this happen? What is the point to a fast pass if ten minutes early is too late?

 

[Robo]

A friend was just at HS. She had a fast pass for Fantasmic at 830. She arrived at 820 and was denied entry due to capactity. Has anyone else had this happen? What is the point to a fast pass if ten minutes early is too late?

Guests with a F! FP are not guaranteed entry to the show.
The purpose of a F! FP is to allow guests into special seating.

If the performance is very busy (many are,) as show-time approaches, the special seating for FP+ and F! Dining Package guests is opened up to ALL guests still waiting in line to enter.

As show time nears, there is no way for the CMs to know which guests still holding a FP+ or Dining Pkg. voucher will actually show up and which ones decided to go elsewhere (for whatever reason,) so instead of playing the show to empty seats, they give the seats to those waiting in line.
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MORE:

What a FP+ for F! offers is more CHOICE in seating.

If you DO get a F! FP+, you can choose to sit in either the FP section (virtually the entire left half of the theater) or the Standby section (virtually the entire right half of the theater.)
So, whatever section has the better seating at the time you arrive, you can go there.
Without a FP, you can only choose a seat in the Standby section.

There is a very good chance that you can get a FP+ for F! as a 4th or 5th FP of the day because they issue SO MANY of them (enough to cover nearly the entire left half of the seating.) On many nights, it is possible that you can gat a FP+ for F! as you are walking to the theater.

As to when to arrive at the theater, I'd get to there 45-60 minutes before the show-time.
Even with a FP or Dining Pkg. reservation, don't wait too late.

Because on busy nights, the CMs can stop holding the reserved sections within 20-30 minutes before show-time, and turn over any available seats to waiting walk-in guests.

There is sometimes a "pre-show" (such as it is) that can help pass the last 30 minutes before show time.

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Map Below-
Arrows indicate the center of the seating.
Shaded areas:
(First or Only F! performance of the evening)
Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating
Red= Dining Package Reserved
Blue= FP+ Reserved
Purple= Can be either FP+ or Dining Plan Reserved, depending on needs.

(Second or Third F! performance of the evening)
Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating
Red, Purple, Blue= FP+ Reserved
(Although much of the outer Blue will likely be used for Standby.)

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[one11sgt]

Thanks for the reply. I think it's absolutely ridiculous. It should just be called a reservation then not a "FAST" pass. It's not fast to have to wait in line for 45-60 minutes.

 

[Jennasis]

I agree. We had a F! Fastpass on saturday. Got there 1/2 hour before showtime...CM told us the passes simply allows you to show up earlier. This is the same as waiting in line AFAIC. Fastpass means LESS waiting.

Its ridiculous.

 

[dismo]

WAAAAT? We have FP to Fantasmic and I wasn't aware we were not guaranteed entry, so thank you for the heads up. Agree it seems ridiculous to get a (precious!) FP and maybe not get in...

 

[Robo]

WAAAAT? We have FP to Fantasmic and I wasn't aware we were not guaranteed entry, so thank you for the heads up. Agree it seems ridiculous to get a (precious!) FP and maybe not get in...

There is a very good chance that you can get a FP+ for F! as a 4th or 5th FP of the day because they issue SO MANY of them (enough to cover nearly the entire left half of the seating.) On many nights, it is possible that you can gat a FP+ for F! as you are walking to the theater.

So, you don't necessarily have to give up one of your regular FPs to get a F! FP.

 

[dismo]

Great advice Robo - think that's what we'll do