Fantasmic! FastPasses are kind of silly

[nilla]

Heads up for anyone getting Fantasmic! FPS: We had FPs for Fantasmic! last night, assuming that there would be a special seating area, like there is for Illuminations and was for Wishes. No such luck! We got there at the end of our FP window, and it was standing room only. We probably should have researched that more beforehand. All the FPs guarantee you is entry.

 

[BrianL]

There IS a special seating area...but it's just one entire half of the auditorium. You should have been at least able to sit on that side, just probably ALL the way over to the end which would not be great seats anyway, but still. Fantasmic! really doesn't need FP, but it is easy to get as a 4th or 5th of the day since there are so many. It's a waste as one of your main 3 though.

 

[Dreamin192]

We had dining package fastpasses for our trip a few weeks ago. We also got there toward the end and there were no seats, standing room only. I spoke to a CM and was very polite, it's not their fault. They put us in the VIP section and it was awesome, dead center, hardly any people in the roped off area. Did you ask a CM to help you find seats or what you were supposed to do?

 

[CAS239]

There is a reserved section. You showed up too late. Just because you have a fast pass does not mean you have a reserved seat. It's a reserved section and that section can fill up quickly. When it gets around 10 minutes before showtime, if they still have a lot of people coming in they'll open up all available seating.

Whether you're doing standby, fast pass, or dining plan..its recommended you show up 45min-1 hour prior to showtime

 

[T_O]

Thanks for the tip!

 

[nilla]

Just because you have a fast pass does not mean you have a reserved seat.

That was my point. FPs got us into the reserved sections for Illuminations and Wishes. Fantasmic, not so much.

 

[bigbabyblues]

If you have one for the Jungle Book show, it will be the same way. You still need to get there early.

 

[Laz]

I have not been to WDW since FP+ started, but we never got a FP for Fantasmic. We got in line early and always got a good seat. I take it that stand by is out of the question now?

 

[CAS239]

I have not been to WDW since FP+ started, but we never got a FP for Fantasmic. We got in line early and always got a good seat. I take it that stand by is out of the question now?

No of course not. Many do standby. We like getting it as a FP because it's easy to get later in the day as an extra FP and it's close to the center of the arena. Also less people in line for FP so while some might be in line for fast pass more than an hour in advance, when we get in line 45min-1 hour prior in the FP line, sometimes were the first ones

 

[nooneshome]

Just for the heck of it I had an extra set of MBs that I wasn't using for NBFPs and I thought I would try out a kiosk and get FPs for Fantasmic. No problems getting them so we used them. We got there early and got great seats.

 

[Robo]

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.



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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