Fantasmic for preschoolers?????

[ellie4]

I have Fantasmic dinner packages booked but am second guessing if this is a must-do for our kids or will be too scary. They will be 5 and 3. Opinions??????????? Thanks!

 

[mexican-mouseketeers]

It can be scary.

What we did with our dd who turned 4 on that trip, was tell her beforehand what the show was about, and remind her when it got scary that in Disney the good people always win, so definetly the villians would not, she would repeat it time and again and it helped her get through it.

It is a very good show.

 

[ellie4]

It can be scary.

What we did with our dd who turned 4 on that trip, was tell her beforehand what the show was about, and remind her when it got scary that in Disney the good people always win, so definetly the villians would not, she would repeat it time and again and it helped her get through it.

It is a very good show.

Thanks!!! So do you think it was worth it and a "must-do" for your daughter?? I just don't know if we should do it or not!!

 

[Sunshein]

I am going in September but I have decided to "miss" Fantasmic. My DD's will be 3 and 4 and my 4 year old already has issues with fireworks. I hope to see the ones at magic Kingdom and I have already promised her that I will bring her ear plugs.

Good luck if you do go!

 

[agentpleakley]

Our DD turned 4 two months before our last trip --- she LOVED Fantasmic and asked to do it again.

 

[bigbabyblues]

My just 4-yo isn't crazy about fireworks, but he wanted to try it, so we took him. We showed our DS6 the video of it on youtube, and he said he's like to see it.

The 6-yo liked it, but said it was a little loud. The 4-yo started screaming and crying about 2 minutes into it and I took him back to the room.

 

[tanyaandallie]

My (then) 3 year old hates fireworks and many things make her scared. I really wanted to see it so I warned her in advance of everything that was going to happen. We sat in the back and she did fine. There were times she was scared but we held her and she hid her head and covered her ears. But, afterwards she talked about it a ton and said she wanted to see it again!

I really loved the show!!!

 

[NU2WDW]

We saw Fantasmic earlier this week with our three DDs, ages 5, 4, and turning 3 in August. Our 5 yr old loved everything but sat pretty close when the dragon showed up. Our 4 yr old loved it. Our almost-3 yr old sat on DH's lap through the whole thing, hid her eyes a couple of times but never cried or anything like that. They all cheered when Mickey got rid of the dragon and loved the finale with all the characters on the boat. "Mickey makes everything good again, right Mom?" from happy 5 yr old on the way out.

A "must-see" for your DD? No, probably not. But OTOH, I wouldn't write it off either.

 

[delauzons]

I think the little one will be scared if you sit close up. There is a lot of fire, the dragon, and it is loud. I love the show but definately think you could wait until they are older. It is very intense!

 

[kat3668]

Both of my neices were scared ot death of this show!
They are not the timid type either! My neice Kayleigh goes on all the rides if she can make the height requirements quite the daredevil. That being said I guess it depends on how sensitive your kids are, do they startle easily? I agree with the other poster that you definatley should talk about it beforhand and maybe let them watch fantasmic?
Good luck on whatever you decide if they get scared you can always just leave and beat the crowds.

 

[bibbity bobbity boo]

Our plan with our just turned 4 year old was to sit in the back in case she got scared, we would be able to quickly leave. . .

Wellllllllll....

We got there about 830pm and it was filling up fast. We sat in the last row next to another couple. We didnt realize that we were sitting on a bench for disabled guests with them. A CM came along and told us and the other couple we had to move. The other couple got an attitude and said that a different CM told them that they could sit there about 20 minutes prior and demanded that THIS CM find them adequate seating.

The CM took them and US down to the SECOND ROW CENTER for our relocation! We just rode their complain train.

Years ago I saw the show from far away. All I can say is WOW what a difference sitting that CLOSE!!!

My 4 year old LOVED it!!! Especially at the end when all the Princesses and Charecters come out on the boats.

My advice is try it...if it doesnt work out you could always leave.

 

[TravelinGal]

We took DS at 18 months and he didn't mind it - but he didn't understand the whole villain thing yet. We'll still go this year (he'll be just a few weeks shy of 3) but we'll sit in the back so we can leave easily if he has any problems because of it.

 

[brymolmom]

DS 4 at last trip wasn't a huge fan (didn't hate it but wouldn't have minded skipping it) and dd almost 3 on last trip HATED IT - I had a crying little person that I was walking around in the back the whole time just waiting for it to be over.

Will will be skipping it this year...MAYBE next year we'd try it again.

Unfortunately, the whole 'try it and just leave if necessary' strategy doesn't work very well for our family - we usually try to be in the room by then so it took a lot of planning to hit MGM late that night, and it was all for nothing last go-round.

 

[Golden Rose]

DH and I really enjoyed it on our last trip almost three years ago, and we're tentatively planning to take our DS... who will be two and a half. We think he won't understand enough to be scared, but we're definitely prepared to leave if he is. (Currently in the "scary" parts of the few movies we've let him see, he either just watches calmly or he laughs. He's an animal nut, so we just showed him "The Lion King" and he LOVED the wildebeast stampede and kept trying to point out each and every stampeding critter! )

 

[sumrmist]

my 3yo liked the beginning back in Feb but when the "scary people" came out she promptly went to sleep.

 

[SqueakyMouse]

My dd has been enjoying Fantasmic since she was 2. However, she has 2 older brothers; so she doesn't frighten easily.

 

[catherines_mama]

My DD was just shy of 3 when we saw Fantasmic. She is very scared of CLOSE fireworks.. (behind the wall at baseball games) but did fine at Fantasmic.

She really enjoyed it and sat SO well through the wait before and the show itself.

 

[allyphoe]

My DD-then-almost-4 loved Fantasmic! She also likes watching movies in a theater, which is a similar dark/loud experience, so you might anticipate your kids' reactions off of that.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

IMO, the real issue with Fantasmic is how long you have to sit there BEFORE the show starts. Even in September, with low crowds...people start sitting at least 45 minutes before the show. We got there 1/2 hour before the start and were in the 2nd to last row. We plan on skipping it because of this. DD will not be able to sit that long at that time of night.

 

[mexican-mouseketeers]

Thanks!!! So do you think it was worth it and a "must-do" for your daughter?? I just don't know if we should do it or not!!

She definetly wants to watch it again.

What I would do is try to fit it in your schedule if you don´t have to change all your park strategy, and if your children are tired, just leave, after all, they don´t know what they are missing.

You can also do a search for Fantasmic on youtube so they can be familiar with it and ask them if they want to watch it.

We were completely in the mind that if DD was really scared and wanted to leave, that we would.

This is coming from the mother of a girl who was scared of Meet the Robinsons , has never been on Pirates of the Caribbean or Haunted Mansion (her choice, not mine), but who rode Tower of Terror and was really scared after it (rode with a friend, I am definetly a chicken), but didn´t cry and will not ride it again.

If the show is too late for your family, one of you can hold your seats once you enter the theater and the other can head to the bathroom to change the kids into their pj´s, go potty, wash their teeth, etc, so you won´t have to do it when you hit your hotel room. DD usually falls asleep in the stroller in the way to our room and we just carry her into the bed.