Fantasmic - Fp it or do dinner pkg

[ACJT]

Planning a upcoming trip. What is the better option for viewing Fantasmic. Get fast passes, or do a dinner package. I'm more interested to know what is better / more flexible for seating. We have an autistic child and prefer not to have to show up hours in advance. We don't care about sitting up front, just want to be together and be able to show up closer to start time than not. We have done a dinner package (6-7 years ago) and at that time we could show up with 15 minutes to show time and still have seating together no problem.

 

[leebee]

I haven't been to F! since they started using FP+, but in my experience, if you don't really care where you sit, I would just show up about 30 minutes before the show. The line will be moving by then, so no long-term standing around, and it'll probably take 15 minutes to get into the stadium and seated. We really don't care for the table service that's available for the package seating (unless 50s PT is part of the package), so can't justify the money just for somewhat better seating at F!

 

[ACJT]

Has it been filling to capacity lately? Just don't want to have to split up or climb over people to get a seat. Where do they seat the FP guests. I know dinner pkg guests were off to the one side.

 

[ACJT]

I should add we are visiting Hollywood twice on this trip so I don't mind using a FP for this event.

 

[Robo]

Has it been filling to capacity lately? Just don't want to have to split up or climb over people to get a seat. Where do they seat the FP guests. I know dinner pkg guests were off to the one side.

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.)

--------------------------------------

 

[Robo]

I would never, in 15+ years of F! experience, feel comfortable telling guests to just show up 30 minutes before show time.

While that is POSSIBLE on some nights, on many busy nights that would be far too late.

When seeing a specific WDW performance is IMPORTANT to you (and more than of just passing interest)
arriving far too early beats arriving just one minute too late.

I've been to the show on so many nights when the seating has been filled well before
show-time and guests were being turned away.

Err on the side of caution when judging arrival times of important events.

 

[ACJT]

Will they be doing two showings a night in February ?

 

[Robo]

Will they be doing two showings a night in February ?

Too soon to say.

They often wait until much closer to the actual dates to announce additions to the schedule.

 

[ACJT]

Too soon to say.

They often wait until much closer to the actual dates to announce additions to the schedule.

Gotcha. Thanks Robo, your replies are always so thorough and helpful. I assume they do one per night minimum. I think there was a time when they didn't show it every night ??

 

[gwek]

As noted, if you don't care where you sit, a FP+ is not necessary. We FP'd it last year and will be doing so again on our trip in a few weeks because it's one of my daughter's favorite shows (when we went 2 years ago, my daughter and wife got okay seats but I was in the middle of nowhere alone!).

Even with the FP, we'll get there at least an hour early. Last year, we grabbed food at the stands nearby for dinner. We had time to eat, then my wife and daughter hit the restrooms. then I hit the restrooms... and the pre-show was going by the time I got back. We had excellent seats, and although we actually waited for a while, it didn't feel like we did. We'll probably try something very similar this time.

 

[Robo]

Gotcha. Thanks Robo, your replies are always so thorough and helpful. I assume they do one per night minimum. I think there was a time when they didn't show it every night ??

For years after they brought F! to DHS it ran every night (sometimes one performance, sometimes two, sometimes three.)

Then, several years ago, Disney began running the show only on selected nights per week.
That lasted a bit over a year.
Then, they returned to the "shows-every-night" schedule (or two or three,) and it continues to be that
way to the present day.

There will very, very occasionally be a night without a F! show performed for regular guests on a night
when there is a private event at DHS.
Otherwise, expect at least one F! (if not more) every night.