Fantasmic! - FP needed?

[DisDad4Life]

In all of our trips over the years to WDW we've never seen the Fantasmic! show. This summer we'd finally like to see it but after spending a planned day at MK (where we'll reserve our 3 FP+) and then venturing over to HS to hopefully catch the show will we be out of luck if we don't have a FP? Or is there plenty of room for standby so that we shouldn't be concerned? I know you can get a 4th FP after using your 3, but I'm assuming they'll all be taken by the time we get over there.

Thanks!

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

An announcer came over the PA this week saying that Fantasmic would be standing room only. We got there about 15 minutes before the start of the show, and we sat down in one of the last available spots. We were there during a very slow week. I would imagine that crowds in summer would make it very difficult to just "walk-in" at the last moment.

I would highly recommend getting there early by about 45 minutes OR using up one of your Fastpasses. I really loved the show.

(and yes-I bet there wouldn't be a single FP available that day after you use your first three FP)

 

[DisDad4Life]

An announcer came over the PA this week saying that Fantasmic would be standing room only. We got there about 15 minutes before the start of the show, and we sat down in one of the last available spots. We were there during a very slow week. I would imagine that crowds in summer would make it very difficult to just "walk-in" at the last moment.

I would highly recommend getting there early by about 45 minutes OR using up one of your Fastpasses. I really loved the show.

(and yes-I bet there wouldn't be a single FP available that day after you use your first three FP)

Thank you! We'll have to consider this since we really do want to see it. I still don't understand why you can't make two FP selections in one park and your third in another if you purchase the parkhopper option (or maybe I just haven't realized you can and haven't figured it out).

 

[Isildur's Bane]

disagree lots get Fantasmic FastPass late in the day especially if there are 2 shows..total waste as one of first 3

 

[DWillowBay]

As another option, we do the Fantastic! Dining Package during peak periods. My son is autistic and we don't have the luxury of "not" seeing this show when we visit. To take out any "chance" of missing it, we do the dining package and it works out really well for us. Just another thing to consider.

 

[DisDad4Life]

As another option, we do the Fantastic! Dining Package during peak periods. My son is autistic and we don't have the luxury of "not" seeing this show when we visit. To take out any "chance" of missing it, we do the dining package and it works out really well for us. Just another thing to consider.

Hmmm ... another thing I didn't realize existed. I'll have to do a little research on that.

 

[CAS239]

FP Dining package for F!- only do it if you already plan on eating at one of the restaurants within the park. Some people make the mistake in thinking that it's hard to get in and get a good seat for Fantasmic if they don't have a FP, so they do the dining option when they originally weren't even going to eat in the park. Thus, IMO, wasting money. If you're already eating in the park though, then might as well do the dining plan.

Regardless if you do standby, FP, or dining package...I strongly recommend getting there 30min-1 hour prior to showtime. And know that if you do dining package or FP, it doesn't always mean you can show up 5 minutes before the show starts. If they have a lot of people to get in the stadium, the CM's will start using the FP and dining package area to fill in any remaining room when it gets closer to showtime. We show up an hour ahead of showtime, this is generally when they open the arena to let people in..so we get first dibs.

You can 99% of the time easily get a F! FP as a 4th or 5th FP. They give out a ton. We've gotten them before and then headed straight to the stadium.

 

[JWigs]

You don't need a FP for Fantasmic but.. you can get a seat that's in the corner or just harder to exit after the show is over.

We didn't do a FP last time but did the FP Dining because we knew we'd be staying at the park all day and wanted to grab dinner before hand. We are doing that again in March when we return as we liked the food & we like knowing that we have 'reserved' seats. Last time we sat dead center and were able to get out pretty quickly after the show. It's pretty much the last thing in the park (although now I think the Star Wars fireworks might run after Fantasmic) but it causes a huge bottle neck of everyone trying to exit the park after.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

You don't need a FP for Fantasmic but.. you can get a seat that's in the corner or just harder to exit after the show is over.

We didn't do a FP last time but did the FP Dining because we knew we'd be staying at the park all day and wanted to grab dinner before hand. We are doing that again in March when we return as we liked the food & we like knowing that we have 'reserved' seats. Last time we sat dead center and were able to get out pretty quickly after the show. It's pretty much the last thing in the park (although now I think the Star Wars fireworks might run after Fantasmic) but it causes a huge bottle neck of everyone trying to exit the park after.

Yes, the fireworks started approximately 25 minutes after I exited Fantasmic.

 

[Dis703]

We were able to get a FP for Fantasmic maybe an hour before the show on our last trip. Every time we added another FP all day it kept popping up so we grabbed it last minute just so we could take ODS to ride RnR really quick and still get in. I've never had a problem getting in without FP. I know in general when there is a night with 2 showings they say the second is far less busy but there's only been one the times of year that we go. Typically we'd get to the entrance at 30-45 minutes before the show and have always found a seat. That's not peak season though that's during average crowd levels.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Fantasmic will be performed twice nightly during the summer months. You can expect the park to close at 10 with Fantasmic at 9 & 10:30.

We've always attended the 2nd showing and it's been years since we've seen the ampitheater much more than half full. During our last two summer visits, FP+ has been available right up until showtime but probably aren't needed. Last summer, 5 sections of the theater were unused when we were there.

Now if you insist on seeing the early show then you'll need to follow the good advice given above and arrive really early, do a dining package, get a FP+, etc. as the 1st show is generally packed.

We like to take advantage of that time to reride the headliners with the shortest lines of the day. For example, we've often been able to ride Toy Story 4 times after 9 pm. After the last ride, we still have plenty of time to grab some snacks and head to the show. We like to arrive about 10 minutes before showtime.

 

[kangamangus]

Agree with above statement...if you go to second showing you will be all set.