Fantasmic! Fp vs. dining package

[clevmom]

if we can't get a Fantasmic Dining package with the VIP seating, is a FP worth it?

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Are you attending on an evening with two performances? If so, you can see the late show with very little pre-planning. In fact, it's been several years since I've seen the theater much more than half full for the encore performance. We generally show up 10 minutes or less before showtime and can always find great seats.

 

[clevmom]

No it says there is only one show at 7 and the park closes at 8.

Hmmm.... Now looking at those times are we going to have to pick between Osborne lights and Fantasmic?

 

[TeamSy]

Personally, I wouldn't waste a FP with it, but the dining seating isn't bad! We did it in 2014 with Mama Melrose and thought it was good.

 

[Robo]

Get the FP, BUT...
WAIT until day-of to get it.

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.)

 

[clevmom]

I was just able to snag one of the H&V 7:10 reservations. Could we still make a 8:30 (2nd show) of F! Or do we need to pick one or the other?

 

[Robo]

I was just able to snag one of the H&V 7:10 reservations. Could we still make a 8:30 (2nd show) of F! Or do we need to pick one or the other?

You won't make it to F! (Or at least have a difficult time getting there.)

Assuming you were seated on time, ate in one hour, walked very quickly to the theater gates,
walked even faster up-hill to the theater, and located seats, you'd still be very, very tight for time.

So, it would be hard to enjoy the meal, if it were me.

 

[DisneyFive]

I was really surprised at the lines for Fantasmic this week. We used a FP for it last night, ( Single show, Friday night ) and even being there 30 minutes before the show, there were only two sections of bleachers left in the amphitheater by the time we got in. (Hades and Beast in Robo's map) It was packed. FP did not seem to make one difference at all. Maybe if we would have gotten there much sooner…

I noticed earlier in the week that very long lines had formed out into the street already one full hour before showtime. Have not seen that before in our previous four trips.

Dan

 

[stinkpickle]

You won't make it to F!

Agreed

 

[clevmom]

Ok, thanks. Guess I need to decide if H&V and Osborne lights are good enough, or if we feel like we'll be missing out on F!

We are only planning 1 day at HS, so tough choices....

 

[Robo]

Ok, thanks. Guess I need to decide if H&V and Osborne lights are good enough, or if we feel like we'll be missing out on F!

We are only planning 1 day at HS, so tough choices....

Speaking for myself, I'd dump H&V and do F! and the O-Lights.

Have some "stadium food" in the F! theater while waiting for the show.

 

[stinkpickle]

Speaking for myself, I'd dump H&V and do F! and the O-Lights.

Have some "stadium food" in the F! theater while waiting for the show.

Agreed again

 

[LaBelleVie]

I would definitely recommend getting a FP+ or doing the dining package -- we'll never go in the standby line again! We were there in early May, and in HS on a low-crowd day. We were waiting to join the standby line before an hour in advance. We didn't realize there were concessions inside, and my husband decided at the last minute he needed a drink. I waited for him until almost a quarter after, and right after we got in line, they announced that they were closing the standby line. At one point, we were told they wouldn't even have seats for us (but they did end up making room for everyone in our section of the line). It was a mess (but SO worth it -- F! was one of my absolute favorite things at any of the parks. I cried three times). We vowed to never go standby again.

 

[mort1331]

Ok, thanks. Guess I need to decide if H&V and Osborne lights are good enough, or if we feel like we'll be missing out on F!

We are only planning 1 day at HS, so tough choices....

Not a tough choice at all, Osborne lights are going dark after this year, so if you don't see them now you wont.

 

[Narnia_girl]

Speaking for myself, I'd dump H&V and do F! and the O-Lights.

Have some "stadium food" in the F! theater while waiting for the show.

What are some of the food offerings? Popcorn and nachos or more substantial food?

 

[Robo]

What are some of the food offerings? Popcorn and nachos or more substantial food?

http://touringplans.com/hollywood-s...enus/hollywood-hills-amphitheater-refreshment