Fantasmic line and GAC...

[megan4777]

DD#1 has aspergers, horrid anxiety as well as sensory issues. We weren't able to get a fantasmic dinner package for our trip so I'm getting worried about the wait to get into the show. Will we be able to wait somewhere else for the hour or so before the show? I know she won't be able to handle being surrounded by hundreds of people for an hour and will freak out.
Thanks.

 

[tinkerbelletreasure]

It is possible that if you explain your need at Guest services, they might be able to give you a stamp that would make that possible, but it is not an automatic. I was there in March with my son. We were using the stroller as a wheelchair and still had to wait in the line. My son did not like the show, even being in the back, so we only ended up staying for 10 minutes.

 

[staceyhzoo]

I could have written your post. Last dec we were unable to get the package. We use a GAC (stroller as a wheelchair) since dd has huge anxiety issues (and bolts) and freaks if people stare at her; she gets upset and more people stare and the cycle continues *sigh*.
Dh and dd stood in line for a little bit, but when she started have anxiety the CM told us one of us could go walk with her as long as one adult stayed in the line area. No one complained or anything. When we were heading to our sets we told the CM about dd's issue and she found us a seat right beside a brick pillar. That helped a lot. We put her stroller beside it and I sat beside her and played, ate a small snack while we waited.
Another thing that helped her: we went to a dollar store before we left and bought a few glow sticks. Those really calmed her down. We also have a 'fidget' for her to play with. It's a therapy tangle from Amazon. Once the show started she was completly intranced and as we were leaving she was very social to the people around her! Disney Magic .

Wanted to add, not sure how old your dd is but our OT figured out dd's need for pressure to calm her. She has her own pin lanyard and the weight really calms her. We don't always have pins on it, but keep a weighty thing at the bottom of it. Sorry, can't remember what it's called. DD and ds were pin trading tonight getting ready for Oct!

 

[clanmcculloch]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but there really aren't any accomodations for shows. We've had to skip many a show including Fantasmic because there's no way DD12 can wait in the crowds due to her particular set of issues. Several years ago we did luck out and manage to get into Fantasmic about 10 minutes before it started and the CM let us sit in the accessible area at the back (it was still empty) so we could leave without disturbing anybody if the crowd became a problem. Those days are long gone since Disney has cut back on the number of Fantasmic shows. The shows now fill up pretty early so arriving last minute no longer works.

We got to WDW knowing that we can't possibly fit in everything. Shows get cut from the list pretty early because I know they're the most likely place we'll encounter meltdowns. No one show or attraction is worth risking that. We really enjoy our WDW trips because we know we can have a family vacation where my kids can feel "normal". I'm not about to risk that and everybody else's happiness for a show.

 

[PatsMom]

If you are there on a night when there are two showings of Fantasmic the second show is much less crowded. For our last two trips, each night Fantasmic was showing, it showed twice. Last January the second showing was to an almost empty crowd. In May it didn't fill up either and that was the week before Memorial Day.

Avoid the area near the amphitheater entrance during the show switchover! Between people exiting, people trying to get to Tower of Terror, etc, it is a zoo. But by about 15 minutes before show time, the first show crowd has cleared out and those who lined up for the second show have been allowed into the stadium. Then you should be able to just walk in. If there are no seats, you haven't lost anything but the time it takes to walk up and check. You probably won't get front and center, but there might still be seats depending on what time of year you go.

And you get to enjoy the park while about a zillion people are watching the first Fantasmic so the lines are pretty short for most things.

 

[livndisney]

DD#1 has aspergers, horrid anxiety as well as sensory issues. We weren't able to get a fantasmic dinner package for our trip so I'm getting worried about the wait to get into the show. Will we be able to wait somewhere else for the hour or so before the show? I know she won't be able to handle being surrounded by hundreds of people for an hour and will freak out.
Thanks.

One thing you may want to consider is even after you are seated you are still surrounded by hundreds if not thousands of people. They pack people in like you would not believe. And even with trying to allow "space" people will squeeze into the smallest space.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

When I worked at Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, two of the seven in house positions were "Left Packer" and "Right Packer". Our jobs were to make usre all available space was filled in, and not allow people to save seats for later arrivals. I am sure there are similar positions at Fantasmic.

 

[Schmeck]

DD#1 has aspergers, horrid anxiety as well as sensory issues. We weren't able to get a fantasmic dinner package for our trip so I'm getting worried about the wait to get into the show. Will we be able to wait somewhere else for the hour or so before the show? I know she won't be able to handle being surrounded by hundreds of people for an hour and will freak out.
Thanks.

Could you either rent a wheelchair or stroller for her to give her that personal space?