Fantasmic or Fireworks?

[mangosink]

This will be our first visit to DL... we love the fireworks at WDW, and have never done fantasmic. We will only be there on 1 night that offers fireworks or fantasmic, so I need to choose 1 or the other, which do you think is best? We have 2,4, and 6 yr old kids. It looked like there was a way to do both but the fantasmic at 10:30 would be way past bedtime and might ruin the plan of getting up early to do the park the next morning.

 

[tortugaverde]

How many days are you going to be in the park? If you are going to be there a few days an idea might be to do Fantasmic and the fireworks as you mentioned and get to DCA at opening and then do a DL opening the next day.

If I had to choose between the two, I would pick Fantasmic. My kids were really not that impressed with the fireworks and it was SUPER crowded by the castle which is where all the "cool" stuff happens... even more so than Fantasmic (I thought).

My daughter (5) absolutely LOVED Fantasmic, but my 3 year old not so much.

 

[jjames]

We faced the same dilemma a few weeks ago, and chose to watch Fantasmic. Meh. If you're not a huge fan of Disney cartoons and characters, it's not a must see. None of my kids (ages 2 - 15) were very impressed. I really wish we'd gone to see the fireworks instead.

 

[DangerMouse]

We faced the same dilemma a few weeks ago, and chose to watch Fantasmic. Meh. If you're not a huge fan of Disney cartoons and characters, it's not a must see. None of my kids (ages 2 - 15) were very impressed. I really wish we'd gone to see the fireworks instead.

This strikes me as odd. Guess I would assume that someone visiting DLR would most likely be fans of Disney cartoons and characters.

Not impressed with Fantasmic? Wow, that's kinda sad.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

If only 1 night... I would go to the early (9 pm) Fantasmic, and just stay put and watch the sky part of the fireworks after (they start a few minutes after f! ends)... its not the full firework effect, but at least you can see some of it... and F! is really amazing...

--Lisa

 

[Barbday62]

I cant tell you how many times I waited to see the fireworks only to have it cancell last minute due to high wind. Then I miss both.

 

[chickybanky]

If only 1 night... I would go to the early (9 pm) Fantasmic, and just stay put and watch the sky part of the fireworks after (they start a few minutes after f! ends)... its not the full firework effect, but at least you can see some of it... and F! is really amazing...

--Lisa

I would second this. Especially since you never know if the fireworks will be cancelled or not! Seeing them from the Fantasmic area isn't the *perfect* sport for viewing the fireworks, but it's better than missing them altogether.

 

[Master Mason]

yep fantasmic and then watch the fireworks from rivers of america if they go off. They very seldom cancel fantasmic, the fireworks get canceled farily regualarly.

Having said that, I think the fireworks at DL are better than Wishes at WDW myself.

 

[ironpig70]

bring a blanket and have a picnic as you watch fantasmic. seen it both at dlc(several times) and wdw. only show i can saw is close to fantasmic is illuminations at epcot at wdw.

 

[avalon451]

I think the view of the fireworks from the Fantasmic area is not bad at all-- you can't see the projections on the castle, and you can't see all of Tinkerbelle's flight (but you do see her a bit), but there's not that much that you miss. A few low-down effects. It's still a great show. Also, they pipe in the sound to the Rivers of America area, so you are hearing the same Julie Andrews narration and the music and all.

Just my 2c

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

I think the view of the fireworks from the Fantasmic area is not bad at all-- you can't see the projections on the castle, and you can't see all of Tinkerbelle's flight (but you do see her a bit), but there's not that much that you miss. A few low-down effects. It's still a great show. Also, they pipe in the sound to the Rivers of America area, so you are hearing the same Julie Andrews narration and the music and all.

Just my 2c

I totally agree. In a perfect world you'd do both... but fireworks sometimes do get cancelled- and F! probably won't- so stick with the one you know will go on. It's really stinky to wait an hour or so with little ones and not have the "event" go on. You can still see the fireworks okay by ROA. And I LOVE hearing the narration!!

IMO, the RDCT fireworks is better than Wishes at WDW as well. And I loved Wishes!!!

 

[Kirabird]

We just did this last weekend. We just happened to be at the fantasmic area around 7:00 and explained to the DH and kids that we should stay. We got a spot right in the center, 2nd row back, in the roped off section. We took turns going to the bathroom, getting food, taking walks. The kids fell asleep around 8:15 (ages 6 and 8) in our laps. We did wake them up and all thought the show was amazing. And I thought we had a pretty good view of the fireworks too. You could even see Tinkerbell !

By 8:00 the area was completely mobbed.

 

[prncssmel]

I understand the bedtime thing and wanting to get out of the park early, so I just want to warn you that trying to get out of the park right after the fireworks is horrible. It is complete chaos. This is why we generally watch the fireworks and then the 10:30 Fantasmic. It is much easier to leave the park then.

 

[avalon451]

The first night we were there, we were at the hub to watch fireworks, and from there, yes, it was a very slow shuffle all the way down main street to get out afterwards. However, the next night we did Fantasmic reserved seating at 9 p.m., and then stayed there for fireworks. We dawdled for maybe 5 minutes before leaving our seats after the fireworks. Then we actually found it much easier to get out of the park. It was still busy, but we could walk freely. I guess the main press of people from Main Street and the hub had already exited.