Fantasmic package: Do I need it in September?

[Kimber1963]

We are going in September again. Do you think we need to have the dinner package to see Fantasmic? We really want to eat at PrimeTime. Hollywood and Vine was OK last year, but PrimeTime is a family must-do on every trip. I don't want to spend an hour sitting waiting for the show. What do you all think?????

 

[bettybeth]

Hi Kimber,

We'll be at MGM on 9/26. I'm planning on doing Prime Time as it is our favorite also. I, too, am wondering about what to expect crowdwise. We've seen Fantasmic twice so if it's too crowded we won't mind missing it. So this is really a bump to see what everyone thinks!

 

[bettybeth]

bump again!

 

[Foofness]

I'm watching this thread also...

We will be there the second week in Sept. and have an ADR for Primetime @ seven... Fantasmic starts at 8:30... I didn't really figure we would be done eating in time to see the show, but if others think there is a chance we could get in... well I might have to try to hurry the dinner along... Maybe I should call and see if we can move dinner up an hour or so... I figure the place is all booked up by now though... It'll be our first time at Primetime, so I don't really like the idea of rushing through dinner just to get to the show... We are going on EMH's for the evening, so another plus to eating at seven and out when the show starts is less people in the rest of the park... That's the theory anyway... Will it work in practice, I don't know...

 

[michvin]

Did you check out the times they are having the shows? If they are only having one show because it is supposed to be "slow" then I would definitely do the package. We had the package in April for the first show at H&V, and understandably its a busier time, we loved not having to wait forever to get in and seated. We got in and waited about 35 minutes for the show. Especially if you have kids...I would check it out.

 

[seven dwarfs]

We are doing the pkg with Mama Melrose in Spetember. We have never been in Spetember before. I just hate making the kids wait for so long before it starts. Last Dec we waited over an hour just to have it cancel from the rain. It was a mess. I figure beter safe then sorry.

 

[Robo]

No one can predict EXACTLY what will happen on any given day.
It has totally to do with how much time you wish to invest, and the general crowd levels.

VERY Busy days:
If you go to the first show of the evening (or "only" show that evening), if you arrive about 75-90 minutes before show-time, you can sit just about anywhere.
45 minutes before: Good seats
20-30 Minutes: will vary between seats at edges and rear of theater to SRO or even "closed" to further guests.

Busy days:
If you go to the first show of the evening (or "only" show that evening), if you arrive about 50-60 minutes before show-time, you can sit just about anywhere.
40 minutes before: Good seats
25-35 Minutes: will vary between seats at edges and rear of theater to SRO or even "closed" to further guests. (The crowd of "last-minute" arrivals can be slow to get seated before show-time.)

Off-Season (not busy days):
You should be OK to enter by 10-20 minutes before, but you'll likely be seated to the outer edges, and/or way at the back.

If you do the dinner pkg. you can enter 30 minutes before (or a bit later) and still be guaranteed pretty good seats, regardless of crowd-levels.

If there are TWO Fantasmic! shows in one evening, the second one will have lower crowd level than the first one. You can arrive a bit later and still find a seat.

Be aware that the second show waiting area will LOOK like the show is too crowded.
That's because they HOLD the 2nd crowd outside the theater while the CMs CLEAN it after the first crowd has exited.

Then, they will let those waiting together in that big group IN... all at once, and there will be PLENTY of room.

(The theater holds 10,000 guests!)

 

[sleepingbeautymama]

How does this package work with free dining?

 

[TheZeppo]

What is the sight line like for the reserved Fantasmic seating? I've reserved a package for September and have heard that the seats are off to the side.

 

[KingdomHeartsFan]

Last year we did the package and ate at H&V. It was good but this year we are dying to try 50's Prime Time. So we decided to go over to MGM on our arrival evening just to see Fantasmic and then dedicating our full day at MGM to the rides and other shows (and dinner at Prime Time of course).

 

[Robo]

What is the sight line like for the reserved Fantasmic seating? I've reserved a package for September and have heard that the seats are off to the side.

Theater seating is a HUGE arc focused aound the "mountain-stage" in the "lake".
Most seats give a fine view of the show.
The "Dinner Package" reserved seating is not "right in the center" and its not "down-front", but its not bad at all.

We have seen Fantasmic! dozens of times.
We prefer sitting very close (front-row, some nights) but have also seen the show from virtually all angles, distances and sections.

Its a BIG show and can be enjoyed from anywhere in the theater.

BTW, its worth noting that if you do the Dinner Package, when you enter the Fantasmic! theater, if you see empty seating in another section of the theater that you prefer to the "reserved for dinner pkg" seats, you are free to sit anywhere you like, with no problem. Just go and sit there.

 

[Willow25]

I was at DW last year in September during free dining. We chose not to do the package because the crowds were so low. I am glad that we did not do it. We walked in about 15 minutes before the show started and sat in the middle of the stadium.

However like others have said you can never predict what it would be like.

We are going again this September and we are not doing the package.

 

[LBelle]

Pretty much the same for us as Willow25:

Ate @ Prime Time (7:05 ADR) and got out maybe 10 minutes or so before Fant. start. We hadn't really planned on seeing it, but, Hey...it's right here - walked in and did the standing room only at back of theatre. My observations on this:

1 - GREAT beating the throngs OUT of the theatre - absolute BEDLAM behind us!!! Hang on to all children like crazy!!!

2 - DH and myself commented on how we were soooo happy that we didn't sit and wait (or stand in LONG lineup) around for AGES just to see this show!!!
Most people LOVE Fantasmic and yes, we thought it was good, just not 'wait around for 2 hours to see it' good.

 

[lexmelinda]

We did the package at the Brown Derby last time but not doing it this time. The parade is more of a priority for us that Fantasmic. It is at 4:30 the day we're there and all FDP reservations seem to be from 3:30-4:50. We're going in September so we'll just arrive 30 minutes before the show and see what happens. IMHO Fantasmic doesn't live up to the hype, but we're going again for the kids.

 

[3princesses4us]

Last year we did the package and ate at H&V. It was good but this year we are dying to try 50's Prime Time. So we decided to go over to MGM on our arrival evening just to see Fantasmic and then dedicating our full day at MGM to the rides and other shows (and dinner at Prime Time of course).

That's EXACTLY what we're doing too! Our first night is dedicated solely to going to MGM just to see Fantasmic so that later on our MGM day we can eat at our favorite MGM restaurant 50's Prime Time! Great minds...

Robo- thanks for your wealth of knowledge. You just helped me out with some good advice on getting to EE first thing in the morning on another thread!

 

[Cool-Beans]

I think you'll get seats that are just as good without waiting for an hour. The package seats are, as you know, over on the edge of the stadium. So, you'll sit in the center.

September isn't that busy. Go for it.

 

[Kimber1963]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I've seen Fantasmic! but I'm going with a family that's never been before and I'd hate for them to miss it.

 

[TheZeppo]

Is it possible when you arrive at the reserved seating to move to other, more centrally located seats if they are available?

 

[Robo]

Is it possible when you arrive at the reserved seating to move to other, more centrally located seats if they are available?

Yes.

Just walk to anywhere else you can find a spot and sit there.

The "reserved" area is held open (until a bit closer to show-time) just in case the rest of the theater is already full.