Fantasmic Questions

[JC0712]

I'm sure this has been asked, but I can't get search to work so here goes. In your opinion is it better to go to early or late Fantasmic? We are going in May. The first show is at 9:00, the second at 10:30. The park closes at 10:00.

We currently have a Fantasmic dinner package booked at Mama Melrose's. I know that we would need to show up at 8:15 to get our sets. Without the package we would have to be there at 7:00 or 7:30. Would it be worth it to skip the dinner package and go to the late show?

Also how long does it take to exit the theater and park after the shows? I'm assuming it would be easier after the second show with less people. Is this correct? If we waited for the late show, are the crowds in the park really light during the first show?

I know this is a lot of questions, but I would really appreciate any information and opinions. Thanks,

 

[Robo]

I'm sure this has been asked, but I can't get search to work so here goes. In your opinion is it better to go to early or late Fantasmic? We are going in May. The first show is at 9:00, the second at 10:30. The park closes at 10:00.

We currently have a Fantasmic dinner package booked at Mama Melrose's. I know that we would need to show up at 8:15 to get our sets. Without the package we would have to be there at 7:00 or 7:30. Would it be worth it to skip the dinner package and go to the late show?

Also how long does it take to exit the theater and park after the shows? I'm assuming it would be easier after the second show with less people. Is this correct? If we waited for the late show, are the crowds in the park really light during the first show?

I know this is a lot of questions, but I would really appreciate any information and opinions. Thanks,

Exiting takes up to 20+ minutes, either show.
If you sit near the back and audience right, and "Run out" right at the end, you can beat the crowds.
We never do that. We sit front and center, but that's our thing.
I never give the priority to exiting a show over seeing the show.

We have seen Fantasmic! (literally) dozens of times and never used the Dinner Pkg.

No one can predict exactly how large the crowds will be or how early you should go to find a seat for Fantasmic! on any given day.
It has totally to do with the whim of the crowd at DHS on that day, and the general crowd LEVELS.
How much time you wish to "invest" in waiting is a personal decision. We never do the formal Dinner Package, and have always seen the show (dozens of times).

(Take all of these as "average" numbers, sometimes the crowd will be MUCH greater and the theater can fill up much sooner.)

VERY Busy days:
If you go to the first show of the evening (or "only" show that evening), if you arrive about 75-120 minutes before show-time, you can sit just about anywhere.
45-60 minutes before: Good seats
20-40 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 Fantasmic! Dinner Pkg. you still SHOULD enter by AT LEAST 35 minutes (much "safer" at 45 minutes) before show-time and still be guaranteed "pretty good" seats (not my "first choice" area, but fine), regardless of crowd-levels. Remember, the DP is only valid for the first show of the evening, if there are 2 or more. If you do have DP and you spy some seats outside the DP "reserved" area, you are free to choose to sit anywhere outside that area you like, no problem.

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 seats over 7,000 guests.)

When you enter the theater, there will be CMs along the way directing the flow of traffic, but you may (if you are early enough to have a choice) simply choose any open seats in the theater to be your own.
If you want to exit more quickly, choose a seat farther back and to towards audience-right.
If you want to be immersed in the show (and sometimes, immersed in water-mist, if the wind is blowing "in") choose a seat towards the front.

We like to eat our evening meal while waiting for Fantasmic! to start.
You can bring in items from the counter-service places in MGM, or they DO have concession stands at the rear of the theater serving "baseball stadium-type" food and drinks. Yes, even beer, sold strictly ONE-at-a-time, one-only-to-a-person, so a single person can't go and buy beer for other members of a group... all guests wanting to buy a beer must be present in-person at the counter.
We have a hot dog, maybe a pretzel, later some popcorn or cotton candy (Disney Health Food).
http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menu_fan.htm

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

It has been my experience that with any shows in theme parks, the last show is the least crowded. We just went to Sea World and skipped the first Believe show, which they announced was full, and opted for the second show, which was half empty. So I would always choose the latest show.

 

[wilde_oscar]

here is a robo bonus question, first round... if you goto the first show, can you stay in the stadium, while they clean, for the second show?

if you buy a spinny light up thing, will it work in the morning?

are we allowed to shoot the people (with our spinny light up things) that start the wave?

 

[Robo]

here is a robo bonus question,

1) first round... if you goto the first show, can you stay in the stadium, while they clean, for the second show?

2) if you buy a spinny light up thing, will it work in the morning?

3) are we allowed to shoot the people (with our spinny light up things) that start the wave?

1) Nope, they "invite" every one to exit. -DING-

2) Depends on what you used it for the previous evening. -Ding-

3) The Wave. Some joker always thinks EVERYONE wants to do the Wave but is nobody else is "smart" enough to start it.
If you see the joker before he insites the stadium, Fire away (with the spinny thing!)

Which brings us back to 2) above.
If you used your spinny thing to target a Wave Joker (or 5) in the theater, the spinny thing will be a dud by daybreak.

-Ding- -Ding- -Ding- -Ding- -Ding-

 

[golden]

Can one person hold seats for three more?
I can't imagine my 3 year old sitting for an hour in order to get good seats. Just wondering if one of us can go in with jackets and stake out 3 more seats for the rest of my family to arrive 10 minutes before the show is scheduled to start.

 

[Robo]

Can one person hold seats for three more?
I can't imagine my 3 year old sitting for an hour in order to get good seats. Just wondering if one of us can go in with jackets and stake out 3 more seats for the rest of my family to arrive 10 minutes before the show is scheduled to start.

Depends on the crowd levels.

It is POSSIBLE that the rest of your party would not be admitted into the theater if the seating was nearing capacity.

Disney makes announcements to that effect (keep your party together and don't leave the theater, once inside) every evening, over-and-over, as you approach the theater.

If you do try this, be sure both factions of the group has working cellphones so that if the theater starts to get busy, you "can all 'em in" early enough...
and then they can FIND you in the mass of humanity.

 

[golden]

We are going nest week 3/3-12. Hoping for less than peak crowds!

So they do warn those outside that it is filling up? Seriously though, even if they could run around an extra 10 minutes instead of sitting there, it would be a good thing.

 

[whatacrew08]

Once again Robo, you are a wealth of great information. Also, your line about never giving priority to exiting a show made me smile. My father was that type of guy. ( I think he viewed as a personal challenge to see how long it took to get the family out of any type of event). LOL

Also, I am probably in the minority, but I like the wave.

 

[Robo]

We are going nest week 3/3-12. Hoping for less than peak crowds!

So they do warn those outside that it is filling up? Seriously though, even if they could run around an extra 10 minutes instead of sitting there, it would be a good thing.

Nope.
That's why they continually repeat the announcement warning about keeping the group together.

You could walk with them around inside the theater area.
It is gigantic.
There will be hundreds of guests, at any given time, walking up and down the stairs/aisles getting food from the consession stands at the rear/top of the theater seating and/or buying "lighted and spinny things" from the consession carts at the front of the theater.

 

[drakes]

When we were there for the week there was only one show time. We saw it on our first night and last night. On our first night we were late following dinner and stood in the back - Still an awe inspiring show to see from that distance.
On our last night we made our plans to do this last, we toured MK all day and then went to MGM just for the show - so we staked out our seats in the front about a 45 mins to an hour before. DD (7 at the time) I did not think would stay still. We had drinks and snacks, but then what we did was veiwed all the pictures we took that day, remenised about the trip and got some good video footage of us recapping the memories, we also started planning our next trip (which this trip was to be our one and only trip of a lifetime).

We took our time strolling out of the park, noone was rushing us so why rush?

So what am I saying:
1. don't do the dinner package- i have heard nothing but bad things about it.
2. use your time wisely while waiting even if 1 hour before.
3. for show times, if this is your last day and you want to go out with a bang- do the later show.
I can't comment on show times really as I did not have a choice when I went.

4. factor in the time it takes for you to walk to the show and to the actual seat, this is the part that caught us the first night there. It was a much longer walk than anticiapted.

 

[duketennisgal]

I'm sure this has been asked, but I can't get search to work so here goes. In your opinion is it better to go to early or late Fantasmic? We are going in May. The first show is at 9:00, the second at 10:30. The park closes at 10:00.

We currently have a Fantasmic dinner package booked at Mama Melrose's. I know that we would need to show up at 8:15 to get our sets. Without the package we would have to be there at 7:00 or 7:30. Would it be worth it to skip the dinner package and go to the late show?

Also how long does it take to exit the theater and park after the shows? I'm assuming it would be easier after the second show with less people. Is this correct? If we waited for the late show, are the crowds in the park really light during the first show?

I know this is a lot of questions, but I would really appreciate any information and opinions. Thanks,

I prefer the second show simply b/c with the park open till 10 that means you can ride the rides during the first showing, the lines are considerably lower at that time. Then you can stroll in for the 10:30 show which has never been full for us. The last time we were able to sit right up front, very nice b/c it was hot out and the cool mist of water was nice.

 

[cabanafrau]

Hold on a sec -- I just need to take some of this down for my notes.

1. 2 wks B4 leaving on trip, mail previously prepared copies of WildeOscar photos to all CMs who sell light up thingys, w/ official legal documents informing them of newly enacted legislation banning their sale to anyone matching his description & those in his party.

2. Upon entering the Studios for the day, inquire at Guest Relations if they might initiate all points bulletin banning WildeOscar from entering theatre for performance of Fantasmic I wish to attend.

3. Interview all CMs upon arrival at theatre, making sure they have not sighted WildeOscar & definitely haven't sold him said light up thingys.

4. Strategically select my seat according to which area of the theatre is most in need of my assistance in getting the Wave started.

5. Time Wave initiation to commence at the precise moment the crowd is becoming restless, tense w/ anxiety that they will attend a lame performance of Fantasmic w/o someone getting them up to do the Wave.

6. Enjoy the surge of relief as knowledge passes through the crowd that they did select an awesome showing of Fantasmic, complete w/ obligatory round of the Wave, knowing that I have saved the vacation experience of thousands of folks, whilst remaining blissfully untroubled by an assaultive barrage of light up thingys.

 

[wilde_oscar]

at some shows, far is better than closer to see everything, at Fantasmic! closer is always better, oh and something I never see mentioned, if it is breezy and you sit close enough, you will get moist. For that reason, I sit in the third row, not the first row.

 

[wilde_oscar]

Hold on a sec -- I just need to take some of this down for my notes.

1. 2 wks B4 leaving on trip, mail previously prepared copies of WildeOscar photos to all CMs who sell light up thingys, w/ official legal documents informing them of newly enacted legislation banning their sale to anyone matching his description & those in his party.

2. Upon entering the Studios for the day, inquire at Guest Relations if they might initiate all points bulletin banning WildeOscar from entering theatre for performance of Fantasmic I wish to attend.

3. Interview all CMs upon arrival at theatre, making sure they have not sighted WildeOscar & definitely haven't sold him said light up thingys.

4. Strategically select my seat according to which area of the theatre is most in need of my assistance in getting the Wave started.

5. Time Wave initiation to commence at the precise moment the crowd is becoming restless, tense w/ anxiety that they will attend a lame performance of Fantasmic w/o someone getting them up to do the Wave.

6. Enjoy the surge of relief as knowledge passes through the crowd that they did select an awesome showing of Fantasmic, complete w/ obligatory round of the Wave, knowing that I have saved the vacation experience of thousands of folks, whilst remaining blissfully untroubled by an assaultive barrage of light up thingys.

Would you sit next to this guy?

I'll be in-world the first two weeks of Sept this year... I plan to see fantasmic! 6 times in 14 days... I expect someone to start the wave every time... i expect to max out my card with deadly spinny light up things.

 

[karmalicousss]

I would pick the late one.

Have a good trip !

 

[wilde_oscar]

i hope at some point we answered the OP's question.

 

[cabanafrau]

Would you sit next to this guy?

I'll be in-world the first two weeks of Sept this year... I plan to see fantasmic! 6 times in 14 days... I expect someone to start the wave every time... i expect to max out my card with deadly spinny light up things.

Sure, I'll take one for the team -- can't risk someone really feeling their trip would have been magical if only someone had started the wave when they saw Fantasmic.

 

[Robo]

Sure, I'll take one for the team -- can't risk someone really feeling their trip would have been magical if only someone had started the wave when they saw Fantasmic.

Thank goodness!

I was THIS CLOSE to getting ready to erase your name from my "Disney Genius" roster.

 

[cabanafrau]

Thank goodness!

I was THIS CLOSE to getting ready to erase your name from my "Disney Genius" roster.

That simply cannot be. I have all the top information -- right here at my fingertips!