Fantasmic Reviews

[pauldel]

We are thinking about booking Fantasmic with the dining before. Any thoughts on the show as well as which restaurant to book prior to....Thanks!

 

[TiggerTrigger]

If you want to spend the $ or have 2 credits pp to burn, I'd go for Hollywood Brown Derby...if not, Mama Melrose.

I know some people don't care for the preferred seating area, but I felt we had a good view of the show and let's face it, I'd rather be on the side of the theater than wait an hour or two to get in and get a seat in the middle. Aside from our kids not tolerating a wait like that, I feel it's a better use of my time and $ to not spend a ton of time waiting in line. Just my opinion. On the flip side- if you go on a night where there are two showings- it might be worth it more financially to plan on the later showing and just skip the preferred seating/dining pkg.

 

[RllngRckBrw]

From what I have read on the boards in the past the reserved seats for the package weren't that great. We had not done the package for this reason. I am not sure that this is still the case because I have been absent from the boards for quite some time.

The show itself is a must see. It is a perfect mix of all things Disney. It is our fav nighttime show in all of the world, whatever you decision on the package go see this show.

 

[andyman8]

Personally, Fantasmic is my favorite of the three nighttime entertainment spectaculars at WDW. We have always done it with the dining package and really enjoy it!

The seating is located on the far right of the theater, but still provides a good view. We had a delicious dinner at Hollywood & Vine, a buffet restaurant. I do recommend it, but book the dining package as early as possible, for most of the normal dinner times (5:15+) sell out early.

As for the show itself, it is great. I call it a combination of Illuminations and World of Color. The special effects are intense but neat. It features appearances (both animated and live-action) from almost every Disney animated character. The lighting effects are really cool, but the way they integrate the effects with the animated portions (projected onto large "water screens") is awesome. As you can tell, I payed more attention to the jaw dropping effects rather than the plot, but it is a good one with lots of twists and turns.

Fantasmic! is a must see when visiting DHS, but DO THE DINING PACKAGE. It is well worth it.

 

[stargazertechie]

Put a radio on in your bathroom, turn the shower on and the lights off, and wave a laser pointer around. Bam, it's fantasmic


can you tell I'm not a fan

 

[tawasdave]

Absolutely my favorite theing at Disney World bar none

 

[suevr]

We did it a few years ago and ate at Hollywood and Vine. I wasn't too impressed with their food and our service was terrible. If you decide to do it, I'd go with the Brown Derby or Mama Melrose's. If you're going at a busy time of year, I'd say it's worth it to not wait in line. If you're going when it's not too busy, then skip it. We pay out of pocket so we wouldn't do it again.

I don't know if it's changed, but we had to eat dinner at 3:45. It's way to early for us to eat dinner and that was the only time available. They could have changed the times to later since then though.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I love Fantasmic! I think the show is really well done, and it features a ton of Disney characters and lots of special effects. The seats are slightly better to the left of the dining package seating area, but Fantasmic is one of those shows where pretty much any seat is a good seat.

I've dined at all three of the options with the FDP, and Brown Derby is easily my favorite, but it is expensive. Mama Melrose's and Hollywood & Vine are both fine. I think Mama Melrose's is the better of the two, but the only thing that I think is really exceptional there are the flatbreads.

 

[minnie mum]

Like some of the PPs, we think Fantasmic is the best of the bunch and wouldn't miss it every trip. We love the multimedia aspect of the show and the energy it gives. And the ability to sit down in a nice amphitheatre while you're watching he show isn't too shabby either (at the end of a long park day)!

As for the package deal: we've seen the show with and without it, but wouldn't dream of seeing it without the package any more. Like TiggerTigger, we HATE having to stand in line for 1-2 hours in a huge crowd when we are hot and tired. And sitting for a long period in the theatre, once the gates are opened is just plain boring. We much prefer being able to use the uncrowded separate entrance and taking our seats a little more than 30 min. before the show. And we've never had a problem with the view from the reserved seating area.

Regarding the cost of the F. package: if you are on the DDP, we think it is a no-brainer. Mama Melrose (our favourite) and H&V (our least favourite) are only 1TS credit and since the package includes an appetizer you actually get a bonus. HBD (haven't done it yet) is 2 TS credits since it is a signature, so its value is a bit more iffy to us. Even if you are paying OOP (which we will be doing on our next trip) we think it is still worthwhile for us. The package will probably cost more than what you would pay for a meal otherwise, but we are happy to do so for the convenience of the reserved seating.

 

[John Paul]

Mama Melrose is our favorite for this. Love the smells of the wood burning ovens cooking the delicious bread

 

[Hootch]

seats are fine - not great - in our opinion. We wnet for the first of two shows in June. We started in the reserve line about 40-45 minutes prior to show start. It moved quickly. The general seating area already looked full when we got in.

I valued the shorter wait enough to view the dinner as money well spent. We did Mama Melrose with steak, pork chops and the meat lover flatbread. All were good but my pork chop was cut thinner than I expected. My son and I split the calamari which surprisingly easily surpassed my expectations.

 

[Babbletrish]

Put a radio on in your bathroom, turn the shower on and the lights off, and wave a laser pointer around. Bam, it's fantasmic!

You forgot something very important: In the middle of the show, out of nowhere, watch about twenty minutes of "Pocahontas".

OK, seriously. If there are kids too young to appreciate a leisurely three-course meal in a posh restaurant, do not even think about taking them to Brown Derby. We saw a dinner package family who had dropped serious cash on BD and their children -including one who could only be described as a very freshly born person- hated every minute of it.

As far as the seats, they aren't terrible. Your seating area is chosen for you, but you get to pick exactly where you sit, and if you stick near the middle you'll be able to see everything important.

Now as for the show... Here's my plot summary:

Act One: Mickey doing Mickey stuff

Act Two: So, Disney movies, right?

Act Three: Aforementioned big long Pocohontas segment for... some... reason...?

Act Four: Random assortment of villains (including Malificent and, er, Cruella DeVille) show up and chuck special effects at Mickey.

Act Five: Mickey is all like, "My imagination is the most powerful thing in the universe! It's even stronger than Chuck Norris!" (Well, no, but that would have been the cutest thing.)

Grand Finale: Mickey doing Sorcerer's Apprentice stuff, as advertised in the promotional material

 

[shannonstar]

My family loves Fantasmic. We have done preferred and non-preferred seating and I am telling we will never go non-preferred again.

We always go during the pretty crowded times, so I have no desire to sit for over an hour waiting for a show to start. Every time we have done preferred, we were able to arrive 20 minutes prior and get fabulous seats.

Personally, Fantasmic is my favorite of the "fireworks" shows.

 

[larryz]

If you want to spend the $ or have 2 credits pp to burn, I'd go for Hollywood Brown Derby...

X2 on the HBD! We loved it -- it's our favorite TS in DHS.

 

[Alby]

Fantasmic is my favorite WDW evening entertainment, and in my top 3 Disney attractions!
It's not for everyone, though, and in particular not for kids who are afraid of fireworks and villains.

 

[chmurf]

Mama melrose for lunch, QS 1 hour before the show, bathroom break 30 minutes before the show, sit down 25 minutes before and enjoy the pre-show while the rest of the guests get seated on the far side of the amphitheater.

"reserved" seats are great, because there are basically no bad seat. The effects are repeated along the stage so that no matter where you sit, you'll get to see everything

!fantasmic package is a no brainer, it's a must do on our planning list.

We do lunch because when we go, fantasmic is at 7pm, and it's pretty difficult to get an ADR that's not too early for diner. We'd rather wait for 1:30pm for lunch than rushing breakfast, lunch and diner, and all that before 3:15pm ...

 

[jhaig]

Act Five: Mickey is all like, "My imagination is the most powerful thing in the universe! It's even stronger than Chuck Norris!" (Well, no, but that would have been the cutest thing.)

Fantasmic still goes on because Chuck Norris allows it to exist

 

[Mousemommy1]

We love Fantasmic!! It has been a must do on every trip! . Now, we have never done the dinner package, and either we are very laid back or just lucky, but we have never waited in a line for excessive periods of time, and we have always gotten great seats! And sitting there while waiting for the show to start is a blessing!!!. So nice for your feet after a long day.

 

[hamm1207]

Regarding the cost of the F. package: if you are on the DDP, we think it is a no-brainer. Mama Melrose (our favourite) and H&V (our least favourite) are only 1TS credit and since the package includes an appetizer you actually get a bonus. HBD (haven't done it yet) is 2 TS credits since it is a signature, so its value is a bit more iffy to us. Even if you are paying OOP (which we will be doing on our next trip) we think it is still worthwhile for us. The package will probably cost more than what you would pay for a meal otherwise, but we are happy to do so for the convenience of the reserved seating.

We have seen the show without the package, and enjoyed the show!

We currently have dining reservations at Mama Melrose for 5:30 (fantasmic at 8:30) with the DP (1TS). Can we just add the fantasmic package and still only be charged 1 TS for it? I'm just surprised that it's only 1TS for the package... Thanks!

 

[kaligal]

The dining package will give you the worst possible seats. They're okay, but they are the worst possible.

I don't like Fantasmic. But if I had to go, I'd skip the package and go early enough to get a good seat.