Fantasmic - Summer 2025

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Has anyone been to Fantasmic lately that can comment on the crowds. We’re visiting in a few weeks and haven’t been when only one show is performed nightly.

Trying to find the right balance between getting in but not spending too much prime time waiting.

 

[sam_gordon]

Saw it last Tuesday (6/17). One show, 9:30P.

The left third (approximately) of the seating was closed. Some kind of "technical problem" is what we heard from a CM.

We got seated around 8:40. We were a group of 11, had the Fantasmic Dining Package, but were "parked out" (started w/Early Entry). We got seated in the middle, about 1/3 way down.

Around 9P, a CM came by to the person in front of us (who was saving 4-5 seats) and said they'd have to "release them". They were opening one more area just for Dining Package folks.

I'd say assuming that section stays closed, and you don't have the dining package, plan on sitting for an hour to 90 minutes. The non-dining plan section looked pretty full when we sat down, but there may have been more space than I thought.

 

[brockash]

Certainly hope that's fixed asap, especially if they're not going to have a 2nd showing.

 

[sam_gordon]

The red 'x' was empty (no seating allowed), we were in the "Plan" section (around the L), and the "Dining" started being seated at 9p, but supposedly only by Dining Plan folks. I assume the section just "under" it was also Dining Plan folks, but not positive.

For all I know, whatever tech issue they had got fixed the next night, so more people would be allowed in.

 

[sam_gordon]

Certainly hope that's fixed asap, especially if they're not going to have a 2nd showing.

I'm not sure how they could do a 2nd showing in the summer, at least for a couple of months. I would think it needs to be relatively dark for the water screens to work well.

 

[Skippyboo]

I was there first week of June. Some days it was a 10 pm park close so they did one show at 930 pm and another at 1030 pm

 

[BellaBaby]

We were there on June 1st and it was absolutely packed. They did have all of the seating open then too and it was all full.

 

[sam_gordon]

I was there first week of June. Some days it was a 10 pm park close so they did one show at 930 pm and another at 1030 pm

The show is 30 minutes long. That had to be pretty tight to empty the theater and refill it in 30 minutes.

I know the week before we went, the shows were at 9, so maybe 9 & 1030p?

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

The show is 30 minutes long. That had to be pretty tight to empty the theater and refill it in 30 minutes.

I know the week before we went, the shows were at 9, so maybe 9 & 1030p?

That was the schedule for several years. Fantasmic at 9 and 10:30 with park closing at 10.

We always went to the 10:30 show and the place was rarely over half full. The biggest benefit was that the headliners were all walkons after about 8 pm as the majority of the crowd waited for the early show.

 

[elvispursley]

I don’t think I e ever been when it’s not packed, which could just be my luck This is why we’ve missed the show for a while as the crowds make me really anxious (also why we watch HEA somewhere other than the hub).

 

[brockash]

I'm not sure how they could do a 2nd showing in the summer, at least for a couple of months. I would think it needs to be relatively dark for the water screens to work well.

They've done plenty of 2nd showings in the summer. We've attended many.

 

[imbelle]

Only a 9pm show when we saw it on the 13th, all sections used and looked like it was filled to capacity. We arrived a half hour before the show and were seated in the section farthest from the entrance.

 

[scrappinginontario]

My niece is working as a CM at Fantasmic this summer. I asked her and her recommendation for us was to arrive 60 mins early and 45 mins at the least when there is only one show.

 

[Stacybaeasm]

I went twice the week of May 24-June 1. One night only had one show (and AH that evening). The other night had 2 shows. Seating for the one show night got a little messed up because of storms in the area. They weren't sure they were going to do the show so they only started letting people in about 40 minutes before show time. It was PACKED. I heard that they had turned people away. The 2nd time, I went to the 2nd show. It was about 2/3 full.

I always recommend going at least an hour early if there is only 1 show. I personally like to sit as close to the center as possible (and also get snacks) so I go in 90 minutes before. If you are ok being off to the far sides, I would think 45 minutes before is fine.

 

[babyruth]

I just made ADR for the dining package and once it went through it says "1st show". There is no second show listed as of now so I wonder if this is a hint that there will be a second added? For August dates.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I went last night, don’t think DHS was all that full but of course the theatre looked full. (ROTR was running 30-40 mins around 7:30 pm.) All seating areas were open. Arrived around 9:10pm for the 9:30pm show, no dining package. Hit the concession line around 9:15, long line didn’t get out until a few minutes into the show. People were still arriving into the theatre, CMs directed them to any seats they could find. Much appreciated since it was dark, I was solo so didn’t have a seat yet. I ended up in the section next to the middle towards the exit actually. Worked out pretty great.

Weird thing I saw- while in line for concessions I saw at least 20 people almost simultaneously duck under the rope for the dining package area and start seating themselves, and then the crowd by then started to follow! Took the CMs a minute to realize what was happening but they got over there and ran them out. This group legit thought they could sneak in like 20 people LOL. The crazy things Disney CMs have to deal with!

 

[elvispursley]

Kudos to the CM for kicking them out of that section!

 

[babyruth]

I went last night, don’t think DHS was all that full but of course the theatre looked full. (ROTR was running 30-40 mins around 7:30 pm.) All seating areas were open. Arrived around 9:10pm for the 9:30pm show, no dining package. Hit the concession line around 9:15, long line didn’t get out until a few minutes into the show. People were still arriving into the theatre, CMs directed them to any seats they could find. Much appreciated since it was dark, I was solo so didn’t have a seat yet. I ended up in the section next to the middle towards the exit actually. Worked out pretty great.

Weird thing I saw- while in line for concessions I saw at least 20 people almost simultaneously duck under the rope for the dining package area and start seating themselves, and then the crowd by then started to follow! Took the CMs a minute to realize what was happening but they got over there and ran them out. This group legit thought they could sneak in like 20 people LOL. The crazy things Disney CMs have to deal with!

concession line! wow I really haven't seen this show in a long time I don't even remember concessions

 

[gottalovepluto]

concession line! wow I really haven't seen this show in a long time I don't even remember concessions

Disney has 2 stands in the stadium for the full line up plus mini-carts as you enter. They need more, I saw people leave because how slow it was. All these people, desperate for a chance to overpay drastically for popcorn, beer & pretzels… this isn’t rocket science. A couple more mini-stands or a more efficient operation (slim the menu, add registers) at the normal ones would do them wonders.

 

[imbelle]

They used to have vendors going up and down the aisles selling popcorn, drinks, ice cream. I would have thought that would be a good idea for solo people or to keep folks from having to save seats for their party members in concession lines. Wonder why they stopped? They also used to have a cast member with a mic telling jokes and encouraging the stands to make the "wave". He was actually pretty funny.