Fantasmic Thread!

[irlandaise]

It's 745 and the Fantasmic area is Slammed. I'm sure this is opening night. However checking into dinning package was super easy. I grabbed a food order at 730, checked in with my ticket and walked right to the Riverbelle area.

That takeout order wasn't your Fantasmic meal, right? You had that earlier in the day?

 

[ShoeCello]

For River Belle and Blue Bayou - yes, you are seated at a table. I believe Zocalo is also at a table, although you go through the self serve line to get the food and you choose your own table.


Yes, you are at the back of the roped off area for that section. It is a slight incline so your view should be great for Fantasmic. I'm not sure that you will be able to see much after people stand for fireworkds.

I have no idea. I didn't hear anything about a virtual queue. Honestly, if you didn't have a dining package, it seemed like a free for all.

Again, last night was the first night and they were obviously not prepared for how to handle the crowds. I expect it to improve in the upcoming days/weeks.

No virtual queue.

 

[LKing]

Where to line up for dining packages:

This was very unorganized last night. Wait staff told us to line up at Harbour Galley at least two hours before the show. A line started to form at around 5 pm, more arrived by 6 pm, but it wasn't unreasonably long. Remember, this was the first night. I don't think people will continue to line up that early.

No one knew how they were going to line up the different restaurants so everyone was in one line up against the wall of the planter. Twice, cast members came and told the line to disperse. One CM said that the line was blocking the walk way (it wasn't). When people dispersed, they started walking up and down the little walk way and around in circles which created more of a traffic problem than if they had just stood in line. Another CM told guest that the line would start at a red umbrella (X on map below). Immediately, each party kept one person in place and sent another person to wait by the red umbrella, in essence creating a second line.

This is something Disney needs to improve upon. CM members threatening that guests won't be allowed to enter, or giving false instructions to intentionally misdirect guests, is not okay. Ensuring that guests stay out of the walkway and leave ample room for pedestrians is 100% reasonable. Disney oversold River Belle dining reservations. They know how many people purchased dining packages. They should have known how many people would be lining for dining package seating and planned for where and how those guests should line up.

In the end, the line started where the red line is drawn on the map below. The purple line shows that it wrapped around the planter and back towards New Orleans Square. The line for River Belle ended up being next to the planter (farthest from the water). Blue Bayou was in the middle of the walkway and Zocalo was next to the Harbour Galley fence (closest to the water). They walked RB in first as they were seated farthest from Harbour Galley. Next, they walked in BB, and Zocalo was escorted to their section last.



Last night, the line started just across from these pelicans. I'm sure this will change and they will get more organized over time. This is just for reference.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Thank you @LKing for providing so much detail about the lineup process!

 

[katyringo]

That takeout order wasn't your Fantasmic meal, right? You had that earlier in the day?

Correct. I had river belle brunch earlier. The food I grabbed before going to the viewing section was just a mobile order I placed.

 

[katyringo]

Thank you @LKing. I'm directionally challenged so I stink at explaining those types of things. They need signs for the dinning packages.. like the round ones a CM can hold. I arrived at harbor gallery close to 745 and there was so signage anywhere to tell me where to go and the lines that had previously formed had already been walked down. I ended up stopping a random CM who got me where I needed to go.

 

[disny_luvr]

Let me see if I can try to explain. Maybe @katyringo can get some images of it tonight.

If you look at a map, you'll see that Disneyland is set up like spokes on a wheel. The center is the Partners' Statue (Walt and Mickey) and the lands jet off from there.

Below are two images. Fantasmic is on Rivers of America. You will sit where the red X is. The red line shows how you'll exit through Adventureland. When you get out of Adventureland, you can go in whatever direction you want. The masses will be exiting the park, however, many stay to go on rides until park closing. If that is the case, stay to your left when you exit Adventureland. When you get to the hub (circle around the statue), you can go in whatever direction you want.

On Main Street, there will be cast members with red hand held lights which will direct you towards Main Street. The white hand held lights (at least last night) directed you towards the walkway behind the stores. This was not intuitive. They just kept shouting and telling people to move. Really, they should have been explaining what the red, white and green handheld lights meant.

The walkways behind the stores are on both sides of Main Street. They use them in situations like this and to move people up and down Main Street during parades. Even if you end up in one of the walkways behind the stores, you will not be end up outside of the park. You will be just outside City Hall. To get back in the park you'll either have to swim up stream or take the train to ToonTown Station.

Edit: Alternatively, as @disneychrista mentioned, you can turn to your right and walk towards Galaxy's Edge. From Galaxy's Edge, there is a walkway to Frontierland which I would avoid because it will take you back to the Fantasmic crowds. There is another walkway into Fantasyland. See picture below.

View attachment 862901 View attachment 862959

This is fantastic! The maps really help! Thank you so much!

 

[BriannaRuth]

Is there any time after the close of the 2nd Fantasmic show to do anything else, or is the park closed by that time?

 

[LKing]

Thank you @LKing. I'm directionally challenged so I stink at explaining those types of things. They need signs for the dinning packages.. like the round ones a CM can hold. I arrived at harbor gallery close to 745 and there was so signage anywhere to tell me where to go and the lines that had previously formed had already been walked down. I ended up stopping a random CM who got me where I needed to go.

Yes, the dining package seating was very unorganized last night. No signs, no CM at the beginning of the line, no tape on the ground.

Have a great day at the parks today. I'm at home recovering.

 

[katyringo]

Yes, the dining package seating was very unorganized last night. No signs, no CM at the beginning of the line, no tape on the ground.

Have a great day at the parks today. I'm at home recovering.

Currently laying in my hotel bed.. I closed down DL last night and rope dropped DCA this morning. I need to recharge my feet!

 

[ShoeCello]

Is there any time after the close of the 2nd Fantasmic show to do anything else, or is the park closed by that time?

The show lasts ~26 minutes, so will end a couple minutes 11 PM. Depending on what day you go, sometimes the park closes at 11 PM, in which case you would be able to hop in line to Pirates or HM (once it's back open) and that would be about it (or maybe Indy/BTMRR/Jungle Cruise, if you are really fast at moving away from the crowds and depending on where you are watching F!). Other days (like yesterday) the park closes at midnight, so you would have an hour. I would check the schedule for the day you have reservations.

 

[OlliePop27]

Is there any time after the close of the 2nd Fantasmic show to do anything else, or is the park closed by that time?

DL usually closes at midnight during the summer and weekends. Fantasmic second show is always at 10:30. You should have an hour after the show ends.

 

[Jane VanTassel]

Anyone do RBT Premium Dining package? Curious to know how obstructed the views are. Are the people in front of you sitting or standing? I know the terrain is sloped: but is it enough? Lastly, do people stay at their tables or do they all crowd up to the front to watch? OK, lastly, when do start getting in line for early show premium dining package.

Thanks, just wondering if it is truly worth it:

 

[LKing]

I caught a glimpse of the Columbia being pushed by a smaller boat; I wonder if this is because Columbia is still under refurbishment.

Columbia is not under refurbishment. Both Columbia and Mark Twain were in operation with guests all day yesterday.

Edited to correct typo.

 

[irlandaise]

Columbia is not under refurbishment. Both Columbia and River Belle were in operation with guests all day yesterday.

"River Belle"? I think you've spent too much time at WDW...

(Oh, wait, that's the Liberty Belle...)

 

[ShoeCello]

Columbia is not under refurbishment. Both Columbia and River Belle were in operation with guests all day yesterday.

Ah, whoops, my mistake! I just checked and it looks like yesterday was Columbia's first day back after a two-week refurbishment. I wonder why they had the smaller boat pushing it then during F!...

 

[irlandaise]

Pan > Pirates. Hopefully Croc makes a comeback (there was something in water behind boat that may have been Croc but not working yet...

I watched a video from last night and the crocodile was projected on a water screen. I do hope the floating croc comes back. The threat to Captain Hook isn't as effective when the crocodile isn't following right behind the ship.

 

[katyringo]

I watched a video from last night and the crocodile was projected on a water screen. I do hope the floating croc comes back. The threat to Captain Hook isn't as effective when the crocodile isn't following right behind the ship.

That's so interesting! As someone who never saw the original Peter Pan I was impressed with the way they used the projection in sync with the scene and his tail projected like it was coming out of the water

 

[OlliePop27]

I watched a video from last night and the crocodile was projected on a water screen. I do hope the floating croc comes back. The threat to Captain Hook isn't as effective when the crocodile isn't following right behind the ship.

I was wondering this too. Did they maybe dispose of the croc after the show was updated in 2017?

It would be nice if Flotsam and Jetsom came back too, even though they seldom worked!

 

[LKing]

I arrived at harbor gallery close to 745 and there was so signage anywhere to tell me where to go and the lines that had previously formed had already been walked down. I ended up stopping a random CM who got me where I needed to go.

This is important. I didn't pay attention to what time they actually walked us down. The ticket says to be there between 8 pm and 8:45 pm. Wait staff said to arrive two hours before the show began (ie. 7 pm). @katyringo arrived 1 hr 15 min before the show began and 15 min before the ticket said to arrive and the section had already been seated.