Fantasmic to be cut to two shows per week

[SandraVB79]

I Love Fantasmic at DL, hate it at WDW but regardless of that, I don't get it completely. It draws people in to the park! It occupies a large part of the park (not as in DL, where it doesn't have a dediacted theatre)
I know that in DL, it is sometimes not offered every day of the week, but only twice a week... woow.

Maybe I should book a trip in January, seems I will be virtually alone then, if they do such cutbacks, bookings should be really really bad??

 

[Elana]

I think it is a good idea to check the calendar for park events. We are going in Feb., and it is scheduled on Sun., Weds. and Thursday that week.

 

[Villainess]

I'm disappointed at Disney's decision. I am not an AI fan; have never seen the show, never will so I won't be visiting this attraction (frees up a seat for someone else I guess!).

DHS is my least favorite park but has so much potential; I hope Disney will realize the mistake they are making and bythe spring will bring back Fantasmic every night. I, too, believe that the Fantasmic dining pkg (if they continue to offer it) will fill up quite quickly. We did this for our last trip and when we arrived at our seats - 50 minutes before start time, the theater was already filled.

 

[Fantasmiss]

Hehe, I hate it too... But I love Fantasmic even more

Wow, I thought we were the only ones that hated that stupid wave thing!

 

[mitros]

But I thought they "aren't filling up the ampitheater"?

It was filled to overflowing every time we went.

 

[gymnastgirlflips]

Yes, I agree. I dont think it was a very smart decision. It does bring alot of people in, and every time all the seats are filled an hour early. Why would they cut back when that is bringing in all those people every night? I dont think Hollywood Studios is the best park either, but it does have potential. I hope they realize their mistake soon, as well as try putting in some new attractions and things to make the park just as good as the others.

 

[Cassie Dean]

We went to Disney World in January of 2008 and Fantasmic was only offered one day a week, at least the week we were there. I was so mad, it was something I had really been looking forward to. This year we going in January (2009) and they say that it is being offered Monday & Thursday. Do you think trying to book the dinner package is the way to go?

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

Cassie, I think booking the package is good, (double check the restaurants that offer it) but I'd still get there a little on the earlier side. At least when I worked there, they "filled in" the section about 10 minutes before showtime and all the seats were gone. Also, the reserved seating isn't necessarily "the best", try to be aware of where the 3 water screens are going to unfold so you can get a somewhat central view of at least one of them. If you are in the last seat all the way on the left or the right of the theater you really can't see everything 100%. Also sitting really really close isn't the best idea either, those first few rows can get wet and you can miss some of the effects. The Mickey section is "the best" (It's where the VIP section is locates as well) but truly 90% of seats are great seats. (The standing room, on the other hand . . . ) Best of luck to you, it really is a great show, still full of lots of magic for me . . .

 

[King Triton]

It's just insane to cut back to only two Fantasmic shows. That's the "must see" going to Disney. Very bad decision by Disney.

 

[NMW]

But I thought they "aren't filling up the ampitheater"?

We have never gone when it wasn't filled to capacity. I'm talking late show, early show, slower months of the year like Oct, early Dec, mid May.

Last May we did the 10:30 (I think it was 10:30 anyway) show the night they had extra PM hours. It was a zoo. We stood in line for 40 minutes just to be ushered into the theater in this slow moving people packed group. As we moved past the stroller parking area, CMs were yelling that anyone with a stroller needed to park it here. Well, people with strollers started panicking in our slow moving procession. You could tell they didn't want to get out of the moving line to leave their strollers. I heard wives yelling at their husbands to run, saw people trying to ignore the CM's...it was crazy. No one wanted to get out of that line after waiting for so long. This was the 2nd show of the night!! We thought it would be less crowded. We were terribly wrong.

I can't imagine what the shows are like now that it is only offered 2x's per week. I would do the dinner plan, if I planned to do it. This May, DH and I already have decided to skip it.

 

[Jessfrogger88]

This is going to get so ugly... I have seen it get ugly when there is at least one show every night... people become viscious... and they are only going to do this twice a week??? It's going to be a masacre... can you imagine making the special trip to HS to wait in line for for Fantasmic for an hour and not get in... and not have the option to come back and see it a different day? It's going to be a madhouse!

 

[zulemara]

This is going to get so ugly... I have seen it get ugly when there is at least one show every night... people become viscious... and they are only going to do this twice a week??? It's going to be a masacre... can you imagine making the special trip to HS to wait in line for for Fantasmic for an hour and not get in... and not have the option to come back and see it a different day? It's going to be a madhouse!

agreed entirely

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

We were there a week ago for Fantasmic on Sunday......it was half-full.

In any event, the cutbacks at WDW are sad and are easy to spot. I doubt if ANYTHING will be back to normal until the economy resolves itself.

Last year when the US economy was soft WDW was filled with foreign guests....remember the unhappy postings about Brazilian tourists? Disney blanketed their airwaves with commercials and promotions in early 2008 and the results were many foreign guests.

Who are they going to entice in 2009 now that Europe has joined us in a recession?

When they are offering 4 for 7 discounts or 40% discounts to re-book while you are a current guest, Disney will do as little as they can to get by.

WDW is going to be "holding on" through this....don't kid yourselves. It will get better....but not until the economy gets better.


We had a very interesting observation while waiting for the ferry to the Magic Kingdom one afternoon. There were hardly any Disney shopping bags in the hands of guests returning to the parking lot. People were getting off the boat empty handed. The gift shops were full....but we were told later that sales $$$ is down in the gift shops.

Simply another sign of the times.

 

[Stone4321]

Disney has been through this before and everything will eventually bounce back, but it does take time. Darn the economy.