Fantasmic Viewing Area Question

[Mambo Junkie]

I know this is ADR related but I'm more interested in the policy for the VIP viewing area; the ADR is secondary.
I have an ADR for my husband and son to Dine with an Imagineer, while DDIL, DGDs and I do something else. I'm thinking of booking the Fantasmic package for us during that time. If we are in the VIP viewing area, will it be difficult for our non VIP party members to join us? I'm not sure how strict they are about the seating areas.
Thanks!

 

[Robo]

I know this is ADR related but I'm more interested in the policy for the VIP viewing area; the ADR is secondary.
I have an ADR for my husband and son to Dine with an Imagineer, while DDIL, DGDs and I do something else. I'm thinking of booking the Fantasmic package for us during that time. If we are in the VIP viewing area, will it be difficult for our non VIP party members to join us? I'm not sure how strict they are about the seating areas.
Thanks!

I'm confused by what you mean by "VIP viewing area" in Fantasmic! when you are asking about a Fantasmic! "package."

Do you mean the Fantasmic! DINING Package?

 

[whitney37354]

They've been strict every time we've been there. We all go in together with the dining package ticket. If one of us needs to use the restroom or get a snack, we take the ticket with us so we can get back in. We've seen CM's checking for tickets of people who are sitting in the dining package reserved sections, and watched a woman get upset when they made her party move off front row center because she didn't have a ticket to be in that section.

 

[Robo]

You can get a FP for Fantasmic!

What a FP+ for F! offers is more CHOICE in seating.



If you DO get a F! FP+, you can choose to sit in either the FP section (virtually the entire left half of the theater) or the Standby section (virtually the entire right half of the theater.)

So, whatever section has the better seating at the time you arrive, you can go there.

Without a FP, you can only choose a seat in the Standby section.



There is a very good chance that you can get a FP+ for F! as a 4th or 5th FP of the day because they issue SO MANY of them (enough to cover nearly the entire left half of the seating.) On many nights, it is possible that you can gat a FP+ for F! as you are walking to the theater.



As to when to arrive at the theater, I'd get to there 45-60 minutes before the show-time.

Even with a FP or Dining Pkg. reservation, don't wait too late.



On busy nights, the CMs can stop holding the reserved sections within 20-30 minutes before show-time, and turn over any available seats to waiting walk-in guests.



There is sometimes a "pre-show" (such as it is) that can help pass the last 30 minutes before show time.

-------------------------------------------------------------------



Map Below-

Arrows indicate the center of the seating.

Shaded areas:

(First or Only F! performance of the evening)

Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating

Red= Dining Package Reserved

Blue= FP+ Reserved

Purple= Can be either FP+ or Dining Plan Reserved, depending on needs.



(Second or Third F! performance of the evening)

Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating

Red, Purple, Blue= FP+ Reserved

(Although much of the outer Blue will likely be used for Standby.)

--------------------------------------

 

[Mambo Junkie]

You can get a FP for Fantasmic!

What a FP+ for F! offers is more CHOICE in seating.



If you DO get a F! FP+, you can choose to sit in either the FP section (virtually the entire left half of the theater) or the Standby section (virtually the entire right half of the theater.)

So, whatever section has the better seating at the time you arrive, you can go there.

Without a FP, you can only choose a seat in the Standby section.



There is a very good chance that you can get a FP+ for F! as a 4th or 5th FP of the day because they issue SO MANY of them (enough to cover nearly the entire left half of the seating.) On many nights, it is possible that you can gat a FP+ for F! as you are walking to the theater.



As to when to arrive at the theater, I'd get to there 45-60 minutes before the show-time.

Even with a FP or Dining Pkg. reservation, don't wait too late.



On busy nights, the CMs can stop holding the reserved sections within 20-30 minutes before show-time, and turn over any available seats to waiting walk-in guests.



There is sometimes a "pre-show" (such as it is) that can help pass the last 30 minutes before show time.

-------------------------------------------------------------------



Map Below-

Arrows indicate the center of the seating.

Shaded areas:

(First or Only F! performance of the evening)

Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating

Red= Dining Package Reserved

Blue= FP+ Reserved

Purple= Can be either FP+ or Dining Plan Reserved, depending on needs.



(Second or Third F! performance of the evening)

Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating

Red, Purple, Blue= FP+ Reserved

(Although much of the outer Blue will likely be used for Standby.)

--------------------------------------

Thank you for the info. We do not get paper fast passes because we do not do early fps so by the time we use ours up there usually aren't any good ones left. We were thinking of what to do during their Imagineer lunch but we also have the dinner package booked for all of us so I'll hang onto that. We are not doing it so much for the fantasmic seating as we are for the Minnie and friends for our little ones. The fantasmic tickets are just a perk.

 

[Robo]

Thank you for the info. We do not get paper fast passes because we do not do early fps so by the time we use ours up there usually aren't any good ones left. We were thinking of what to do during their Imagineer lunch but we also have the dinner package booked for all of us so I'll hang onto that. We are not doing it so much for the fantasmic seating as we are for the Minnie and friends for our little ones. The fantasmic tickets are just a perk.

Just to be clear, there are no more paper FPs.

And, as I said, there is a very good chance that guests can get a Fantasmic! FP after they have used thier other FPs in DHS that day, because they issue literally thousands of Fantasmic! FP.

Regardless, I posted all of the info mainly to show the various sections of the seating and to further define how lots of guests can choose other seats than just "standby."

Have a great trip!

 

[Mambo Junkie]

Just to be clear, there are no more paper FPs.

And, as I said, there is a very good chance that guests can get a Fantasmic! FP after they have used thier other FPs in DHS that day, because they issue literally thousands of Fantasmic! FP.

Regardless, I posted all of the info mainly to show the various sections of the seating and to further define how lots of guests can choose other seats than just "standby."

Have a great trip!

Thank you! Lol, I realize there are no more paper ones, I meant fp- but I was at work and was hurried, so I let it stand. I appreciate the seating chart so that can help us decide what to do.

 

[HopperFan]

- Every time we have gone in lately with FP+ we go in with the Dining Package guests. They have always checked every ticket for that seating and guard the aisles so I do not think they would get in.
- More often than not we are able to pick up FP+ as a 4th FP+ in the afternoon.
- We have found FP+ to not be a big deal as folks are streaming in standby right along with us getting equivalent seating.
- I'd almost rather be late standby in "witch" so we can get out easier at the end.
- There really are no bad seats. You may be more removed from center stage but there are three water screens and the characters on boats go past everyone.

 

[yaya74]

Do those who have Fantasmic Lunch Pkg get to sit in the same section as those who have Fantasmic Dinner Pkg??

 

[Robo]

Do those who have Fantasmic Lunch Pkg get to sit in the same section as those who have Fantasmic Dinner Pkg??

In the Mickey and/or Pocahontas section.

 

[Robo]

I'd almost rather be late standby in "witch" so we can get out easier at the end.

As I was saying about FP giving you a CHOICE in seating...
If you decide you want you sit in Witch, even if you have a FP, you can get up and walk over there as the section finally begins to fill, and grab a seat.