Fantasmic! Viewing Questions

[jsmla]

I have a couple of questions:

Are there separate reserved viewing areas for the Fantasmic! dining packages at Blue Bayou and River Belle Terrace? I've read differing accounts. If they are separate is the Blue Bayou viewing area significantly better than River Belle Terrace?

DH has had three (thanks DuPuy!) hip replacement surgeries and, though walking isn't a problem, he absolutely cannot sit on the ground. How will this work for him?

Thanks!

 

[nicolispicoli]

Yes, but they're right next to each other, not a huge difference between the two I think. There's less people in the BB section, that's been my experience anyway.

 

[AngiTN]

I believe, if he stays to the back, he can stand but I'm not positive. I know everyone near us in the BB area sat (on our cushions). We later saw from a different area and we stood, no sitting at all so everyone doesn't sit. But most in the BB seating area does.

 

[figment_jii]

Up until recently, there were distinct (although adjacent) viewing areas for the RBT and BB dining packages. There were reports over the weekend that they had combined the RBT and BB dining packages viewing areas. Whether that was how things will consistently be in the future, something they were just testing, or something only for that night, we do not yet know.

The dining package viewing areas are meant to be ground seating only, but guests are allowed to stand in the back of the section, behind the ECVs and wheelchairs. In terms of the colored-FP viewing areas, the majority of those areas are standing-room only, although both the yellow and blue areas do have some ground seating areas (closest to the water). I would guess that if the CMs are directing you towards the ground seating areas, just ask to go to the standing room areas instead.

 

[jsmla]

Thanks, so is there any point in doing one of the dining packages if we'll need to be at the back anyway?

 

[figment_jii]

Thanks, so is there any point in doing one of the dining packages if we'll need to be at the back anyway?

It depends a lot on how long you are willing to wait and how clear of a view you want. The rest of the dining package viewing areas are ground seating, so if you're in the back, you're still going to have a relatively unobstructed view because you can see over the heads of the folks that are sitting. If you take your chance with the colored FPs, you may get lucky and get an unobstructed view, but you may also end up in the middle or back of a viewing area, which means the guests in front of you can obstruct your view. Along with the view, the other benefit to the dining packages is that you don't have to wait as long. Dis'ers have reported that you can get to the dining package viewing areas fairly close to show time and still get a great view. For the FP viewing areas, you need to get there as early as possible to stand a chance of getting a front railing or ground seating spot (I think the FP areas open an hour before show time, but guests begin arriving before that in hopes of being among the first ones into the areas).

 

[jsmla]

Thanks so much for the help! If DH will be able to stand at the back of the dining package reserved area that's what we'll probably go with. He's not much of a theme park guy to begin with, waiting in line ages for a show won't help matters.

 

[coaches24]

Last night I got the green FP section and showed up at 7:30 (so 30 min before they opened the FP sections to let people in). There wasn't supposed to be people lining up by the tree house but there obviously were and the CMs didn't say anything so I got in line as well. Then at 8 they let us into the viewing section. There weren't a lot of people in line but about 15-20 were. And there was room behind me for several more people even during the show so people could have shown up late last night and had a great view. One family tried to duck under the rope behind us during the show and the CMs jumped on that real quick. He tried to say he had a fast pass but he obviously didn't and left after a minute or so.