Fantasmic Viewing

[surgefest]

Does anyone know where the viewing area for guests in wheelchairs are for fantasmic??? How fast do they generally fill up??? Also if you have the dinner package does that make any difference? Any other info would be great! Thanks!

 

[Michigan]

It's behind the last row.

 

[Shorty82]

Isn't there some down in front also? I remember seeing signs for them with a warning you might get wet.

 

[SueM in MN]

The back row of the whole amphitheater (including the Fantasmic Dinner Package area, which is on the far right as you face the stage) is reserved for people using wheelchairs and/or ECVs. This is behind the back row of benches, so some people say it is behind the back row.
The arrangement is a few empty spots for a wheelchair/ECV to park, then a seat for one person to sit next to the guest in the wheelchair/ECV. The rest of your party will be sitting in the 2 rows ahead of the back row - sort of directly in front of the person using the wheelchair/ECV. A usual party is considered to be 6 (5 plus the person with a disability).

The show includes some some portions that are movies on screens made of water mist. There are 3 of these, so each section of the amphitheater has one that is directed toward it. The action does take place all over the stage and there are also portions that take place on boats, which start off stage at the right and going around the water to off stage at the left, so they pass by every section of the seating.

If you are not using the dinner package, you enter the area with all the other guests and stay in the regular line until about where strollers are pulled off for parking. At that point, a CM will get your party and lead you to seats (since there is only wheelchair/ECV seating at the specific areas, they make sure your party is shown where to sit).
We have been to WDW in some very busy times - including Spring break. We usually get into the line soon after the gates open for the line to start moving into the amphitheater (about 1-1.5 hours before the show starts). We have gotten there as late as 15 minutes before the show and still gotten a place and gotten there as far ahead as 45 minutes and got one of the last places. General busy-ness in the parks doesn't always translate into busy for people using wheelchairs and ECVs.

Some people use the Fantasmic Dinner Package, where you make reservations for dinner at specific restaurants and get tickets that allow you to go into the amphitheater about 30 minutes before the show begins. I personally don't feel that it's necessary. We have not had problems getting in.

Isn't there some down in front also? I remember seeing signs for them with a warning you might get wet.

There are a few accessible seats in the front row, although I don't know how many there are or how early you would need to get there. I also don't know if there are any in the Fantasmic Dinner area.
It is important to be aware that you will probably get wet from the water mist used to make the movie screens. If the water is blowing away from you, you might get a little wet. If it's blowing toward you, you will get quite wet. When we sat in the front row, we wondered why they were selling beach towels before the show started. After it began, we knew what they were for.

 

[Shorty82]

(including the Fantasmic Dinner Package area, which is on the far right as you face the stage)

So that's what that section is for! On my last trip I watched F! with my DB and DSIL and we were wondering why that section was pretty much empty when the rest of the theatre was filled almost to capacity and there were announcements saying there was standing room only.

The action does take place all over the stage and there are also portions that take place on boats, which start off stage at the right and going around the water to off stage at the left, so they pass by every section of the seating.

A few of the boats start on the left though the main one's do start on the right.

If the water is blowing away from you, you might get a little wet. If it's blowing toward you, you will get quite wet.

When the wind is right you can feel the mist all the way in the back of the seating area. We were sitting in the far left section in the last full handicapped row before the wheelchair row and we could feel a mist from the screens.

 

[SueM in MN]

A few of the boats start on the left though the main one's do start on the right.

some of the boats in the Pocohontas part of the attraction.
But, where ever the boats start, they do go the whole length of the water.

When the wind is right you can feel the mist all the way in the back of the seating area. We were sitting in the far left section in the last full handicapped row before the wheelchair row and we could feel a mist from the screens.

We've sometimes felt the mist up there too.
On the nights when the the mist is being blown way up there, the people in the front row are likely feeling like they are sitting in a shower. That's how we felt when we were in the front.

 

[zumbergc]

Last time we were there in june. We were running really late.

We were going thru the line like at 15 til the show. Well, we got to the top, they sent us over to the right in the dinner package section.
They do release the dinner package seats at a certain time before the show, but I don't know when.

Well, all the ecv spots were taken, but some space left in the back 2 HC rows. So we asked if we could park the ecv and get into one of those spots, and they said it was fine.

I would at least recommend hitting the line for the show 30 min out in light seasons. Heavy times earlier.

 

[Shorty82]

some of the boats in the Pocohontas part of the attraction.
But, where ever the boats start, they do go the whole length of the water.

Some of the barges with dancing characters start on the left too.

We've sometimes felt the mist up there too.
On the nights when the the mist is being blown way up there, the people in the front row are likely feeling like they are sitting in a shower. That's how we felt when we were in the front.

A cold shower I'd bet.

Last time we were there in june. We were running really late.

We were going thru the line like at 15 til the show. Well, we got to the top, they sent us over to the right in the dinner package section.
They do release the dinner package seats at a certain time before the show, but I don't know when.

I'm not sure they ever released the dinner package seats the night we went. The Parade/Audience CMs just kept shoving everybody into the standing area opposite of that section, not letting anybody be over the line marking the standing area, and chasing people away from the handicapped rows even when it was less than five minutes from showtime and it looked doubtful that that many handicapped would come in let alone make it through the crowds all the way to the end. In the end most of the handicapped seats remained empty until after the show started and then people took them. This was a busy night too, middle of July and only one showing of F!. Why they decided to have only one showing that night is beyond me. With the crowds that week, especially that day, there should have been two showings.