Fantasmic - What's the Rush?

[Babe the Blue Ox]

I was at Hollywood Studios recently. Park hours were until 10 pm with Fantasmic showing at 9 and 10:30.

I couldn't believe that people really started to line up at about 7 pm for the first show. To me, it looked like an extremely long wait in a very long line followed by a mad rush into the venue only to have an even longer wait in an extremely hot stadium.

After the show ended, there appeared to be another mad rush out of the stadium, down the street and out the gates.

My question: what's the rush to get out of the park so fast? These people honestly looked like they were late for something while trying to beat a path to the exit.

I went and rode Midway Mania a couple of more times late in the evening. The sign advertised a 70 minute wait but it was only about 20.

At about 10:20 or so, we strolled into the Fantasmic stadium and found several center section seats available as the place was less than half full.

After the show, we were able to easily make our way through and out of the empty park and hopped on the first tram waiting.

I still can't figure out why so many take a simple process and make it so much more difficult than it needs to be.

 

[mrsmorrow]

I was at Hollywood Studios recently. Park hours were until 10 pm with Fantasmic showing at 9 and 10:30.

I couldn't believe that people really started to line up at about 7 pm for the first show. To me, it looked like an extremely long wait in a very long line followed by a mad rush into the venue only to have an even longer wait in an extremely hot stadium.

After the show ended, there appeared to be another mad rush out of the stadium, down the street and out the gates.

My question: what's the rush to get out of the park so fast? These people honestly looked like they were late for something while trying to beat a path to the exit.

I went and rode Midway Mania a couple of more times late in the evening. The sign advertised a 70 minute wait but it was only about 20.

At about 10:20 or so, we strolled into the Fantasmic stadium and found several center section seats available as the place was less than half full.

After the show, we were able to easily make our way through and out of the empty park and hopped on the first tram waiting.

I still can't figure out why so many take a simple process and make it so much more difficult than it needs to be.

I can't figure it out either but I love it!! Makes it a lot easier for some of us!

 

[lebeauc]

My assumption is people rushing to get on the bus back to the hotel the fastest (or to just wait in line for another hour or 2 to get on the bus back to the hotel).

We are going with my in-laws in a few weeks and they are the type of people to try and rush to be the first ones in line (and wait in extra long lines). I'm the complete opposite. I would rather sit and wait for the crowds to get out of the stadium, then have a nice walk out of the park without having to be shoulder to shoulder down the street.

 

[Planogirl]

I would imagine that many rush to the exits to get to their bus stops as quickly as possible. Those lines can get really long.

I don't understand why they line up so early though.

 

[BudgieMama]

My guess is people with kids who want to get them to bed at a more reasonable hour?

 

[1 DISNEY FAN]

My guess is people with kids who want to get them to bed at a more reasonable hour?

^^^^ this^^^^^^^^

 

[minnie mum]

I only stood in line once for F., but only for about 90 min (and NEVER again- we use the F. dining pkg now), but I can understand why some people do. I think the long lines now are reflective of the spring break crowd. Probably the same ones who think nothing of standing in line for literally hours to see A&E. There are families who really want to see the show but don't want to spend the money on the dining package. And they might have small children or have other reasons why they can't wait until the second show. Perhaps they have only that one day at DHS and want to make sure that they get in and get a good seat. We didn't see any mad rush into the stadium once the gates were opened- the CMs seemed to control things pretty well.

As for rushing to the exit after the show- have you seen the long lines for the buses at parks after evening shows? The same thing happens at MK after Wishes and at Epcot after Illuminations. We have occasionally left a minute or two before the end of F to get ahead of the horde. Generally, we do prefer to loiter and take our time for around 45 min. to let the crowds die down.

 

[linskypens]

I can't fathom what the fuss is about this show in the first place...its pretty much a giant water parade of characters, with some water screens. The water screens are cool for about two minutes.
The dragon at the end is pretty cool, but after doing this the first time, I would never waste an hour of waiting, plus the show time, on it ever again

 

[lustergirl]

I only stood in line once for F., but only for about 90 min (and NEVER again- we use the F. dining pkg now), but I can understand why some people do. I think the long lines now are reflective of the spring break crowd. Probably the same ones who think nothing of standing in line for literally hours to see A&E. There are families who really want to see the show but don't want to spend the money on the dining package. And they might have small children or have other reasons why they can't wait until the second show. Perhaps they have only that one day at DHS and want to make sure that they get in and get a good seat. We didn't see any mad rush into the stadium once the gates were opened- the CMs seemed to control things pretty well.

As for rushing to the exit after the show- have you seen the long lines for the buses at parks after evening shows? The same thing happens at MK after Wishes and at Epcot after Illuminations. We have occasionally left a minute or two before the end of F to get ahead of the horde. Generally, we do prefer to loiter and take our time for around 45 min. to let the crowds die down.

Same here. I like to sit for awhile at the end of a show and let the crowd thin out. Plus I am a people watcher and got nowhere to be in a hurry

 

[bastos]

We had BIG plans to see it our first time around - but ended up being too exhausted to stay.

The second time, rains were HEAVY in the afternoon - and we were worried about it being cancelled that night. We ended up seeing it - and my wife LOVED it. We booked a F! package this time around, again. Different opinions, I guess.

Now - would we wait two hours? No.

 

[MarineVet]

I only stood in line once for F., but only for about 90 min (and NEVER again- we use the F. dining pkg now), but I can understand why some people do. I think the long lines now are reflective of the spring break crowd. Probably the same ones who think nothing of standing in line for literally hours to see A&E. There are families who really want to see the show but don't want to spend the money on the dining package. And they might have small children or have other reasons why they can't wait until the second show. Perhaps they have only that one day at DHS and want to make sure that they get in and get a good seat. We didn't see any mad rush into the stadium once the gates were opened- the CMs seemed to control things pretty well.

As for rushing to the exit after the show- have you seen the long lines for the buses at parks after evening shows? The same thing happens at MK after Wishes and at Epcot after Illuminations. We have occasionally left a minute or two before the end of F to get ahead of the horde. Generally, we do prefer to loiter and take our time for around 45 min. to let the crowds die down.

We had one experience at Fantasmic and are now of the opposite mind! Lol! After spending the money for a dining package, and showing up early to be seated at the show, we were put into the center section, but about 8 rows from the top and very close to the aisle on the left. Before the show began, NUMEROUS people came down that aisle, ducked under the rope, and just squeezed in all around us. It was warm that night and people had left quite a bit of space between themselves, so these folks just took it all up. The group that sat down right in front of me had three kids about 3 or 4 years old, and they allowe them to stand on the benches for most of the show. I couldn't move anywhere, and asked myself and my husband what we paid for dinner for, as it appeared anyone else could set there and I still couldn't see. If I ever go back, it will be as a walk in to a late show and hope for a better view without feeling like I paid for something I really didn't get - special seating.

 

[maddiebee]

Is lining up so early before hand so necessary? Just at busier times? Does Fantasmic! frequently reach capacity?

 

[pepe of ohio]

It's typical human nature.. I want to be first in line to get the best seat and I want out as fast as possible to be on the first bus...!

I've seen guests sitting on the curb in the MK 1 1/2 hours before nightly parade starts...

I will never wait in any line more than 15 minutes for anything....F...easy to just stroll in just before show starts... Line standees are in and to me, a seat us a seat...even so, I've stood in the back to see the show... It's not necessary we all sit...

As for leaving, we never rush... Same with the MK... We slowly make our way to the front of the park... Shopping, munching taking our time so that the rushers are all gone on the first bunch of buses....an extra 30-60 minutes in a park after closing is no big deal... Rather pleasant since most guests have run to the bus lines and we're virtually alone in the park and then mosey to the bus with no line or wait...rushers... Have at it!

 

[Kingdome8]

That's why I love having a car there
But I love fantasmic. My favorite show.
But we love sorcerer Mickey so much.
My kids (and me) collect his stuff.
But I take my time to leave. I like walking out of the park at night. Such a cool park.

 

[seus-mouse]

What Pepe said AND experience I guess. We were like that at first and after having seen the flow in and out of which you all speak we now plan on the mosey.

Once we removed the stress of rushing, for almost anything really, we have a much nicer time all around. Great advice, folks.


Holly

 

[seashoreCM]

... Before the show began, NUMEROUS people came down that aisle, ducked under the rope, and just squeezed in all around us. It was warm that night and people had left quite a bit of space between themselves, so these folks just took it all up. The group that sat down right in front of me had three kids about 3 or 4 years old, and they allowe them to stand on the benches for most of the show. I couldn't move anywhere, and asked myself and my husband what we paid for dinner for, as it appeared anyone else could set there and I still couldn't see....ing.

Would Guest Relations have been willing to give you a (FP+ as a) re-ride or raincheck, or would they tell you tough you should have switched places with DH and he should stand to see over the kids?

Yet another strategy is to choose for yourself a not so sparsely populated area further forward where there is less room for the hordes to squeeze in. The disadvantage of this strategy is that there are too many low information voters out there who won't understand that if you did not horn in on that space, then someone else who did not buy the meal package would a few minutes later.

 

[AthenaBolina]

My assumption is people rushing to get on the bus back to the hotel the fastest (or to just wait in line for another hour or 2 to get on the bus back to the hotel).

We are going with my in-laws in a few weeks and they are the type of people to try and rush to be the first ones in line (and wait in extra long lines). I'm the complete opposite. I would rather sit and wait for the crowds to get out of the stadium, then have a nice walk out of the park without having to be shoulder to shoulder down the street.

You are scaring me. 1-2 hr waits to get back to the hotel? We wont be that far away, we will be at AOA. That honestly scares the crap out of me, and we have a fantasmic dining package for 9PM.

 

[lebeauc]

You are scaring me. 1-2 hr waits to get back to the hotel? We wont be that far away, we will be at AOA. That honestly scares the crap out of me, and we have a fantasmic dining package for 9PM.

Hahs, sorry if I scared you.
I'm not really speaking from experience, and may have exagerated. Last time I saw Fantasmic was back in 2006 and I do remember waiting for a while to get on the bus, but it wasn't 2 hours.

 

[FLSarah]

The only time we've seen Fantasmic we showed up about 5 minutes before it started and got decent seats. I never understood why people would pay for seats (dinner package), start lining up hours before, or use a FP, but we saw it during a low crowd time so maybe that's the difference.

 

[MarineVet]

Would Guest Relations have been willing to give you a re-ride or raincheck, or would they tell you tough you should have switched places with DH and he should stand to see over the kids?

Yet another strategy is to choose for yourself a not so sparsely populated area further forward where there is less room for the hordes to squeeze in. The disadvantage of this strategy is that there are too many low information voters out there who won't understand that if you did not horn in on that space, then someone else who did not buy the meal package would a few minutes later.

With this past issue, I looked around and couldn't see a CM and didn't want to create a scene, as most of the people who went under the rope were speaking languages other than English, so I figured they would feign ignorance if confronted. The kids were standing in front of both me and my husband, but since he is 6'2" he could see a little. If he stood up no one behind us could see. I guess an option would have been to try and stand up in the back.

I like your idea of sitting somewhere more densely populated, at least we would have fewer surprises. Unfortunately, as we arrived the CM made us go to that row.