Fantasmic WITHOUT reserved seating?

[hpsauce]

Hope I can get some comments from those who have done Fantasmic without reserved seating. I have done the dining package with reserved seating 3 times and have enjoyed the security of knowing that there will be a seat waiting for me after dinner. This time, I've booked the MYW dining and can't use my credits to pay for the dinner package. Will I regret trying to see Fantasmic without reserved seating? I'm planning to see the show on a weeknight at the end of August, so I anticipate lower crowds. The show is set for 8:30pm -- what time do I have to be there to get a reasonable seat?

Thanks in advance!
hpsauce

 

[hockey mom]

We have done it 3 times now without reserved seating. We have always had good seats, up front and middle, but we were there at least one hour ahead of time to secure them.

 

[shrmn8r]

Hope I can get some comments from those who have done Fantasmic without reserved seating. I have done the dining package with reserved seating 3 times and have enjoyed the security of knowing that there will be a seat waiting for me after dinner. This time, I've booked the MYW dining and can't use my credits to pay for the dinner package. Will I regret trying to see Fantasmic without reserved seating? I'm planning to see the show on a weeknight at the end of August, so I anticipate lower crowds. The show is set for 8:30pm -- what time do I have to be there to get a reasonable seat?

Thanks in advance!
hpsauce

I have wondered about this also. I have read that some have booked dinner w/o package,asked server for reserved seating passes, and received them. Anyone out there used Dining Plan and still received reserved seating pass for Fantasmic?

 

[rileyroosmom]

I've also seen it 3x w/o a dinner package. Usually arrived 50-60 minutes prior to start. We either bring something in to eat or buy it in the theater. The time passes pretty quickly.

 

[Amirah95]

We always get there an hour early regardless because I have to have my middle center seat.

 

[brer rabbit 28]

i tried it twice last year.First time got great seats-then the rain came and it was called off 5 mins before start time .
Second time it was so busy that we were stood right at the back on the steps-couldn't see hardly anything,so next time i will definately book the dinner.

 

[QuickGold]

I always do it without reserved seating. As long as you give yourself enough time (45 mins should do it), you'll be fine. If you're one of those people that NEEDS to be front and center, then give yourself another 30 minutes or so.

 

[slp87]

We never do the pkg either. We're not that picky and don't mind sitting near the top. We're also just a family of 3, so it's usually not that hard to find seats. If there's 2 showings, we always go to the later.

 

[AladdinsPrincess]

Add me to the list of people who have never done the Fantasmic package and have still managed to find decent seats at the show. We do usually get there about 45 minutes before the show though. We're not super picky about seats either, but we've never had a bad seat.

Have fun!

 

[jaysmom4285]

hpsauce and shrmn8r, I can't address your question directly about using dining plan on a Fantasmic dinner package, but I have seen in some threads on the Restaurant board that several people on the dinner package have told their servers that they had the dining plan and the servers had no problem putting their meal on the plan. I know that that standard WDW line is that you can't use dining plan credits for Fantasmic dinner packages, but it would appear that actual practice may be different. Try your question on the Restaurant board, or look for those threads.

 

[lllovell]

We have never used the Fantasmic dinner plan and probably never will. Those seats look awful to me (I have sat far right and its not as good of a show, while still fun, just not easy to see) and we have never been turned away and have always gotten at LEAST as good of seats as those with the dinner package.

 

[jjan]

We did it on our last trip in the beginning of May with the package and it was SO worth to us. The dinner at H&V was great, the seats were great (the place was packed and there was no way that anyone got great seats with less than an hour wait), but the best single part of it was the quick exit from the theater. We zipped right out of there and kept up at a steady pace and were one of the first people in line for the bus back to Pop and I think that we probably saved ourselves from a very long wait at the bus stop not to mention we actually got to sit on the bus after a very long day. Unless we go during a slow time like the beginning of Dec. etc., I think that we will always do the package.

 

[laudan14]

Did the package last week and the food was great. We got to the show 30mins before it started and could have got the same seats on the oppisite side without the package. We would do it again.

 

[Amirah95]

We have never used the Fantasmic dinner plan and probably never will. Those seats look awful to me (I have sat far right and its not as good of a show, while still fun, just not easy to see) and we have never been turned away and have always gotten at LEAST as good of seats as those with the dinner package.

I totally agree! We get our PS for the night at 6:55pm and then were off to get our seat a hour before. My DH goes out to get some snacks and drinks while we sit there. There is always someone to talk to as you're waiting so you won't be bored at all.