Fantasmic

[mdevries]

If I'm going to WDW in late July, how early should I start lining up for the Fantasmic show? I'm trying to decide between the dinner package at the H&V or eating at the Sci-Fi and braving the lines for the show.

 

[matt&jakesmom]

If your not doing the dinner package, I would recommend getting 2 hours or more before the show. If doing the dinner package, after you eat you will be given a piece of paper indicating where to go in at and to arrive a half hour ahead of time. We did this last year at end of June and almost did not have a seat. In fact our kids had to sit on our laps. So even with the dinner package you may want to arrive an hour ahead of time. We ate at Mama Melrose and it was really good. We have also eaten at the Sci Fi. Food was good, but my kids could not understand the drive in theme. Where I am in Michigan, there are no more drive ins around. My DH and I enjoyed ourselves.
Hopes this helps you a bit. Enjoy!!!

 

[disneyfans4ever]

We usually line up about an hour before, it sounds long, but its really worth the wait! I've never done the dinner package so I'm not sure how all that works....

 

[bigjellyroll]

I would recommend trying to watch the late show unless you have little ones to get into bed. It is much less crowded than the early show, and when we went last year in June the stadium didn't even fill up....you could have walked in 5 minutes beforehand and had a pretty good seat.
Whatever you do don't miss fantasmic. Don't rely on the dining package alone to get you a good seat...they reserve a section, not seats, so you will still need to get there early to grab one. See it twice if you have time!

 

[Robo]

No one can predict EXACTLY what will happen on any given day.
It has totally to do with how much time you wish to invest, and the general crowd levels.

Busy days:
If you go to the first show of the evening (or "only" show that evening), if you arrive about 60-70 minutes before showtime, you can sit just about anywhere.
45 minutes before: Good seats
20-30 Minutes: will vary between seats at edges and rear of theater to SRO or even "closed" to further guests.

Off-Season (not busy days):
You should be OK to enter by 15 minutes before, but you'll likely be seated to the outer edges, and/or way at the back.

If you do the dinner pkg. you can enter 30 minutes before (or a bit later) and still be guaranteed pretty good seats, regardless of crowd-levels.

If there are TWO Fantasmic! shows in one evening, the second one will have lower crowd level than the first one. You can arrive a bit later and still find a seat.

Be aware that the second show waiting area will LOOK like the show is too crowded.
Thats's because they HOLD the 2nd crowd outside the theater while the CMs CLEAN it after the first crowd has exited.

Then, they will let those waiting together in that big group IN... all at once, and there will be PLENTY of room.

(The theater holds 10,000 guests!)

 

[tlhenley]

I will be there Aug 13-18. Does anyone know if they will have one or two shows and what the times will be?

 

[Robo]

I will be there Aug 13-18. Does anyone know if they will have one or two shows and what the times will be?

Go here for the OFFICIAL WDW Calendar:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/calendar/parkhours/index?id=MKCalendarParkHoursMonthlyViewPage

Pick your Park. Pick your Month. Click on your Day.

For EMH, click on the words "Extra Magic Hours" on the calendar.


Another WDW INFO link:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours.htm#hm-parkhours-quicklink
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours.htm#hm-parkhours-quicklink