Fantasmic ?

[lomillerin]

We are going in June. And it only shows once at 9:00.
I am not booking a dining package or FP for it.
We are not absolutely sure when or if we want to go. We have been before.
We are doing the Star Wars dessert party another night.
We are thinking about doing the Pixar music one evening and/or maybe Fantasmic.
I know there is a dinner package but we want more flexibility with this evening.

So, if we do not care about "good seats" will it sell out?
Or will we be able to get in last minute? Does Fantasmic always fill up?

What are the chances the hours will change around June 20th and they add a later show?

 

[Thing 1]

We were there last night and it was full but not till about 8:45. The best seats are FP and package .

 

[eastendlights]

It can and does fill up often, even at less busy times of the year. I would not count on getting in last minute, especially during the summer.

 

[BrianL]

It is generally easy to pull a FP for Fantasmic! as your 4th or 5th one because there are so many available. That said, the FP doesn't really let you show up any later, but it will let you choose from seats on the FP side or the non-FP side of the theater, depending on where the best seats are still available.

 

[AJT607]

I think it depends what you mean when you say 'last minute.' I have been able to find 2-4 fastpasses for Fantasmic on the night of the show 90-120 minutes before the show on each of my trips over the past 3 years, including the show on Easter day last month (which is a pretty busy weekend for WDW).

Can you show up to the theater 10-15 minutes before the show and still get a good seat - no way. We always show up for Fantasmic 45-75 minutes before the show, whether we have Fastpasses or Dining Package. I would show up 60-90 minutes before the show if I couldn't find fastpasses.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

Fantasmic is easy to get a 4th FP if you are willing to do that. I am usually always successful getting one as my 4th. In the summer season, I have never seen Fantasmic with empty seats. I have seen it fill up as far as 20-30 minutes before showtime (stand-by).

 

[Crystal824]

Once we tried to get into Fantasmic without a FP+. We didn't even try to get a fourth FP. We just showed up to F! about 35 min before it was to start. We were at DHS for dinner and just decided to go to F! afterwards. It was a disaster. We got into the show but barely. We could hardly see anything and at the very back far corner of the theater so getting out was awful. My advice is to get a a DP or get a FP for that day (even if it is a 4th), which we have been able to get since that trip. That was a lesson learned for us. It was our first trip after FP+ was instituted.

 

[AJT607]

@Crystal824 - how big was your group? I've never had issues with getting the FP. When you had trouble getting them, how early did you get to the theater? ~50% of the stadium is open to standby.

@lomillerin - how big is your group? That will also impact our advice. If you have a large group and Fantasmic is a must, then you need to either show up 60-90 minutes early for standby, or show up 45-60 minutes early having booked a dining package or FP.

 

[Crystal824]

I edited my post a bit as I saw it seemed as if I couldn't get a 4th FP. We are a group of 5 (actually 4 because we had an infant with us). As I mentioned above, we didn't even try to get a 4th FP! The battery in my phone died. We were there for dinner and just decided to do F!. We got in line about 35-40 minutes prior to show time. There was only one show that night. It was a number of years ago, not long after FP+ started. While we got in to the show (barely), it was not a fun situation with two little kids. None of us could really see, and getting out of the theater was awful as we were at the far back corner. For us now, we don't do F! unless we have a FP (we have been able to get 4ths for F! since that episode) or a DP. It just isn't worth the hassle to us.

 

[AJT607]

That makes a lot more sense. The shows do get pretty full and getting in Standby that late is going to get some pretty crummy seats. The only way I would ever show up that late is if it is the second show for the evening. I've seen a couple times over the summer where the second show was only half-filled.

 

[Hatwriter456]

When does F! have 2 show times? I looked at the showtimes last summer and only found one each day.

 

[Robo]

When does F! have 2 show times? I looked at the showtimes last summer and only found one each day.

They can add a 2nd show (not even on the schedule) as late as the day-of.

But, there are often pre-scheduled 2nd (and occasionally 3rd) shows in an evening.

 

[leebee]

We've sat in seats in just about every location in this theater, and it's always been OK. Only seats that we don't care for are in the sections way to the left or way to the right. We've even done standing room and it was fine. I can't see spending the money for the package or getting in line for 90 minutes for this show. I remember the old days... we'd get a take-out supper and go into the theater about an hour before show-time. We'd pick whatever seat we wanted and watch the antics of the pre-show acts while eating supper and making new friends in the stands. Sigh... those were the days!

 

[Robo]

1. I can't see spending the money for the package or getting in line for 90 minutes for this show.

2. I remember the old days... we'd get a take-out supper and go into the theater about an hour before show-time. We'd pick whatever seat we wanted and watch the antics of the pre-show acts while eating supper and making new friends in the stands. Sigh... those were the days!

1. There is not a 90 min. waiting line for F!
2. This is still a normal procedure.
You can arrive about an hour before show time with food.
You likely can pick up a FP a bit before you arrive (but you don't have to.) If you DO grab a last-minute FP and arrive a hour early, you can pick from nearly every seat in the theater except the very center section.
Virtually the same experience you describe.

 

[leebee]

Well... I've been in line for F! 90 minutes before show time, not recently, but people used to queue up that early. Also... I was reminiscing about the pre-show entertainment- jugglers, musicians, comedians- as much as anything else, and you could sit wherever you want. I understand that if people are paying a premium for packages they should get good seating (unlike when the F! packages first were sold and the seating area was on the side), but I miss the simpler times, when everyone was on more-or-less equal footing; if you could afford a theme park entry ticket, everyone had an equal opportunity at everything and not giving priority/privilege to those who could afford to pay extra.

 

[Robo]

Well... I've been in line for F! 90 minutes before show time, not recently, but people used to queue up that early. Also... I was reminiscing about the pre-show entertainment- jugglers, musicians, comedians- as much as anything else, and you could sit wherever you want. I understand that if people are paying a premium for packages they should get good seating (unlike when the F! packages first were sold and the seating area was on the side), but I miss the simpler times, when everyone was on more-or-less equal footing; if you could afford a theme park entry ticket, everyone had an equal opportunity at everything and not giving priority/privilege to those who could afford to pay extra.

You are casting aspersions too broadly.
Fantastic! is littlle-affected by "paying extra."
We sit, quite literally, 20 feet from the dead-center of the theater, front row... and pay not one cent "extra."
Likewise, we see the MK fireworks and IllumiNations with prime views, and do not "pay extra" for any of them.

 

[KimBean]

1. There is not a 90 min. waiting line for F!
2. This is still a normal procedure.
You can arrive about an hour before show time with food.
You likely can pick up a FP a bit before you arrive (but you don't have to.) If you DO grab a last-minute FP and arrive a hour early, you can pick from nearly every seat in the theater except the very center section.
Virtually the same experience you describe.

Thanks Robo. I read this and I was like what changed since 2014 (other then the dining package seating.) we usually get there about 90 minutes early but just go grab some bench and eat a snack while dh does ToT and RNRC. I was scared there for a moment.

 

[Robo]

Thanks Robo. I read this and I was like what changed since 2014 (other then the dining package seating.) we usually get there about 90 minutes early but just go grab some bench and eat a snack while dh does ToT and RNRC. I was scared there for a moment.

That's why I wanted to clarify.

 

[sharonabe]

That's why I wanted to clarify.

Do they still have pre-show entertainment too? We've never been there early, but might do a dinner picnic there if we have some entertainment.

 

[Robo]

Do they still have pre-show entertainment too? We've never been there early, but might do a dinner picnic there if we have some entertainment.

It comes and goes. (Mostly goes.)
I would not count on any.

Sometimes just being able to sit down... with a cool breeze coming off of the lake can be a nice thing.