Fantastic dining package

[esqdpm]

Hi ! Anyone know where they are currently seating guests for Fantasmic for the dining package?

 

[sharonabe]

Hi ! Anyone know where they are currently seating guests for Fantastic for the dining package?

Check the sticky of Robo's maps up at the top of this forum. It's still in the same place.

 

[Robo]

Hi ! Anyone know where they are currently seating guests for Fantasmic for the dining package?

to the DISboards, esqdpm!

Arrows indicate the center of the seating.
Shaded areas:
Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating
Red= Dining Package Reserved
Blue= FP+ Reserved
Purple= Can be either FP+ or Dining Plan Reserved, depending on needs.

 

[kittyab]

You could get in with no issue on standby. Everyone will looking for spot for the starwars fireworks.

 

[Marcus A. Jordan]

to the DISboards, esqdpm!

Arrows indicate the center of the seating.
Shaded areas:
Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating
Red= Dining Package Reserved
Blue= FP+ Reserved
Purple= Can be either FP+ or Dining Plan Reserved, depending on needs.

View attachment 297967

The fastpass seating for this is odd. You can use a fastpass on Fantasmic and get as bad of a seat as someone without (Beast vs Witch).

I prefer the overflow seating anyway. Although you can't see as much, it's much less hectic.

 

[Robo]

The fastpass seating for this is odd. You can use a fastpass on Fantasmic and get as bad of a seat as someone without (Beast vs Witch).

I prefer the overflow seating anyway. Although you can't see as much, it's much less hectic.

FP+ does not guarantee "great seating" in this (or most) shows.
The guest can determine his/her own quality/location of seating by taking advantage of early arrival time.

What a FP+ for F! offers is more CHOICE in seating.

If you DO get a F! FP+, you can choose to sit in either the FP section (virtually the entire left half of the theater) or the Standby section (virtually the entire right half of the theater.)
So, whatever section has the better seating at the time you arrive, you can go there.
Without a FP, you can only choose a seat in the Standby section.

There is a very good chance that you can get a FP+ for F! as a 4th or 5th FP of the day because they issue SO MANY of them (enough to cover nearly the entire left half of the seating.) On many nights, it is possible that you can gat a FP+ for F! as you are walking to the theater.

As to when to arrive at the theater, I'd get to there 45-60 minutes before the show-time.
Even WITH having a FP or Dining Pkg. reservation, don't wait too late.

On busy nights, the CMs can stop holding the reserved sections within 20-30 minutes before show-time, and turn over any available seats to waiting walk-in guests.

Guests who learn how to take advantage of the various available "tools" and timing strategies will be able to take more control over their WDW experiences.
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Map Below-
Arrows indicate the center of the seating.
Shaded areas:
(First or Only F! performance of the evening)
Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating
Red= Dining Package Reserved
Blue= FP+ Reserved
Purple= Can be either FP+ or Dining Plan Reserved, depending on needs.

(Second or Third F! performance of the evening)
Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating
Red, Purple, Blue= FP+ Reserved
(Although much of the outer Blue will likely be used for Standby.)

 

[sharonabe]

The fastpass seating for this is odd. You can use a fastpass on Fantasmic and get as bad of a seat as someone without (Beast vs Witch).

I prefer the overflow seating anyway. Although you can't see as much, it's much less hectic.

The night we had a 5th FP for F!, they were using Pocahantas for FP seating, so we literally sat right beside the dining package people. We got to the theater somewhere between 30 and 45 min before the show.

 

[Marcus A. Jordan]

The night we had a 5th FP for F!, they were using Pocahantas for FP seating, so we literally sat right beside the dining package people. We got to the theater somewhere between 30 and 45 min before the show.

The issue is getting to the theater that 30-45 minutes before the show. People seemingly start lining up at least an hour before the show.

Even with a FP, it can take up a huge chunk of your time is my point.

 

[sharonabe]

The issue is getting to the theater that 30-45 minutes before the show. People seemingly start lining up at least an hour before the show.

Even with a FP, it can take up a huge chunk of your time is my point.

No one was lined up when we went; we walked right up the path. The standby entrance didn't have a line either. We figure that 30-45 min into our touring time and use it to get popcorn and drinks.

 

[Robo]

The issue is getting to the theater that 30-45 minutes before the show. People seemingly start lining up at least an hour before the show.

Even with a FP, it can take up a huge chunk of your time is my point.

And, getting to sit where the guest prefers to sit (I certainly have my favorite spot) even on very busy nights is why I recommend the early arrival time (and the FP.)

There are many nights when F! “sells out,” and on those nights, early-arrival can mean getting into the show.
If a guest would rather wait until later to arrive, that’s fine, of course.
But, if seeing a particular performance of a show at WDW is IMPORTANT to you, then arriving early can be of tremendous benefit on a night when the theater is filling to capacity (it that can be unpredictable, even to Disney.)
If seeing a show is of just passing interest, it’s fine to just show up closer to show time and try your luck.