Fireworks and Fantasmic!

[tanyaewa]

Is it worth getting a fantasmic fastpass to stay in place to watch fireworks?
The new fireworks show starts April 13... any speculation as or whether the fantasmic viewing area will be a good spot still?
What are the dining options to watch fantasmic?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

For reviews, menu links and photos of the food, and photos of/ from the viewing areas, do a search on this forum for F! Dining Packages. You'll get lots of information, including fairly recent reviews.
Regarding fireworks viewing from the F! viewing area, guests of the first show in the Dining Package areas are invited to remain in the area to view the fireworks. This is a nice view, although very different from the view in front of the castle. The show designers are well aware that the show will be viewed from different areas (e.g. the Hub, Main Street, IASW, ROA, etc.) and have designed the show accordingly. The ROA view should use the F! waterscreens for the digital projections and the music will be piped in. The area is not so super crowded since some guests do leave the area after F! ends. We've viewed fireworks from the BB section and enjoyed the show. It is unlikely that you would be able to make your way through the crowds leaving F! and NOS to get back to the Hub or Main Street in time to find good viewing spots before fireworks begin. But you will already have good viewing spots in the F! Dining Package area along the ROA. If you have more than one night to watch fireworks, I would watch them after F! one night, then try to see them again from a different spot another night. The show will be enjoyably different with different views.

 

[figment_jii]

At this point, there are three dining package options for F!: Blue Bayou, River Belle Terrace, and Hungry Bear.

In terms of fireworks...as theluckyrabbit said, guests of the first show (or really anyone who is in the area) are invited to remain in the F! viewing area to watch fireworks. It's an interesting view, but not a view I would recommend as a first choice (I like Main Street, then ROA, then Small World Mall). You won't be able to see any of the effects on the castle or Main Street (if they're using the MS effects for the Pixar show) or the characters that fly during the show (you might be able to see them, but not really as part of the show). The main problem I foresee is that the FP viewing area is on the "wrong side" of the ROA. Meaning, you can't really see the fireworks and the mist screens at the same time. You basically want to be somewhere were the waters of the ROA are between you and the fireworks. We watched the fireworks from over near Cafe Orleans/French Market (kind of behind the dining package viewing areas) and we could see the mist screens and fireworks at the same time.

 

[tanyaewa]

Thx. I will look at the other threads about F! My main focus is trying to get my somewhat grumbly family of boys a good viewing area. They love Disney and DCA and everything about the experience except the crowds at parades, fireworks and WOC.
One year at Christmas I bought the holiday magic package where we got seats for the parade and got chocolate and gingerbread and it was so fantastic I could have wept with happiness.... because we have a tragic WOC and ELP experience that they never let me live down.... 60 minutes of waiting for WOC and some giant man with a CHIP or DALE hat blocked their view for the whole thing. Lol.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... 60 minutes of waiting for WOC and some giant man with a CHIP or DALE hat blocked their view for the whole thing. Lol.

The next time something like this happens, flag down a CM immediately for help. This kind of thing has happened to us, and CMs (the more senior, the better) have been very helpful in asking other guests to remove large hats or older shoulder kids or helping the blocking guests to move over a bit. It may not always work, but it absolutely won't work if no one asks for help. You might want to look into the WOC Dessert Party for your family. The viewing from that section might work out better for your family's needs. And PTN now has Dining Paackages and a Dessert Package with reserved viewing areas. You can find more information on the DLR website.

 

[Wes1stTrip2016]

Does DL do fireworks every night like DW or just on Fri & Sat nights? Thanks!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Does DL do fireworks every night like DW or just on Fri & Sat nights? Thanks!

During high season, fireworks show every night, unless the show gets cancelled due to winds at higher elevations (the fire marshall's safety rules are strict, and Disney must abide by them). During low season, fireworks show on weekends only, so Fri., Sat., Sun., unless the show gets cancelled (see above).
Since you are planning a trip for July (high season), fireworks should show every night, barring any cancellation.

 

[Wes1stTrip2016]

During high season, fireworks show every night, unless the show gets cancelled due to winds at higher elevations (the fire marshall's safety rules are strict, and Disney must abide by them). During low season, fireworks show on weekends only, so Fri., Sat., Sun., unless the show gets cancelled (see above).
Since you are planning a trip for July (high season), fireworks should show every night, barring any cancellation.

Great info, thanks! We will actually be there early June, but we will have a Friday night stay, so we should get to see them! Sort of off topic but are they visible from any of the good neighbor hotels?

 

[figment_jii]

Sort of off topic but are they visible from any of the good neighbor hotels?

Yes and no...you can see the higher bursts from some of the Good Neighbor motels on Harbor, but it really depends on where your room is located. Generally, the higher you are helps and the room must be on the north side of the motel. Fireworks launch from north of Disneyland (behind Toontown), so it's possible to see them. I've seen them from the BWPPI and the Fairfield Inn lists that as one of the perks of some of their rooms.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

LIVE Disneyland Webcam
This is the webcam from the HoJo Anaheim, across the street from DLR on Harbor. It will give you an example of what fireworks can look like from a nearby hotel.

 

[tanyaewa]

The next time something like this happens, flag down a CM immediately for help. This kind of thing has happened to us, and CMs (the more senior, the better) have been very helpful in asking other guests to remove large hats or older shoulder kids or helping the blocking guests to move over a bit. It may not always work, but it absolutely won't work if no one asks for help. You might want to look into the WOC Dessert Party for your family. The viewing from that section might work out better for your family's needs. And PTN now has Dining Paackages and a Dessert Package with reserved viewing areas. You can find more information on the DLR website.

Thanks for the advice. It wouldn’t likely occur to me in the moment - but you are right, it would have probably helped more than just my own boys.

I have booked a WCR dinner package for PTN - I really want to see that. I also have a dinner res for F!
Need to be sure it’s first show so that we can stay in place for fireworks. Either that or they can head over to BTR and I will squeeze towards the HUB myself for fireworks.

They are amazing boys and such great and gracious travellers but there are limits to their patience and enjoyment of shows when it’s crowded

 

[tanyaewa]

I just cancelled the F! Res for our last night and booked the Sky Lounge experience. My fingers are crossed that the fireworks won’t be cancelled that night. I think it sounds like a great way to see most of the fireworks and be out of the crowds.
My husband would definitely not want to sit on the ground to watch F! so I will skip that painful negotiation with him. I’ve seen F! (Actually we all did) on our last trip