FP+ for Fantasmic! - Help

[mlktwins]

We are heading to the World in 3 weeks and 1 day -- YEAH! The purpose of our trip is to try a Disney Cruise, but we decided to add on a few days at DW. We were planning to buy 3 day tickets, but when I went to purchase them, we could buy the 4th day (with a 5th day free) for $78 more for the 4 of us. We are staying off-site and I'm trying to plan our FP+. We were planning to rest on Tuesday and Sat. Now we are planning days at the parks .

We are not planning the commando trip we did 2 years ago that left us totally exhausted . We are planning a full day at MK, 1/2 day at Epcot, and a 1/2 day at AK. We were planning a full day at HS, but have decided to do a 1/2 day at HS our first day there (will have to be afternoon as we are flying in the am) and are hoping to see Fanstasmic! and ride TSMM at least once. We will spend another day at HS (maybe a 1/2 day) to get there first thing for the boys to do Jedi training.

Our favorite ride is TSM and one of our top favorite shows is Fantasmic. Our first day there (at HS) would be EMH in the evening. It is a crowd level 2 on Touringplans, not recommended by easywdw, and it is a yellow day on Undercover Tourist. Hubby says we should FP+ Fantasmic and wait in line (yes we know it will be long) for TSM. We would really like to get Fantasmic done the first day so we don't have to stick around until night time when we go back to HS in the morning the 2nd day. Given that, is FP+ really needed for the 8:30 show given it is a low crowd level day? We would be willing to stand in the stand-by line for an hour. Would we get a seat that way?

Thanks much!

 

[Itinkso]

If you enter the amphitheater an hour before showtime, you'll be able to get seats in the standby area - all the sections on the right-side of the amphitheater. When the standby area fills, the CMs hold the waiting standby guests in the entrance pathway and allow them to fill in the Fp+ areas and SRO walkways 5 minutes before showtime.

You won't need the Fp+ for Fantasmic... best to use it for TSMM.

 

[2girlsmom]

Yep, a FP+ for Fantasmic does not have a seperate seating area, it's just standard seating, pretty much a waste. Use the FP+ for TSMM, for sure.

 

[Itinkso]

Yep, a FP+ for Fantasmic does not have a seperate seating area, it's just standard seating, pretty much a waste. Use the FP+ for TSMM, for sure.

Fp+ for Fantasmic does have its own seating area - all sections to the left of the Dining Package seating is now the Fp+ area. Only Fp+ can enter until they open it up to standby guests 5 minutes before showtime.

 

[2girlsmom]

That's interesting, I know when they first started FP+ they did have a seperate area, but we were just there in February and at that point, FP+ did NOT have a seperate seating area. When did they add one back in?

 

[Itinkso]

That's interesting, I know when they first started FP+ they did have a seperate area, but we were just there in February and at that point, FP+ did NOT have a seperate seating area. When did they add one back in?

The tapstiles were near the main concession stand/restrooms in mid/late February. The entrance pathway was separated - left-side for Fp+ and right-side for standby. Standby veered to the right at stroller parking and they entered their section via the right entrance. Fp+ had to remain on the left-side and CMs and Managers stood at the roped off Dining Area to only allow diners in. No one could proceed to the standby area from the Fp+/Dining area unless they exited and then came back up the standby walkway.

 

[2girlsmom]

Hmm, they had the tapstyles there when we were there (week of Feb 3), but we got there approx 45 minutes (on standby) before the show and were allowed in the section you are referring to just to the left of the dining plan guests. I had friends that had used the FP+ in January and when they got there in their FP+ window there were no held seats, they ended up 3 rows from the back and in that farthest right section as there weren't openings elsewhere. I am glad to hear that this has been fixed to allow an actual seating area for the FP+, as without it, it was entirely a wasted pass!

 

[mlktwins]

Thanks so much! I have FP+ for TSMM starting at 6 pm. Should I be safe then getting in line for Fantasmic! at 7:30 or should we go earlier? Again, this is a nighttime EMH night at HS. We really don't want to catch the 10 pm show as we are planning rope drop at MK the next day.

 

[Itinkso]

Thanks so much! I have FP+ for TSMM starting at 6 pm. Should I be safe then getting in line for Fantasmic! at 7:30 or should we go earlier? Again, this is a nighttime EMH night at HS. We really don't want to catch the 10 pm show as we are planning rope drop at MK the next day.

With two shows that night, going in an hour early will work. The line begins moving at that time. You should go earlier only if you wanted the most central seating in the standby area. The CMs fill each section of the standby area one-by-one beginning with the most central section adjacent to dining.

I watched the first Fant the day after Pres' Day and then the following week on an EMH night and entered around 45 minutes before showtime. Plenty of seats were still available in standby at that time.