freaking out....why so complicated?

[hsmamato2]

1st off.I want to say "thanks" for all the great info here on the Dis....but.....

all these threads on WOC and F! are starting to freak me out....I DON'T want to obsess over details,maps and strategies to enjoy our DL time! IS it really necessary to do all this just to see a show? I know from WDW experience, once in a while we need to plan for a show like F!-(hard to get in)
but I am stressing over 2 months out from something I don't want to stress over.....tell me the truth..... if we read the info,and plan like 'normal' people- can we see any good shows at DL?
Like,can we just show up late on a Saturday,wander in,putz around,and still enjoy the fireworks? I mean,the sky is pretty big,right?
Or,,say it's Sunday,and both F! and WOC are playing twice.....which one should we struggle for the earlier show for,which one can wait for the 2nd show? we have plenty of days to visit..... I don't want to overstress though....
all these threads give me the worries that unless we super-strategize we will never see them.....how does the average visitor see these things,if they're not one these boards obsessing over these details?
we'll be there the 1st week in Oct.-

 

[Sherry E]

Are you going to be at DLR over a weekend, or weekdays only? The reason I ask is that - and I could be wrong, as I'm not the Fantasmic expert on this board - but I don't know if F! will be showing during your trip. Monday, October 3 will be a Halloween party night, so no F! at all. Friday, October 7 will be a party night, so no F! at all. I don't think F! will be showing on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday (again, I could be very wrong on that) in October. Maybe it will be showing, if DLR considers it "peak season" enough to warrant it, but I don't think it has in the past on non-weekends in early October.

Anyway I bring that up because, unless you are there on a Saturday and Sunday, you may not have to worry about F! at all.

As for World of Color, that will be running at least once per night.

Otherwise, don't worry or stress yourself out about anything. There is a lot of information to be had here on the DIS, on all subjects and categories, and it can be overwhelming when it seems like there is so much you have to plan for or remember just to see a show, ride a ride, etc. You're not alone. The average visitor (take my friends, for example, who enjoy DLR but are not into it in the same way I am) probably doesn't want to get into all the strategies, maps and details. They simply want to just get to DLR and take it from there, figuring out things as they go along. They want to just walk around and decide on a whim, "Hey! Let's go see World of Color!" without worrying about getting Fast Passes in the morning or which viewing area is the best. I would bet there are lots of folks who do that.

I've done trips where I had nothing planned at all, really, and I have done trips where I had a loose plan of what to do. And then I've done trips where I had things more structured and more details ironed out. It just depends on how much time I have to deal with it and what kind of mood I'm in. But whether or not I have had things planned out to a 'T', I always had fun no matter what!!

 

[HydroGuy]

1st off.I want to say "thanks" for all the great info here on the Dis....but.....

all these threads on WOC and F! are starting to freak me out....I DON'T want to obsess over details,maps and strategies to enjoy our DL time! IS it really necessary to do all this just to see a show? I know from WDW experience, once in a while we need to plan for a show like F!-(hard to get in)
but I am stressing over 2 months out from something I don't want to stress over.....tell me the truth..... if we read the info,and plan like 'normal' people- can we see any good shows at DL?
Like,can we just show up late on a Saturday,wander in,putz around,and still enjoy the fireworks? I mean,the sky is pretty big,right?
Or,,say it's Sunday,and both F! and WOC are playing twice.....which one should we struggle for the earlier show for,which one can wait for the 2nd show? we have plenty of days to visit..... I don't want to overstress though....
all these threads give me the worries that unless we super-strategize we will never see them.....how does the average visitor see these things,if they're not one these boards obsessing over these details?
we'll be there the 1st week in Oct.-

LOL, but I think you are taking the threads the wrong way. The reason I wrote them is that the same questions get asked over and over and over. Which is understandable, but some of us get tired typing out the same answers over and over.

So the WOC and F! and MM Superthreads - and others like it - or intended to be like a repository for information. They are not intended to tell you how you must do things.

DLR is a busy place. It gets crowded. Some advance research can make things go more smoothly and ensure you get to see everything you want to see. If it stresses you out to do this kind of pre-planning, then just don't.

Hope you have a magical trip.

 

[PinkBudgie]

We rarely ever stake out a spot for hours. That is why the info in those threads is so handy. Here are a few tricks that we used during the summer months. You may have to adjust some of the times based on how it is when you go. I've never been in Oct. I know those threads are long and it is hard to find the things in it that pertain to you.

F! Light Tower trick- One night we arrived about 15 before the first F! show. It was very crowded at the rails but only one person deep behind the tower. They obviously knew the trick too. So we stood behind them. It looks like the tower will block your view of the show, but soon it went up and we had a great view. The crowds filled in behind us.

WOC- We didn't want to spend the first good hours of the morning waiting in the WOC FP line so we planned on the 2nd show and were hoping for Blue. We knew that Blue is first color given out when they run out of first show FPs. So we checked around noon and picked up Blue. The show was at 10:10 and we joined the Blue line around 9:30. At 10pm they let us move in to the show area. We looked for the yellow hydrant just before the roped off VIP area. It is in the very back and everyone else is rushing down to the water. We stood at the railing behind the hydrant and had a perfect view of the show. And when it was over we beat the crowds to leave since we were in the back.

Fireworks- we always head to IASW about 15 min before the show starts. There are plenty of spots, you can just plop down anywhere. You won't see Tinkerbell and Dumbo and whatever they do with the castle. But you will see projections on the IASW building.

Parade- we saw the second run of Soundsational which started at 6:30. We up by IASW and found lots of spots at 6:15. Keep in mind this is the end of the parade because it will be coming back from Main Street. It got to us at 6:45. So, we had a half hour wait.


As you can see, we don't wait hours for anything. But with this approach you have to not care if it doesn't work out, especially the F! trick because that area is very crowded. From your post it sounded like you really didn't want to plan your whole day around these shows so I thought these tips might help you.

 

[rramstad]

I like the attitude of the PP.

From my end, I read a lot before our recent DL trip, and it didn't stress me out at all -- I felt like I was a bit prepared when we got there, and I had a bit of a plan going in.

Even better, when things got a little weird, or opportunities presented themselves, I was able to roll with it and have good outcomes because I had done some reading.

Example: one night we were just trying to cut over to Pirates, HM, Indy from BTMRR and realized Fantasmic! was starting soon. There were massive crowds, it was rough going, but then I saw the central light tower, checked the watch, realized hardly anyone was behind it, and we ended up getting rail behind the tower... when the lights went up, I was feeling pretty good about all the reading I had done! It allowed us to get a great spot at the last minute for a show we had never seen, and that wasn't even in the plan for that night.

 

[rentayenta]

I'm a freak. I want a prime spot. I line up early for all of it.


Where is the light tower located for Fantasmic?

 

[HydroGuy]

I'm a freak. I want a prime spot. I line up early for all of it.


Where is the light tower located for Fantasmic?

See

"Fantasmic Light Tower Trick" by S. S. Columbia www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2225094

and

"Fantasmic! Superthread" http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2671983

 

[ozmum]

I am a bit like you OP as I am starting to stress out that we will miss something, but i think there has been some wonderful responses here so i will keep them all in mind.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I am not one to wait for much, I do IASW for fireworks, am not a big Fantasmc lover, and plan on watching WOC from the bar If I can swing it , under the Silly swings otherwise, or perhaps the back of the bay. Crowds are two unreliable for me, you can wait hours for the "perfect" spot, which is then ruined by a LCD screen beside or in front of me, or a child on their parents shoulders, or people who provide running commentary.
I gladly trade a perfect view for some control !

 

[rentayenta]

See

"Fantasmic Light Tower Trick" by S. S. Columbia www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2225094

and

"Fantasmic! Superthread" http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2671983

The Superthreads increase my anxiety level. But for the Light Tower link.

 

[HydroGuy]

I am not one to wait for much, I do IASW for fireworks, am not a big Fantasmc lover, and plan on watching WOC from the bar If I can swing it , under the Silly swings otherwise, or perhaps the back of the bay. Crowds are two unreliable for me, you can wait hours for the "perfect" spot, which is then ruined by a LCD screen beside or in front of me, or a child on their parents shoulders, or people who provide running commentary.
I gladly trade a perfect view for some control !

I know what your priorities are Judy!

 

[GeneralTso]

No, you don't need to stress and spazz out over the shows. Or anything for that matter.

Keep in mind that many people on these boards make planning Disney trips a hobby. They love to spend hours and hours making plans, revising them, researching. It's a pretty safe hobby!!! Fortunately, they pass a lot of their great into on to us to pick and choose as we please.

I love happening by a parade. I can not picture myself sitting on the curb waiting for an hour, let alone hourS. Just not me.

I really wanted to see WOC so did a lovely dinner at Trattoria and another time did the picnic. It was great, had great viewing spots and enjoyed both times immensely.

Same for fireworks, Fantasmic, etc. If you don't want to worry about, just don't. You'll see it. Be in the general vicinity close to start time, and you will see it.

 

[disneydenisel]

Don't worry, it's pretty easy to get freaked out here when you read and read and read all night long . There are A LOT of details to digest! Luckily, it is just information and you can use what you need and skim over the rest .

We visited DLR in June and I was really excited to read about WOC and at the same time, very worried about how in the world we would ever see it. We are not "rope drop" people and we just kind of go at a leisurely pace. So I was sure we would never see WOC. Since we were staying at the GCH, we all went down in our PJs and got WOC Blue FPs for the 9:00 PM show. At 8:00 PM, we ventured over to CA and waited 45 minutes for the show. It was actually a lot simpler than I thought. Great show, too.

As far as the rest of the park, we knew we would be back so didn't stress over doing everything. In fact, I think we only covered 25% in 3 days, 3 nights (shocking to most, I know!). But we had a really relaxing time not worrying about missing anything. It was really a fun trip! If you don't want to plan too much, just go with the flow. I'm sure you will have a great time !

 

[hsmamato2]

thanks for all the replies..... I do love all the info.,it was just starting to feel like If we didn't plan every detail,we'd never see anything..... I like the few details part,and then just winging it.... I have to remember that light tower idea......

 

[pinktink83]

You'll still see them...you just may not have a "the best spot ever". That doesn't you won't actually get to see it though. So you know, if the stress isn't worth it, then don't worry!

 

[Judy from Boise]

I know what your priorities are Judy!

Yes, I totally "own" being a control freak , I'm glad there are people out there who even me out !

 

[tksbaskets]

I got the picnic meal at DCA that included a fastpass for WOC. I ordered it online ahead of time and it really was nice to not worry a bit about having a spot and the dinner was pretty darned tasty!

Just a thought.
TK