HOOP...where to sit?

[weHEARTmickey]

We are 2 adults, DD(9) & DS(6). We're on the DDP & would rather not pay OOP for preferred seating or anything. Where should we request to sit? I seem to remember hearing about some "blind spots" on one of the tiers?

Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated...we get to call in our ADR's on Thur!!!!!

 

[disneynutz]

Hoop is a 2 credit show. With the DDP you can pick Cat 2 or 3 seating for all shows (if available) and cat 1 seating for the 9:30 show only. Cat 1 is the best, 2 & 3 are on the sides and up stairs.

 

[Joshua_me]

Many of the upstairs seats are pretty bad.

Not only do you feel 'removed' from all the action down below, but many of the seats are directly behind support posts. You have to lean or get up altogether to see over the balcony.

The show is SO much better from the cat 1 seats. Try to get them if you possibly can.

 

[weHEARTmickey]

Hoop is a 2 credit show. With the DDP you can pick Cat 2 or 3 seating for all shows (if available) and cat 1 seating for the 9:30 show only. Cat 1 is the best, 2 & 3 are on the sides and up stairs.

We are planning on using 2 credits per person, but we definitely didn't want to pay cash for any meals (we'll be there 10 nights & will have SO much food, even on the basic DDP.) I think a 9:30 "all you can eat" will be way too late for us! (Although, I may give that some thought since we'll be on "Texas time.") Thanks for all the info...you've given me quite a bit to think about!

Many of the upstairs seats are pretty bad.
Not only do you feel 'removed' from all the action down below, but many of the seats are directly behind support posts. You have to lean or get up altogether to see over the balcony.

The show is SO much better from the cat 1 seats. Try to get them if you possibly can.

Is it a 1st come-1st served for the Cat 2 & 3 seats? Or do the CM's give you a specific table at ADR time? We're planning on the 7:15 show. I hate that the 2 & 3 seats are bad, b/c that's what we'll be stuck with!!!! I think I'm going to try to go on my b-day....maybe the hostess (or whomever) will be extra nice to us! Thanks for the input!

 

[disneynutz]

You get a confirmed table assignment based upon when you made your reservation. Earlier means a better seat.

 

[weHEARTmickey]

You get a confirmed table assignment based upon when you made your reservation. Earlier means a better seat.

Okay, thanks! I'll be on one phone & DH will be on another...surely one of us can get a good seat! Does the WDW site have a seating chart--or have you ever seen one?

 

[Anna114]

We are going Sunday August 30th to the 7:15 show and as I said to the CM we want the rafters. We sat there for our honeymoon in 1988 it was great up there.

 

[Joshua_me]

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningdetail.cfm?restaurant.ID=36

This link should help.

 

[ancestry]

When you make your ADRs all you will get to pick at that point in time is a category for seating. You won't get a specific table. With the dining plan they usually give you the best category available at that point. For the earlier show you get either category 2 or 3 and for latest show you can have any of three categories.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Okay, thanks! I'll be on one phone & DH will be on another...surely one of us can get a good seat! Does the WDW site have a seating chart--or have you ever seen one?

Okay, thanks! I'll be on one phone & DH will be on another...surely one of us can get a good seat! Does the WDW site have a seating chart--or have you ever seen one?

1) You CANNOT request a seat.
2) The seating chart is made 8-days ahead of time.
3) You know your category, but not your seat until a week ahead of time.
4) There is no "general seating", as all tables are pre-assigned (I have done assigning).
5) As for best seats, better seats ALWAYS cost more - Broadway or HDDR.
6) Regardless of what people say.
7) Repeat, regardless of what people say.
8) I would not do HDDR without a Cat-1 seat.
9) Categories
. . . Cat-1, floor level and back to 2/3 of house
. . . Cat-2, back 2/3 of house to rear of room and some balcony
. . . Cat-3, all balcony, 1/2 of table cranks neck, some views blocked by posts

NOTE: HDDR tables in each category are assigned by the date of the ressie. Earlier ressies get the better tables. The exception are tables #044 and #045 which are kept open until show-day for last minute handicapped guests. Table numbers are identified as 044 = floor-level, fourth-row-from-front, fourth-table-from-left.

 

[pepe of ohio]

We've done this numerous times and had one seating in the balcony, booked too late and never again, that was before cat seating. Our backs were to the stage, servers are more tentive on the ground floor and you feel not part of the action. If I'm going to pay for a dinner and show, thats what I'm going to do, pay and get cat. 1, it's where the action is, you're only going to one show in a trip so make the best of it.

 

[BarleyJack]

When we saw HDDR we had cat 2 seating. Were upstairs on the balcony, at the back of the theatre (right in front of the light operator). They were AWESOME seats. The theatre is small, its not like going to wrigley field and having to sit in the bleachers. The actors do come up to the balcony, and interact with balcony sitters from the stage as well.

 

[JEAhrtWDW]

When we saw HDDR we had cat 2 seating. Were upstairs on the balcony, at the back of the theatre (right in front of the light operator). They were AWESOME seats. The theatre is small, its not like going to wrigley field and having to sit in the bleachers. The actors do come up to the balcony, and interact with balcony sitters from the stage as well.

We were in the same spot last Nov and I thought it was great. DD9 and DS2 were able to see and enjoy the whole show. I do not think it is necessary to pay OOP for better seating.

 

[pixiebran]

Is it possible to find our exactly where you are seated in time to cancel if your seats aren't any good??

 

[chocolateMinnie]

We went to the show in February and paid OOP for CAT 1 and the seats were awesome. Having said which we are booked for DXDP for next year and will obviously only get cat 2/3 and although the seating in other spots didn't look as good there were no tables where the whole table looked in a dreadful position. We will be able to judge better after we have tried next year but are happy to take pot luck.

 

[weHEARTmickey]

WOW!!!!!!!! Thanks for all of the opinions & advice. We will just have to take our chances w/ ADR's at 7:15 on DDP. We will be calling as SOON as our ADR date gets here (& HOOP will be mid-way through our vacation.) So, I hope we get pretty good seats (considering we'll be in cat 2 or 3.)

If I'm understanding correctly, we'll know ONE WEEK before our ADR what our exact seats are? Another poster asked if we could cancel at that time & not be charged....do they also have the 48 hr cancellation policy? Will I have to secure ADR's with a CC# (like for CRT?)

Are the 7:15 shows always booked solid? I wonder what the most popular nights are? Thanks again!

 

[danielle.st]

We were in the same spot last Nov and I thought it was great. DD9 and DS2 were able to see and enjoy the whole show. I do not think it is necessary to pay OOP for better seating.

We also were there (balcony, behind the light operator) and we thought it was fantastic.We could see absolutely everything.

 

[BarleyJack]

WOW!!!!!!!! Thanks for all of the opinions & advice. We will just have to take our chances w/ ADR's at 7:15 on DDP. We will be calling as SOON as our ADR date gets here (& HOOP will be mid-way through our vacation.) So, I hope we get pretty good seats (considering we'll be in cat 2 or 3.)

If I'm understanding correctly, we'll know ONE WEEK before our ADR what our exact seats are? Another poster asked if we could cancel at that time & not be charged....do they also have the 48 hr cancellation policy? Will I have to secure ADR's with a CC# (like for CRT?)

Are the 7:15 shows always booked solid? I wonder what the most popular nights are? Thanks again!

When you check into your hotel you can get your HDDR tickets from the concerige at your resort, they will not be sent to you with your travel documents (at least ours weren't). I honestly don't remember if they have the table assignment on them at that point. I'm sure someone else here can answer that for you. Yes, you will have to secure the ADR with a CC#. When you make the ADR the CM helping you will tell you the "cancel by" date.
The HDDR is crazy popular year round, it sells out regularly from what I've been told.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

When we go it's so worth in my opinion Cat 1

 

[Mickdeb]

Don't mean to barge, I recently made an adr for HDDR 9:30 show and it came up as a category 1, the CM said, "oh it can't be cat.1 since your on the dining plan, let me change that for you." She then went and changed the ressie to cat.2
Is it true you can have cat.1 on DDP if you book the 9:30 show?
TIA