How Hard Is It To Get Fantasmic Balcony Seats?

[HydroGuy]

We have never done the dessert reservations and want to try it in June. I understand they only have 20 seats, and we are a group of 6. There will be two Fantasmics that night, and our first choice will be the first show - but we will get the second show if the first is sold out.

So, we start calling in May - one month in advance to the day - at 8AM Pacific Time. Is it typical to be able to get these reservations, or is it a crap shoot because lots of other folks are calling at the same time?

My concern here is two-fold. First, I will be out of the country so my DW will have to make the calls and she is not as up to speed on such things as I am. Second, the best day for us is our final night. So if we miss making the reservation, we do not get another chance. I wish we could make the reservation for our first night to make sure we have it, and then call back and change it to the final night. Is it possible to do something like this?

 

[LittleWoodenHead]

Unlike other Disney Dining reservations, you actually have to pay for the Fantasmic! Dessert Buffet at the time you make the reservation. You then pick up the Buffet ticket at Guest Services that day. I wouldn't imagine you can change the date. Even if DL would let you, the day you would want to change it to would undoubtedly have been booked a month before.

I had no trouble getting the Dessert Buffet last October -- but my experience was atypical. I lucked out because they added some Fantasmic! shows that had not been previously scheduled, and was able to get the Dessert Buffet with only about three days advance notice.

 

[hlbtimes2]

The balcony sells out quickly! And I imagine that since the show has been dark for so long, that June dates will go especially fast. Your wife will need to be on the phone dialing a couple minutes to 8.

 

[Jestocost]

You don't say when in June you're going, but if it's in the first half of the month your worries may be for naught since Fantasmic is supposed to be closed through June 14.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Trey, I have done this twice but its been awhile. The last time I did this was back in May of 04 and believe it or not I didn't even have to call at the one month mark and I still got five tickets no problem. Fast forward to last summer when I attempted to do it and could not get it to happen even with calling right at 8:00 a.m. on the first day I could do it. I was going to surprise my husband but no such luck! I had five days to work with and couldn't get it to happen five days in a row. The last day I called she had two tickets and it was tempting to just have me and my dh go and leave the kids with my brother who was going to be with us (but didn't have any interest in going to F!) but in the end I was a nice mom and didn't do that! I would call the number directly and see what they say about switching your dates, no idea if they can do that or not. I also agree that with F! being down for awhile this will make it harder to come by. You would probably have better luck getting riverside seats. Its a great splurge and I have toyed with trying again for this year, but in the end decided it wasn't worth the aggravation! If you were staying onsite your chances would be better because then you could use vacation planning or whatever its called. It can't hurt to try but yeah, in essence I think it is a crapshoot!

 

[ScooterL]

Another option for you might be the Riverside seating instead of Balcony...there's more seats there so it doesn't fill up as fast. You get a box of desserts rather than the buffet, though, and you're seated closer to the water, though more off to the side. Some people have said they prefer Riverside since you're closer to the action.

When you make the reservation Disney will make a point of telling you that it is NOT refundable, so you won't be able to make an initial reservation for your first night and then change it.

 

[amyah]

We did this last year during a visit in March (before spring break). I started calling a few minutes before 8:00 using the direct line so I wouldn't have to go through any of the phone tree options. I don't remember when they finally picked up the phone, but we got our reservation for 4. We were not seated in the very front; there was a large group (about 8 or so) that was. If the seating assignment is based on the order in which your tickets were sold (which I think is what I have read on the boards), then this group was probably the first to get their tickets. Every seat is great, by the way, and the dessert buffet was yummy! We definitely enjoyed it very much and while it is pricey, I would do it again. It's so nice to know you have prime seats for Fantasmic waiting for you without having to find a spot on your own 1-2 hours before the show!

I think you'll always have a better chance of getting the second show, but certainly try for the first! I don't think you would be able to change your first night reservation for your last night unless there were seats available for the last night, which of course you'd then have to wait until the 30 days out from the last night to check this. And I don't remember if you have to pay the total upfront or if they just take a deposit. I would think you'd be able to cancel the first night if you were able to get the last night, but I don't think just because you have the first night would they let you change it to the last night.

Also, I think there is still the other Fantasmic viewing seating which has the boxed desserts as opposed to the dessert buffet. There are more of these seats available but they are not up in the balcony.

Good luck!

 

[SamIAm21]

Another option for you might be the Riverside seating instead of Balcony...there's more seats there so it doesn't fill up as fast. You get a box of desserts rather than the buffet, though, and you're seated closer to the water, though more off to the side. Some people have said they prefer Riverside since you're closer to the action.

When you make the reservation Disney will make a point of telling you that it is NOT refundable, so you won't be able to make an initial reservation for your first night and then change it.

Last year in June, my daughter and I did riverside seating and had a buffet of treats to choose from. No Box at all. We also got our drink of choice served to us by Castmembers. Riverside seating is not shabby and you have a better view of the fireworks afterward. I thought it was a wonderful way to end my first day in Disneyland!!

 

[Big Dipper]

I wish they still did the reservations at the park only and not via telephone. Every time I got balcony seating it was on the day of the show and our group always got front row seats. Of course standing in line at 6am was not a lot of fun, but it was better in my opinion than dealing with busy signals. I hate busy signals and holding.

 

[VWCat]

I contacted the planning services since we are at the dlh,I said the balcony first and if all gone the riverside!! Good luck!! What night are you trying for? We are going hopefully the very first night!!

 

[rosiep]

If you are staying on site you can call as far in advance as you like and then they in turn make the reservations at the 30 day mark. Worked for me back in December.

Good Luck

 

[FallDisney]

I contacted the planning services since we are at the dlh,I said the balcony first and if all gone the riverside!! Good luck!! What night are you trying for? We are going hopefully the very first night!!

Am I reading this right that if we're staying at a resort hotel that we can call and have them try and get ressies for this? Do you know the number?

It would be awesome to surprise my family with this!!!!!

 

[HydroGuy]

I contacted the planning services since we are at the dlh,I said the balcony first and if all gone the riverside!! Good luck!! What night are you trying for? We are going hopefully the very first night!!

Our last night will be June 28.

To other posters, thanks for the feedback. I have seen the riverside seating area and it's location does not impress me. But that might be Plan B.

Unfortunately for us, our group size increased and we decided a DLR hotel was not going to work for us (would need to get extra rooms). So we will not be able to let Disney do it for us.

Sounds like we will have to roll the dice. I think I will have DW and kiddos get the number on speed dial on our home phone and on everyone's cell, and have everyone in the family try to call at once.

 

[HydroGuy]

We did this last year during a visit in March (before spring break). I started calling a few minutes before 8:00 using the direct line so I wouldn't have to go through any of the phone tree options.

The number I have to call is (714) 781-4400. Not sure if this is the "direct number", but direct sounds like the way to go. Do you remember the direct number?

 

[VWCat]

I don't know the direct number but here is the planning number for FallDisney (714) 300-plan(7526). Mkae sure you tell them you are staying onsite at one of the disneyland or cal ad. hotels or they will try and say you have to call back yourself. Good Luck everyone!!

 

[VWCat]

yeah it really is a roll of the dice,we might not anything at all due to ours is the first night of fantasmic. Cross your fingers

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

This reminds me of the way Cinderella's Royal Table used to be at WDW. It used to have better pricing and they only had the breakfast with the princesses. They didn't have the Norway princess meal either. You literally had to start dialing in about 5 minutes before they opened and keep hitting redial upon hearing a busy signal until the system answered. Then you litterally had to hit 1, 1, 2, 1, to get around the survey. After all that, you had to hope that they didn't open up a split second past your last busy signal and you got in fast enough.
When the actual reservationist picked you up on hold you had to literally interrupt with CINDERELLA'S ROYAL TABLE BREAKFAST!!!! It was said if you held over 15 minutes it was gone. There was advice to do a dry run the day before just to familiarize yourself with the sytem. Another piece of advice was to have everyone call on a cell phone in order to try to get a spot. And even doing all this, there were people simply shut out that literally called for 10 days straight (there was no 190+10 then)


I suppose something similar is going to be in order here. We have the flexibility to go any day during our stay. We'll be trying as much as we can.

 

[rosiep]

Am I reading this right that if we're staying at a resort hotel that we can call and have them try and get ressies for this? Do you know the number?

It would be awesome to surprise my family with this!!!!!

Yes, that's right..vacation planning will do it for you 714-300-7520

enjoy!

 

[got2travel]

Good luck. I think the balcony is fabulous for a one time treat. My actual preference is the riverside seating though. Did balcony once, but now we always just ask for riverside. I prefer to experience the show rather than just watch it.

A few points of clarification. You do not pay for the tickets when you reserve. Your tickets are not charged until you pick them up from Guest Services. You will however be charged whether or not you pick up the tickets since they are non-refundable.

We've done the riverside seating several times and have always had a buffet of desserts, never a box. Even though the website and the ressie cast members will tell you its a box.

 

[amyah]

The number I have to call is (714) 781-4400. Not sure if this is the "direct number", but direct sounds like the way to go. Do you remember the direct number?

I think that is the number we used. It wouldn't hurt to do a trial run at 8:00 am on any morning (tomorrow if you like!) and just see if it puts you right through to a cast member. I remember calling a few minutes prior to 8:00 am and didn't have to do anything with a phone tree...someone just picked right up.

Good luck!