i have a couple questions....fantasmic being 1

[ShellyMouse]

is fantasmic a free show, or do you have to do the dinner too? is the dinner/ combo thingy only for special reserved seats?

while i have you here...lol....

"illuminations", "fantasmic", and "wishes".....are they all firework shows? can you give me a brief description for them?

thanks!!


edited to add.....

i read several posts about o'hana's not being great anymore. we've never eaten there. if we wanted to catch wishes during dinner on x-mas night, what restaurant would you choose besides ohanas?

thanks again!~

 

[jonimce]

The show is included in your park enterence. This will be our first time doing the dining, but my two DD's and their familys did it last year and said it was great . They just walked to the reserved area and had a seat. We went to the show in 2001 without this. I swore this was one show I would never go to again unless Disney did something to calm the crowds . We arrived pretty early and saw people lining up for the show. Seeing the line wasn't that long, we decided to wait. When the gate opened (by then there were hundreds of people) everyone started shoving . I can't believe no one got hurt. And this went on for at least 20 to 30 min. Never saw such rudeness in my life. There were people with babies, and small children being pushed. There were even people with babies and small children doing the pushing. The only way I will go back is with the dining, or a CM told us if we go on a night they have two shows, wait till the show is about to start and then enter. This show rarely fill up. Even if it did you can stand in the back. I would much rather stand than be trampled.

 

[jonimce]

Sorry, forgot the other parts. We loved Ohana, but the best place to see Wishes, besides the park is California Grill. Nothing else comes close.

 

[WorldlyWise]

Fantasmic is free but I continue to hear many negatives about the crowds - see above. We did the H&V buffet and with the FDP and it worked out very nicely. We got to the gates about 25 minutes before the scheduled start and ended up very near the front. There aren't really "reserved" seats but a reserved section on one side.

To call any of the shows "fireworks shows" is an injustice, but Fantasmic is an over the top live action and laser show combining fire and water. Illuminations is lasers, fireworks, and fire. Really indescribable - try to catch them all!

 

[ShellyMouse]

thanks alot!

we will try to see them all. this past time we were there, my dd was so into the characters and their autographs, we missed alot of the shows. oh well, thats a good excuse to need to go back this x-mas

thanks again!


is cali grill in mk or right outside?

 

[wdwgoofeeee]

thanks alot!

is cali grill in mk or right outside?

The California Grill is on the top floor of the Contemporary Resort....which is one of the Magic Kingdom resorts. You can walk to this resort from the MK in about 5-7 minutes or take the monorail.
I suggest you check out the tons of WDW information on allearsnet.com. They also have all the menus for all WDW restaurants.

 

[Mamu]

In all my trips tp Disney we have never done the package and always gotten a good seat.

 

[Tazicket]

Of the three fireworks spectaculars, Fantasmic was hands down mine and DH's favorite. We did the H&V dinner package with it. Of course, last time we went to Disney (and the only time we've seen Fantasmic) I was in a wheelchair (not this year!!). They put us in the reserved area with me in a park-your-wheelchair spot (they didn't shove me down the stairs or anything ) BUT they didn't want to let DH sit next to me. Finally, the people next to us scooted over so that we could sit together.

When the show started, though, all of that was forgotten. I've never sat in a fireworks show with my jaw on my knees before. The other shows were great, too (not really fair to compare this to them, since it is also a laser and water and character and story and.....show).

For wishes, we sat on main street (in the handicapped area- can't do that this year) and had a good view. Sorry, can't help with the restaurant view choice.

 

[jonimce]

We had great seats. It's just that we were pushed and trampled all the way there . And it is a good distance from the first gate.

 

[jeankeri]

In December we saw Fantasmic from the far left facing the stage, this is the opposite side from the dinner package seats. We could see everything fine, even compared to 2 years earlier when we arrived early and were front and center. Illluminations; I like only for the fireworks. I know I'll offend some, but the globe reminds me of Stonehedge in Spinal Tap. I get the giggles thinking of all the thousands of people who are staring at that little globe . I'm glad we got to do an Illuminations Cruise before we stood to see in show inside. I would have had no idea what was going on. Also, I can't make out any of the people who flash by at the end.

 

[Tazicket]

I know I'll offend some, but the globe reminds me of Stonehedge in Spinal Tap. I get the giggles thinking of all the thousands of people who are staring at that little globe.

You're sooo right!!! Thanks....now that's all I'll be able to think of when we're down there in Dec!

 

[Golf4food]

Too much Disney food will give you a "big bottom"...

Hey, Tazicket! Love the countdown ticker! Wait a minute... it's the same as mine! Somebody stole my vacation time!

Maybe we could go together and share a room? (It's ok - we're married to each other!! )

 

[Tazicket]

Too much Disney food will give you a "big bottom"...

Hey, Tazicket! Love the countdown ticker! Wait a minute... it's the same as mine! Somebody stole my vacation time!

Maybe we could go together and share a room? (It's ok - we're married to each other!! )

Groan.... I can't let you post anywhere!!