Is a Fantasmic reservation needed?

[pafo]

We're making our second trip to Pop end of Jan.2011! TouringPlans says DHS is a 2.6 out of 10 for crowds during this time. Also I understand that the seating for diners is not the best also doesn't really save you much in wait time? Not convinced Fantasmic pkg. at Hollywood & Vine is best way to go or necessary......Any advice?

 

[twokids0204]

We're making our second trip to Pop end of Jan.2011! TouringPlans says DHS is a 2.6 out of 10 for crowds during this time. Also I understand that the seating for diners is not the best also doesn't really save you much in wait time? Not convinced Fantasmic pkg. at Hollywood & Vine is best way to go or necessary......Any advice?

Not necessary....

Be there about 60 - 90 mins early, and you will be fine.

Oh, and to the DISboards.

 

[princessmom29]

IF you are ok with 90 min in line, then it is not necessary. If you would rather show up 45 min- and hour before and be escorted to your seat to wait for the show, then get the package. We don't go without it if we can help it.

 

[pafo]

Thanks! Last time we went and had little idea of what we were doing....the kids did not see much standing in the far left corner. And getting out was a challenge.

 

[LaurLaur04]

I saw Fantasmic last week! It was great! Although it frightened my 3 year old daughter. We saw the 8pm show and people started lining up at 6pm! About 6:30 we got in "line" just as they opened the gates to allow people to come in. We had refreshments, and the crowd did the wave and music was played so the hour and a half wait was no bad at all! We got to sit right in the middle and had a perfect view!

 

[nmmom95]

If it's not crowded, you won't have to wait that long. We went last November and went to Fantasmic 30-45 minutes before the show and our seats were fine. Actually, they were better than when we booked the package.

 

[Pjimmeyer]

If it's not crowded, you won't have to wait that long. We went last November and went to Fantasmic 30-45 minutes before the show and our seats were fine. Actually, they were better than when we booked the package.

That's what it really comes down to. For busy times either be prepared to wait up to 2 hours or get the dinner package.

Robo has some expert advice here.

 

[kathy884]

Thanks for the questions and the posts. I just booked the Mama Melrose Fatasmic dinner package for March. (The last time we went Fatasmic was showing every night, so it looks like with it just being a couple of times a week lines will be longer high season, so I thought what the heck -- give a dinner package a try.)

 

[TinkerbellinLouisian]

I highly recommend the F! dining ...albeit...my last visits have been during the busiest times...

Last visit...we walked right in... waited about 30 minutes...

I've never had a 'bad' seat....

Love F! dining plan... My time is just TOO precious when I am at WDW to waste even an hour in line...

Mary

 

[thumper*]

Just back ourselfs got to expereince the Fantasmic Package @ Mama Melroses for lunch on Thur Sept 16'th.

Meal was OK plus an appetizer is included in the package, not normally included in the free dining prgm. More food then one person can finish.

This perticular nt only one show was originally on the calender but they had added a 9:30 show. Regular seating was filled up by 7:40pm. When we left the line for the 9:30 pm show was miles long. Etleast it appeared that way. This is suppose to be slow season?

I enjoyed the show but IMO not worth even 1 hr standing in line.

 

[yulilin3]

We saw Fantasmic! this past Saturday, the first show didn't fill up (I asked a CM friend of mine there), we could've made the first show but my son was riding ToT. We went into the second show, only waited 30 min. by the begining of the show the arena was only half full. January is not a busy time.

 

[Robo]

We saw Fantasmic! this past Saturday, the first show didn't fill up (I asked a CM friend of mine there), we could've made the first show but my son was riding ToT. We went into the second show, only waited 30 min. by the begining of the show the arena was only half full. January is not a busy time.

Yes, but don't take anything for granted.

We have been in Jan. (non-holiday week) and F! (2 shows, second one added on-the-spot) both shows were filled, and had guests turned-away.

You just can't know, for sure, until you're there.

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No one can predict exactly how large the crowds will be or how early you should go to find a seat for Fantasmic! on any given day.
It has totally to do with the whim of the crowd at DHS on that day, and the general crowd LEVELS.
How much time you wish to "invest" in waiting is a personal decision. We have never done the formal Dinner Package, and have always seen the show (dozens of times).

(Take all of these as "average" numbers, sometimes the crowd will be MUCH greater and the theater can fill up much sooner.)

VERY Busy days:
If you go to the first show of the evening (or "only" show that evening), if you arrive about 75-120 minutes before show-time, you can sit just about anywhere.
45-60 minutes before: Outside seats likely still available.
30-40 Minutes: will vary between seats at edges and rear of theater to SRO or even "closed" to further guests.

Yes, the lines can start forming over 2 hours before the show-time.

At about 120 min. before show-time, they will open the gates and begin allowing guests in line to approach the theater seating.

(See my maps. It is a very long ramp.)

They will continue with the lines of guests walking in until the theater is completely filled or the show begins, whichever comes first.

They will "hold open" the Dining Pkg. seating area ONLY for guests who have the Dining Pkg. voucher.

BUT, if the theater is over-crowded (a very likely scenario in 2009)
then, at about 35 min. before show-time,
the CM's will cease holding the DP area open for DP voucher guests
and, at that time, begin to allow ANYONE
who still needs a seat to sit in (any seats left) the DP area.


Busy days:
If you go to the first show of the evening (or "only" show that evening), if you arrive about 75-120 minutes before show-time, you can sit just about anywhere.
60 minutes before: Good seats
25-35 Minutes: will vary between seats at edges and rear of theater to SRO or even "closed" to further guests. (The crowd of "last-minute" arrivals can be slow to get seated before show-time.)

Off-Season (not busy days):
You should be OK to enter by 30-50 minutes before, but you'll likely be seated to the outer edges, and/or way at the back.

Dining Package:
New Dining Pkg. Entrance was added in mid-Sept. 2009.
If you do the Fantasmic! Dinner Pkg. you still SHOULD enter by AT LEAST 35-45 minutes ("safer" at 45 minutes) before show-time and still be guaranteed "pretty good" seats (not my "first choice" area, but fine), regardless of crowd-levels. Remember, the DP is only valid for the first show of the evening, if there are 2 or more. If you do have DP and you spy some seats outside the DP "reserved" area, you are free to choose to sit anywhere outside that area you like, no problem.

If there are TWO Fantasmic! shows in one evening, the second one will have lower crowd level than the first one. You can arrive a bit later (generally, 45-60 minutes) and still find a seat.
(Some say less advance time will be needed, but I'm cautious.)


Be aware that the second show waiting area will LOOK like the show is "too crowded".
That's because they HOLD the 2nd crowd outside the theater while the CMs CLEAN it after the first crowd has exited.

Then, they will let those waiting together in that big group IN... all at once, and there will be PLENTY of room.

(The theater seats over 7,000 guests.)

When you enter the theater, there will be CMs along the way directing the flow of traffic, but you may (if you are early enough to have a choice) simply choose any open seats in the theater to be your own.
If you want to exit more quickly, choose a seat farther back and to towards audience-right.
If you want to be immersed in the show (and sometimes, immersed in water-mist, if the wind is blowing "in") choose a seat towards the front.

We like to eat our evening meal while waiting for Fantasmic! to start.
You can bring in items from the counter-service places in DHS, or they DO have concession stands at the rear of the theater serving "baseball stadium-type" food and drinks. Yes, even beer, sold strictly ONE-at-a-time, one-only-to-a-person, so a single person can't go and buy beer for other members of a group... all guests wanting to buy a beer must be present in-person at the counter.
We have a hot dog, maybe a pretzel, later some popcorn or cotton candy (Disney Health Food).
http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menu_fan.htm
Click above for the "menu."

But, nothing ALWAYS happens the same way at WDW.
I would be cautious about assuming anything, as WDW has been experiencing
unpredictable (sometimes record-breaking) crowds even over the past couple of years.

If its IMPORTANT to see a particular show, arriving a bit too early will be better than arriving a bit late.

If its not a really big deal to see a particular show, you may certainly arrive closer to show-time and just see if you get lucky.
Many folks do.

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