Is it possible to watch fireworks on Main St (or ride HM, POTC) then see Fantasmic w/o FP?

[ady2glude707]

I remember years ago we were able to watch the fireworks in front of the castle and then walking past the crowds through Frontierland and getting a spot on the ground/by the rails to see Fantasmic.
I also remember another time riding Haunted Mansion and Pirates while the first showing of Fantasmic is going on, and once the first show finishes, grabbing a spot on the ground to watch the second showing of Fantasmic.
Are these methods still possible or is dining or FP now required to reserve a spot on the ground or to lean on the railings?

 

[figment_jii]

I don't know if they always do it, but whenever I've gone from MS to F! after fireworks, they've had crowd control in effect and they hold guests in Frontierland until they've finished clearing out the reserved viewing areas (FP and dining). If you left before fireworks end, you might make it in before they start holding crowds and could be in the front(ish) of the lines to get into the standby viewing areas, but then you'll miss part of fireworks. This might work better if you were riding HM or Pirates while the fireworks were going on. I'm not really sure any of the water-side/rail area with a good view is available for standby. From about the Tom Sawyer Island dock to somewhere past the center point is used for the dining packages, and then FP is to the right of that. Curlyxz came up with this map and seesclubhouse posted this map when the new show debut and I think they're still roughly correct. I think there might be some ground seating for standby to the very far left (other side of the dining packages, denoted as FP in the second map, but might be standby now), but I don't know if that's still being offered or not.

 

[ady2glude707]

Last time I went was 5 years ago. We rode POTC and HM while the first Fantasmic show was going on, and once that show stopped we were able to find a spot on the ground, near the water (near/on areas 2,3,4 on the map provided in the link you posted). Was it in the past that these areas were first come, first serve, but now you have to buy a dining package to view from these areas? Or was I just lucky 5 years ago that I was able to view the show from that area and the CMs never asked me to show a dining package Fast Pass?
I'd rather not be canned in like sardines and needing to stand since I'll be traveling with my 9 and 4 year olds, so I'm leaning towards either getting on POTC, HM and then grabbing a spot once the first show ends, or reserving a dinner package at Blue Bayou.

 

[figment_jii]

Disneyland began using the FP system for F! back in December of 2014 and then went on hiatus while they worked on the RoA. When show came back last year, they changed the viewing areas (expanded the dining packages, reduced the number of FP viewing areas, and expanded the standby). Prior to 12/2014, pretty much all of the viewing areas for F! were first-come, first-serve (except for some VIP viewing areas and maybe a dessert package). So my guess is that you went prior to the implementation of FP, when you could view from anywhere if there were spots available.

 

[ady2glude707]

Yup thats probably it. Sucks! Riding POTC and HM while waiting for the first show to end then grabbing a front row seat to the second show was the best!

 

[beachdreamr1229]

You definitely can't just grab a front row seat anymore. I'm not sure logistically that you'd be able to make it from Main St. to F! on time, even leaving before the finale. The way crowds are now, I guess you might if you were a solo traveler and good at weaving through crowds, but the standby area is very small, so it's a risk even if you do make it. It's sort of like a fish swimming up stream. I recommend seeing the first F! by fastpass or reservation then just staying for the fireworks from there. The water screens show similar projections to the ones you'd see on Main St.