Is it worth using a fast pass for Fantasmic?

[leroy26]

I'm debating is it worth using our fast pass for Fantasmic at HS. How does that work, do you get good/better seats? Or just guaranteed to get in?

 

[cakebaker]

You do with the second showing- We were in the Mickey section. We liked getting it as a sdfp. It shortened the amount of time we had to stand in line and the seats were center. I believe for the first showing they are off to the side somewhat, but someone who has done that can confirm.

Personally, I wouldn't tie up my fp+'s for a Fantasmic FP+ if I were at HS all day. If we just went for the evening, no problem.

Some people will tell you it's not worth it, others like us, much prefer to use FP+ if we can. We do not have a fp+ this next trip, but we'll do it same day if it's available- so far we've been able to do that but it's been several months so things may have changed.

 

[verleniahall]

what about doing a fantasmic dining package?

 

[leroy26]

Verleniahall -

Looks like Mamma Melrose is booked for dinner, only open for lunch. Don't care for the other two restaurants. We thought about doing two CS meals this day and pay for one out of pocket. That way we will have extra TS credit so we can do signature dinning another day.

 

[leroy26]

You do with the second showing- We were in the Mickey section. We liked getting it as a sdfp. It shortened the amount of time we had to stand in line and the seats were center. I believe for the first showing they are off to the side somewhat, but someone who has done that can confirm.

Personally, I wouldn't tie up my fp+'s for a Fantasmic FP+ if I were at HS all day. If we just went for the evening, no problem.

Some people will tell you it's not worth it, others like us, much prefer to use FP+ if we can. We do not have a fp+ this next trip, but we'll do it same day if it's available- so far we've been able to do that but it's been several months so things may have changed.

Thanks! Good advice!

 

[ErinsMommy]

Looks like Mamma Melrose is booked for dinner, only open for lunch. Don't care for the other two restaurants. We thought about doing two CS meals this day and pay for one out of pocket. That way we will have extra TS credit so we can do signature dinning another day.

Generally you dont find a dinner time reservation with Mama Melrose and the Fantasmic package. We personally took a 1:30 lunch reservation and you can either go to a resort, theme park or even DTD for dinner.

 

[verleniahall]

Verleniahall -

Looks like Mamma Melrose is booked for dinner, only open for lunch. Don't care for the other two restaurants. We thought about doing two CS meals this day and pay for one out of pocket. That way we will have extra TS credit so we can do signature dinning another day.

Understandf!! Just though I would throw the option out there

 

[mesaboy2]

Answers to FP FAQs like yours can be found in the green link in my signature.

 

[leroy26]

Answers to FP FAQs like yours can be found in the green link in my signature.

Thanks!

 

[dkrauss]

In Sept 2014 we did the Fatasmic Dining Package with Hollywood & Vine and had great seats in the center. While there is the cost of the dinner..........your not using a FP for it.

Doug

 

[magicaldisney]

Waste of a FP in our opinion. The seats on the side of the theater are good seats, so you don't need to be in the center seats, even if you've never seen the show before. We did a FP for the show once to see what the difference would be and we were so disappointed we wasted a FP on it. We didn't get in any sooner than stand by and we don't feel the need to sit in the middle.

 

[ExBellhop]

We had an interesting experience with FastPass+ for Fantasmic last July. We had just finished Muppets about 7pm and had planned to do the 2nd F! showing that night. I wandered over to the FP+ kiosk just to see what might be available. FP+'s still remained for the 8pm showing of F!. So I grabbed those and we made our way over to the theater. We got there about 730 (I think the windows was 715-745? cant remember) and the show had already been declared "full"... except for those with FP+. So we walked in and were seated in the "Hades" section - not ideal, but certainly better than standing room only, or being shut out of the show completely. Already planning a similar approach for this summer - though I do like hearing that the standard FP+ viewing area is one of those center sections. Lots of possibilities...

 

[cakebaker]

Already planning a similar approach for this summer - though I do like hearing that the standard FP+ viewing area is one of those center sections. Lots of possibilities...

As I understand it though, only the 2nd showing has center seating. We don't like the side views, many people say they're fine. We're picky about seating so it may not bother you at all.

 

[Wood Nymph]

We get a 4th fast pass for Fantasmic. It is easy and there seems to be lots of availability for it.

 

[Robo]

I suggest a FP+ for F!
What a FP+ for F! offers is more CHOICE in seating.

If you DO get a F! FP+, you can choose to sit in either the FP section (virtually the entire left half of the theater) or the Standby section (virtually the entire right half of the theater.)
So, whatever section has the better seating at the time you arrive, you can go there.
Without a FP, you can only choose a seat in the Standby section.
There is a very good chance that you can get a FP+ for F! as a 4th or 5th FP of the day because they issue SO MANY of them (enough to cover nearly the entire left half of the seating.)
On many nights, it is possible that you can gat a FP+ for F! as you are walking to the theater.

As to when to arrive at the theater, I'd get to there 45-60 minutes before the show-time.
Even with a FP or Dining Pkg. reservation, don't wait too late.
On busy nights, the CMs will stop holding the reserved sections within 20-30 minutes before show-time, and turn over any available seats to waiting walk-in guests.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Map Below-
Arrows indicate the center of the seating.
Shaded areas:
(First or Only F! performance of the evening)
Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating
Red= Dining Plan Reserved
Blue= FP+ Reserved
Purple= Can be either FP+ or Dining Plan Reserved, depending on needs.

(Second or Third F! performance of the evening)
Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating
Red, Purple, Blue= FP+ Reserved
(Although much of the outer Blue will likely be used for Standby.)