Is there entertainment before Fantasmic?

[kpgclark]

Hey everyone! We couldn't book the Fantasmic Dinner Package (sold out) for the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. I figure we'll be spending a lot of time in the theatre. Do they have any entertaimnent before the show? I seem to remember some sort, but I can't say for sure. What's the latest?

 

[crcormier]

I don't recall any pre-show entertainment when we saw the show other than the dueling tour groups from South America and their chants, but they go during July in the middle of their winter, it can be quite entertaining to listen to some of their chants, they get quite enthusiastic!

 

[DisneyDude10171]

usually the CMs in charge of seating play some games, like having the audience do "the wave," etc.

 

[tc]

There used to be an act that did balancing, magic, etc., but I think he is no longer there. Other than people watching and the wave, it's just waiting.

 

[jerseydizdreamer]

Those are the basic three options, at least as far as my last visit went. Unfortunately, the one bad thing about Fantasmic is that it is shown in what has to be the most uncomfortable setting at Disney. Metal benches, no back... and you could be sitting in those blasted things for a long time. The last time I was there, we did the wave, which was fun... about the first 10 times. It's too bad they couldn't have created a more comfortable environ for a show which requires quite a lengthy wait (another game we played was trying to learn the little announcements they make in different languages. Starting at about the 20 minute mark, they start saying something to the effect of, "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, in just 20 minutes..." followed by a spiel about the show and what is and isn't allowed in the amphitheater. Then they do it in a couple languages... spanish, german and french, I believe. They do it about every five minutes from that point on, so we each picked a language and tried to learn as much of the spiel as we could).

Richard

 

[BobF58]

Grab some dinner and bring it in with you. You can bring food, beer, whatever in. We always stop and get Turkey legs. There is also food and beer, soda, etc sold inside, and there are restrooms, so as long as one adult stays to watch the seats, others can get up and move about.

So dinner will take up a lot of time, and then, even if you stay at your seat, make sure you stand for a while before the show begins. Otherwise the benches will become very painful by the end of the show, and the folks behind you won't lie if get up during the show!

We usually strike up a conversation with some other family while waiting.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We were there on Nov. 1st and basically the entertainment was doing the wave.

This was the 3rd time that we've seen the show, the other times we had the dinner package and sat to the right as you face the stage, this time we were centered and we all enjoyed the show much more.

Bobbi

 

[Towncrier]

The very first time the we saw Fantasmic, there was a CM dressed up like a cleaning lady who interacted with some people in the crowd. Funny you should mention this because I hadn't noticed that the preshow entertainment was gone.

When I was there in June, I ended up sitting in the Hades section and I took great joy in two things:

1. A CM told me to "go to Hades".
2. The CM in charge of seating people in Hades was a woman and I remarked to her that "somehow I knew that a woman would be in charge of Hades".

And one more thing. I got really tired of doing the wave after the 20th time.

 

[Harambe]

I make sure I have my park maps with me (Grab a bunch at your resort), and we spend time planning out our next day! And bring some snacks.

We saved this for our last night last time, and it got rained out. So now I'm planning on doing this at the beginning of our trip, just in case.

 

[DemonLlama]

In December 2000 we arrived at 6:00, thinking the show would begin at 7:30, but since we had checked the schedule, it had been moved back to 6:30, with another show added at 9:30. So we had to choose between standing room only (which was the sign at the entrance read) or wait three and a half hours for the next one. We went on in. Standing room only turned out to be seating right behind the dinner party section, and the pre-show (two guys) were just getting the crowd to do a slow motion wave.

In December 2002 we arrived at 4:00 for the 6:30 show. Crazy? yes, but we'd completed all the things we'd wanted to do at the park, and shuffled by the entrance right as they began letting people in. We got the center row, right at the rail and taped most of the show, which we enjoy again and again at home. There were only single benches at the rail, and then the front walkway behind them, before the rows began. This meant we have nothing between us the water on the tape. Will we hold down a spot for two and a half hours again? No. But it was worth it then, since we were tired, wanted to eat and rest, and were able to do that and have the best seats in the house. The center seats are much better, since the timing of the music and the special effects are set for the middle.

(And even the best seats are still really hard, metal benches that were freezing. We had brought sweatshirts and coats, and really felt for the folks who had gotten there almost as early as us and sat in the nearly freezing temps. With the wind coming off the water, I'm pretty sure the chill was below freezing! For only $30 you could buy a blanket! )

Anyway, the year-of-the-long-wait also did not include any pre-show act, unless you count the teeth chattering, blue-skinned people who kept coming up to the vendor and asking how much the blankets cost. Most folks passed, but she did sell a lot of beach towels (a $15 bargain!)