MGM Nov 16 time for Osbornes & Fantasmic

[lpandorf]

We are going to Disney in November but will only be there 4 days and at MGM only one day. I see Osbournes lights start the week will be there and have never been to WDW at Holidays and they look great to see. We also love Fantasmic. The lights schedule says 6-7pm and Fantasmic is at 7pm. Is it possible to see the lights and catch Fantasmic? Or do we need the full hour for the lights? Or are the two just too far apart to catch both?

 

[rosiejo]

You can spend as long as you like looking at the lights but you probably want at least 15 minutes.

You really need to be in your seat for Fantasmic at least an hour before the show starts though.

What time does the park close on that day? When we went last year I know we saw Fantasmic and then wondered over to see the lights and then left when the park closed.

It is quite a walk BTW - opposite ends of the park pretty much. Fantsamic is next to Tower of Terror and the lights are near Lights Motors Action.

 

[DisneyWacker]

Best way to go to Fantasmic is to go to a restaurant that will get you preferred Fantasmic seating. That's how we went. Otherwise you definitely will need to get there VERY early to get decent seats. I wouldn't recommend trying to see something else and then get to Fantasmic at the last minute. You'll probably be disappointed.

 

[Robo]

We are going to Disney in November but will only be there 4 days and at MGM only one day. I see Osbournes lights start the week will be there and have never been to WDW at Holidays and they look great to see. We also love Fantasmic. The lights schedule says 6-7pm and Fantasmic is at 7pm. Is it possible to see the lights and catch Fantasmic? Or do we need the full hour for the lights? Or are the two just too far apart to catch both?

They are about as far apart as they can be in MGM. At a "normal" pace, I'd say it would take about 12-15 minutes to walk from the OLights all the way into the Fantasmic! theater.

Since, at sunset, MOST (up to 10,000) guests in MGM are SITTING IN THE FANTASMIC! THEATER and can't SEE the lights as it gets dark... AFTER the show, the CM's actually ENCOURAGE the exiting crowds from Fantasmic! to go over and see the Osborne Lights.
Even though the rest of the park is closed, the lights are in full glory, and there are even some concessions open for refreshments.
If Fantasmic! is at 7pm, then its over at 7:25pm, most guests are out of the theater by 7:50pm and headed to the Osborne Lights.

I'd estimate that they would keep them open for a hour-plus, so, say 9:15pm-9:30pm would be the approx. wrap-up.
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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 MGM on that day, and the general crowd LEVELS.
How much time you wish to "invest" in waiting is a personal decision. We never do 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: Good seats
20-40 Minutes: will vary between seats at edges and rear of theater to SRO or even "closed" to further guests.

Busy days:
If you go to the first show of the evening (or "only" show that evening), if you arrive about 50-60 minutes before show-time, you can sit just about anywhere.
40 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 10-20 minutes before, but you'll likely be seated to the outer edges, and/or way at the back.

If you do the Fantasmic! Dinner Pkg. you still must enter by AT LEAST 35 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.

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 and still find a seat.

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.

We like to eat our evening "meal" while waiting for Fantasmic! to start.
You can bring in items from the counter-service places in MGM, 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).

 

[lpandorf]

Thank you so much!!! This is very helpful!
Lisa