Nighttime Shows & Fast Passes

[CodeGoddess]

How quickly to the fast passes for the evening shows get taken? We are thinking about them for our 4th FP at the kiosk but worry that they will be already gone before the park even opens. We are headed there the last full week of Feb (20-27).

 

[nilla]

I think it depends on the park and the day. We were able to get Illuminations FPs as our 4th back in June, but at DHS, Fantasmic! FPs were all gone.

 

[mom2rtk]

Don't count on getting Wishes or MSEP.

 

[Robo]

I think it depends on the park and the day. We were able to get Illuminations FPs as our 4th back in June, but at DHS, Fantasmic! FPs were all gone.

Your experience is the exact opposite (in both parks) than is "normally" the case.
Are you sure that you don't have things reversed?

 

[nilla]

Your experience is the exact opposite (in both parks) than is "normally" the case.
Are you sure that you don't have things reversed?

Not at all! However, upon further review, it does appear that Illuminations was not a "4th FP" for us, but rather a mid-day switch from one of our other FPs.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

the Dibb site shows Illuminations available tonight and tomorrow (the only night anytime soon they show no availability is the 29th). MSEP has availability Thursday and Wishes not for another week. Apparently they don't monitor Fantasmic.

No idea what that means as far as getting them for a 4th but if you had early ones at Epcot you probably could have gotten Illuminations for a 4th today.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

Checking for today, July 20, at 3:35 on a crowd level of 7 according to easywdw, I can get FP+s for MSEP in MK, Illuminations, and Fantasmic. This is for a party of 3.

 

[CodeGoddess]

Checking for today, July 20, at 3:35 on a crowd level of 7 according to easywdw, I can get FP+s for MSEP in MK, Illuminations, and Fantasmic. This is for a party of 3.

Interesting. We are doing Epcot and MK on crowd level 2 days. Will that make a difference?

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

But now, less than 10 minutes later, MSEP is gone. So it could have been someone cancelled and I just hit it at the right time.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

Wishes was gone both times I checked. My experience is it is rare to see Wishes FP+ day of.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

Between 3:50 and 3:55, reloading the Epcot FP+ page showed Illuminations was open, then all gone and back to open. So just because something doesn't show the first time you check, check again. With the reloading, even a TT popped up once or twice.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

Ok, around 4:00 it seemed those Illuminations FP+s are all gone even with many reloads of the page. Fantasmic is still open. Remember, I am checking for a small party of 3. The larger your party is, the harder it is going to be to get these afternoon nighttime show FP+s.

 

[Robo]

Ok, around 4:00 it seemed those Illuminations FP+s are all gone even with many reloads of the page. Fantasmic is still open. Remember, I am checking for a small party of 3. The larger your party is, the harder it is going to be to get these afternoon nighttime show FP+s.

As an estimate:
At DHS, they issue up to about 2,500+ FP+ for Fantasmic!
At Epcot, they issue up to about 300+ FP+ for IllumiNations.

It would seem by just looking at the numbers that it would be 9-10 times more likely to be able to get a "4th" FP+ for Fantasmic!

I've yet to encounter a "sell-out" for Fantasmic! FP+ as a 4th (or 5th) FP+.

 

[IndyRnRfan]

You won't need a fp for illuminations, there are plenty of great spots for viewing. Use a fp on something else IMO.

 

[Robo]

You won't need a fp for illuminations, there are plenty of great spots for viewing. Use a fp on something else IMO.

Yes.
That's an entirely new discussion.

Heading to the FP+ area to see IllumiNations can be a worse experience than just finding your own spot around the lagoon.

I'd venture that if you were to stand 4-5 guests deep on the UK-France bridge, it would be a better spot than the FP+ area.

 

[supersnoop]

We picked up Illuminations fastpasses at about 6pm on a crowd level 8 day last week.

 

[CodeGoddess]

Heading to the FP+ area to see IllumiNations can be a worse experience than just finding your own spot around the lagoon.

Yep totally agree. We were looking more at F! and at MK for the electric light parade and fireworks.

 

[Robo]

Yep totally agree. We were looking more at F! and at MK for the electric light parade and fireworks.

F! FP+ should not be a problem at all. (Unless they happen to be doing some bizarre "seating test" on your night(s) there.

MSEP and/or Wishes as a 4th, day-of FP+ is very unlikely.

 

[challada]

How crowded is Electric Light Parade? I'm holding a FP+ for it since we don't want to waste time sitting on a curb for hours for a viewing spot, but now that limits my FPs for the whole day. (note, I'm a west coast girl so I'm used to FP machines and not this online reservation system....so I've probably already screwed this up)

 

[margot31]

not to highjack the thread but where is the seating for those who get fastpass for illuminations?