Preferred seating for Aladdin

[mrswh]

How far in advance do I need to arrive to use my preferred seating passes for Aladdin? I assume they limit the number of passes used for any given show? Or can I show up 10 minutes beforehand and still get in the VIP line?

 

[Jenasweetemotion]

I was always told to arrive 20-30 min before the show. I have seen them not accept anymore preferred seating passes 15 min before a show was starting (and this was during a slower time of year). Also note that if you don't have everyone in your party there they may not be allowed in if they stop accepting vouchers.

 

[ttfn2u2pooh]

Okay, here's a stupid question... how do you get a preferred seating ticket for the Aladdin shows??

 

[FlameGirl]

By booking a package through Costco or (I believe) AAA.

 

[mrswh]

We booked a hotel only reservation for the GCH. Later I added on park hopper passes so I could get the cheaper rates (Disney Travel Company offers the same rates all year, and the rates had recently gone up for passes online). We opened up our package from them when we arrived and the preferred seating passes were in there! Surprise!

 

[disneymom0104]

We are getting them for booking a package through Disney travel.

 

[ttfn2u2pooh]

Well we had booked everything directly through calling Disney. I guess I can hope we'll receive it when everything else arrives. But if not, oh well. Seems sad not to receive something like that when reserving directly through them, but it is Disney after all.

If we don't get the preferred seating, are you allowed to enter the theater yourself and decide where to sit? If that is the case, is there one section of seating that could be better with overall better views?

Thanks

 

[cyclenut]

I was wondering about this preferred seating deal and I'm not really sure it is worth all the hype. Some of the best seats in the theater are the first couple rows, center, of the Mezzanine. I posted a few pictures in another thread here from that vantage point.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2770999&highlight=aladdin

What makes those seats work well is that you can see the entire stage, the carpet rides and the stuff that goes on high up in the towers to the left and right of the stage. Our last trip there we actually had to step aside and wait for the lower seating area to fill up before they allowed us to get in line for the Mezzanine level. We watched perferred seating guests be let in first and then the regular guests, and we were let up after and got seats in the second row (first row is roped off).

 

[mrswh]

Update: we arrived at 6:00ish for a 6:20 show. We were among the first in the VIP line and actually could have gotten in the Orchestra line without the VIP passes.

re: where to sit. Everyone has their preference! I prefer to sit in the orchestra - you can't see the magic carpet ride as well (since it is mostly directly overhead) and the procession goes behind you at times, but I still like to be closer up to see the actor's facial expressions. I have sat on every level in that theater and I don't think there is a bad seat in the house. However, if you don't like climbing stairs, you might want to arrive early as the balcony seating is up several flights.

When you arrive, you can select which line to get in, though the orchestra line usually fills up first. If you have preferred seating, you go in before any of the regular lines and can sit wherever you like.

 

[Jenasweetemotion]

Just wanted to include a discussion reply I did a little while ago. Preferred seating is not the only perk in the booklet. You also don't have to just book a package in order to get the booklet. Hope this helps: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=41732570#post41732570