Rivers of Light FP.

[PrincessDana]

Apologizing if this is a frequently asked question (I'm at work). How imperative is a rivers of light fast pass these days? Is the show reasonably easy to see without one?

Thanks!!!

 

[CAS239]

There's no show where you absolutely have to have a FP to see it. Whether your FP, dining package, or standby, I'd recommend showing up 45 or more min in advance

 

[Ouida]

I got a FP of Rivers of light. The thing is we can't make any other fps that day, because of this being at park close. Some of me feels silly for doing this, but as far as I can tell, people are turned away in stand by. Unless you line up early. So with a FP I'm guessing I may get bad seats, but i will get in as long as I show up within that fp window?

 

[jaysmom4285]

There is a section reserved for FP+, but, as with other shows like Fantasmic and the Candlelight Processional, that section will be opened to standby a short time before the show if there are still seats. So you aren't guaranteed a seat in the FP+ section if you show up just a few minutes before the start of the show.

 

[adelaster]

There is a section reserved for FP+, but, as with other shows like Fantasmic and the Candlelight Processional, that section will be opened to standby a short time before the show if there are still seats. So you aren't guaranteed a seat in the FP+ section if you show up just a few minutes before the start of the show.

How far in advance do you recommend showing up?

 

[Ouida]

There is a section reserved for FP+, but, as with other shows like Fantasmic and the Candlelight Processional, that section will be opened to standby a short time before the show if there are still seats. So you aren't guaranteed a seat in the FP+ section if you show up just a few minutes before the start of the show.

Does anyone know when they open the FP section to stand by? I have us showing up at 5:50. Disney shows fp 5:50 - 6:15. So I'm guessing they can't open it before 6:15? Or if people are still standing in fp to get in. They would be seated first?

 

[jaysmom4285]

I have not tested this personally for RoL. Maybe someone who has can shed more light. As I mentioned, for other shows, the FP+ seats are often opened up maybe 15-20 minutes before the show if there are still seats open. There are no hard and fast times to this - could be a little sooner or a little later. If your FP+ shows to arrive between 5:50 and 6:15, I'm assuming it's a 7 PM show? In any case they wouldn't open FP+ up to standby seating before 6:15. For a 7 PM show, maybe quarter of or ten of.

 

[Robo]

Get there early.

Whether your FP, dining package, or standby, I'd recommend showing up 45 or more min in advance

Agreed.
Same with Fantasmic! at DHS.

If it is important to you to see a specific performance, arrive early.
It is better to arrive far too early, than to arrive just one minute too late.

OTOH, If seeing a specific performance is of only passing interest, you can arrive later.
You might get lucky.

 

[jaysmom4285]

Always good advice.

 

[DonaldDuck77]

Our FP is for 7:20-7:45 for the 8:00 show. I am not going to personally test this, but I would be pretty upset if I arrived at 7:44 and the FP seats were full of standby people.

 

[adelaster]

I thought a FP gave us a reserved seat, or at least a reserved area with space. Planned on arriving around 20-30 minutes before the show. This is discouraging news- really want to see the show but really wanted to avoid the stress of noise/crowds/fighting for a seat. My one WDW experience was very negative with sensory/crowd behavior, so now I'm anxious again. Is Fantastic the same way? Illuminations?

 

[Robo]

Our FP is for 7:20-7:45 for the 8:00 show. I am not going to personally test this, but I would be pretty upset if I arrived at 7:44 and the FP seats were full of standby people.

Having spent some years on this board, I can tell you that more than a few guests have been "disappointed."

 

[Robo]

I thought a FP gave us a reserved seat, or at least a reserved area with space. Planned on arriving around 20-30 minutes before the show. This is discouraging news- really want to see the show but really wanted to avoid the stress of noise/crowds/fighting for a seat. My one WDW experience was very negative with sensory/crowd behavior, so now I'm anxious again. Is Fantastic the same way? Illuminations?

Arrive early.
I don't know what else to tell you that can take care of more (potential) problems than that.

 

[adelaster]

Arrive early.

I don't know what else to tell you.

Do they crowd control better at those shows than they do elsewhere on property? As in shoving, kicking, unattended children, screaming, etc.? Are you packed in or is it comfortable? Are there any viewing alternatives or even a place to stand? I just want to see, and have safety/sensory limits to consider. This is our first time, so it's difficult to know what to expect. I just want a safe/non-traumatic place to watch.

 

[Robo]

Do they crowd control better at those shows than they do elsewhere on property? As in shoving, kicking, unattended children, screaming, etc.? Are you packed in or is it comfortable? Are there any viewing alternatives or even a place to stand? I just want to see, and have safety/sensory limits to consider. This is our first time, so it's difficult to know what to expect. I just want a safe/non-traumatic place to watch.

Why do you expect that at the shows or elsewhere on property, guests experience "shoving, kicking, unattended children, screaming, etc.?"

 

[CAS239]

I thought a FP gave us a reserved seat, or at least a reserved area with space. Planned on arriving around 20-30 minutes before the show. This is discouraging news- really want to see the show but really wanted to avoid the stress of noise/crowds/fighting for a seat. My one WDW experience was very negative with sensory/crowd behavior, so now I'm anxious again. Is Fantastic the same way? Illuminations?

FP and dining package do give you a reserved seat, for the window you have. This is why the window isn't up until the start of the show. It's usually up until about 15 min before. So once it's 15 min before the show, they can, and usually do open up all the areas to standby guests to fill in all seats.

This is why I recommend showing up 45 min or more ahead of time to get the best choice in seats in your area you're going. But just because someone is doing a FP for example, doesn't mean they can show up 5 min before the show and have a seat saved

 

[CAS239]

Do they crowd control better at those shows than they do elsewhere on property? As in shoving, kicking, unattended children, screaming, etc.? Are you packed in or is it comfortable? Are there any viewing alternatives or even a place to stand? I just want to see, and have safety/sensory limits to consider. This is our first time, so it's difficult to know what to expect. I just want a safe/non-traumatic place to watch.

Have you felt unsafe at Disney? I've never felt unsafe at any of the parks or Disney springs and have never seen some of the acts you mentioned

 

[Ouida]

Have you felt unsafe at Disney? I've never felt unsafe at any of the parks or Disney springs and have never seen some of the acts you mentioned

One of the things that keeps me coming back to disney, is the safety I feel. Sure things can happen. But it's as good as it gets. Pushing is usually just overly excited people, not really rude or mean. Except FoP RD, but it's just what I hear.

 

[adelaster]

Why do you expect that at the shows or elsewhere on property, guests experience "shoving, kicking, unattended children, screaming, etc.?"

Because I have experienced all of those things in my visit to the Magic Kingdom park and Disneyland park in the last year. Particularly, I saw an unattended toddler running around the train station steps the last time I watched a parade. It made me very nervous until a cast member intervened . From the pictures I've seen, it appears that the rivers of light area is stadium like seating, which might produce a similar scenario.

FP and dining package do give you a reserved seat, for the window you have. This is why the window isn't up until the start of the show. It's usually up until about 15 min before. So once it's 15 min before the show, they can, and usually do open up all the areas to standby guests to fill in all seats.

This is why I recommend showing up 45 min or more ahead of time to get the best choice in seats in your area you're going. But just because someone is doing a FP for example, doesn't mean they can show up 5 min before the show and have a seat saved

So, it is okay to show up before the Fastpass time expires? From what was said on here earlier it seemed like you had to show up 45 minutes in advance or they would give away your seat. As stated above, I had planned to arrive early, just not 45 minutes early. I will not be showing up 5 to 10 minutes before- I will arrive before the Fastpass window closes.

Have you felt unsafe at Disney? I've never felt unsafe at any of the parks or Disney springs and have never seen some of the acts you mentioned

Unfortunately, yes. That said, I am not a very pushy person and am very sensitive to sensory stimulus. I was knocked into a trashcan and almost fell when I visited Disneyland earlier this year, and I had a similar experience with a grown woman pushing me at my visit to the Magic Kingdom last year. Fortunately, I have found that by arriving early to the parks and using fast pass I can avoid the worst of the rude crowds. Behavior was better overall in California, but still not ideal. Like I said, I am aware that I'm a little more sensitive to my surroundings than most people so I am sure that plays a role. I also have the face that no matter what store I walk into people think I am an employee, so perhaps that translates into easy to push around. There's a bit of a frenzy around Disney attractions that I do not understand. It is the same reason I avoid retail on Black Friday. So yeah, I really want to see the night shows but I know that means going into the parks at a time I normally wouldn't, and placing myself in a crowd when normally I would hang around the fringes so that I could get away if I need to. One of the reasons I like Disney is because you generally know what to expect- it is only the crowds that are the wild factor. I really don't understand the people that exhibit those behaviors, or that force a very unhappy overheated child to stay screaming in a line for a very long time. But it happens, so I try to plan around it as much as possible.