1. I've heard that people are queueing for 2 hours to get into ROL-is this true?
2. Does it participate in FP+ and if so is the seating worth the waste of a FP?
3. (I wouldn't dream of wasting one for Fantasmic!)
4. Is it really that good a show? We have purposely avoided watching on Youtube so its a surprise...
1. That's not the norm, now. Figure 45-75 min. early to be closer to "normal" for standby.
2. Yes. Even with a FP, I'd still arrive 35-45 min. before start-time.
4. Opinions vary. It's not an "exciting adventure" like Fantasmic!
More of a "ballet of water barges, colored lights and misty images" with music more sedate than energetic.
---The following info applies specifically for
Fantasmic! at DHS (since you mentioned it.)---
3. There is no need to "waste" an advance-booked FP for Fantasmic!
But we DO always USE a FP for Fantasmic!
The unique situation is that there are actually so MANY FP's issued for F! that it is nearly always possible to get a same-day F! FP very late in the day.
What a FP+ for F! offers is more CHOICE in seating.
If you DO get a F! FP+, you can choose to sit in either the FP section (virtually the entire left half of the theater) or the Standby section (virtually the entire right half of the theater.)
So, whatever section has the better seating at the time you arrive, you can go there.
Without a FP, you can only choose a seat in the Standby section.
There is a very good chance that you can get a FP+ for F! as a 4th or 5th FP of the day because they issue SO MANY of them (enough to cover nearly the entire left half of the seating.) On many nights, it is possible that you can gat a FP+ for F! as you are walking to the theater.
As to when to arrive at the theater, I'd get to there 45-60 minutes before the show-time.
Even with a FP or Dining Pkg. reservation, don't wait too late.
On
busy nights, the CMs can stop holding the reserved sections within 20-30 minutes before show-time, and turn over any available seats to waiting walk-in guests.
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Map Below-
Arrows indicate the center of the seating.
Shaded areas:
(First or Only F! performance of the evening)
Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating
Red= Dining Package Reserved
Blue= FP+ Reserve
Purple= Can be either FP+ or Dining Plan Reserved, depending on needs.
(Second or Third F! performance of the evening)
Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating
Red, Purple, Blue= FP+ Reserved
(Although much of the outer Blue will likely be used for Standby.)
