D said:
We have been to WDW many times but have never seen FANTASMIC! I really would like to put it into our agenda for this trip. I have a few questions. Is there plenty of Wheelchair seating avaliable?
Quite a bit. The whole back row is wheelchair seating. They have some spaces in a row for several wheelchairs/
ECVs to be parked next to each other. Those spaces are intersperced with seats for someone to sit next to the member of their party using a wheelchair.
How fast the wheelchair seating fills up really depends. We have been there at Easter when there were still wheelchair spots available when the show started and we have been there at slower times (when people with special needs might be more likely to go) when the wheelchair seating was all filled 15 minutes before the show began.
We have never
not gotten in, but we have seen people 10 minutes before the show being asked to get out of their
ECV,park it and sit in a seat because there were no wheelchair/ECV seats left.
Will they allow us to all sit in handicapped seating?
The 2 rows right in front of the back row are for people with disabilities that make it hard for them to go down steps, people with GACs that need to sit somewhere a little less congested and the rest of the parties of the people with wheelchairs/ECVs. So one member of your family will be seated right next to your DS and the rest of you will be right in front of him in the 1 or 2 rows ahead of him. The usual limit for the number of people sitting with one wheelchair/ECV is 5 plus the person with a disability.
Can DH and the other children go in and save seats so DS does not have to wait in line with them?
Because you need wheelchair seating, it is not possible for someone else in your party to go in ahead of time to save seats. Also, see the answer to the next question.
Do we still have to line up 2 hours before?.........Is it worth getting the dinner package?
We have been to Fantasmic many times and have never waited in line for 2 hours and never used the dinner package.
When there are 2 shows, the people for the later show will be lined up outside the amphitheater waiting to get in. When they are waiting, the amphitheater is full of the people watching the first show. So those people will be standing in line for much of their wait.
If there is only one show (or for the early show on nights when there are 2 shows), people start lining up 1.5 to 2 hours before the show begins. People seeing the line assume that means that you have to wait in line for 2 hours for the show, but that is not the case. They start letting people into the amphitheater about 1 to 1.5 hours before the show begins. Once people start going in, your wait in line is only the amount of time it takes to walk in and get directed to a seat. Once they start letting people in, the long line usually is broken up pretty quickly. We usually do not get into the line until it starts moving and we quickly go from the end up of the line to getting directed to seats.
It might be an hour before the show, but you have seats at that point and can wait in comfort. There are snack bars and a restroom (including a Companion Restroom) inside of the amphitheater. We have gone to the show many times with youngest DD who has many special needs and is not good at waiting, my nephew who has ADHD and a 3 yr old who is the DD of my niece. I was really not a problem at all. There is Disney music playing, the crowd is usually doing things like 'the wave' and since you are in your seats waiting, you can get out food, games or whatever else might keep your DS occupied and happy.
If your son doesn't do well with staying in one place, you can get up with him and walk around in the very back of the amphitheater, near the restrooms. Just make sure that you talk to the CM monitoring your area before you leave and that someone stays sitting in the companion seat to save your DS's wheelchair seat.
I will have a GAC for DS does this help us with seating?
If he has a wheelchair, you don't need a GAC and the GAC won't help you. If his wheelchair lookes like a regular stroller, you will need the GAC in order to keep the wheelchair with you.
