Show schedules around Easter/Spring Break???

[tig82174]

Hey DIS-peeps....

I have a question that I'm hoping some of you who are actually in the DL area (or are more frequent travelers to DL) can answer....

My partner and I have an amazing DL trip coming up in April. We're arriving early on Friday 4/22 (Good Friday) and staying (DVC Grand California Villas 1 BR) until Wed. 4/27 (when we're boarding the Wonder and doing the LA to Vancouver repo B2B w/ the 1st Alaskan cruise).

Anyhow, this is only our 2nd trip ever to DL (we're avid WDW vacationers)....and even though I know it's going to be a crazy time to be there because it's a holiday (Easter) weekend and it coincides with lots of people's spring breaks....we will have the better part of 4.5 days to enjoy the parks so I'm pretty sure that we'll have more than enough time to enjoy everything. My question is about schedules, though.....

....the Disneyland website doesn't have park hours or show (World of Color & Fantasmic specifically) showtimes listed yet. Does anyone know...that weekend and week can we expect them to do the shows twice nightly like during peak travel times?

The reason I ask is because we are definitely interested in doing both a World of Color Dinner package (probably at Ariel's) and the Fantasmic Dessert package---we LOVE Fantasmic but the one thing I remember from my last DL trip about 4 years ago was how much I HAAAAATED the way they do Fantasmic in DL compared to WDW...so the preferred seating is a must for my poor aching behind!!

We are thinking to do the World of Color on Saturday and then probably on Sunday evening/Easter do the Fantasmic because we have friends from San Fran coming for just the weekend part of our trip...but that same night (Easter) we also have 6:15pm reservations at Club 33 (I know...SCORE!! Some amazing friends we cruised with this past fall got us reservations!). I know it'll be a busy (and expensive!!) night....but can we do both our dinner at Club 33 and the Fantasmic dessert? What time do they do the dessert seatings? Do they do it for both shows?

 

[lozzypop]

Hi tig82174.

My daughter and I will also be in DL 22 Apr - 27 Apr and then departing on the Wonder for the repo cruise (no B2B Alaska cruise for us though). We visit DL annually and I will try and help out with your planning.

DL usually doesn't post show schedules until 6 - 8 weeks prior. Having said that, Easter is traditionally busy the week prior and the week after, and it would be safe to say that Fantasmic and WOC should have at least two shows nightly on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Not sure about the Monday and the Tuesday, although I would expect Fantasmic to run at least once nightly because of the increased spring break crowds.

They do desert seatings for both shows, but the seat assignment for both shows takes place at the same time - 8pm. Sounds like it would work for you - right? Well..... I have heard that people line up as early as 6:45 for the seat assignment. So, as long as you don't mind where you sit in the desert seating, you could do both.

IMHO, you would be better to try desert seating for Saturday rather than rush your Club 33 experience.

For those of us who can't (or won't) shell out for the desert buffet, ask me about the pole trick (and no, it's not a rude dance move)

 

[tig82174]

Hi tig82174.

My daughter and I will also be in DL 22 Apr - 27 Apr and then departing on the Wonder for the repo cruise (no B2B Alaska cruise for us though). We visit DL annually and I will try and help out with your planning.

DL usually doesn't post show schedules until 6 - 8 weeks prior. Having said that, Easter is traditionally busy the week prior and the week after, and it would be safe to say that Fantasmic and WOC should have at least two shows nightly on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Not sure about the Monday and the Tuesday, although I would expect Fantasmic to run at least once nightly because of the increased spring break crowds.

They do desert seatings for both shows, but the seat assignment for both shows takes place at the same time - 8pm. Sounds like it would work for you - right? Well..... I have heard that people line up as early as 6:45 for the seat assignment. So, as long as you don't mind where you sit in the desert seating, you could do both.

IMHO, you would be better to try desert seating for Saturday rather than rush your Club 33 experience.

For those of us who can't (or won't) shell out for the desert buffet, ask me about the pole trick (and no, it's not a rude dance move)

Cool! I'm sure we'll see you around the parks and on the ship!

LOL...pole trick? Dare I ask?

As for doing dessert on Saturday....the problem is that our friends who will be staying with us for the weekend will only be there Saturday and Sunday night....and we want to try to get World of Color (with good seating---so we know the way to do that is with the dinner package), Club 33 AND Fantasmic (with dessert)....so that's why we're probably pushing ourselves.

So....I'm confused about the dessert package. You can be seated for dessert for both shows of Fantasmic? But regardless of what time you want to see the show, you have to be there to get your seat assignment at 8pm? How does that work?

 

[Raindown]

April 16th (Fri) - 22 (Thu) 2010
Disneyland:

Hours
Fri to Sun: 8 -12
Mon to Wed: 9-9
Thu: 9-10

Evening Shows
Remember. . .Dreams Come True:
Fri to Sun, Thu: 9:25
Mon to Wed: 8:45

DCA:

Hours
Fri & Sat: 9-9
Sun: 9-10
Mon to Thu: 10-7

Evening Shows
Disney's Electrical Parade: 9

April 23 (Fri)-29(Thu)

Disneyland:

Hours
Fri to Sun: 8-12
Mon to Thu: 9-9

Evening Shows:
Remember. . . Dreams Come True: 9:25 (Fri-Sun)

DCA:

Hours
Fri & Sat 10-9
Sun: 9-10
Mon-Thu: 9-7

Evening Shows:
N/A

 

[Raindown]

So....I'm confused about the dessert package. You can be seated for dessert for both shows of Fantasmic? But regardless of what time you want to see the show, you have to be there to get your seat assignment at 8pm? How does that work?

Your tickets are for one of the two shows, you pick at the time of purchase/reservation. However, both shows are checked in using the same line and at the same time. For example, you could be 5th in line, but if the 4 people ahead of you are for the first showing, you are still first to select seats for the second show (assuming you have 2nd show tickets).

At 8pm they start seat selection ("check-in"). Everyone in line picks their seats on a first come first serve basis. After you "check-in" your seats are selected and you just show up later. You don't have to check-in at 8pm. However, people get in line early in order to have first crack at the more desirable seats.

 

[lozzypop]

I see how you want to do this now.

OK - I will try and explain. I have never actually done desert seating but I have read threads about it on a DL-centric board many times. There should be at least two showings of Fantasmic on Easter Sunday - 9pm and 10:15pm. You can book desert seating for either show, 30 days from the date you want to go. So sometime on Easter Sunday, you should pick up your Fantasmic desert tickets at Guest Services. After that, you will still have to check in at a podium they set up on the ROA (HM side I believe) for your seat assignment. Seat assignment starts at 8pm for both shows. I am not sure how long they have the podium set up for but my understanding is that the earlier you show up, the better your seat, so the eager people waiting at 6:15 at the podium get the best seats.

Good news is that only one person need line up for the seat assignment and once you have your seat assignment you may go on your merry little way and enjoy yourself until showtime.

As for the pole trick....... one of the best places to watch F! is directly in front of course (IIRC, between Cafe Orleans and the beginning of the downslope to POTC) so a lot of people spend hours waiting in the prime spots on the lower walkway. Well, as they are setting up for the show, there is a big platform full of equipment just in front of the upper walkway where the show technicians run the electronics/sound/pyro. That platform blocks a good portion of the view directly in front. So, why would you see some people hanging around just behind this great big platform blocking their view? Because about 5 minutes before the show starts, the platform rises up about 10 to 12 feet in the air and those waiting behind it have nearly a perfect view, usually without having to wait too long or pay $60 per head.

I have only seen F! twice (we usually go in April/May and F! has been down for refurb twice in the last few years during that time frame) and tried the pole trick both times with success. The last time though was a bonus. I was with friends and we were hanging behind the platform about an hour before the show just chatting away. A CM comes up to us and asks us how many are in our party, we told him and he invited us to sit in the VIP section which is just in front of the platform dead centre. We had a better view than the desert section and a comfy seat to wait in.

 

[skiingfast]

As for doing dessert on Saturday....the problem is that our friends who will be staying with us for the weekend will only be there Saturday and Sunday night....and we want to try to get World of Color (with good seating---so we know the way to do that is with the dinner package), Club 33 AND Fantasmic (with dessert)....so that's why we're probably pushing ourselves.

I'm really glad you are shooting to see F! as it's much grander in DL than DHS.

WoC is nightly so you will have an easier time fitting that in.

Are you aware Club33 is private and you must be a member or guest of one to dine there? Just making sure so you don't get your hopes up.

 

[sonnyjane]

Are you aware Club33 is private and you must be a member or guest of one to dine there? Just making sure so you don't get your hopes up.

The OP said in the first post that they do in fact have reservations (lucky!)

 

[fitnessmouse]

We'll be there the same dates ;-) going on the Wonder. It will be hard fitting the evening shows in, since our kids will have major jetlag. I believe it's a 9 hour time difference.
I guess we're going to try the pole trick.

 

[tig82174]

I'm really glad you are shooting to see F! as it's much grander in DL than DHS.

WoC is nightly so you will have an easier time fitting that in.

Are you aware Club33 is private and you must be a member or guest of one to dine there? Just making sure so you don't get your hopes up.

Yes, we are aware. We made friends on a recent DCL cruise with a lovely couple who are long-time members of Club 33. When they heard we were going to be at DisneyLand for a few days before our April repo cruise on the Wonder, they asked if we had ever been to Club 33......of course we hadn't since we'd only ever been to DL once and it's so exclusive. They offered us, and our friends (who were our dining-mates on that cruise), the chance to have dinner there during our visit. Of course that is an offer you cannot refuse----being Disney vacation fanatics it's probably a once in a lifetime opportunity for us. It's probably one of the most generous and sweetest things anyone's ever done for us....truly a pixie dust moment!! (And proof positive that you don't only get Disney magic from tink, the main mouse and CM's....sometimes your fellow Disney fans and vacationers have some magic to share, too!!)

 

[tig82174]

The pole trick sounds like a very creative and useful back up plan for sure!