Star Wars Spectacular....WOW!!! What a Show!!

[Blue32]

So they extended hours ;

Now :
July 31st
1st showing Fantasmic at 9 pm ( we got a dining package)
fireworks at 9:30 pm
2nf showing Fantasmic 10:30 pm

this sounds impossible...
how would anyone go about this?

We really want good seats for Fantasmic...
should we drop the dining package and first see fireworks and then second Fantasmic showing?
or return another night for the fireworks...

If you really want to see both on the same night, your only shot is the 2nd F!
Should be doable if you do the 2nd show.

 

[jkramer]

Do they no longer close Pixar Place for the fireworks?

 

[yulilin3]

Do they no longer close Pixar Place for the fireworks?

they dont close Pixar Place or GMR, the fireworks are now launched from outside the park so no need to close anything

 

[joelkfla]

I just watched the video of the new Star Wars fireworks, even though I will see it in person next week. Seems to be a very good show. I'm sure Star Wars fans will be very pleased. However, I'm more a fireworks fan than a Star Wars fan. The show relies heavily on projections and I think there were fewer aerial fireworks compared to the previous SW fireworks show. I suspect the show well not be as impressive from Pop Century as what what I saw in April. I'll find out in a few days.

You can't see the whole show in a video. Some of the fireworks are to the side, and even behind you if you're up front. There are also lasers and lighting effects in all directions. The emperor shooting lightning was the effect that impressed me the most, and got a good cheer from the crowd.

As for camping out, last night (Tuesday) I got there 1 hour before the show and there were plenty of good spaces available 3 or 4 people back from the virtual rope. No problem seeing most of the projections and the main fireworks with a little ducking and weaving. Also had the storm-troopers come out periodically to interact and entertain.

 

[Diz_Khalifa]

Am I so wrong for wanting the Frozen fireworks back? Star Wars is great and I am a big fireworks fan, but from the sounds of this it seems very difficult to be able to find a spot to get the full effect of this show or even see the low fireworks at all. And leaving the park sounds difficult as well since everyone is concentrated in one tiny area on top of each other... Plus there was nothing like all of the snow falling during Frozen and watching all of the families/sisters hug each other. But maybe that's just me

 

[joelkfla]

I was very underwhelmed! They had no dedicated spot for handicap viewing, as I had asked about that at GR when we got there, so I can't imagine I'd ever get a very good spot to view.

Of course, Friday being the 1st night, you can't really draw conclusions from it.

Based on my experience Tuesday night, I think if you arrived about 90 minutes before the show you could grab a spot right behind the taped-off walkway across the plaza, so no one directly in front of you. It also looked like they had low tables reserved for wheelchairs at the front of the dessert party area (I was right next to it), so that's another option if you're willing to pay.

 

[yulilin3]

Am I so wrong for wanting the Frozen fireworks back? Star Wars is great and I am a big fireworks fan, but from the sounds of this it seems very difficult to be able to find a spot to get the full effect of this show or even see the low fireworks at all. And leaving the park sounds difficult as well since everyone is concentrated in one tiny area on top of each other... Plus there was nothing like all of the snow falling during Frozen and watching all of the families/sisters hug each other. But maybe that's just me

they can't bring any of the old fireworks shows back because the launch pad is outside the park now, it wouldn't be the same even with the same fireworks.

 

[Accident]

Am I so wrong for wanting the Frozen fireworks back?

If you loved those then sure why not want them to come back. Personally, they can't keep closing half the park just to do fireworks so the new setup I think is great. You have more hours to fit in TSMM, when the new lands open you'll be able to be in them and see the show from a different angle. I would be very shocked if projections in those lands are not planned making much more area to watch this and future night shows... Based on where the high altitude fireworks are firing from, I think they are positions for a different park entrance in the future or to have a great view from both front of park and inside star wars land.

 

[bryanb]

In Aug the park closes at 8pm. Does that mean there won't be fireworks? I'm sad because that is when we are going.

I would keep checking the schedule. So far this summer, I understand that Disney World hasn't been as crowded as usual. But as the attendance estimates are getting finalized, they have been lengthening the park hours.

 

[Accident]

So far this summer, I understand that Disney World hasn't been as crowded as usual.

they have also been experimenting a lot with what I think is crowd spread out techniques. They had to learn what happens with AK opened later than most parks most nights. New rides needed to opened pulling frozen fanatics to epcot and having room for star wars fans in HS. They didn't tweak MK except for a daytime show. They've been playing with 2 parks having EMH the same night one friday and/or saturday (and AK still opened the same time of EMH).

Also the horrible things going on around orlando and the gator I'm sure has shifted the expectations.

Now that everything new is opened for the summer and the last states still in school are finishing up, I think we'll see a huge influx of crowds for july 4th weekend that will not slow down until end of august (if that early)

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

Do they have these special fireworks shows in late January when visitation is low?

 

[bryanb]

they have also been experimenting a lot with what I think is crowd spread out techniques. They had to learn what happens with AK opened later than most parks most nights. New rides needed to opened pulling frozen fanatics to epcot and having room for star wars fans in HS. They didn't tweak MK except for a daytime show. They've been playing with 2 parks having EMH the same night one friday and/or saturday (and AK still opened the same time of EMH).

Also the horrible things going on around orlando and the gator I'm sure has shifted the expectations.

Now that everything new is opened for the summer and the last states still in school are finishing up, I think we'll see a huge influx of crowds for july 4th weekend that will not slow down until end of august (if that early)

Very good points. Obviously, if I'm there, I'm a big fan of lower crowds from a purely selfish perspective. But I'm not wishing for a downturn in the number of tourists visiting Orlando and Disney.

If the current goal is to cut budgets, do you think that spreading out crowds might be doing the opposite? It seems like long hours at AK and pulling crowds to DHS would cost a lot of money for now. But hopefully with increased attendance after July 4th it will be a win-win for everyone.

 

[Accident]

If the current goal is to cut budgets, do you think that spreading out crowds might be doing the opposite? It seems like long hours at AK and pulling crowds to DHS would cost a lot of money for now. But hopefully with increased attendance after July 4th it will be a win-win for everyone.

If you look back pre-frozen and the golden years pre-fastpass, waits for everything being 20-30 minutes was the normal and everyone didn't mind that. I think getting the new record crowds they are seeing spread out more might help get back to lines being like those days. I know I've been happier walking around so far this year with only pile ups for crowds at night shows where you stand in a public space (and those have been insanely crowded at night). I think the delay on posting hours is to try to keep the parks only opened as late as they are needed. there is still a lot of 9 and 10pm closing times (I didnt' look at july schedule yet) with wekeends being the later nights and it's been nice crowd wise...

something I forgot to mention is the changes to fastpass+ with not forcing the 3 fastpasses in my mind has been great. there is somethign not being reported but i'm not sure if it's an AP or locals or everyone thing but they are injecting more fastpasses during the day for rides that have the room for it. i'm getting great hardest to get rides hours before I'm in the park fastpasses for last afternoon until close which has really changed how I do the parks when I have time to visit during the week. it's also getting me into the parks on weekday nights instead of only on the weekends because I don't have to wait for those rides if I wanted to do them..

They are really getting fastpass+ and crowds dialed in right now. I do feel bad for everyone planning months in advance because you can't but as a new local, this is better than ever for the spontaneous visitor.