transferring at fantasmic

[KPeveler]

I plan on using my chair at disney, but i will transfer to a regular seat, as i do not want to take up the wheelchair seats, nor do I want to sit in the back row (vision gets blurry toward the end of the day). so my question is, what do I do with my wheelchair during the show? I have a quickie 2, so it folds, but I do not want it just sitting in a corner during the show... it would be impossible to find it afterwards... can I leave it at the stroller rental place, which is just outside the exit? we are using the dinner package, so i will not be waiting in line, and i can walk as far as the exit with everyone else... what do they do with the chairs of people who transfer?

 

[Mickiethepooh]

The way TO Fantasmic and back is a LONG way up a hill I mean the way you go WITH the dinner package. I strongly suggest you ride in your chair and just fold it and leave it at the back where you have to go to leave anyway.

 

[SueM in MN]

The way TO Fantasmic and back is a LONG way up a hill I mean the way you go WITH the dinner package. I strongly suggest you ride in your chair and just fold it and leave it at the back where you have to go to leave anyway.

I agree.
Even if you leave your wheelchair at the stroller parking area (which is about 1/2 way in from the entrance in the regular line), that is a long way.

I don't have any pictures that show it, but the side where you come in and exit for the Fantasmic dinner package is a long ramp from the top to the bottom.
We have never used the dinner package because if you don't get into line until the line starts moving, you don't usually actually end up waiting in line anyway.
I know that there is wheelchair seating along the back row of the theater all the way across (including the dinner package area). I assume that dinner package guests are shown to a seat the same way as guests are in the non-dinner package area. So, you should have a CM that you can explain your 'blurry vision' problem to. Ask to sit toward the front and have the CM take your wheelchair somewhere for storage. (You could request a member of your party to go with so you can see where it is stored).
Also, I know there are a few wheelchair seats in the very first row of the amphitheater. I don't know if there are any in the dinner package area, but you should be able to find out. Maybe someone knows?
I do have to warn though about something that we found when we sat in the front row. During the show, there are some movies shown on 'screens' made of water mist. If the wind is not blowing (or is blowing away from you), sitting in the front row is kind of like sitting outside a shower where stray splashes of water mist might hit you. If the wind is blowing toward you, it is more like sitting in the shower. We saw them selling beach towels before the show and wondered why. After the show started, we knew exactly why.

 

[KPeveler]

The blurry vision is a new thing, so i am hoping that it goes away by then, or new glasses help...

my biggest concern is having to fight my way through the crowd at the end of fantasmic... i just dont want to lose the chair is all i know it is a long way, and I can walk about 20 minutes, depending on how i am doing, so i want to be able to leave the wheelchair spots, and make things easier on my family...

 

[SueM in MN]

The blurry vision is a new thing, so i am hoping that it goes away by then, or new glasses help...

my biggest concern is having to fight my way through the crowd at the end of fantasmic... i just dont want to lose the chair is all i know it is a long way, and I can walk about 20 minutes, depending on how i am doing, so i want to be able to leave the wheelchair spots, and make things easier on my family...

We don't like to fight our way thru the crowds with a wheelchair, so we just sit in our spot until the crowd starts to thin out. That works the best because the crowd gets ahead of you and you can walk out at your leisure at whatever speed works best for you.
It also works well for the buses or driving because the first people who rushed will have left and you will have a much easier (and more sane) time getting out.

 

[KPeveler]

after fantasmic we are going over to the osbourne lights, so i know i will need my chair after sitting on those benches for a half hour! is there a set place the CMs take the wheelchairs of people who transfer, or do they just float around?

 

[SueM in MN]

We've not hadd one taken, since DD sits in hers the whole time, but I have seen them park the wheelchairs in the back along the side. the best might be just to specifically ask the CM to let you know just where it is parked and/or go along when it is taken so you know where it is.
have fun

 

[hematite153]

We don't like to fight our way thru the crowds with a wheelchair, so we just sit in our spot until the crowd starts to thin out. That works the best because the crowd gets ahead of you and you can walk out at your leisure at whatever speed works best for you.

after fantasmic we are going over to the osbourne lights, so i know i will need my chair after sitting on those benches for a half hour!

DW and I have frequently left the wc among the stroller parking. If there's a long walk, such as at Fantasmic, we go in, my DW transfers and then I take the chair and come back.

However, after our experiences last month I am more wary of transfers at the end of the day. As Sue suggests, we were waiting for the crowds to thin and planning to leave slowly following wishes. But, when we turned to head for the exit we discovered that our wc had been taken.

I'd never really worried about security around the wc before. I mean, we'd never left a wallet or digital camera (which I've seen sticking out of people's strollers) but I did have a bright orange bandanna on it for easy identification purposes and my ball cap was hanging off the handle. Really, who would steal someone's wheelchair? (I must say, I've been a lot grumpier about the state of our world since this last trip.)

The CMs were great. Several of them helped us check all of the backstage areas anywhere nearby just in case it had been moved accidentally. They arranged for us not to be charged for its loss and got us another chair from the resort for the next day. Of course, my DW did a LOT of walking before everything was resolved, but, the CMs were so good that I was convinced they'd have found a way around that if she hadn't been having a good trip (physically-wise).

But, I think right now I'd be too leery of theft to leave a chair anywhere out of sight during the large evening shows.

 

[SueM in MN]

They arranged for us not to be charged for its loss and got us another chair from the resort for the next day.

Just curious - was it your own chair, a rented chair or one from the resort or park?

Not that it makes a difference - whoever took it was nasty, but I just wondered. I think people feel less 'guilty' taking either a park or resort one because they can rationalize to themselves that you can get another.

 

[hematite153]

Just curious - was it your own chair, a rented chair or one from the resort or park?

Not that it makes a difference - whoever took it was nasty, but I just wondered. I think people feel less 'guilty' taking either a park or resort one because they can rationalize to themselves that you can get another.

It was a resort chair--hence why we'd made a point of tying a noticeable bandanna to the arm.

On our last several trips we had rented from home (and discussed purchasing one since we would overall spend less money that way) but I was really glad that we hadn't done so this time. I don't think I could have gotten over the experience if it had been a personal chair or one that we'd rented from home.