WoC - How early to start waiting for best spot? (Preferred Dining vs. Fastpass)

[Lights_Out]

So I've read through most of the WoC threads and I just have one question.

It seems to me that if you want the best spot with a fastpass (blue or yellow section) you should start lining up at least 30 minutes to an hour before the time listed on the fastpass

But does the same rule apply for the preferred dining section as well (especially if we want to stand in the front of that rail?)

Because if that is the case... I'm not too sure if it would be worth the money to wait for the best spot for the preferred dining section if it's gonna be the same amount of wait for the best spot in the fastpass section... I don't really care about getting wet

Thank you!

 

[HydroGuy]

So I've read through most of the WoC threads and I just have one question.

It seems to me that if you want the best spot with a fastpass (blue or yellow section) you should start lining up at least 30 minutes to an hour before the time listed on the fastpass

But does the same rule apply for the preferred dining section as well (especially if we want to stand in the front of that rail?)

Because if that is the case... I'm not too sure if it would be worth the money to wait for the best spot for the preferred dining section if it's gonna be the same amount of wait for the best spot in the fastpass section... I don't really care about getting wet

Thank you!

Yes, the same rule applies. If you are looking at the PD option as a time saver in the evening it is not. Here are the PD benefits:

1. A nice dinner
2. A spot in a relatively uncrowded part of the viewing area
3. A spot in the center. You know where you will be unlike other FP options where the color you get depends on when you get in line.
4. A guaranteed spot to see the show at a guaranteed time
5. No need to wait in the morning for FP tickets

I am not saying the above makes it worth it for everyone. But there are benefits to PD and the above lists them.

 

[daannzzz]

We did the WOC dining at Ariel's a couple weeks ago for the 9:00 show. We were told to go to a certain location between 8:00 - 8:300. A HUGE crowd gathered in that location and we asked numerous cast members where we should go. We got numerous answer but mostly come back here by 8:30. We opted to hand out and wait and it turned out that the HUGE crowd was let in all at the same time as the dining Package people. While we did have a central location, if we had not waited and entered with crowd we would have been behind the groups at the front railing. Essentially they let everyone with a pass through the squeeze point and then check you pass when you get to you're preassigned colored section. It was pretty much a free for all for bit.

 

[daniele_ut]

Essentially they let everyone with a pass through the squeeze point and then check you pass when you get to you're preassigned colored section. It was pretty much a free for all for bit.

This was pretty much the same experience we had Monday night. We did the picnics and had blue fast passes. Since it was the only show of the night, it seemed like the crowd was just enormous waiting for them to open the viewing area. I felt like we were really lucky to get the spot we did. We were at the first railing after the wet zone just to the left (House left) of the preferred dining area. It seemed massively disorganized to me with a huge crush of people all at once when they opened the viewing areas.

The CM at the preferred dining area actually let dh in to that section so he could try to find me, but he found me quickly and we were only about 20' to the left of PD anyway. The only issue was a few things house right were blocked by the lamp on the railing.

 

[jaydoe]

Well, our FP said to be there between 7:45 and 8:30 for the 9pm show. We got there at about 7:15 and a crowd was already forming. THEN....the cm's said it was way too early to be lining up and wanted everyone to leave???? Really buddy??? Really???? How in the world do they expect that huge crown to leave????? My DD and I went to ride and then got a text from my friend saying come back cause the crowd was getting bigger.

The whole thing seems very confusing to me. I don't really understand why they do it the way they do. It makes NO sense to me at all. You have to wait for an hour in the am to get a FP and then STILL have to wait to get a spot. And then STILL wait for the show.

But the show is pretty awesome..........I have to say!!

 

[Lights_Out]

The whole system seems to be a bit weird indeed. Seems like they're rewarding the most aggressive people with the best spots versus rewarding the patient and willing-to-wait people.

Very weird.

 

[skiingfast]

The whole system seems to be a bit weird indeed. Seems like they're rewarding the most aggressive people with the best spots versus rewarding the patient and willing-to-wait people.

Very weird.

The idea is that this system doesn't make people camp out for 3 hours like for F! or the fireworks.

 

[ifoceanscollide]

in all honesty, DLR made a mistake calling it a "fastpass" because it isn't. It is a show pass. Calling it a fastpass just confuses people because it's nothing like an attraction fastpass.

 

[jaydoe]

The idea is that this system doesn't make people camp out for 3 hours like for F! or the fireworks.

Maybe.....BUT you still have to "camp" out for a FP tic and then "camp" out in a huge crowd before they let you find your spot. Then....you "camp" out waiting for the show. I do think they did it this way to alleviate the camping out issue, but it doesn't.

I just think if someone is willing to wait it out 3 hours for a good spot.....they should be able to. You have to do all this waiting anyway. Why not just be able to wait it out in the spot of your choice????

But darn.....that show is sooo worth it! I was kinda wishing it wouldn't be all that great so I could tell my friend it wasn't worth all the hassle. But I couldn't! I had to admit to her it was WELL worth the wait.

 

[krash2501]

I posted about WoC in my TR and it kinda falls into this question so ill repost that part of the TR:

At 7:15 We decided to stand with the mob for the 8:15 show last monday. We had PD and I was trying to remember which of the top sections the best spot to be in was. We looked at both and after asking a CM if people were allowed to sit or stand on the wall, she said no, decided the bottom section would be fine. Now that im back and looking at the WoC section map I found here on the dis, the “B” was for BAD SPOT, not Best Spot. %^&* me…. Well we had a great view… before the show started …. Then SURE ENOUGH the people in front of us decided to stand, not sit, but STAND on the wall completely blocking our view of everything from left center to the far right. We couldn’t even see the top of the MFW. I was pissed and went searching for a CM. The CM came over and told them they needed to move and they started yelling at the CM that they paid $200 to see this show and they will stand where ever they want. 15 F***ing min later they got down after 3 cast members came over. Now the show was almost over so instead of standing on the wall they had there kids stand on there shoulders, not sit, STAND. GREAT now we have 9ft tall people standing in front of us. SO GLAD I spent $200 for this show. I’m sure it was a good show but I couldn’t see it. My view was only ¼ of the whole WoC stage, the far left corner. So after the show I wanted to complain but my wife said, “Really what are they going to do?”

So we left and meet up with the other group of people we were with earlier on our way back to the hotel and they said they were not going to see WoC because they didn’t want to wait for Fast Passes or buy a dinner. BUT I guess they found a spot on the bridge and watched the whole show with a great view and said it was AMAZING… That just made me feels better… I spent $200 to watch the backs of the people in front of me and they showed up 30min before the show and got a good spot on the bridge and had a MUCH better viewing of the show for FREE and no waiting for a FP… How does that work. Arial’s is good but not great. I was so looking forward to WoC but a group of people ruined it for us and everyone behind them.

So if you are going to do PD make sure you still show up early because you need to get a good spot to enjoy this show.

 

[HydroGuy]

I posted about WoC in my TR and it kinda falls into this question so ill repost that part of the TR:

At 7:15 We decided to stand with the mob for the 8:15 show last monday. We had PD and I was trying to remember which of the top sections the best spot to be in was. We looked at both and after asking a CM if people were allowed to sit or stand on the wall, she said no, decided the bottom section would be fine. Now that im back and looking at the WoC section map I found here on the dis, the “B” was for BAD SPOT, not Best Spot. %^&* me…. Well we had a great view… before the show started …. Then SURE ENOUGH the people in front of us decided to stand, not sit, but STAND on the wall completely blocking our view of everything from left center to the far right. We couldn’t even see the top of the MFW. I was pissed and went searching for a CM. The CM came over and told them they needed to move and they started yelling at the CM that they paid $200 to see this show and they will stand where ever they want. 15 F***ing min later they got down after 3 cast members came over. Now the show was almost over so instead of standing on the wall they had there kids stand on there shoulders, not sit, STAND. GREAT now we have 9ft tall people standing in front of us. SO GLAD I spent $200 for this show. I’m sure it was a good show but I couldn’t see it. My view was only ¼ of the whole WoC stage, the far left corner. So after the show I wanted to complain but my wife said, “Really what are they going to do?”

So we left and meet up with the other group of people we were with earlier on our way back to the hotel and they said they were not going to see WoC because they didn’t want to wait for Fast Passes or buy a dinner. BUT I guess they found a spot on the bridge and watched the whole show with a great view and said it was AMAZING… That just made me feels better… I spent $200 to watch the backs of the people in front of me and they showed up 30min before the show and got a good spot on the bridge and had a MUCH better viewing of the show for FREE and no waiting for a FP… How does that work. Arial’s is good but not great. I was so looking forward to WoC but a group of people ruined it for us and everyone behind them.

So if you are going to do PD make sure you still show up early because you need to get a good spot to enjoy this show.

For more info on this see

World of Color Superthread

How can I be sure to get a good viewing spot for me and my younger children?

Guest feedback on WOC has been mostly positive with a bit of not-so-positive. In retrospect it appears Disney did not do a very good job of designing the viewing area. I am sure they tried hard, but some things are hard to know until you have finished.

The viewing area is all designed for standing with a few benches. It was originally designed to handle 9,000 people per show. Eventually they realized they could only fit in 4,000 per show.

The bottom line is that there are some great viewing spots and many average and poor viewing spots - which depend a lot on how tall you are and how early you arrive to wait in line for admission to the viewing area.

When we saw World of Color for the first time from an excellent viewing spot, we were all blown away at how good it is (see my review here). In my opinion it is worth the effort to get a good viewing spot, especially if you have children. If you do not, you may be frustrated with the experience and your and your children's ability (or inability in many cases) to actually see the show.

Further, when there are multiple shows each night I think one's opinion on WOC depends a lot on how tired they are and whether they are seeing an early or later show (on nights when WOC shows multiple times). I posted my personal thoughts on this here. Use the viewing chart thread information by S. S. Columbia to make sure you get a good spot and, if possible, see an earlier show - especially if you have younger children.