World of Color Superthread

[HydroGuy]

So basically there is no way to get a good view of WOC without being willing to wait a long time, be assertive about keeping one's spot, and spend a few hours standing while crammed between masses of other people?

The fast passes are not tiered, so that only so many people enter the line in certain time frames?
That would have really helped, have the different times on the fast passes, for entering the area.

Even with an expensive dining package (that forces one to order a lot of expensive food), one does not have a much better waiting and viewing experience? It is still recommended to show up 90 minutes ahead, just as it is with the fast passes.

Pretty much. The show is awesome but the viewing area design is flawed.

Note that if you want to see the first Fantasmic show your description above applies there as well. With even longer waits.

 

[GatorChris]

Pretty much. The show is awesome but the viewing area design is flawed.

Note that if you want to see the first Fantasmic show your description above applies there as well. With even longer waits.

This is my biggest issue with WOC. What idiot designed the viewing areas? If you have kids, forget about them ever seeing it unless you beat the Lottery and somehow get a front row. And if you do get that spot, you'll be soaked! An absolute great show ruined by TDA's inability to properly seat their guests.

 

[Sky07]

You are being overly dramatic. The show is not ruined, you just have to plan and this thread really helps.

 

[HydroGuy]

This is my biggest issue with WOC. What idiot designed the viewing areas?

I agree Disney messed up here.

If you have kids, forget about them ever seeing it unless you beat the Lottery and somehow get a front row.

I have done it numerous times and it does not require winning the lottery just arriving 90 minutres early.

And if you do get that spot, you'll be soaked!

I have had a great spot near the front at least 12 times and have never been soaked yet. I have watched WOC from the front rail on the water three times and, while that spot can get you soaked, I have only ever been lightly misted. If you are back one rail or in the dining section at the elevated front rail there, the chances you will get soaked are very small.

An absolute great show ruined by TDA's inability to properly seat their guests.

It is ruined for those who are too short to see over others and arrive too late to get a good spot and/or do not know where decent spots are further back (such as the fire hydrant spot). Those who are taller and/or know when and what to do it is not ruined. But it does require a learning curve and a willingness to wait - similar to Fantasmic BTW and newly released fireworks shows.

 

[eileenkeeney]

Pretty much. The show is awesome but the viewing area design is flawed.

Note that if you want to see the first Fantasmic show your description above applies there as well. With even longer waits.

The waiting area for fantasmic is the viewing area (at least in DL) so I can sit there, right in the front near the water, and hold my space, as far ahead as needed. At least it was that way when I last saw Fantasmic in DL.
It is not standing in another line, where people will be rushing ahead of me as soon as we are let in.
Getting a good spot for the 2nd show is even easier.

Maybe I will do a 2nd show for WOC.
But knowing when they will start giving out FPs for the 2nd show seems like a chore.
Since I will be there on weekdays only, in October, I don't know if they will even have a 2nd show.

The ability to actually schedule one's FP for this sort of thing, makes complete sense.
Maybe the whole FP+ system in WDW is not as bad as I was thinking it is.

 

[mom2rtk]

The ability to actually schedule one's FP for this sort of thing, makes complete sense.
Maybe the whole FP+ system in WDW is not as bad as I was thinking it is.

Be careful what you wish for. At WDW you can now schedule a 4th and subsequent FP, but only after your first 3 have been used. So those choosing a night show for one of their first 3 never get to access those additional FPs.

 

[bellebookworm9]

I have done it numerous times and it does not require winning the lottery just arriving 90 minutres early.

I have had a great spot near the front at least 12 times and have never been soaked yet. I have watched WOC from the front rail on the water three times and, while that spot can get you soaked, I have only ever been lightly misted. If you are back one rail or in the dining section at the elevated front rail there, the chances you will get soaked are very small.

Knowing we wanted to be right at the rail, I brought a poncho yesterday and the night before as well. Standing right at the rail by the farthest yellow star in the yellow section (from the first page map), we still got absolutely drenched on Monday night. Last night was a little better, but we still got quite wet. I think a lot depends on how windy it is.

 

[SultanPprShkr]

The waiting area for fantasmic is the viewing area (at least in DL) so I can sit there, right in the front near the water, and hold my space, as far ahead as needed. At least it was that way when I last saw Fantasmic in DL.
It is not standing in another line, where people will be rushing ahead of me as soon as we are let in.
Getting a good spot for the 2nd show is even easier.

Maybe I will do a 2nd show for WOC.
But knowing when they will start giving out FPs for the 2nd show seems like a chore.
Since I will be there on weekdays only, in October, I don't know if they will even have a 2nd show.

The ability to actually schedule one's FP for this sort of thing, makes complete sense.
Maybe the whole FP+ system in WDW is not as bad as I was thinking it is.

if you go in october when Mickey's Halloween Party is going on, DCA will remain open longer to accommodate crowds that were ushered out of DL or for those that didn't get a ticket, thus will most likely have a 2nd show.

 

[Blue32]

if you go in october when Mickey's Halloween Party is going on, DCA will remain open longer to accommodate crowds that were ushered out of DL or for those that didn't get a ticket, thus will most likely have a 2nd show.

I'm starting to wonder if they are phasing out the 2nd WOC show. We are into July now on the Park Hours calendar and they are still only showing one WOC show at 9:45. Maybe they are cutting costs or maybe the popularity is fading more where they can get away with only one show. You would think with Summer hours and crowds they would show it twice.

 

[HydroGuy]

The waiting area for fantasmic is the viewing area (at least in DL) so I can sit there, right in the front near the water, and hold my space, as far ahead as needed. At least it was that way when I last saw Fantasmic in DL.
It is not standing in another line, where people will be rushing ahead of me as soon as we are let in.
Getting a good spot for the 2nd show is even easier.

Well, if you want to go further with this line of thought, you can sit down on the concrete at WOC much like Fantasmic. Get your spot in line 90 minutes early, and sit down. I have actually done that.

Then when you get to your spot, sit down there too. I almost always do that.

I will agree it is not as peaceful as the Fantasmic process but it does not require as much time either for that matter. For Fantasmic you should be thinking about a three hour wait for the first show.

The second show is different but I understand it is different for WOC too.

One big plus for Fantasmic is that there are a much higher percentage of good viewing spots and you do not have to be at the very front.

 

[HydroGuy]

I'm starting to wonder if they are phasing out the 2nd WOC show. We are into July now on the Park Hours calendar and they are still only showing one WOC show at 9:45. Maybe they are cutting costs or maybe the popularity is fading more where they can get away with only one show. You would think with Summer hours and crowds they would show it twice.

I am surprised. I would agree that two shows seems like a no brainer.

 

[catra121]

I didn't see this information in the OP...I'm sorry if I missed it.

Are the viewing areas all handicap accessible? Am I right in thinking the spots on the map that say HC are the handicap viewing areas...or is that for something else? How is the view from these areas if they are the only accessible areas?

We have a WOC dining reservation...is there anywhere in that area for handicap accessibility and how is the view from there? We plan on being there 90 minutes before the show...will there be any difficulty getting a spot? I know in WDW the handicap spots for Fantasmic fill up VERY fast...especially in the dining area.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[sleepydog25]

I didn't see this information in the OP...I'm sorry if I missed it.

Are the viewing areas all handicap accessible? Am I right in thinking the spots on the map that say HC are the handicap viewing areas...or is that for something else? How is the view from these areas if they are the only accessible areas?

We have a WOC dining reservation...is there anywhere in that area for handicap accessibility and how is the view from there? We plan on being there 90 minutes before the show...will there be any difficulty getting a spot? I know in WDW the handicap spots for Fantasmic fill up VERY fast...especially in the dining area.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Can't help with the dining package part of your question other than to say we found it to be unnecessary to spend the extra money. Instead, we ate where we wanted and then grabbed a spot in line over 2 hours ahead of the show (90 minutes would have worked just fine). I will note, however, that we had yellow FPs, and that prior to the show, right next to our waiting area, the CMs had a queue going for HC and ECV users. Fifteen minutes before they let us in, those in the HC/ECV queue were allowed down to a spot in the yellow viewing area, denoted in the excellent Hyrdoguy picture as the row behind the yellow WET area and marked by the two green stars. In other words, that particular space was no longer a yellow viewing area unless you were HC or ECV users and family. I don't know it they have continued that practice.

 

[bellebookworm9]

I didn't see this information in the OP...I'm sorry if I missed it. Are the viewing areas all handicap accessible? Am I right in thinking the spots on the map that say HC are the handicap viewing areas...or is that for something else? How is the view from these areas if they are the only accessible areas? We have a WOC dining reservation...is there anywhere in that area for handicap accessibility and how is the view from there? We plan on being there 90 minutes before the show...will there be any difficulty getting a spot? I know in WDW the handicap spots for Fantasmic fill up VERY fast...especially in the dining area. Thanks in advance for any help.

As of this week, the info that sleepydog provided is correct. The same was true for ECVs in the yellow queue. In fact, there was one woman and her family who were right next to us in the wet zone, think she may have made a special request.

 

[catra121]

Can't help with the dining package part of your question other than to say we found it to be unnecessary to spend the extra money. Instead, we ate where we wanted and then grabbed a spot in line over 2 hours ahead of the show (90 minutes would have worked just fine). I will note, however, that we had yellow FPs, and that prior to the show, right next to our waiting area, the CMs had a queue going for HC and ECV users. Fifteen minutes before they let us in, those in the HC/ECV queue were allowed down to a spot in the yellow viewing area, denoted in the excellent Hyrdoguy picture as the row behind the yellow WET area and marked by the two green stars. In other words, that particular space was no longer a yellow viewing area unless you were HC or ECV users and family. I don't know it they have continued that practice.

Thanks so much!

 

[SultanPprShkr]

For anyone visiting and wants to see World of Color tonight and not be too crowded, the 3am show is expected to be much lighter. lol. I will be there for that. then I will go home.

 

[Tammi67]

I've read the OP and a few pages back in the thread but have not seen my 2 questions addressed.

1. If one person lines up in the queue, are other family members able to go off and see a few attractions and then come back maybe 45 minutes later, or does everyone in the party have to be and wait there? It would just be myself and my 2 kids, not a huge family coming back and jumping into the queue.

2. How much of a problem is adults putting children on their shoulders and blocking the view of those behind them? I ask this in the event that we are not able to get a front rail spot.

 

[HydroGuy]

1. If one person lines up in the queue, are other family members able to go off and see a few attractions and then come back maybe 45 minutes later, or does everyone in the party have to be and wait there? It would just be myself and my 2 kids, not a huge family coming back and jumping into the queue.

Not really. Usually guests are let in to the show area 60 minutes before the show. If the entire party is not there it will be difficult if not impossible for one person to hold a spot for a larger group.

If you are admitted to the show area and then leave, the same thing applies. The entire group needs to work together to hold onto whatever spot you got.

2. How much of a problem is adults putting children on their shoulders and blocking the view of those behind them? I ask this in the event that we are not able to get a front rail spot.

It is often a problem, yes, and that is one of the many reasons to put in the effort to get a rail spot.

 

[nervous1sttimer]

I would love to see WOC when we are there at the end of August, but don't know how to make it work with my young kids (ages 5&7) who will be on EST and unlikely to stay awake that late.

If we come with a blanket and stake out a spot super early (like maybe even 4-5 hours early), will they have enough time and space to sleep for a bit before we all need to stand up? Is there any benefit to doing the dining package for kids? I know the advice is generally only if you were going to eat there anyway, and then we'd still need to show up early for better seats so they can see, but if they have more space and maybe an extra hour or two to rest at the hotel prior to the show, it might be worth it.

 

[bellebookworm9]

I would love to see WOC when we are there at the end of August, but don't know how to make it work with my young kids (ages 5&7) who will be on EST and unlikely to stay awake that late.

If we come with a blanket and stake out a spot super early (like maybe even 4-5 hours early), will they have enough time and space to sleep for a bit before we all need to stand up? Is there any benefit to doing the dining package for kids? I know the advice is generally only if you were going to eat there anyway, and then we'd still need to show up early for better seats so they can see, but if they have more space and maybe an extra hour or two to rest at the hotel prior to the show, it might be worth it.

From what I experienced, 4-5 hours beforehand is totally unnecessary. We started lining up for the only show (8:45pm) around 7:15, and were among the first in line, with Yellow section FPs. Granted, I can't predict the future, and since August hours aren't out yet, I'm basing off last year's. The last week of August had two shows: 9:00 and 10:15. So say you do the 9:00, you should start lining up no later than 7:30. If you want Yellow FPs (the better section, in my opinion), start checking about two hours after park opening (EE or non-EE, doesn't matter). If you don't want to bother, the dining package might be worth it. Either way, the kids should be able to take a long nap in the afternoon (that's what I did every day, being on East Coast time, and I'm 23!) so they can stay up a little later.