Fantasmic! Superthread - Or Everything You Need To Know About Fantasmic at Disneyland

[HydroGuy]

So we arrive late on Sunday the 12th of October, it appears there is a Fantasmic! show scheduled for 10:30 that night. We will probably be checked into our hotel by then, which is a premium view at the DLR. Is there any spot in the hotel/surrounding area you can see the show or at least part of the show? Would be a really neat way to start the trip, but not a good use of a full days admission..

No, you cannot see Fantasmic at all from outside the parks.

 

[SFMommy]

For those of you who have done the dessert package and NOT waited from 6:00-8:00 to choose your seats, is it still worth it? i.e. - is it still worth the cost of the dessert package if you show up at 8:00 and get the "worst" seats in the reserved area?

Thanks!

 

[piratenightmares]

it depends. we were just in the back row a few weeks ago. i prefer it to having to worry about saving a seat. the view isn't great but it's not terrible. i also like sitting in a chair and having someone bring me drinks. if you are doing it only for the view then i would recommend the front row or one of the isles. i showed up at 8 to choose my seats in September and there were still 4 front row seats but not all together. it was 2 on one side and 2 on another. i chose the back row on the far right. we stood up during part of the show and were not told we couldn't by cm's.
so, if you're doing it for a better view then it might not be worth it. if you're doing it for convenience or comfort then it's completely worth it.

 

[Solomani]

I have it booked for next week and don't plan on getting there super early to reserve a seat. Can provide feedback then.

 

[piratenightmares]

i have to say the finale is a let down when the mark twain is temporarily docked. no 'steamboat willie'. just a few characters doing a little dance on the 'stage' across the water.

 

[SFMommy]

I have it booked for next week and don't plan on getting there super early to reserve a seat. Can provide feedback then.

Thank you! I would appreciate feedback when you are back!

 

[SFMommy]

it depends. we were just in the back row a few weeks ago. i prefer it to having to worry about saving a seat. the view isn't great but it's not terrible. i also like sitting in a chair and having someone bring me drinks. if you are doing it only for the view then i would recommend the front row or one of the isles. i showed up at 8 to choose my seats in September and there were still 4 front row seats but not all together. it was 2 on one side and 2 on another. i chose the back row on the far right. we stood up during part of the show and were not told we couldn't by cm's.
so, if you're doing it for a better view then it might not be worth it. if you're doing it for convenience or comfort then it's completely worth it.

We would be doing it for the convenience of not having to wait for hours or stake out a spot hours ahead of time. And being able to sit down on a chair. But if we don't have the best view, that's OK. As long as it is pretty decent, we are comfortable and we didn't wait for hours...then that would be good.

 

[piratenightmares]

For those of you who have done the dessert package and NOT waited from 6:00-8:00 to choose your seats, is it still worth it? i.e. - is it still worth the cost of the dessert package if you show up at 8:00 and get the "worst" seats in the reserved area?

Thanks!

in addition to what i already said, at 8 there were pretty long lines for both shows. i had a better view last time i sat down on the ground by the rails than the back row of the dessert area. and having one person wait in the dessert line isn't any different than having one person save a spot on the ground. but, i really like the convenience as i said in the previous post.

 

[piratenightmares]

We would be doing it for the convenience of not having to wait for hours or stake out a spot hours ahead of time. And being able to sit down on a chair. But if we don't have the best view, that's OK. As long as it is pretty decent, we are comfortable and we didn't wait for hours...then that would be good.

you sound like me.

i think it would be worth it to you if thats what you're looking for.

 

[GatorChris]

i have to say the finale is a let down when the mark twain is temporarily docked. no 'steamboat willie'. just a few characters doing a little dance on the 'stage' across the water.

I was afraid of that. All I hear is how much better the Mark Twain is compared to the WDW version. I guess the difference is that the WDW version of the boat doesn't go down for 3 months.

 

[piratenightmares]

I was afraid of that. All I hear is how much better the Mark Twain is compared to the WDW version. I guess the difference is that the WDW version of the boat doesn't go down for 3 months.

i've never seen WDW fantasmic. but for a DL fantasmic lover, the loss of the mark twain being gone is a huge disappointment. i was hoping for something more creative than a little 10 character dance on the stage. but, it will be back soon enough.

 

[HydroGuy]

For those of you who have done the dessert package and NOT waited from 6:00-8:00 to choose your seats, is it still worth it? i.e. - is it still worth the cost of the dessert package if you show up at 8:00 and get the "worst" seats in the reserved area?

Thanks!

OP here - we have done to twice and both times showed at 7:45. My kids aer all teens and older so it was exactly what I was expecting to be sitting in the rear seats. For those with smaller kids I think it would be different.

 

[WardFam]

I've never taken the time to see Fantasmic, but I think we are going to arrive on Sunday, November 2nd instead of Monday to specifically see the show! What is the latest information on how early we need to stake out a spot? If we want a spot on the grass for the first show how early should we show up? If we decide to try the light tower trick how early should we plan? Thanks!

 

[707MickeyGirl]

For those of you who have done the dessert package and NOT waited from 6:00-8:00 to choose your seats, is it still worth it? i.e. - is it still worth the cost of the dessert package if you show up at 8:00 and get the "worst" seats in the reserved area?

I refuse to stand in line to get assigned a seat that I've already paid (a lot) for. In May, my DD27, my DGD6 and I showed up 15 minutes before show time. We had the back row of the section right next to the VIP steps, and our view was perfect. My DGD6 did not even need to stand or get on her knees on the chair. We're doing the dessert package again next month, and I still won't be waiting in line to get an assigned seat. I don't think there are any bad seats in the dessert package area. It's wonderful to sit on the chairs for the show and to see the fireworks afterwards, and the dessert box is yummy, and it's so nice to have it all catered. We love it. We'd just rather enjoy the park than wait in line, so we don't mind not having front row seats. We were only about 10 feet behind those people anyway.

 

[Solomani]

I have it booked for next week and don't plan on getting there super early to reserve a seat. Can provide feedback then.

We turned up at 2030 this past Saturday and our seats were fine. No lineup either. You probably want to turn up a little before the show just so you can get your desert box and drinks sorted. Was very enjoyable way of seeing the show.

There were two issues though.

First, the crowd getting to and from the show is insane. I am not sure what, if anything, Disney can do but it's just too congested. I hazard to guess because the park is older than the show and wasn't designed for such a crush of people. For comparison the Fantasmic! At Disneyland Tokyo has none of these issues and I guess they had Fantasmic and similar shows in mind when they built the park. The crowd was so hectic between shows with people trying to get in, people trying to get out and people just trying to get to rides that it brought one of the cast members to tears.

Second, World of Color is a great show but is there a reason they didn't setup the vip viewing area the same way? I would happily pay extra for a Fantasmic type setup there with seats. Standing for 30m+ after being in the park all day was a bit much for my kids (and for my poor feet if I am honest).

 

[Dawn16]

i've never seen WDW fantasmic. but for a DL fantasmic lover, the loss of the mark twain being gone is a huge disappointment. i was hoping for something more creative than a little 10 character dance on the stage. but, it will be back soon enough.

When is the Mark Twain expected back in action?

 

[farmfresh]

When is the Mark Twain expected back in action?

Wondering the same thing...

 

[CassieF]

I think it's scheduled to be back up at the end of November.

 

[HydroGuy]

I've never taken the time to see Fantasmic, but I think we are going to arrive on Sunday, November 2nd instead of Monday to specifically see the show! What is the latest information on how early we need to stake out a spot?

Fantasmic! is a popular as ever and so the arrival time requirements really do not change.

Absolute minimum 2 hours early for show #1 in the sitting area - I would do 3 hrs in your case. Second show is 45-60 minutes early.

If we want a spot on the grass for the first show how early should we show up?

There is no grass so not sure what you are talking about. See previous question.

If we decide to try the light tower trick how early should we plan? Thanks!

The light tower is not a good place to see Fantasmic for the first time. In a pinch one can do it and 30 minutes early is often fine. But there is a large pole in the way of seeing the show. Better than not seeing it at all but not something to plan on unless you just have no other choice.

 

[petals]

I was wondering when they say the Mark Twain is down til the 27th is there any chance they might test it on the 26th so if I saw Fantasmic that night it might be in the show again