Fantasmic Horror Story

[CuteAsMinnie]

It was late June. It was HOT. We haven't seen Fantasmic in a few trips so we planned our day at DHS around this. We chose not to do the dinner package for whatever reason. We arrived at the Fantasmic entrance about 90 minutes before show time. We walked alllll the way to the stands which OMGosh must be almost a mile further down (maybe). Here, and only here, at the stands, at the seating area were there a slew of CMs telling everyone there were NO seats left...none...90 minutes before the show starts.
Okay, fine, but why, except for one lonely CM (who didn't have a clue) at the first enntrance were there no others, or signs or something telling everyone Fantasmic was full. People
were getting a tad upset. Of course no one was allowed to stand and watch so we just headed out but droves of ppl were still coming in. When we reached the exit, still there weren't any signs and the same lonely CM didn't know it was full.

Has this ever happened to anyone else, or was it just a fluke?

:mickey:

[zipadeedoodah]

90 minutes before? I have never heard of this happening before. They don't usually let anyone even in the front entrance until about an hour before showtime.

The only explanation I am coming up with is that it was a night with 2 shows, and you got there early enough where the first show was just getting ready to start and everyone was already seated....other than that, i'm not sure!

[MickeysBestPal]

It was late June. It was HOT. We haven't seen Fantasmic in a few trips so we planned our day at DHS around this. We chose not to do the dinner package for whatever reason. We arrived at the Fantasmic entrance about 90 minutes before show time. We walked alllll the way to the stands which OMGosh must be almost a mile further down (maybe). Here, and only here, at the stands, at the seating area were there a slew of CMs telling everyone there were

1- NO seats left...none...90 minutes before the show starts.
Okay, fine, but

2- why, except for one lonely CM (who didn't have a clue) at the first enntrance were there no others, or signs or something telling everyone Fantasmic was full. People
were getting a tad upset.
3- Of course no one was allowed to stand and watch

4- so we just headed out but droves of ppl were still coming in.

5- When we reached the exit, still there weren't any signs and the same lonely CM didn't know it was full.

6- Has this ever happened to anyone else, or was it just a fluke?


1- That can happen dozens of times a year.

2 & 4 & 5- Sometimes it fills so quickly that they don't have time to get the word
to the front F! gate.
Or, they could have been a bit careless that night.

3- That's generally not true. They do have two standing room areas.
They may have been FULL (or pre-booked) by the time you got there, of course.

4- Yup.

5- Yup. Sad.

6- I would not categorize this as a "horror,"
(I reserve that for something that involves something more serious than missing
a show)
but that may have been the way you see it.

[MNNHFLTX]

No, I've never had this happen, but I've only been to Fantasmic about three times and have always done the dinner package. Just curious--did you let the CM at the front entrance know that seating was full? Or tell anyone going in (although they may not have believed you for whatever reason)?

[DizneyRox]

Fantasmic is still wildly popular. One trip we waited the two hours before show time about 3 or 4 times. Love Fantasmic! But, the waits got to us, so we've skipped in in recent years.

Disney then decided that it was too expensive to show nightly, which makes it even harder to get a seat. I presume that now that it's nightly, things have let up a little, but still you never know.

I have always suggested a two hour arrival time, I know others say an hour, but as you saw, it isn't enough many times. Worst case, you get a better seat by arriving early. There's no harm in being proactive...

[Babe the Blue Ox]

We visit during the summer months when Fantasmic is presented twice each evening.

I've never attended the first showing as we want to avoid the long waits that I've read about here. The second presentation is less popular and the stadium is generally about half full. It's very easy to stroll in about 15 minutes before show time and snag decent seats. Quite often, the sections that were "reserved" during the first showing for Dining plan guests are not even used for the 2nd show as they are some of the least desirable areas of the arena.

Another tip - lines for the big rides (Tower, Aerosmith, Midway Mania) get very short while the 1st showing of Fantasmic is under way. Another reason to avoid the rush and go later.

[CuteAsMinnie]

Yes, we did tell people coming in as well as the cast member at the entrance. He was unaware of the situation.

Sorry for the use of the word 'horror.' Perhaps 'Fantasmic Experience' is more appropriate.

[Ian]

Just one of many reasons why I haven't seen Fantasmic in about a decade. :ack:

[mom2morgan]

No, with all that walking at the end of a long day, I'd call it a horror ;-)

[Dopey's Girl]

It's been at least 10-15 years since I last saw Fantasmic. Waiting for hours for a lackluster show isn't high on my list of priorities.

[squad51]

We were there in mid june. We heard announcements on the PA that there were no seats avail. for the early showing so we didn't bother. There was another showing at 10.
We ended up with front row center for that show. HOWEVER, Just as the steamboat was coming out they stopped the show due to lightning. Disney controls everything but the weather.

[PeterPan]

Pardon me, but Fantasmic! is "lackluster??!?!"
That is positively the LAST word I would ever choose to describe this show, which is, without question, one of the most exciting, imaginative, mind-blowingly spectacular shows on planet earth. Period.

[MickeysBestPal]

Pardon me, but Fantasmic! is "lackluster??!?!"
That is positively the LAST word I would ever choose to describe this show, which is, without question, one of the most exciting, imaginative, mind-blowingly spectacular shows on planet earth. Period.

I have to agree.

For every "ho-hum" reviewer, there are (literally) thousands (tens of thousands... millions, really) of guests who feel the way we do about the show (it's spectacular!)

That's why you can count on the F! theater being full for hundreds of performances a year...
and find dozens and dozens of posts similar to this one, year-after-year, complaining about the staggeringly large crowds.

The "reviews" (behinds in the seats) of F! are overwhelmingly positive.

[Ian]

It's been at least 10-15 years since I last saw Fantasmic. Waiting for hours for a lackluster show isn't high on my list of priorities.Ahh, a kindred spirit!

Your choice of words is spot-on ... lackluster is exactly the word I'd choose for this snore fest! :sleepin:

[mom2morgan]

I only saw it once, but thought it was terrific. I was similarly blown away by the "Colors" show in DL (California Adventure). I have to wonder what kind of entertainment people are used to that they could find it "lacklustre" - seems a trifle jaded!

[PeterPan]

Obviously, I disagree with those of you who characterize Fantasmic! as "lackluster."
A question to those of you who think this show is lacking....exactly what would you do to bring it up to your standards?

[darthmacho]

I love Fantasmic and can't wait for my kids to see it. Booked the dinner package at H&V and I hope it doesn't get rained out. :smickey:

[Ian]

Obviously, I disagree with those of you who characterize Fantasmic! as "lackluster."
A question to those of you who think this show is lacking....exactly what would you do to bring it up to your standards?I'd turn it into the holiday edition of Reflections of Earth. ;)

[MNNHFLTX]

While I wouldn't characterize the show as lackluster, it doesn't have the "wow" factor for me that it does for some people. I think that many of the characters and effects are too far away to be fully appreciated and honestly I don't care for the focus on the villains (yes, I understand that good triumphing over evil is the main theme of the show).

I will say that Fantasmic in Disneyland is much more impressive to me--really seems up close and personal in that venue.

[Ian]

While I wouldn't characterize the show as lackluster, it doesn't have the "wow" factor for me that it does for some people. I think that many of the characters and effects are too far away to be fully appreciated ... That's certainly one of my many complaints about the show.

Additionally:


I find the wait to get in to see it absurd. I wouldn't wait that long (2 hours or more?? :confused:) for any ride in the park, why the heck would I wait that long for a show! You can view Wishes or Reflection of Earth for 1/4 of the wait time and they're better shows, IMO.

The stadium seating is horrendous. Hard, cold metal benches for three hours or more? I think not.
I also found it incredibly dull to sit there and watch snippets movies I've already seen projected onto spraying water, thus making it very difficult to tell what's going on.

But I do realize people love it and I certainly don't begrudge their enjoyment of it. It's just not my cup of tea.

[phillydan]

I do believe that they could do a better job with the seating. On our last trip, we did the dining package to avoid the masses queing up for seating. What a disappointment - these are the worse seats in the stadium. We literally got the last 5 seats in the reserved section (front row, stage left). Aside from having a partial back stage view, we had to view everyhting from the side. I would have preferred waiting in line, as we had much better seats each time we did this.

Agree with other posters - the late show is the way to go!

[goofy-4-disney]

Chalk me up as another person who doesn't enjoy Fantasmic either. I have seen it once, and that was more than enough. While I understand it has a lot of fans that truly enjoy it, I just feel that compared to the fireworks over the castle at MK and Illuminations at Epcot this is a very distant 3rd as far as fireworks displays at WDW.