What's the Latest word on Fantasmic! ?

[Mom2princesses]

Hi everyone,

I am getting ready to make my ADR's. But I am trying to decide if we want to go to Fantasmic!

Has anyone been there recently? Have things calmed down? Are they still insane?

Is the package still worth it?

Thanks for the help!

[saunie]

I'm also in the same boat and looking forward to the answers.....

[tadshome]

I am trying to plan also... I have never seen Fantasmic all the way through so I hope that I can fit it into our plans

[LorrieP]

We have been to Fantasmic twice and have done the dinner package both times. I am planning on doing it again this year. I would strongly recommend it.

[dumbo ears]

I know they increased playing Fantasmic from 2 times a week to 3 and they will start doing it every day when it gets closer to easter. I have never done the Fantasmic dining package but Ive heard its not worth it because you get seated on the right corner section and its supposedly not very good seats.

[#1donaldfan]

....answer to the original content of the question....I have only been reading negative coments about it....how very crowded it has become....and believe me, when it had many more show times in the week it was filled to capacity, now it's only two to three times a week, that's just insane...with such a grand show and total / complete popularity, why would they have reduced it.....and don't tell me it was due to cut backs, maybe more of a fact of poor judgement.....

[Meteora]

And believe me, when it had many more show times in the week it was filled to capacity, now it's only two to three times a week, that's just insane...with such a grand show and total / complete popularity, why would they have reduced it.....and don't tell me it was due to cut backs, maybe more of a fact of poor judgement.

I think they believed the new AI Experience would divert a lot of crowd attention from Fantasmic!, lowering the demand and therefore lowering the number of weekly showings they needed. Hopefully, pretty soon they'll figure out that's not the case and come up with a better schedule. Not only is Fantasmic itself a mess, but the crowds in DHS have become ridiculously concentrated and unbearable on days when it is being shown. They really need to do something to remedy this.

[DisneyWhirled]

I still don't understand it. Fantasmic is one of the best shows on property. I am sure that it costs a lot of $$ to put on every night, but everytime I have been (several!) the place is always packed. It's not like they are paying all that $$ and no one is going.

IMHO, there are a lot of things at DHS that they could close to save money...one for example...Sounds Dangerous.

[DizneyFreak2002]

I think they believed the new AI Experience would divert a lot of crowd attention from Fantasmic!, lowering the demand and therefore lowering the number of weekly showings they needed. Hopefully, pretty soon they'll figure out that's not the case and come up with a better schedule. Not only is Fantasmic itself a mess, but the crowds in DHS have become ridiculously concentrated and unbearable on days when it is being shown. They really need to do something to remedy this.

Nope.. They believed by taking away Fantasmic shows, they would FORCE people to go to AIE... At least, that is what I was told by someone I know who works DHS...

[CaptSmee]

It was crazy in Jan when we were there. Also, I tried to book a Fantasmic dinner pkg for our upcoming trip the end fo April...all sold out, every restaurant! So I'm guessing it will be crowded. We are planning on arriving at least an hour early.

[Belster]

We did the dinner package. Long story short we went sat down, got rained out, went the next day only to get better seats then the ones they put you in with the package. The seats they give you are in fact on the right side of the stadium not bad but in my eyes not worth it. We go front and center when we went on our own...two times I might add.

[Hull-onian]

Hi everyone,

I am getting ready to make my ADR's. But I am trying to decide if we want to go to Fantasmic!

Has anyone been there recently? Have things calmed down? Are they still insane?

Is the package still worth it?

Thanks for the help!

I don't think the dinner package is worth it. It is a very long walk up a steep hill to get to your seats. I would rather book a favorite restaurant and then go to the show via Beverly Hills which is next to Beauty and the Beast Show. Again, you must find out what night the show is. I know it is Sunday and Tuesday nights. I don't know about the third night. It should be listed on WDW calandar. Then from there you can make your ressies. Good luck with your decision.

[Crow]

Fantasmic is good, but the crowds esp leaving are crazy. Ive done the pkg before and it was ok when you got to enter by the gas station, but I hear theyve changed it.
If you can get in wo an hr or so wait see it. just dont get seperated from your group when leaving.

[AXOAlum]

I don't think the dinner package is worth it. It is a very long walk up a steep hill to get to your seats.

I was told by fellow Intercotees that they changed it, and everyone uses the main entrance now.

We are going in 12 days, so I will report back on our experience.

[mainemajor]

I've seen it three times including the diner package and just my but i just don't enjoy Fantasmic. I would rather do most anything else. With the diner package the seating was ok, we did not have to wait to get into the arena.

[Mom2princesses]

Thanks everyone for your input. I guess I didn't make myself to clear in my original post. I have been to Fantasmic before and I have done the package before. But with the reduction in shows as well as the fact that there is no separate entrance for the package I was wondering if it still pays to do the package.

Also has it calmed down as far as the crowds go? Back in January there were some stories of how the crowd over ran the package area. I was wondering if any of this was still going on. Has anyone been there recently?

If it is still a mad house I think I am going to skip it altoghter altough I would like to take my girls to see it. We missed it during our 8/07 trip.

[Charlee]

I'm interested too as we will be there in June. Fantasmic is my favorite show and I'm taking a first timer so missing Fantasmic is not an option!
I'm hoping arriving early and waiting will be the best strategy even though it might be an hour and a half - I can't miss Fantasmic.

[KylesMom]

Thanks everyone for your input. I guess I didn't make myself to clear in my original post. I have been to Fantasmic before and I have done the package before. But with the reduction in shows as well as the fact that there is no separate entrance for the package I was wondering if it still pays to do the package.

Well, if trying to get an ADR is any indication, I wouldn't want to be waiting in the standby line come summertime. Just made my ADRs for June, & the first day we wanted was entirely sold out at Mama Melrose. We did get an ADR for the following Thursday at 3:55, and that was the latest we could get. We've been doing the Fantasmic package since its inception, and have never had this problem before.

I think you can guarantee it's going to be a madhouse, no matter when you go . . . but for us, Fantasmic is a must-do. And I swore that we'd never wait in the standby line again after the fiasco of 2000! I just plan on checking back every couple of days to see if they've added another few shows onto the three per week that they have scheduled now.

[mouseketeer mom]

We had the Fantasmic dinner package booked for last week. We ended cancelling it after spending a very crowded day in the park. We were just done with the crowds and the bedlam. We instead went back to the resort and relaxed and ate there. My kids kept saying they were so happy we didn't stay for Fantasmic. (they have seen it before)..we just weren't up for the nighttime crowds and chaos.

[merlinmagic4]

We had the Fantasmic dinner package booked for last week. We ended cancelling it after spending a very crowded day in the park. We were just done with the crowds and the bedlam. We instead went back to the resort and relaxed and ate there. My kids kept saying they were so happy we didn't stay for Fantasmic. (they have seen it before)..we just weren't up for the nighttime crowds and chaos.

Were you able to cancel it that day without a charge? I thought a Fantasmic dinner package had to be cancelled 48 hours ahead of time or there was a charge.

Just curious because I am not sure we want to do this next month. I had also heard that the advantages of having the dinner package weren't really there anymore (no separate entrance and crowds flowing over into that are).