Fantasmic Mess Calmed down?

**NICKY MOUSE** · 06-04-2009, 10:08 AM

Going to the World in two weeks. Had heard early in the year the stories of overcrowding of Fantasmic when they shortened the number of shows. Has that gotten better. We are getting the Fantamic Dinner. Any suggetions?

thanks

**NC_WDW_Daddy** · 06-04-2009, 11:32 AM

We are going next week and I heard on the WDW Today podcast that the size of the crowd depends a lot on the number of days between shows. So, let's say there are shows on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. The show on Monday will be very crowded because of the 4 day gap from the previous show on Thursday. Tuesday tends to have less of a crowd because of the show the night before, and Thursday will eb a little more crowded because of the 2 day gap. I also heard on the podcast from a listener that even though they had the dinner package, they still did not get in because the entrance at Oscar's was closed and they had to use the regular entrance. Even though they got in line 45 minutes before showtime, the theater had filled before they could get in.

If Oscar's is still closed, you will need to get in line at the same time as everyone else about an hour prior.

**DocB** · 06-04-2009, 11:42 AM

We just came back from WDW this past weekend. I had reservations for Fantasmic Dining for last Tuesday, May 26, but we were in HS on Sunday, May 24 for Star Wars weekend. Keep in mind it was Memorial Day weekend AND Star Wars weekend, but we still took a shot at seeing Fantasmic without the dining package. We got in line at 8:00 P.M. for the 9:00 show and were able to get front row center seats! It didn't seem anyone had problems seeing the show. In fact, we cancelled the reservation for the dining package for the Tuesday, which worked out great because there were thunderstorms Tuesday night....A perfect night to be in Epcot!

One thing to note. On the Mom's Panel website at disneyworld.com, I read many recent posts that the dining package no longer gives you access to a special entrance to Fantasmic. People have arrived 30 min before the show to find all the reserved seats gone. They recommend you still get there an hour earlier. There's still a reserved section of seats, but you need to line up a little earlier than before.

Enjoy the show. It's Disney's best, and I think they improved some special effects since I saw it 3 years ago.

**NC_WDW_Daddy** · 06-04-2009, 12:06 PM

Thanks for the tips. Decided not to do the dinner package this year and with the Oscar's entrance closed, it takes away th eadvantage of booking the package.

**NICKY MOUSE** · 06-04-2009, 01:50 PM

Well we have the dinner reservation still we are going with like 10 people. but i guess better to sit and wait than stand i guess. Thanks for info.

**HauntedGabe** · 06-04-2009, 02:08 PM

I had just read where people with dinner ressies are having an impossible time getting through the regular stand-by lane to get to their reserved seats. One woman said that even though they were there an hour prior as recommended, there were no more seats available in the reserved area.

While I love this show, we often skip it, it is a lot of aggravation, time and money spent on ressies for something I've seen enough. I'd highly recommend it to families that have never been but not so much as a must see every time.

**NC_WDW_Daddy** · 06-05-2009, 07:45 AM

It is my wife's favorite show, so we never skip it. By chance, we happened to be at DHS when the show premiered in October 98. We decided to stay for the show, lined up early, and were seated front row center. After that, we were hooked. Of course arriving early, we had over an hour and a half to wait. First the soda guy came by and my wife says, "Let's get sodas." Then it was the popcorn guy, followed by the beer guy, then the lighted toy guy. My wife insisted on buying something from all of them. I was just glad the timeshare guy didn't walk by.

**Stitch's buddy** · 06-07-2009, 04:00 PM

During Spring Break it was not bad. We got there 40 minutes ahead of time and there was plenty of seats in the reserved and regular seating. However everyone might have been at the Magic Kingdom that day because they close MK that day.