I've done some searches of the threads and couldn't find any discussing this. I apologize if I missed it. But what I want to know from recent WDW visitors is if there is still a problem getting into the rarer Fantasmic shows. Especially, I'd like to know how people with dinner packages are doing as initially there were multiple reports of the reserved seating area being overrun with regular guests with not enough room left for the package holders. I assume Disney has been working on this. But I would love to hear if it is being resolved.

I would like to hear any responses as well. We LOVE Fantasmic, and have booked a package at Mama Melrose. We have friends going with this time that have never seen it, but it was their one "must do"

I didn't have a dinner package, but I did have dinner at Boma's this past Monday (or maybe it was Sunday) and made it to the 10:30pm show with no problems. And we had good seats.

Thanks Pixar, was the 10:30 show the second show- that seems pretty late. I know the second show if there is one is usually lighter attendance. Still it is good to hear from someone without a horror story!

I'm curious to see if the mad house that was Fantasmic earlier this year is still present. I'm debating whether or not we should even attempt to see it (we don't have a dinner package arranged) as I remember hearing about how horrible seating was after they cut back the number of shows a week.

Has anyone been recently? Is it still a mad house?

Sam, we're going to try it on our 1st night down there if weather permits (and crowds....ick). I think I'll be getting back after you leave, though, so that won't help you. There's quite a few MPadders down there now, so hopefully....

But you will be back before I leave, so I am hanging on your every word!!! I really hope it isn't too much of a hassle getting seats. We do have a package booked, but I hate the thought of sitting for hours on those metal benches to make sure we get a seat...

My wife and I went to Fantasmic the second week in June. There was only 1 show that night. We arrived at the theater about 1 1/2 hours before the show and had to sit in the last section all the way down. There were hundreds of people in the standing room only section at the rear of the theater. The section for the dining plan were not overrun, but it did fill up soon after it was opened up to general admission. I'm not sure how far ahead of showtime they open it up, but don't expect to arrive 20 minutes before the show and be able to find a seat.

Well THAT's not good news....Thanks for the report, though....:crying:

If YOU lined up 1.5 hrs early and barely got a seat, when on earth did the first group get there?!?!?! sheesh! It sounds like Fantasmic! needs to be a Fastpass attraction or something - that's bad.

I sincerely hope this is remedied soon but seeing that it's been like this for months to no avail, I won't hold my breath. :(

There's nothing that can be remedied under the current schedule, as demand far exceeds supply. I've said it before - this is one of the dumber moves Disney has ever made. I understand the need to save money, but this show is incredibly popular, pretty much selling out its shows when they did it every night and twice on the weekends. To cut back to 3 days a week is simply dumb.

How good are the views from the standing section? I don't care about sitting down, but I would like to see the show clearly.

We have stood in the back in the "standing section" and had our kids on our shoulders to see...it wasn't bad. And it was a quick exit!

We also sat in the back two years ago in the Wheelchair section with my DMIL. It was ok...

I've seen it a few times now and I haven't noticed any changes to Fantasmic. I know it's a great show...but I'd rather skip it knowing it would be that packed due to show shortages.

If it was new and improved...then I probably would go check it out.

How good are the views from the standing section? I don't care about sitting down, but I would like to see the show clearly.

It's in a stadium, with VERY steep steps, so as long as you don't have a tall person (or a kid on shoulders) right in front of you, it should be ok.

But I notice you have a countdown to Disneyland in your sig file. I would catch the show there, and skip it at WDW, unless you really wanted to do your own comparison of the two.

PERSONALLY to me the positives on the WDW side of the Fantasmic comparison is having benches to sit on in a stadium, vs having to camp out for hours on the Rivers of America. Other than that (i.e., show-wise) I doubt you'll find many people that would argue that the WDW Fantasmic SHOW is better than the DL Fantasmic SHOW. Because of the different venue, there are some pretty significant changes to the show, and I've not heard of many people who like the substitutions that were done in place of having the Columbia or Mark Twain there for the show.

Some people do like the 'being in the middle of the park' aspect of the DL experience, (that doesn't do much for me) but if you have to get in line 2 hours before the show, being on benches (without backs) in a stadium loses a LOT of it's advantage.

I agree with Drince. We had one of the really not so great experiences of paying for a dining package and then still not getting a great seat at the show at WDW.

Now Fantasmic at DL hasn't been one of my favorite shows, mostly because of the waiting, waiting, waiting aspect. (No longer an issue now that I know you can pay for reserved seating, which I am HAPPY to do.)

But when we where at WDW, after finally getting our not very good seats; sitting in the sun for 45 minutes; and practically having a seizure from the kid in front of me who would not turn off his freakish light toy; the two straws that broke this camel's back were the Peter Pan/Captain Hook scene being replaced by a settlers and Indians fight with Pocahontas and Captain Smith coming out at the end (what?) and then the plywood version of the steamboat that comes out at the end. If I could have convinced my husband to leave early, we would have.

I know each park and attraction has its own advantages and everyone should make their own choice and I know I wasn't in a good frame of mind but--uck. I will stick with the DL version. If the show goes back to being better, we may reconsider but not before.

Well, looks like it's time again for me to share Dan's patented method of seeing F! without waiting any more than 20 minutes or so (can that possibly be done???).

Around the Rivers of America viewing area, there are 3 huge lighting towers that are underground during the day, but raise up on hydraulic poles for the show. The center pole only goes up to ground level, and stays there till just before the show. It looks like it would be totally blocking your view of the show, so most people don't stand there. Just arrive 20 to 30 minutes before showtime and take up a spot on the flowerbed railing right behind this tower (making sure you're off to the side of the big pole). About 5 minutes before showtime, the spotlight operators climb up to their positions, and then the entire rig raises up to show level about 60 feet above ground, leaving you front and center with an absolutely perfect view. Sure, you're standing, but it's only for a few minutes.

I've done this since the beginning of F! and as recent as about a month ago, and it has never failed. But SHHHH - don't tell anyone!

This tip is for Disneyland only right?

This tip is for Disneyland only right?

Yes, the light tower trick is DL only.

Sorry, I should have made that clearer - yes, only at DL do you have the rising light towers. In WDW, since the show is in a permanent outdoor theater, all of the lighting elements are up in their permanent positions.

Well, looks like it's time again for me to share Dan's patented method of seeing F! without waiting any more than 20 minutes. . .
Thanks, Danyoung!
Tips like that make my time on MousePlanet worthwhile.

(Also--OFFTRACK--thanks to those posters who provided on the heads up on the recent AP price increases!)