Fantasmic preferred seating?

[Drince88]

My then 1.5 year old nephew, and his big brother (3.5 at the time) both loved the box, though of course, even with 6 people and 5 boxes (1.5 year old was free and on a lap), we had leftovers.

[rph13]

Ok, we just did this last Thursday July 19th for the 9 pm show and I had my report ready but dsny1mom said pretty much everything I was going to say. I got in line at 7:05pm only because we had just finished something else and didn't have enough time to start anything new, I sent the kids off to ride and DH caught up on work emails. I was glad I was in line early, there was already 6parties ahead of us. But two were for the 10 o'clock show. We ended up with seats 5,6,7,8 which the CM said were the best but as dsny1mom pointed out seat 5 has a partially blocked view. DH sat there and he could see most things. I was happy we could stay for the fireworks, so we felt we got two shows for the price of one!
The dessert boxes are great, I had plenty that night and then enough leftover for two breakfasts!
Not sure what Disney charges for the under 9 group but the family behind us had a 8 or 9 year old and an infant and the CM offered a dessert box to both! I think it was a new CM and it was a waste as the family left the two boxes behind and they were almost full.
We were checked in by 8:05 and had plenty of time to ride Haunted Mansion and head to the restrooms one last time before the show.
I would do it again if I could afford it, as the view is good and we really are not very good about staking out a seat hours ahead of time. I'm not a show person really but DH and the kids seem to like them, so this is a good compromise.
My advice have someone (with all the Fantasmic tickets) get in line by 7pm wait the hour to check in, pick your hopefully front row seats, eithier 1-4 or 6-9, then meet up with your party to ride Haunted Mansion or some other close by attraction and the walk up to your seats at 845.
Then enjoy the show with the great desserts. Loved the big cookie with the purple glaze with gold stars!

[MommyTo3Boys1Girl]

I am subscribing so I remember all these tips. I think I am going to make reservations for ds & to do this when we go I'm September for his 11th birthday. He is a huge dessert fan, & I think he will really enjoy this experience. Thanks!

[sweethannah]

We just did the reserved seating 7/6.When I called at the 30 day out point they said they'd have to call me back and took my phone number. That didn't sit well with me so I called vacation planning right away and they got my ressie while I waited on hold and my tickets were waiting for me at my hotel, so no need to go to Guest Services to pick them up the day of the ressie. If you are staying on property have vacation planning make your ressie. Our ressie was for the 9PM show. 9PM was sold out but the 10:30 show was still being sold the day of.

I lined up at 6:30 and the 2nd group arrived at 6:45. By 7 the line had over 20 people in it. Only one person from your group needs to be there to check in and get your seat assignments. My party was 2 and the people behind me had a party of 5 and the people behind them had a party of 4 so the entire front row of the best section was taken with the first 3 groups. The 3rd group took two front row and two 2nd row right behind their front row seats.The best seats are in the section next to the F! control tower. If the front row is gone in that section I would ask for the 3rd row in that section as you can then stand if taller people block your seating view. The next section over is not dead center and your view is the side water screen not the center one. The people that showed up at 7 and after were not happy and some complained to the CMs that they were told to get there at 7:15 for the best seats and that for $60 a seat they shouldn't see F! from the side or from a 2nd or 3rd row. The best seats are #3 and 4 if there are two in your party. If you have four the best seats are #6, 7, 8, and 9. Seats #1,2 and 5 have a brick pillar that can impair a bit of the view as the ships and other floats arrive at the center of the show but if you have five or more in your party they are better than the 2nd row or the next section over. Check in and set assignments for both shows are at 8PM.

The dessert box contained: Red grapes, assorted cheeses and water crackers, cheese cake, leomon tart, chocolate tart, macaroon, rasberry shortbread cookie, and two chocolate truffle type candies. Avialable beverages were: Coffee, hot coco, water and soft drinks. They can no longer get mint julips for you. If you skip dinner and have an early lunch you can enjoy most of the desserts at the 9PM show without filling stuffed.

The view is the best that is currently available. Is it worth it? It is if you want a chair to sit on and not be squeezed in with strangers sitting on the ground. The area right in front of the reserved seats is now a sitting area so no one will block the reserved seating area view. CMs are close by and make sure no one stands in the walk way in front of the reserved area and they make anyone that trys to stand in the seating area on the ground sit down right away.

Is it as posh as the balcony? No it doesn't even come close, but it is the best that is now offered.

The 9PM guests are offered the abilty to stay in their seats and see the fireworks and are offered additonal beverages during the fireworks. The fireworks view is ok. You see the larger fireworks and can see Tinkerbell and Dumbo fly between a couple of trees. It's not as good as seeing them from in front of the castle but still nice. They also offered us beverages to go as we left.

At one point they offered an ice cream sunday (in a Mickey plastic container\mug) for the little ones instead of the dessert box but they haven't done that for several years. We saw a lot of full boxes sitting on the ground where little ones had been sitting as we left, so I guess the box might not be a great selection for some children.

Will we do it again? Yes, we will, unless they offer an alternative that is better.

dsny1mom

Absolutely wonderful post, thank you so much. Your seating instructions are invaluable!

I'm tempted to buy tickets but it's a little spendy for our party especially since we have also purchased MHP tickets. As we are going during off season, F! and the fireworks are shown on only 2 nights of our stay. It would almost be worth it to do F! early in order to catch the fireworks - two birds with one stone so to speak. We have never experienced the fireworks actually *in* the park and have never seen F!

hmm...

[Escape2Disney]

This has become a tradition for our trips! Since DD is mildly autistic and I have mobility issues, we simply can't cram in with the masses who stake out spots hours in advance. We've tried the handicap seating in the past, but it only gives a side view. We didn't realize how much we were missing until we reserved special seating for the first time!

By doing the special seating, we are both able to enjoy the show without getting bumped and crowded. I also love the ability to stay to watch the fireworks - not so much because we like fireworks, but because it allows the crowds to thin before we made our way out of the park.

I agree with a PP who said to bring ziplocs! We purposely plan F! for one of the first days of our trip because there are always leftovers from the desert box. We put the extras in ziplocs and take them back to the room. Instead of buying treats in the park, we are able to have dessert in the room for the rest of the trip.

[grammyof4]

Every year in December I take my grandsons & daughter for a week to DL. We celebrate all 4 of our birthdays during our stay. We have always made Reserved Seating at Fantasmic one of our traditions. My 5 year old is mildly autistic & we have decided that this year he & I will not see the show. He is terribly affected by the loud volume of the show & I spend my entire time there comforting him. We have tried ear plugs, etc, but to no avail. I think its just too much stimulation for him. So this year he & I will ride Small World to our heart's content while the others revel in Fantasmic. I will save some money too!

[Maresc]

Surprised my family with the Fantasmic Desert package Friday August 10th for the 10:30 show. Would HIGHLY recommend. I was the second in line at 6:45 to claim our seats. I thought I would be early and first in line but there was a very nice man from Arizona (can't remember his name) who was already there for the 10:30 show as well and was claiming 7 seats. Most others didn't show up until well after 7:00-7:15. I thought for sure we would get stuck with the second row but this extremely nice man offered to give us seats 1-4 and he took the remainder in first row and 2 seats in the back. This was extremely nice of him and we were very thankful as my daughter, niece, and I are all under 5'2" and would have had trouble seeing if anyone was in front. Loved the show from the seating area and the dessert box was incredible. A wonderful assortment of cheeses, crackers, grapes, key lime tart, cheesecake, a wonderful shortbread cookie with a jelly filling that I loved. Everything tasted wonderful and we enjoyed the desserts over the course of several days having a small refrigerator in our room at the GC. My husband was thrilled with the surprise as this is his favorite thing to do in Disney. The show has changed a little from last year and I believe it has only gotten better.