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Vegitabeta
06-05-2004, 03:03 AM
:confused: i'm going to Disneyland for the first time in August and i will definately be going to see Fantasmic. Is it true that you have to sit on the grass while you watch the show? I have been to Fantasmic in WDW and there were seats there...so why aren't there any in Disneyland? :confused:

Vegitabeta
06-05-2004, 03:03 AM

Drince88
06-05-2004, 04:02 AM
Well, to answer your question specifically, you don't have to sit on the grass. But that is not because there are seats, but because for the most part, I don't think there is grass in the area to sit on. (Someone who's seen Fantasmic! more recently will most assuredly correct me). You do have to sit/stand on the concrete, though. There are two exceptions where you can get seating (and reserved seating, at that) and that is to pay for one of the dessert packages they offer. One is for the balcony at the Disney Gallery, and the other is on the ground level nearer the action.

The reason for this is not because Disney is cheap or anything, but because of the location. In Florida, they built a huge stadium to do the show in - in California, it's done on the Rivers of America and there isn't any place to PUT adequate stadium seating. There are also some significant differences between the shows as a result of the different locations, because although DL doesn't have a dedicated stadium, that also means they didn't have to build the water feature JUST for this, and so they can run the Mark Twain and the Columbia as part of the show. The "body of water" at WDW just couldn't handle that size of vessel. Because of that, WDW has a segment with Pocahontas (using small canoes) whereas DL has a segment with Peter Pan and Hook on the Sailing Ship Columbia (playing the role of a Pirate Ship).

If you do a search for Fantasmic! in the DL forum, you'll get LOTS of hits that go into people's feelings about the differences, as well as more detailed information about the dessert options.

However, people will "camp out" for hours (literally) to wait for the show, so make sure you read the threads about how to see the show without having to do that (unless of course, you WANT to), but to still be able to watch it.

Tigertail777
06-05-2004, 06:48 AM
My advice: rent a locker on main st (or if there are in any nearer places to ROA use that) and store away a nice comfortable blanket and perhaps a pillow or two for yer rumps. That concrete gets awfully hard and cold watching the show. This would probably work best for the second showing, towards the end of the night so you dont have traipse around with blankets and pillows.

Frankly I think Disney could make a mint either renting blankets with pillows embedded in them, or selling some really cheap ones. Seriously you cannot feel yer rear end for what seems like hours afterwards. ;)

DCAWhites
06-05-2004, 08:53 AM
Standing up isn't a bad either. You can usually show up like 45 minutes before the 2nd show on a kinda slower night and stand right behind all the seated guests or near the front. I don't know how its possible for some people to sit down on that really hard concrete for over 2 hours.

GloryBlaze
06-05-2004, 09:24 AM
Since you're going in August, it's going to be crowded. There are two shows: 9 and 10:30. Go to the 10:30, no questions. You can stake out a decent spot at around 10 and not have to wait for a while, just a half hour.

By the way, Disneyland's version is much better. Hands down. You're going to be pleasantly surprised.

AVP
06-05-2004, 09:36 AM
I second GloryBlaze's suggestion - got for the later show. If we're going to Fantasmic, we make our way over to New Orleans Square or Critter Country as the first show starts - we often just go for a ride on the Haunted Mansion. That puts you on the west side of the park when the first show ends.

If you're in Adventureland or Frontierland when the first show ends, they will hold you there until they can clear the audience. The audience from the first show exits to the east - if you're on the west side, you can walk in behind them as they exit.

This is a little trickier on days when there are fireworks immediately following the first show, because people will start to leave, and then sit back down when they hear the announcement or see the fireworks starting. But the basic idea is the same - wait until they start to leave, and come in behind them.

Just make sure you don't grab a spot right on the water - you'll wind up watching the show through the metal fence on the edge of the river. I call it "Fantasmic from Jail." It's not the best view. :)

AVP

David R
06-05-2004, 09:51 AM
Keep in mind that Fantasmic was developed by/for Disneyland. WDW basically simulated the "natural stage"that DL provides in the stadium they built.

Forbin
06-05-2004, 06:55 PM
I noticed the seating section and the special no crowd section near the Lamp Towers.

How do you get to sit there?

RagtimePrince
06-05-2004, 08:33 PM
If you stand towards the left side, by Haunted Mansion, every time I've gone there's been plenty of viewing room even 5 minutes before the first show starts. This includes during the summer, during the winter holiday rush, and even during President's Day weekend. Just watch it from there if you don't want to worry about standing or sitting or waiting, it's not like being in the center is all that important at all for the show the way it's set up.

CONNCR
06-05-2004, 10:09 PM
To answer the question about sitting the on the grass;

For the first two years of Fantasmic!, the landscaping and walkways were very different than they are now. There were areas of grass enclosed by fences in addition to the concrete walkways. Guests were allowed to sit in the grass for the show. The grass took such a beating that the sod was replaced each week. Between replacements the landscape department would add a green coloring to make grass look like it was still alive.

At the end of the summer of 1993, the area between NOS and the ROA (considered Frontierland) was rebuilt to add a steeper slope towards the river and to remove the grass areas. This construction made the viewing area easier to navigate and provided better viewing of the show.

Vegitabeta
06-06-2004, 03:15 AM
Thanks everyone for your help, it's much appreciated! :)

soccerlady16
06-08-2004, 12:59 PM
I usually watch the 10:30 show. Try to hung out by NOS, ride POTC and HM when the 9:00 is playing. When the Fantasmic is over the fireworks show starts about 2 min after. Try to get a spot behind the yellow ropes, [enjoy the fireworks] everyone in front of you is going to leave after the fireworks show, so get ready to pick a spot by the water. Just don't sit right in front of the fence, it blocks your view and you get sprayed alot.

Niwel
06-08-2004, 01:30 PM
Warning: even if you don't want to see the second show of Fantasmic and just want to get to NOS or Critter Country, you won't be able to enter through Adventureland -- which becomes "exit only." You have to go through Fronteirland either via the hub or Fantasyland (past Casey Jr.) but to get to Fantasyland there you can't enter through the drawbridge until they've cleaned up from the fireworks -- so if you are on Main Street you'll need to go past Matterhorn. Complicated but worth it.
We went in for second show around 10 p.m. and got a spot in front of River Belle Terrace -- I'm sure if we kept moving we might have found one that was less crowded.

MommyTo3Boys1Girl
06-08-2004, 08:25 PM
We sat in the last "row" of those seated and it was perfect. My husband and the other adults in our party were in the front "row" of the standing section and I was sitting with the kids on the concrete, which was definetly hard and cold but SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO worth it. We got there about an hour early, for the first show. It was fine though because we got our spot and then my husband just went to get our dinner and we ate, the time passed by rather quickly. We also stayed put, other than standing up, for the fireworks. If you have kids, I would say watch the earlier show as it gets pretty late once the second one ends and you get back to the hotel.