Hollywood Studios with 2 Fantasmic! Showings

[alexdisney]

We are going in a couple weeks and Fantasmic! is showing at 7:30 and 9. From experience how are the crowds for each time and also does the park start to clear out after the first one?
Trying to figure out what would be best to do, try and get on some rides during the first showing and hit the 2nd showing without having to be crammed in a full theater or go to the first show and try and hit a couple rides before closing with less people in the parks.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

We are going in a couple weeks and Fantasmic! is showing at 7:30 and 9. From experience how are the crowds for each time and also does the park start to clear out after the first one?
Trying to figure out what would be best to do, try and get on some rides during the first showing and hit the 2nd showing without having to be crammed in a full theater or go to the first show and try and hit a couple rides before closing with less people in the parks.

Going on really old data here, but my experience was always that the second show is less crowded.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

We are going in a couple weeks and Fantasmic! is showing at 7:30 and 9. From experience how are the crowds for each time and also does the park start to clear out after the first one?
Trying to figure out what would be best to do, try and get on some rides during the first showing and hit the 2nd showing without having to be crammed in a full theater or go to the first show and try and hit a couple rides before closing with less people in the parks.

Second one. Always the second one.

 

[JIMINYCR]

The park crowds IMHO aren't that much decreased by the earlier show as you might hope for. There can still be sizable lines. We've always arranged for the second showing. Partly because I want to do as much as I can in the park and end up at the end or the night with a bang. Just be aware that at the end of the show the massive number of people will be leaving all at once and even though Dis has the load of buses running you will possibly have a lengthy wait depending on which resort bus you are taking and how long it takes for a return bus. If many scooters and w/cs are loading that will cut down on seating.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

The park crowds IMHO aren't that much decreased by the earlier show as you might hope for. There can still be sizable lines. We've always arranged for the second showing. Partly because I want to do as much as I can in the park and end up at the end or the night with a bang. Just be aware that at the end of the show the massive number of people will be leaving all at once and even though Dis has the load of buses running you will possibly have a lengthy wait depending on which resort bus you are taking and how long it takes for a return bus. If many scooters and w/cs are loading that will cut down on seating.

It has been my experience that the buses are much more crowded after the first show. After the second show, they really drop off. Especially since I'm assuming this is the timeline:

7:30 show - ends at 8 pm, people will either go get on rides or start leaving.

Wonderful World of Animation - 9 pm, about 10 minutes long, people leave.

Fantasmic - ends at 9:30, people will start getting to the buses at about 9:35-9:40 (very long walk out). Shops are still open, so if they're not crowded, I'd browse and wait a bit. After 10 pm, they are going to be moving people out as fast as they can.

What was REALLY nice over the summer was they did a show 30 minutes AFTER park closing. So there was an 8:30 show, park closed at 9:30, then another show at 10. Not only did people not know about the second show, but by the time you got out to the buses, they were moving you along.

Honestly, they do the best job managing evening bus crowds at that park. Epcot is the worst. By far.

 

[alexdisney]

The park crowds IMHO aren't that much decreased by the earlier show as you might hope for. There can still be sizable lines. We've always arranged for the second showing. Partly because I want to do as much as I can in the park and end up at the end or the night with a bang. Just be aware that at the end of the show the massive number of people will be leaving all at once and even though Dis has the load of buses running you will possibly have a lengthy wait depending on which resort bus you are taking and how long it takes for a return bus. If many scooters and w/cs are loading that will cut down on seating.

So during the 1st showing you can't really notice a difference in wait times/lines for rides?

 

[StarWarsGirl]

So during the 1st showing you can't really notice a difference in wait times/lines for rides?

Depends. They're going to probably drop off for a bit, and then when it lets out, they'll go up. I'd avoid RnRC and ToT during this time.

I have found Rise of the Resistance and Smuggler's Run tend to drop down at this time of night. Rise a lot of times will have a posted wait time that's higher than it actually is; look for the line going outside the building. If it's outside, then it's probably a long wait. No visible line outside the building is usually 30 minutes or less before you reach the first chamber (where it mergers with LL). Star Tours also tends to drop back at night. Mickey and Minnie's I have found drops off at around 4 pm.

However, if you are going during Christmas... it's just gonna be crowded and the above may not apply. Except for maybe good old reliable Star Tours.

 

[JIMINYCR]

So during the 1st showing you can't really notice a difference in wait times/lines for rides?

Its been my experience on multiple trips that you can see a dip but nothing really noticeable that gives you walk on rides ( for ex. like you see with the events at MK with a set number of tickets sold). The park is busy with normal ticketed guests and not everyone is going to the show. It is still worth doing your park plan and go to the second show.

 

[JIMINYCR]

It has been my experience that the buses are much more crowded after the first show. After the second show, they really drop off. Especially since I'm assuming this is the timeline:

7:30 show - ends at 8 pm, people will either go get on rides or start leaving.

Wonderful World of Animation - 9 pm, about 10 minutes long, people leave.

Fantasmic - ends at 9:30, people will start getting to the buses at about 9:35-9:40 (very long walk out). Shops are still open, so if they're not crowded, I'd browse and wait a bit. After 10 pm, they are going to be moving people out as fast as they can.

What was REALLY nice over the summer was they did a show 30 minutes AFTER park closing. So there was an 8:30 show, park closed at 9:30, then another show at 10. Not only did people not know about the second show, but by the time you got out to the buses, they were moving you along.

Honestly, they do the best job managing evening bus crowds at that park. Epcot is the worst. By far.

Yes. But it depends on how fully crowded the stadium is filled. They are trying to cram as many people on the bus as possible for each route. AND it's also chaotic because the drivers are going at a faster speed than they normally do on their usual runs. Lots of guests bumping and being rocked around.

 

[Touchdown]

It’s been a bit but what I liked to do was book a dinner package for the first show, sit on the asile, watch the show, immediately at “Some Imagination, Huh?” get up, beat the crowd to ToT, ride it, then go back to the theatre and get a spot for show 2 but I’ve got some screws loose.

You want to go to the second show, super easy to get a good spot.