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Best spot for Fantasmic! and Firework Viewing.
- Thread starter Marc Gil
- Start date
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
There are no seats, just sitting on the ground in the front or standing.
The best, and my favorite spot to watch Fantasmic!, is the area right in front of Pirates. Great view. In regards to when you should arrive, if you want to sit in the front, I would suggest at least 2+ hours before showtime. There are DL regulars who faithfully find front row spots and set up blankets four hours before the show starts. I'm not kidding or exaggerating.
For fireworks, smack dab in front of the castle.
The best, and my favorite spot to watch Fantasmic!, is the area right in front of Pirates. Great view. In regards to when you should arrive, if you want to sit in the front, I would suggest at least 2+ hours before showtime. There are DL regulars who faithfully find front row spots and set up blankets four hours before the show starts. I'm not kidding or exaggerating.
For fireworks, smack dab in front of the castle.
2 hours! Yikes! I'll stay in that area for the time being. Isn't there two shows?
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
Usually, yes.
Is the later show generally less crowded and more managable than the earlier one?
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
Yes.
StarWarsGirl
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
She's not kidding. At all. I was so stunned when I saw that. The word crazy did enter my mind, especially since the earliest I've ever lined up for Fantasmic in WDW was 45 minutes
But when I was there a week ago, I managed to find a decent spot near the railing 30 minutes prior to showtime. Definitely do the later show.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
Fantasmic! has become a special tradition for DL fans. There are some serious fans of the show and they love it dearly... They want the best spot.
But yes, it's definitely possible to find decent spots for Fantasmic! thirty or more minutes before showtime. They just aren't the best spots.
StarWarsGirl
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Yeah, there was a poll in our way. But it was fine. Just one advantage of the WDW one: guaranteed seating (until capacity reached) and no polls in your way.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
I've been standing for Fantasmic! for the past twenty-one years... It doesn't bother me. I can see how it would be annoying for WDW people, though.
StarWarsGirl
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
It was really annoying. My dad complained about it the entire time. What wasn't annoying was not having to worry about the weather cancelling a show like we forever have to in WDW.
EDIT: We haven't even had Fantasmic! for 21 years, only almost 15 years, lol.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
The weather will cancel a firework show at DL in a split second. I know what that's like. Sorry your dad was annoyed.
I know... Most DL things are older than their cousins in Florida (clearly).
AmongMadPeople
Active Member
As mentioned already, 2nd show is a bit easier to do since no one can get spots until the first one is over. What worked wonderfully for us was to bolt out of the hub immediately after fireworks, and head to ROA with hoards of others. We kept walking until we found a good spot, which happened to be sitting area. There were so many other people that it would have been hard to be picky about a spot because moving around was very difficult.
StarWarsGirl
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
He'll get over it. I stopped considering his opinion valid when he tried to tell me that Grizzly River Run was not as good as Kali River Rapids. Or that the dragon in DLP was worse. I mean, I'm nostalgic for ours, but come on. Yeah, they're a bit more worried about wind, but you don't have to worry about lightning striking metal benches!
Not everything in DL is newer than their Florida cousins. For example, most of DCA is newer since it opened in 2001 and AK, the last park to open, opened in 98. So Muppet Vision, Tower of Terror, and It's Tough to Be a Bug are all newer than their Florida counterparts. And Astro Blasters is newer than Space Ranger Spin, and our new Star Tours opened a little before the one in DLP. Space Mountain came to WDW first (though it was based more on Matterhorn). Not everything in DL looks older than in Florida. It all depends. Pirates is definitely better, but Haunted Mansion is not. Soarin' Over california does not have as bad of a degrading issue as in Florida. Each park has its good and bad aspects. The biggest (literally) WDW advantage is space.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
I know... That's why I didn't say everything in DL is older. BTW, you don't have to call Disneyland Disneyland Park.
The original Star Tours opened at Disneyland two years before the one at DHS.
What's ironic is Disneyland has no room but its got the most attractions in one park out of the Disney parks.
StarWarsGirl
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
I know but that's how I differentiate between the resort as a whole and the individual park
Yes but Star Tours 2 opened in DHS first. Seems fair.
I know! Many of the attractions have similar versions spread throughout WDW. For example, Dinosaur is similar (but inferior) to Indiana Jones but in AK, Star Tours is in DHS, Captain EO is in Epcot, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage has a similar dark ride in Epcot, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln is similar to American Adventure (the two brothers part is in American Adventure, but it's a longer bit, and they have the same song at the end) Fantasmic is in DHS, just different. But then again, DLP has also been open longer to add so many attractions and it has a local following it must keep up, whereas WDW is generally hated in Florida except by "transplants" and a rare few. MK definitely isn't DLP (though Cinderella Castle is far superior to Sleeping Beauty. I know Walt wanted it to be like a storybook, but...come on! Matterhorn dwarfs it!
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
The resort as a whole is called the Disneyland Resort, so saying Disneyland automatically refers to the sole park, but if you prefer Disneyland Park...
Yeah, by two weeks. I think two whole years would count more, but whatever.
Matterhorn is supposed to dwarf the castle. When have you ever seen a castle dwarf a mountain? Also, all of Disneyland is small and storybook/fantasy-like. If the castle were taller than Matterhorn, it would completely alter and pretty much ruin Disneyland's scale. The castle's size matches the rest of Disneyland. The castle is well loved and Disney would receive threats from fans if they so much as think about dramatically changing it.
It's the same thing when DL fans complain about Cinderella Castle and dislike it because it's "imposing" or "too tall." The height of the castle matches the rest of the park.
StarWarsGirl
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Plus now we have other castles, so Cinderella has to be the tallest. I like Cinderella Castle better. It's much more grand. You must wait to see it for yourself before passing judgement
. I did like the walkthrough of Sleeping Beauty Castle better. It told the story better. I think if they had brought Matterhorn to WDW it would have worked just fine next to Cinderella Castle. But we have Everest now...
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
Plus now we have other castles, so Cinderella has to be the tallest. I like Cinderella Castle better. It's much more grand. You must wait to see it for yourself before passing judgement
I'm not passing judgement... I have no opinion of Cinderella Castle, but I'm sure I will like it. I don't think I'll love it as much as Sleeping Beauty Castle, but I'm quite sure I won't dislike it, like some DL fans. Matterhorn is too short for CC.
Mountains in the background...
The mountain should look bigger and "grander" than the castle. Not the opposite way around, especially if they're close to each other.
Cosmic Commando
Well-Known Member
Remember that the DL castle is less than half the height of Cinderella Castle... when you sit right in front of the castle at MK, you get a pretty &#$(@ view!
For Fantasmic!, I took the lazy way out both times I've seen it... go to the lowest terrace level about 10 mins before showtime, find a spot where there's room just behind the rope for that section, and make the best of it. There were only maybe 6-7 layers of people in front of me; I'm not tall, but it wasn't that hard to see. Often, people will shift around or someone has to leave or something and you can reshuffle yourself. No, the view isn't perfect, but it's better than waiting two hours!
For Fantasmic!, I took the lazy way out both times I've seen it... go to the lowest terrace level about 10 mins before showtime, find a spot where there's room just behind the rope for that section, and make the best of it. There were only maybe 6-7 layers of people in front of me; I'm not tall, but it wasn't that hard to see. Often, people will shift around or someone has to leave or something and you can reshuffle yourself. No, the view isn't perfect, but it's better than waiting two hours!