Fantasmic & the Blankets

[Mad Stitch]

I have a feeling that this thread is could spark some tension seeing that there are many locals on this board and they may be some of the ones doing this, so I just want to say right at the start that it is not my intent to start a fight. I hope we can have a civil and impartial discussion.

So as a first timer to Disneyland, the thing that caught me most off guard was all of the blankets reserving space at Fantasmic. When I rode the Mark Twain at 4pm I noticed one spread out with a small cooler on it and nobody around. My first thought was a CM would pick it up and take it to Guest Relations. I arrived to find a spot to watch Fantasmic an hour and 15 min. early and was shocked to find blankets everywhere. Some had people with them, others didn’t. As I was looking for a spot I asked a CM about these people taking up so much space, pointing out a couple who had a queen size blanket for the 2 of them, and she said that these people claim their spot so early that they are not allowed to ask them to move closer together. For a show that has limited viewing space and a lot of people trying to fit into it, I’m surprised Disney allows this. Especially being a frequent WDW visitor where they are constantly asking people to move closer together. What are your thoughts on this? When researching for the trip I thought FastPasses for World of Color was a bit odd, but now I think it may have been done to curtail this situation in DCA before it could start. I have a friend who lives in Orlando and I told him he should do this at Illuminations since Disney apparently allows it.

 

[Californian Elitist]

You were in local and hardcore Disneyland fans territory, my friend. A lot of locals and Californians period take a lot of ownership in Disneyland and feel like the park is theirs. Fantasmic! is a bigger deal in California than it is at Florida, and the fanbase is outrageous, hence the reason you saw people grabbing seats hours before showtime. People have been doing this for twenty years now, and there's no way anyone's going to tell them they can't set up their coolers and blankets and reserve spots when they've been doing it for that long now, including a CM. It's perfectly normal at Disneyland. Clearly this wouldn't work at WDW. DLR and WDW are two different places, and the way things operate and are managed are completely different.

I think it's perfectly fine for guests to have coolers and blankets and spots reserved for the show. It may suck for those who've never seen the show, but locals and repeated guests know the drill. If you want a good seat, be there early. If you decide to show up late and you don't get a good spot, oh well, that's your fault (clearly I'm not referring to new guests). I would bet one hundred dollars the guests you saw setting up at 4 had not been at the parks all day, and had come just to see Fantasmic!. Somebody should have told you you needed to show up really early to get a good spot.

 

[Rasvar]

That is also why I go to the late Fantasmic when there are two shows in DL. That way I can swoop in after the first crowd disperses.

 

[Mukta]

That is also why I go to the late Fantasmic when there are two shows in DL. That way I can swoop in after the first crowd disperses.

That is what I do as well. I am a local and I love Fantasmic. I also love the rest of the park and I don't want to spend 4 hours waiting for a 23 minute show.
After the fireworks, I head over to the Rivers of America and watch the second show. Fewer people, shorter wait.

 

[Nicole220]

This is why I like WoC's FP. You only have to camp out for a little over an hour in your confined space rather than 4+.

I was surprised to see random blankets here and there the other week when I was in the park. Nothing else on them, just a blanket on the ground. I'm surprised they let that slide. You would think Disney would have a rule saying you need to stay with your belongings at all times. I mean, if there's an unattended bag, security is on it pretty quick.

My cousin and her family were visiting from Europe about 15 years ago and I remember us staking out a spot early for Fantasmic. But her dad would stay with the spot while her mom took us on a ride, and then they'd switch. I think that's fine. First come first serve and all, but don't abandon your belongings. That isn't fair.

 

[Britt]

I would laugh so hard if someone moved their crap.