Fantasmic

[Fade_to_Blah]

I have been meaning to start a thread about this...but is anyone else completely not impressed with Fantasmic? I know this is Disney blasphemy since everyone seems to love it but I really did not enjoy it.

I just though it was dull and was not impressive. I felt like I was watching a movie for alot of the show since they were just putting the projection on some water. There were not many fireworks (maybe there was a problem that night?), nor was there much pyrotechnic work in general that I can remember.

Did we just catch a bad show night? I have only been this one time and to be honest I would consider not seeing it next time we go down again. Its really the only show I saw that I really didnt like at the world (well the Finding Nemo musical I thought stunk, but thats for another thread ).

 

[Tiggerfanatic]

You know, I really didn't see the thrill in it the first time I saw it, either. But DD17 loved it, so we gave it another shot on our next trip, and now I really like it. I don't know if I didn't get the story line the first time or what, but now it's on our list of must do's. I am looking forward to taking my niece & nephew for the first time this December.

 

[Scooter]

I didn't enjoy Fantasmic at all.

I'm pretty sure it was because of my sore butt from sitting on those hot, uncomfortable aluminum bench seats for an hour before the show started.
They really need to make them a little more comfortable.
I also got stuck sitting next to a large smelly man who wouldn't shut up the whole time I was there.

I'm going to try to see it again and give it a second chance, but this time I won't go into the theater quite so early and hopefully I will have a better experiance.

 

[DisneyLeo18]

i love the show, but i will not go and wait an hour for the show to start. sitting on those benches for an hour before, then a half hour for the show is pretty rough. i usually only go to the world once or twice a year and if i miss it im not bothered much.

 

[Disney05]

The hardest part of the show is sitting for way too long on those metal bench's. We've also had to deal with swarms of gnats.

 

[mitchk]

I started a thread about this last year after I waited an hour and a half to see FanTrashmic (as I like to call it). I had heard nothing but good things about it, so I did the Mamma Melrose dinner, and Fantasmic package. I was totally unimpressed with the whole thing, but a lot of people on this site love that show. I know I'll never go see it again, but to each his own I guess. :wave:

 

[bgraham34]

The hardest part of the show is sitting for way too long on those metal bench's. We've also had to deal with swarms of gnats.

I could not agree with you more. Other than that its my favorite show at the world.

 

[Fade_to_Blah]

I started a thread about this last year after I waited an hour and a half to see FanTrashmic (as I like to call it). I had heard nothing but good things about it, so I did the Mamma Melrose dinner, and Fantasmic package. I was totally unimpressed with the whole thing, but a lot of people on this site love that show. I know I'll never go see it again, but to each his own I guess. :wave:

Yea pretty much what happened to us. In November we heard it was a wonderfull show and the best at the world. So we got the dinner package, got there early, sat down forever and when it was done we had one of those "is that it?" moments. Maybe it was talked up so much our expectations were too high.

 

[Dukeblue1016]

I'll say this...

I actually did enjoy fantasmic... and thought it was good; but a) it's not even remotely worth the hassle of getting in there, dealing with the lines, and the mad rush of an exit, and b) it's not overwhelming good...

so with that said... I enjoyed it and I would definitely reccommend it to someone who has not seen it... but I don't see it on my trips... like every trip I have to catch Wishes at least once and Illuminations (its what I'll always call it) at least once... and if I didn't it would be a total let-down...

whereas... if I never saw Fantasmic ever again... it wouldn't be that big of a deal to me... and again, I like it, but just won't regularly schedule it in as something to do...

 

[yankspy]

It seems that a lot of the complaints are not necessarily about the show itself but the waiting on those uncomfortable metal benches. I am surprised that they have not started selling disney seat cushions since they usually do not miss an oppurtunity to make a buck.:lol: As far as the show, I like it. The OP mentioned movies shown on water, but that was a very impressive trick when I saw it the first time. It was an example of why I love disney so much. That was something I had never seen before anywhere else. The wait for the show can be enjoyable at times because we are usually running around all day and so it gives the family a chance to rest and just talk about the day and whatnot. I also do not think the wait is any different than sitting on the concrete waiting for illuminations or wishes.

 

[CThaddeus]

See it at Disneyland. I think you'll walk away impressed. It has much less use of the mist screens, not as many laughing/screaming villains (which I found particularly obnoxious), Peter Pan and gang fighting it out on the Columbia in place of the Pocahontas' scene (nothing against Pocahontas - I like the movie - but the scene wasn't terribly exciting to me), The Mark Twain in place of the dinky little steamship, and it takes place on Tom Sawyer's Island which you could have been walking on just hours before. I love how they make use of attractions to create a whole new attraction. It is truly one of the best shows at Disneyland. Even the setup process is fun to watch. At the Studios, it has only the stadium going for it. I was stunned the first time I saw it there. I couldn't believe that something I loved so much in California was so poorly cloned. I know some love the Studios' version, but I'm just not one of them. Luckily, I'm only 12 miles away from the original and can check it out any time I feel the urge!

 

[trendicoff]

It seems that a lot of the complaints are not necessarily about the show itself but the waiting on those uncomfortable metal benches. I am surprised that they have not started selling disney seat cushions since they usually do not miss an oppurtunity to make a buck.:lol: As far as the show, I like it. The OP mentioned movies shown on water, but that was a very impressive trick when I saw it the first time. It was an example of why I love disney so much. That was something I had never seen before anywhere else. The wait for the show can be enjoyable at times because we are usually running around all day and so it gives the family a chance to rest and just talk about the day and whatnot. I also do not think the wait is any different than sitting on the concrete waiting for illuminations or wishes.

Well . . . now that you mention it, they do sell red and yellow fleece blankets that fold up into a pouch that serves as a seat cushion :ROFLOL:

As for the show, I understand that it may not be for everyone, it's character heavy and yes its quite a chunk of time to devote, but having seen the show from the control room, I am just as impressed every time like yankspy said about the technical expertise and innovation that Disney continually displays.

 

[CThaddeus]

It seems that a lot of the complaints are not necessarily about the show itself but the waiting on those uncomfortable metal benches. I am surprised that they have not started selling disney seat cushions since they usually do not miss an oppurtunity to make a buck.:lol:

Disneyland did sell Fantasmic! seat cushions when the show first started. I even bought one of them when the cast member store had some slightly defective ones for a couple of dollars. They must not have sold very well, or I'm guessing they would be around now for everything involving sitting for longish periods of time - the parades, fireworks, etc.

 

[DizneyPryncess]

It's not a show I see every time i'm at WDW, just because you have to get there so early & wait. Plus, I really am not a fan of Hollywood Studios in general. It's my least favorite park.

But when I do see Fantasmic I really like it. I like that they involved a variety of characters - it's like a boat parade mixed with a movie mixed with fireworks. I thought it was a cool concept & different from anything Disney had done before.

I can see Wishes every night & not get tired of it - but Fantasmic is only a "now and then" show for me.

 

[yankspy]

Well . . . now that you mention it, they do sell red and yellow fleece blankets that fold up into a pouch that serves as a seat cushion :ROFLOL:

As for the show, I understand that it may not be for everyone, it's character heavy and yes its quite a chunk of time to devote, but having seen the show from the control room, I am just as impressed every time like yankspy said about the technical expertise and innovation that Disney continually displays.

I know what I am buying next time. Where is the control room? That must have been interesting.

 

[jessicaj]

See it at Disneyland. I think you'll walk away impressed. It has much less use of the mist screens, not as many laughing/screaming villains (which I found particularly obnoxious), Peter Pan and gang fighting it out on the Columbia in place of the Pocahontas' scene (nothing against Pocahontas - I like the movie - but the scene wasn't terribly exciting to me), The Mark Twain in place of the dinky little steamship, and it takes place on Tom Sawyer's Island which you could have been walking on just hours before. I love how they make use of attractions to create a whole new attraction. It is truly one of the best shows at Disneyland. Even the setup process is fun to watch. At the Studios, it has only the stadium going for it. I was stunned the first time I saw it there. I couldn't believe that something I loved so much in California was so poorly cloned. I know some love the Studios' version, but I'm just not one of them. Luckily, I'm only 12 miles away from the original and can check it out any time I feel the urge!

I totally agree! The one at DL is very spectacular. I remember waiting forever around Tom Sawyer Island as a kid ands totally walking away with a WOW feeling. I think we go see it at WDW because it reminds of our childhood days at DL, more of a sentimental thing then a Wow that show rocks thing. We are the dorky family sitting there singing along to all the songs, as we grew up with the soundtrack form DL blaring in my moms minivan. LOL I would have to say that if you ever get a chance to see it at DL, don't miss it, even if you have to wait around forever. It is totally worth it. And yes the set up process is pretty neat. Watching the transformation is great!

 

[Captain Hank]

I'm actually not a huge fan of it, myself. My biggest complaint, aside from having to get there so early and sit on the bleachers, is that the DHS version has severe pacing issues. The show just gets started and exciting with Mickey appearing and the "I Just Can't Wait to be King" section, then it runs into a 4 minute stretch of nothing but mist screens. After that, the show picks up, but all that dead time is not a good thing.

 

[TubaGeek]

The ONLY time I've been to DL we had to leave early because we were marching in the Rose Bowl parade the next morning, so I didn't get to see it. I've seen it twice at WDW, though, and love it. Regarding the mist screen, I don't know how else you'd expect the set changes to happen except for Disney stalling a little bit and showing that. It's like when you go to the theatre and they close the curtain or black out the lights, except this actually gives you something to look at.

 

[Fun2BFree]

I enjoyed Fantasmic, but not as much as IllumiNations or Wishes- mostly due to the access as others have said. Wishes gets quite hectic in terms of crowds, and ROE is hardly convenient, but Fantasmic is even more so problematic to get into, seated, and out of. The biggest flaw of the WDW version was to hold it in a separate area; you cannot simply walk by and see it like parades or other firework shows. Instead, it turns into a two-hour long endeavor just to view! :hammer:

 

[MousDad]

Honestly, I have not seen Fantasmic to this point, because I have not had the desire to go through the "ordeal," especially with my 2 young kids. I have not incorporated it into our plans for our upcoming June trip either.

I will probably try to catch it in my next solo trip, or if I ever make it to DL. It seems like to this point it's been the 1 biggie I can do without.

I'm sure the show itself is great, though. I've listened to the soundtrack enough times.