Guide to DLR for WDW Veterans!

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I remember the one in MGM being a huge annoyance to get in and out of that stadium. When it finally started, there was too much of a reliance on projections and the scenes they added AKA Pocahontas and the dodgy-looking snake were just kind of awful and did not make up for the glaring omission of Peter Pan. It went on for too long and I wanted out, but good luck with that because you have to march slowly en masse in a situation even worse than the evacuations of the Disneyland nighttime entertainment. Disneyland's is a tighter show, it's technically more impressive, you get WAY better vantage points, you can usually just show up around the time the show starts and find a spot to watch and it's far cooler having it in the Magic Kingdom where the whole Rivers of America come to life and the classic Disneyland vessels are utilized. I feel that by putting it in a stadium at MGM, they just didn't get the show.

 

[JediMasterMatt]

Fantasmic! is better at Disneyland. I didn't even like it until I saw it there. Everyone always mentions the dragon being better at Disneyland, but WDW is also missing perhaps the greatest scene from the show:

Add me into this mix. I LOVE Disney nighttime spectaculars and always see at least one per night while on vacation. That being said, I've only seen WDW's Fantasmic! two times and that is intentional. I saw it the first time and found the show very uneven and far too many mist screens versus practical effects. I gave it another go a few years later and still had the same feelings.

DLR's Fantasmic! on the other hand is an absolute joy and completely works.

The Pan sequence is a major part of those differences along with Snaps McGee a.k.a Murphy. The Mark Twain finale with all the characters does provide a more impressive closure than the tiny little tug boat in Orlando.

The real secret, that I think sets the two apart is the location. Part of the magic of the show is the "now-you-see-it, now-you-don't" aspect of the Rivers of America disappearing and the entire place becoming the stage. The best way I can put it is you can tell the show was designed to fit the location in Anaheim and the opposite happened in Orlando - they built a location to fit the show and it just loses the transformative aspect of it.

While I do like the stadium seating, Fantasmic! just doesn't do it for me at all at WDW.

I would much rather have them use the stadium for a custom water spectacular in the vein of World of Color as it would allow them to come up with something unique to the venue and not an clone. Being able to see the surface of the water is the one drawback that DCA's WoC suffers from and could be solved with the stadium seating.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Add me into this mix. I LOVE Disney nighttime spectaculars and always see at least one per night while on vacation. That being said, I've only seen WDW's Fantasmic! two times and that is intentional. I saw it the first time and found the show very uneven and far too many mist screens versus practical effects. I gave it another go a few years later and still had the same feelings.

DLR's Fantasmic! on the other hand is an absolute joy and completely works.

The Pan sequence is a major part of those differences along with Snaps McGee a.k.a Murphy. The Mark Twain finale with all the characters does provide a more impressive closure than the tiny little tug boat in Orlando.

The real secret, that I think sets the two apart is the location. Part of the magic of the show is the "now-you-see-it, now-you-don't" aspect of the Rivers of America disappearing and the entire place becoming the stage. The best way I can put it is you can tell the show was designed to fit the location in Anaheim and the opposite happened in Orlando - they built a location to fit the show and it just loses the transformative aspect of it.

While I do like the stadium seating, Fantasmic! just doesn't do it for me at all at WDW.

I would much rather have them use the stadium for a custom water spectacular in the vein of World of Color as it would allow them to come up with something unique to the venue and not an clone. Being able to see the surface of the water is the one drawback that DCA's WoC suffers from and could be solved with the stadium seating.

DHS is the only place in the world where Disney has built a venue specifically for a nighttime show. All other nighttime shows happen in existing locales in the parks - World Showcase Lagoon, Rivers of America, Mediterranean Harbor, Paradise Bay, etc. I vastly prefer that, as the magic gets sucked out in the whole stadium setting.

What's amazing is that the same creative team who put together DL's Fantasmic also did WDW's. Talk about bizarre.

 

[ght]

DHS is the only place in the world where Disney has built a venue specifically for a nighttime show. All other nighttime shows happen in existing locales in the parks - World Showcase Lagoon, Rivers of America, Mediterranean Harbor, Paradise Bay, etc. I vastly prefer that, as the magic gets sucked out in the whole stadium setting.

What's amazing is that the same creative team who put together DL's Fantasmic also did WDW's. Talk about bizarre.

You would think with a venue specifically designated for the show they would put in the resources to make the show that much better. When the show has its own venue you aren't constrained by the existing infrastructure and you SHOULD be able to use that to your advantage to plus the show that much more. Sadly, at WDW they seem to have gone in the opposite direction. WDW's Fantasmic SHOULD be a plussed and more spectacular version of the Disneyland show but they can't even hit close to the level of their Anaheim cousin much less surpass it.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Where is a good vantage point for World of Color - I will not be using the dining package?

Try to head right (right when you enter, left on this picture)... all spots are not created equal. Unfortunately, this map is a good start, but things change. One time, I was able to enter the blue section and walk all the way across in the front to the red area; the next time I entered the blue area, I was blocked off like it shows in this map. But it gives you an idea.

 

[stevehousse]

Is there a way of knowing what FP sections go from handing out first to last sections? I would assume red gets handed out first then yellow? Is it possible to grab FPs for cars ride and then get a FP for world of color and manage to get one of these sections?

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Is there a way of knowing what FP sections go from handing out first to last sections? I would assume red gets handed out first then yellow? Is it possible to grab FPs for cars ride and then get a FP for world of color and manage to get one of these sections?

You can't choose the section when you get the Fastpass (it's only blue and yellow now, no more red section), it's whatever they're handing out at the time.

 

[stevehousse]

You can't choose the section when you get the Fastpass (it's only blue and yellow now, no more red section), it's whatever they're handing out at the time.

So did they split the old red section and make half blue and half yellow? Which one is better now if u were looking to be in the old red section?

 

[Travel Junkie]

So did they split the old red section and make half blue and half yellow? Which one is better now if u were looking to be in the old red section?

Blue is now the right side of the illustration and yellow is the left. The big circular section in the middle is the dividing point. The dining section is usually that big circle (D2) and the area just below it (D1.)Blue also takes a lot of the former green dining area (D3 and D5) and those are prime spots.

Blue is distributed first followed by yellow. Blue has more good spots than yellow. The way the projectors are positioned you do not want to be on the far side with yellow (basically the old red section) but it is okay with blue. In fact a decent spot is on the bridge (on the illustration above marked B8.) If you get yellow you want to be as close to the middle as possible.

The primary thing is to make sure you have as few people in front of you as possible. The rail is optimal so you have an unobstructed view. The wet zone up front allows you to see the fountains very close and get an appreciation of high they shoot in the air. However the projections are not as clear up front. Farther back the projections are much clearer.

 

[stevehousse]

Thank u guys! So many questions since I haven't been to DL in 25 years! So much is different! Now if they would jut announce when the 60th celebration starts I can officially book!

 

[Thumper14]

I will add to try to go to the 2nd WOC show. We had the dining package and went to the late show. The CM told us that we did not need to bother with our passes that night. Looking around he was right. We walked right up to the front center and got wet of course. But it was great. It was the last week of April, 2013. The daytime crowds were quite large especially at DCA. RSR had 120 minutes waits practically all day. Luckily we discovered the single rider line, which was at most 30 minutes long. And we almost always raced each other. Once or twice we were able to ride together. We rode it a dozen or more times on that trip!

 

[JediMasterMatt]

I will add to try to go to the 2nd WOC show.

Unfortunately, they haven't been doing a 2nd show for WoC since last year. It was 1 show a night even though the summer season. Otherwise, the 2nd show as always the best time to see it.

Re: the WoC map - I want to add that the viewing locations change quite frequently. The map above is somewhat old in that some of the yellow section has been cannibalized into preferred sections on most occasions.

Re: where is the best place to view WoC - in my opinion, there is only one place to view it, front railing and as close to the centerline as possible. You may get wet; but, it is the only place you are guaranteed a great view. You can see all the surface effects on the lagoon and being on the centerline, the mist screen actually align to create a very good pseudo 3D effect. Plus, only from the front can you see what I think is the most breathtaking part of the show that no video or still picture can capture - how each water droplet captures and reflects the light.

 

[Pooh'sBuddy]

How "wet" are y'all talking about? Just a little misty or downright soaked by the end?

 

[Travel Junkie]

How "wet" are y'all talking about? Just a little misty or downright soaked by the end?

It depends on the wind. I’ve walked out of there slightly misted on and other times very wet. Typical Southern California evenings include a slight breeze toward the crowd. Prepare for feeling like you were outside in the rain for a few minutes if you are up front. The further back the less wet you get, but even the back row expect a little mist.

 

[JediMasterMatt]

How "wet" are y'all talking about? Just a little misty or downright soaked by the end?

I've seen WoC a few dozen times now and the vast majority have been from the front row and usually the exact center. The best answer I can give you is that it is all very dependent on the wind.

I've had shows where you are absolutely drenched to the bone and I've walked away without a single drop getting on my camera's lens from the exact same location. I've had shows where I've gotten misted and five feet away took the wrath of the water. It's very, very, subject to change. Even once the show starts, I've had the wind change slightly and make a huge difference.

There are typically 3 big magnitude water events that happen during the show: Pirates, Lion King, and the finale.

I've had times where the show starts off and some of the lesser moments have gotten me wet and then the wind shifts and Pirates comes and goes without a drop.

On average, expect a mist that can accumulate. Also, go in also thinking that a wall of water can come crashing down (usually at the end of Pirates where they are trying to take the heat out of the air).

I always have my rain coat ready to go.

It's definitely worth the experience. WoC is my favorite of the Disney Nighttime Spectaculars.

 

[Pooh'sBuddy]

It depends on the wind. I’ve walked out of there slightly misted on and other times very wet. Typical Southern California evenings include a slight breeze toward the crowd. Prepare for feeling like you were outside in the rain for a few minutes if you are up front. The further back the less wet you get, but even the back row expect a little mist.

I've seen WoC a few dozen times now and the vast majority have been from the front row and usually the exact center. The best answer I can give you is that it is all very dependent on the wind.

I've had shows where you are absolutely drenched to the bone and I've walked away without a single drop getting on my camera's lens from the exact same location. I've had shows where I've gotten misted and five feet away took the wrath of the water. It's very, very, subject to change. Even once the show starts, I've had the wind change slightly and make a huge difference.

There are typically 3 big magnitude water events that happen during the show: Pirates, Lion King, and the finale.

I've had times where the show starts off and some of the lesser moments have gotten me wet and then the wind shifts and Pirates comes and goes without a drop.

On average, expect a mist that can accumulate. Also, go in also thinking that a wall of water can come crashing down (usually at the end of Pirates where they are trying to take the heat out of the air).

I always have my rain coat ready to go.

It's definitely worth the experience. WoC is my favorite of the Disney Nighttime Spectaculars.

That makes perfect sense. Thank you, both. We may have to whip out our ponchos.

 

[JillC LI]

Where is a good vantage point for World of Color - I will not be using the dining package?

I can't remember what FP color we had in May, but I do recall that we were pretty centered, and we stood at the very top of a staircase. That way, when people stood in front of us, they were on lower steps so we could still see well, and we didn't have to be close enough to get wet.

 

[ght]

Unfortunately, they haven't been doing a 2nd show for WoC since last year. It was 1 show a night even though the summer season. Otherwise, the 2nd show as always the best time to see it.

They are now doing 2 shows (at 9:00 and 10:15) but only on Fridays (the only night the park is open until midnight).

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

They are now doing 2 shows (at 9:00 and 10:15) but only on Fridays (the only night the park is open until midnight).

That's because of Mickey's Halloween Party. Disneyland is closed to the public on those nights, so DCA has to compensate. Will be curious to see if two show nights come back over Christmas.

 

[ght]

That's because of Mickey's Halloween Party. Disneyland is closed to the public on those nights, so DCA has to compensate. Will be curious to see if two show nights come back over Christmas.

Yep, specifically during the Friday parties, where you are going to have a typically larger crowd leaving DL than you do for the Monday and Tuesday parties. We always go in October so I don't know what the typical hours for DCA are when the parties aren't going on. Do they stay open until Midnight during other times of the year?