Help...how to see Fantastic/Fireworks and World of Colour in 1 day!

[davidro]

Hi everyone

Have a trip fast coming up to Disneyland but I only have 2 full days.

Well, actually I don't have 2 full days because I have to leave around 930pm on the second day to catch a flight.

This is now a problem as my daughter wants desperately to see World of Colour AND Fantastic and the fireworks!

I'm thinking of getting a hopper ticket and baggings fast passes for both. Can anyone help advise me how possible it is to achieve a quick exit after fireworks at 945pm and make it across to World of Colour for 1015?

I've been told that you cannot get into DCA after 10pm. Is that true? Or would they still let you in if you had a fast passs or dessert party reservation for WOC?

Do you think it's possible to watch fireworks from Fantastic and get to DCA by 10? Feels tight. How about if I hang back on main street for the fireworks and then exit just before the end?

Any ideas if I will get even a semi decent view of WOC if I turn up right before the start?

thanks so much! David

 

[Touchdown]

It’s not really possible to see all three. You need to make one of three choices:

9:30 DL Forever, 10:15 WOC: get a Fastpass for WOC, and then around 9:00 go to Main Street near center street and stand in the very back (up against the rope) of the section in front of the walking path. Enjoy Forever and when Peter Pan says “All of this is yours, Forever!” Get ready to move, immediately after the show concludes, walk quickly to the Adventureland side of the street and walk out of Disneyland and over to DCA. Once inside the gate you can slow down and proceed to WOC. If you are lucky, by the time you get back to DL after the show you’ll catch the Mark Twain and Sorcerer Mickey finale to Fantasmic but that’s about it.

9:30 DL Forever, 10:30 Fantasmic!: arriving no later then 8:45 get a nice spot on the hub in front of the castle to catch the show(everyone will have to stand 15 min prior to showtime so as long as you are near the center you will be able to pivot center when that happens) from the best spot and then after proceed to Frontierland to catch Fantasmic.

9:00 Fantasmic, 9:30 DL Forever viewed from ROA: there is simply no way you will make it to DCA’s front gate in 15 min starting from ROA. This choice also gives you a worse view of the fireworks.

 

[socalifornian]

I used to see them in one night all the time during the 60th, and crowds are lighter these days for now too. It’s perfect. You’ll want to fastpass the first fantasmic and the second woc. I believe there’s about five minutes between fantasmic and the fireworks, so it’s up to you if you want the classic Main St./castle view or just staying out at Rivers of America. You’ll see the fireworks just fine and they’ll also do the projections on those water screens. The fireworks are about ~12 minutes long so you’ll have a little over 15 minutes to get yourself through the DCA turnstiles so you don’t miss the show. If you want to use the woc fp you’ll need to be at the lagoon by 9:55, in which case I’d recommend using those five minutes to get on Main St., closer to DCA. Although wading through lighter crowds might not be an issue from the river, haven’t experienced that

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I would suggest watching the first half of fantasmic and then head to Main Street for fireworks view. As long as your behind the hub you’ll be fine, I usually watch from between Main Street and the hub and I make it out pretty easy but you have to be ready to move and go around people to get out and into DCA in time. I did this most nights on my last trip and a couple nights I got into DCA in time for a spin on Mater or Little mermaid!

 

[iMax]

Last summer I was able to see Paint the Night, fireworks, and Fantasmic all back to back. Started with Paint at 8:50, got to DL for 9:30 fireworks, and then 10:30 Fantasmic so it's definitely possible to see everything at once, you just need to make sure you do the following.

•Get a Fastpass for both the 9pm Fantasmic & 10:15 World of Color

•Get a spot for Fantasmic in front of the ropes by the Pirates entrance so that way once the show ends you can get an immediate exit into Main Street for the fireworks, watch them from the flagpole end of Main Street

•Once fireworks ends, head across to DCA for World of Color

It sounds rough reading it, and I wasn't sure how I was able to see all the night shows at once when I went for the first time last year but it definitely is possible. Have Fun!

 

[davidro]

Last summer I was able to see Paint the Night, fireworks, and Fantasmic all back to back. Started with Paint at 8:50, got to DL for 9:30 fireworks, and then 10:30 Fantasmic so it's definitely possible to see everything at once, you just need to make sure you do the following.

•Get a Fastpass for both the 9pm Fantasmic & 10:15 World of Color

•Get a spot for Fantasmic in front of the ropes by the Pirates entrance so that way once the show ends you can get an immediate exit into Main Street for the fireworks, watch them from the flagpole end of Main Street

•Once fireworks ends, head across to DCA for World of Color

It sounds rough reading it, and I wasn't sure how I was able to see all the night shows at once when I went for the first time last year but it definitely is possible. Have Fun!

Thanks very much for all the advice!

Tempted to try to do it all!

But if the FP for WOC expires at 955pm it seems virtually impossible to get there in time. I mean, I was hoping to get to DCA gates by 10pm but then I assume it is another 5-10 minutes to get to the FP entry point in DCA, meaning more like 1005-1010pm. Would they still let you in for the FP entrance 15 minutes after closing time? Otherwise I was thinking of paying for the dessert party, but the reviews have generally been pretty scathing about value for money on that one!

My other crazy option - and it is a little crazy - is to buy a 3 day park hopper ticket rather than a 2 day. And then when I arrive on the Sunday night around 945pm, just go straight into the park to see WOC or Fantasmic. So literally coming straight from an 11 hour flight and paying for an extra day to buy myself 2 hours in the park from 10-12am.

Sounds nuts, but I would then also get the bonus of the magic morning access for my last day. It is supposed to be super hot next Monday Tuesday so I'm thinking my 5 year old is not going to cope in the midday sun, and early rides 7-8am could be worth paying the extra for! This plan would be totally dependent on a fast immigration clearance. I land at 740pm and it is a 35 minute uber to the park. So that leaves me max 90 mins to clear the airport.....

 

[truecoat]

Thanks for much for all advice!

Tempted to try to do it all!

But if the FP for WOC expires at 955pm it seems virtually impossible to get there in time. I mean, I was hoping to get to DCA gates by 1pm but then I assume it is another 5-10 minutes to get to the FP entry point in DCA, meaning more like 1005-1010pm. Would they still let you in for the FP entrance 15 minutes after closing time? Otherwise I was thinking of paying for the dessert party, but the reviews have generally been pretty scathing about value for money on that one!

My other crazy option - and it is a little crazy - is to buy a 3 day park hopper ticket rather than a 2 day. And then when I arrive on the Sunday night around 945pm, just go straight into the park to see WOC or Fantastic. I mean, literally coming straight from an 11 hour flight and paying for an extra day to buy myself 2 hours in the park from 10-12am. Sounds nuts, but I would then also get the bonus of the magic morning access for my last day. It is supposed to be super hot next Monday Tuesday so I'm thinking my 5 year old is not going to cope in the midday sun, and early rides 7-8am could be worth paying the extra for! This plan would be totally dependent on a fast immigration clearance. I land at 740pm and it is a 35 minute uber to the park. So that leaves me max 90 mins to clear the airport.....

You could add the extra day to your ticket at the park when you get there. That way you wouldn't buy an extra day not knowing if you'll make it or not.

 

[davidro]

You could add the extra day to your ticket at the park when you get there. That way you wouldn't buy an extra day not knowing if you'll make it or not.

Yeah I guess so. But then I assume I couldn’t get the magic morning access on an upgraded ticket if I didn’t buy it outright as a 3 day pass in advance? How much is that worth? Queues don’t seem too bad right now but I’m thinking it will be much more tolerable heat wise early morning.

 

[socalifornian]

Thanks very much for all the advice!

Tempted to try to do it all!

But if the FP for WOC expires at 955pm it seems virtually impossible to get there in time. I mean, I was hoping to get to DCA gates by 10pm but then I assume it is another 5-10 minutes to get to the FP entry point in DCA, meaning more like 1005-1010pm. Would they still let you in for the FP entrance 15 minutes after closing time? Otherwise I was thinking of paying for the dessert party, but the reviews have generally been pretty scathing about value for money on that one!

My other crazy option - and it is a little crazy - is to buy a 3 day park hopper ticket rather than a 2 day. And then when I arrive on the Sunday night around 945pm, just go straight into the park to see WOC or Fantasmic. So literally coming straight from an 11 hour flight and paying for an extra day to buy myself 2 hours in the park from 10-12am.

Sounds nuts, but I would then also get the bonus of the magic morning access for my last day. It is supposed to be super hot next Monday Tuesday so I'm thinking my 5 year old is not going to cope in the midday sun, and early rides 7-8am could be worth paying the extra for! This plan would be totally dependent on a fast immigration clearance. I land at 740pm and it is a 35 minute uber to the park. So that leaves me max 90 mins to clear the airport.....

DCA is generally dead at that time, including turnstiles, if that helps your planning any. The longest part of your post-fireworks journey to woc would be getting through Disneyland traffic. No security checks either

 

[truecoat]

Yeah I guess so. But then I assume I couldn’t get the magic morning access on an upgraded ticket if I didn’t buy it outright as a 3 day pass in advance? How much is that worth? Queues don’t seem too bad right now but I’m thinking it will be much more tolerable heat wise early morning.

Yeah, not only heat wise but you’ll ride so many rides before noon.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

The world of color fastpass doesn’t expire at 9:55. I would go in at 10:05 or 10:10 most nights.