ABQ
Well-Known Member
Take one for the team! The people's ovation and fame forever await you.Oh so for that reason I have to keep the Fantasmic! selection huh? LOL!
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LIES!! Fastpass+ & Fantasmic!
- Thread starter Adinalee
- Start date
@ExtinctJenn - For what it's worth on 10/20something we used a fastpass+ selection to get into Fantasmic and we arrived at the late end of the time window (if it said 6:55-7:10, we were there at 7:08). We were seated on the far left. They were the only seats left. The CMs told me there were no reserved seats for FP+, you were just guaranteed a seat. I didn't even know enough to be upset nor was I expecting reserved seating. I partly used the FP+ just to see how it would work (plus, we do single rider on RnR and you really don't need FPs for Star Tours or ToT with TSMM being a given for FP+ usage).
jlsHouston
Well-Known Member
followed by a lengthy siesta in preparation for the fiesta that evening....
Cesar R M
Well-Known Member
correct on the siesta, not so much on the fiesta.
Poofiesdream
Well-Known Member
PolynesianPrincess
Well-Known Member
It seems the final answer here is that where you are seated with FP+ has changed a ton over the past few months. I read a trip report from someone who went recently and said they entered and were seated in the same spot as the dining package folks, off to the right. A few weeks ago I read in the thread about the Glow With the Show ears that FP+ folks and dining folks were seated in the center, again entering through the side entrance however. Am I reading this right that now, not only do you not enter from the separate entrance but you're seated wherever there aren't already seats taken (i.e. you could end up with crap seats)?
We used one of our FP+ selections for Fantastmic! in December and if it's not really going to benefit us to have them, then I'll use it for something else for sure. Though knowing my luck, as stated above, it'll change again to be front row wonderful seats if we do. Would love someone to officially clarify.
The reason I was given by the CM I spoke with after we arrived and found the only seats open were the ones on the end was that the testing phase was the only time there was a guranteed section for F! She said now that there are more FP+ being used for F! since it's rolled out property wide now, there is no guaranteed section just guarateed seats. What I don't understand is that they let people up into the theater starting 90-75 minutes ahead of time. Those people get the best seats (aside from the dining package) with a return time on the FP+ of 5:55 for a 6:30pm show, you're only arriving maximum 35 minutes early. So in no way is FP+ for F! a front of the line card, so to speak. People have already been filing into the theater a good 45 minutes before your return time. Unless they change it back to a specific section for the show, the FP+ is useless. I find it very weird they now have 3 sections for the dining package. I see more package availability online than ever before. FP+ is free where as the dining package earns them money. Perhaps that's why they have added more dining packages to the mix? Who knows with TDO. All I know is I am composing a strongly worded letter to them regarding FP+ being a total waste of time for F! and that in no way, shape or form did they alert me when picking this as one of my choices online that it was different than the testing phase. It may fall on deaf ears but at least I'll be letting them know how I feel about it. Hopefully others will voice their opinions if they dislike how FP+ for F! works.
ABQ
Well-Known Member
Ooooh, fun night to go. I'll be there 3 days later. Here's hoping you find a great seat with very little effort required.
ExtinctJenn
Well-Known Member
No... just yours. LOL!
I've got to admit I'm kind of on the fence. The show starts at 6:30 on the night we were thinking of going and it was already going to mean that we'd have to hop from DHS to Epcot for dinner (ADRs at 3:00 at Garden Grill) and then right back so it was a sort of pain in the rear. This is kind of making me rethinking using the FP+ selection for it just because if it's not really any better of a seat, there may be a better night we can make it work and not have to hop back and forth. I think I'm going to pick the hubby's brain and see what he thinks.
That's kind of what I am thinking... if the FP arrival time is just a short time before the show begins, and there is no reserved spot... how can they actually say at all that it gaurantees you a seat? What if the second the doors open the place fills up and there's standing room only if you arrive in that 25 minutes before window? I'd rather find a different day to go, get there an hour early like we always do anyway, take my chances and not use up a FP+ selection I could use for another DHS attraction. Definitely something I now have to ponder.
PolynesianPrincess
Well-Known Member
Next time, we're going to do the same thing. It was pretty busy on Sunday, too and the place was close to full at 6:10pm. I can only imagine how eaqrly it would fill during the hoilday season. Every other nightly show has priority seating. Illuminations had a specific viewing location as does Wishes and MSEP. Why would they make Fantasmic different is beyond me? You did make a good point about them filling up before you arrive and I asked the CM pretty much that same question.... "If I were to show up at 6:25pm with my FP+ guaranteed seating and it was full, would you make a family who didn't have FP+ but had arrived early for a seat give up their seats?" That wouldn't be fair to the family, so what would happen then? Sounds like this is one they still need to work the kinks out of. And the 3 dining sections weren't even CLOSE to full when we got there. Not sure why they can't use 1 section for FP+ and 2 for dining.
ExtinctJenn
Well-Known Member
Yeah, that's the piece I keep getting stuck on. How does FP+ gaurantee me a seat in that case? In our case, our arrival time is 5:55-6:15 for a show at 6:30. You mean to tell me that if I show up at 6:15 and the theater is full you're going to kick someone else out? I don't think so. It doesn't make any sense.
ABQ
Well-Known Member
They'll probably reserve space waaaaaaaay in the back or waaaaaaay off to the side and make room for later arriving FP+ holders. Something you do not want to deal with. I say bail on the FP+ for Fantasmic, save yourself the trouble. Or just arrive as early as possible.
ExtinctJenn
Well-Known Member
Well, I just got off the phone with the hubby. He doesn't like the fact that they aren't seating FP+ folks in a certain area but his point of view is the FP+ allows us to avoid the line (and getting there an hour early). He also made the point that there really is no bad seat for Fantasmic! in the grand scheme. We've sat to the far side in each direction and still absolutely loved it. So... I guess we'll keep the FP+ for Fantasmic! and see how it goes. I promise to report back on my experience. LOL!
RandomPrincess
Keep Moving Forward
Is this why they put in the bleachers way in the back corners? So FP+ could be "guaranteed" a seat?
Cesar R M
Well-Known Member
bleachers???
ABQ
Well-Known Member
Cesar R M
Well-Known Member
funfact, when I went this october..
See the #4
All 6 except the last one on the right (Scar I think) was for DINNER PACKAGE.. only SCAR, 6or7 sections were for "general".
and here is one photo of the area "for people with disabilities" section. (we were assigned one section to the left before moving here)
ABQ
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't trust any of the labels on any imagery or maps and seating plans of the ampitheatre at this time.
I was mad because we had the dinner package last year and got put in a corner. This year I thought I was being smarter and I wasted a FastPass+ selection and got put in a corner. I was angry I wasted a Fastpass+ selection!!!
Noooooo. I was angry I wasted a FastPass+ selection. The forum was correct. Disney changed something but didn't tell anyone. I was trying to warm people. Thanks for your idiot sarcasm though.So you are upset that something you read on a message forum is not what it is in real life. Amazing.
So you are upset that something you read on a message forum is not what it is in real life. Amazing.