7 Tips and Tricks for Fantasmic

Christy Caby
Fantasmic is one of my absolute favorite shows on property. I was in awe the first time that I experienced the show and still have the same feelings of magic and amazement consume me every time that I watch the show. I highly recommend that you fit this into your vacation plans and make sure that the whole family gets to experience Fantasmic. There are things that you can do to plan for the show and enhance your experience. I have put together 7 tips and tricks that my family regularly use when we plan Fantasmic into our day:

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7. Don’t Wait Until Your Last Day to See the Show:

Please don’t wait. It rains in Florida, unpredictably at times. This show is in an open, outside amphitheater with no covering and will be cancelled due to rain, lighting, thunder, etc., as it isn’t safe for the guests or the characters. This is a show you won’t want to miss, so try to plan for it earlier in your vacation, that way you have another chance if you happen to experience rain. Even better, if you experience it early and realize that you love the show as much as we do, then you have the opportunity to work another show into your trip!

6. Consider the Fantasmic Dinner Package:

Consider the Fantasmic dinner package for your family, especially during peak seasons at Disney World. The package is an add-on that must be reserved in advance at participating restaurants in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which are The Hollywood Brown Derby, Mama Melrose’s Ristorante and Hollywood & Vine. You pay a set price for the meal, which includes your choice of entree, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage, and then you receive reserved access to seating for Fantasmic without using a FastPass+ selection. The seating is usually in the center section for dinner package guests. Depending on whether you want to sit closer to the front or further up in the stadium, will determine how early you want to arrive. If you want the seats closer to the front and in the center of the action, you will still want to get their early as the dinner package seating still fills up quickly. With the package you will at least know that you will get a seat, as the show becomes standing room only, particularly for the first showing.

5. The Show Can be Scary for Small Children:

We haven’t encountered this issue yet with our 4 and 1 year-olds, but have witnessed many other parents experience this with their children. The show contains pyrotechnics, water, villains, fireworks, lighting effects, etc., so if you think your child will be uncomfortable or is overly scared, even sitting by you, by some of these you may want to factor that into your seating choices. You may want to sit further back in the stadium so that you aren’t as close to the effects and/or can exit if your child gets too frightened by the happenings within the show. The show is amazing, so I definitely think you should give it a try if you are worried about this, but it’s good to prepare ahead of time to be able to comfort your child or remove them from the situation quickly and easily.

4. Stay the Entire Time:

This may not be possible if you have to remove a scared child, but otherwise don’t leave until the lights come back up! You won’t want to miss ANYTHING! Don’t think that it would be a wise idea to get a couple minutes ahead of the other guests that will be exiting the show. (If you are that worried about that, sit close to the top at stage left and you’ll still be among the first to exit.) The entire show is amazing, but the best part is at the end for the finale and you won’t want to miss a second of it. It is also safer for yourself and other guests if you wait until the lights come back up and it is time to exit. Disney is pretty quick at getting everyone out and opens other exits besides the main exit so that guests can depart even faster. Enjoy the show and don’t stress about being the first to exit or get to the bus.

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3. Consider All Options When Using FastPass+ for Fantasmic:

Fantasmic is a Category 1 option for FastPass+. If you use a FastPass+ for Fantasmic that means you can’t get a FastPass for Toy Story Midway Mania, Great Movie Ride, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster or Beauty and the Beast (I don’t recommend using a FastPass for B&B either). The rides would be a better option, especially since a couple of these maintain really long waits all day long. If you are concerned about a good seat or MUST see the first showing (or are there on a night when there is only one show), then FastPass+ may be a good option. If you don’t get a FP+ for Fantasmic and want to see the first show, then you will want to arrive at least an hour in advance to get in line for the show and you should get a seat. The good news is that usually by this time the sun is going down and it isn’t as hot to wait in line, so you will just have to weigh out the priorities of your group and when you want to spend your time standing in line. If you will be at the Studios for Extra Magic Hours as resort guests, then it may make sense to use the FP+ and then catch the rides during Extra Magic Hours when you will likely get the benefit of shorter lines. This is an area where you will want to spend a little bit of time planning your day and comparing options for which day to see the show.

2. See the 2nd Show:

So remember that conversation we just had about FP+, well the best advice if at all possible is to see the 2nd show (if applicable). Fantasmic is usually shown twice a night, except during the less-busy weeks. If you have the option of 2 shows, then see the second one, and DON’T use a FP+ for it. The second shows are historically less crowded. People tend to like to see the first show so that they make sure that they get in, they can go ahead and head back to their rooms, they made FP+ or Dinner Package reservations and didn’t really plan out the option of the 2nd show, etc. You know now that the 2nd show is the way to go. We went during the opening weekend of Star Wars weekends, when the park was insanely crowded all day. Right after the event fireworks, we walked over to the theater for the 2nd show, got amazing seats and the stadium didn’t even fill up, and that was a BUSY weekend. The 2nd show rocks!

1. Understand Your Seating Options:

So you want to know where the best place to sit is, right? The answer… it depends! First, understand that there really isn’t a bad seat in the house. This show is so amazing that it doesn’t matter where you sit for the most part. You will be able to see it all. That being said I, personally, like to be really close to the action so I can see the characters up close, wave at them and feel immersed in the experience. For this, you will want to sit close to the front within the first 5 rows or so. The cost of doing business in this seating is that depending on how the wind blows, you could get wet. If that will bother you, then sit several rows back from there so that you are still a bit closer but out of range of the water misting that could occur. If you are the type of person who likes to be able to see all of the action at once and see it all unfold rather than having the action really close to you, then pick seating closer to the top of the stadium. If you want to be among the first to exit, sit in the seats in the section that is all the way to stage left (or also at the top of the stadium seating so you don’t have to wait to climb the stairs back up.

Bonus tip:

Use the stairs and don’t climb over the rows of seats. They will tell you this over and over again, and cast members will direct you to the steps and not to climb the seats, but inevitably people still try to do it. This isn’t safe, and it’s the rules, so just go ahead and hit the stairs! We’d all rather hear the awesome music rather than the constant reminders to the guests that aren’t following direction.