Fantasmic - Fast Pass?

We are only days away from the 60 day mark and I am trying to filter through the wide assortment of Fast Pass options (can planning a trip be any more difficult and fun at the same time?). I noticed that Fantasmic is considered a Tier 1 Fast Pass at DHS. Is this really necessary? In years past we would simply stand in line (not too bad back then) and then be ushered in to find a seat. Has that changed? Would it be in our best interest to get a Fast Pass for Fantasmic? And if so, how do we work that into the fact that we can only have one Tier 1 "ride" and then two Tier 2 rides for our first three before we can get more FP? Since it is at night, I would be able to have the two Tier 2 rides during the afternoon, then be stuck waiting for Fantasmic to end as our 3rd ride before being able to do a 4th, which by that time would be the end of the day. Do we roll the dice and get the 3 FP scheduled without Fantasmic and then try to schedule a FP for it that day that we are there as our 4th FP? What am I overlooking here? :confused:

We have never used a fast pass for this and have always gotten in with excellent seats

That is what I was hoping to hear. I am not sure why Disney would make this a Fast Pass option!

Where you do not need a fastpass for Fantasmic, I do not like tying up my last fastpass to use for that late in the day. Since I normally do a sit down lunch anyway, I do the Fantasmic lunch package. That way I get preferred seating, do not tie up a fastpass, and get my sit down lunch.

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Originally Posted by Imalismom

Where you do not need a fastpass for Fantasmic, I do not tying up my last fastpass to use for that late in the day. Since I normally do a sit down lunch anyway, I do the Fantasmic lunch package. That way I get preferred seating, do not tie up a fastpass, and get my sit down lunch.

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That's what we do too! Seems like a bonus for the meal we would be eating anyways. :)

I like that idea, and we already have reservations for dinner at Mama Melrose. Will we automatically get our VIP voucher when we have dinner or do I need to cancel the reservation now and re-make it to include the Fantasmic package? Seems kinda silly to have to do that when we already booked a time at the restaurant.

I would call, they may be able to convert it over to the package. Otherwise, they can rebook it right then for you.

I usually end up getting Fantasmic as my fourth FP. My wife is a teacher, which pretty much guarantees WDW will be crowded when we go. So usually Fantasmic is the only thing left by time we use our third FP.

I'm in a different camp here. Our family loves Fantasmic and would be sorely disappointed if we miss it, even more than Wishes. We've got small children and waiting in that long line is not an attractive option. I like knowing I'm guaranteed to get in with a FP. We've never done the dining package for it because the times of year we go, we'd have to eat dinner at like 3pm.

We plan a rope drop at another park. Then HS in the evening. It's the best way to utilize the FP system if you get one for Fantasmic.

Most recently we have used a FP on Fantsmic on a day we visited a different park in the AM. We used our first 3 FPs at AK, then a few more while in the park. Booked a Fantasmic FP on the bus ride back to our resort. Spent some time relaxing by the pool then hopped over to DHS and walked right into Fantamic with our FP. Worked out great!

I would never use a nighttime show FP as my initial 3 fastpasses. I would only book evening entertainment FPs after I've used my first 3, and hopefully a few more FP during the day.

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Originally Posted by buzznwoodysmom

I would never use a nighttime show FP as my initial 3 fastpasses. I would only book evening entertainment FPs after I've used my first 3, and hopefully a few more FP during the day.

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I agree with this statement and after thinking it through a bit more, this makes sense. I attempted to package Fantasmic with my current Mama Melrose reservation but it looks like the latest dinner reservation for the VIP voucher is around 3pm and our's is scheduled for 5:35. I don't want to make one for earlier just to get the VIP voucher since our lunch ADR is already after noon. That means we will utilize the FP instead to make this work, after we have completed 3 earlier in the day.

Thanks everyone!

I have to say that I was unhappy with the way back seating . Many years ago more seats were added, behind the sidewalk along the quick food places. I will get in line earlier to avoid that, or use a fastpasss.