Sometimes Disney World is absolutely WILD.
With heavy crowds, extreme weather, and thousands of people’s vacation plans crossing paths at once, there’s sure to be chaos in the parks from time to time. But in Hollywood Studios, there’s one trend that’s getting a little bit out of control.
What’s the most popular offering in Disney’s Hollywood Studios? You could definitely make arguments for Rise of the Resistance or Slinky Dog Dash. But the real winner? It might be Fantasmic!
This nighttime spectacular is one of the most popular entertainment offerings in Disney World, shown in Hollywood Studios since 1998. The show has been through some changes over the years, with the most recent updates coming back when it reopened in 2022. At that time, Disney added scenes for Frozen and Moana.
But with a combination of characters, classic Disney music, water projections, fire effects, stunts, and fireworks, there’s a little bit of something for everyone in this show. That’s probably why the crowds to see it each night can be absolutely absurd.
And in the past few months and years, we’ve seen some things get a bit out of hand during Fantasmic showings. Entering the theater can be chaotic, but leaving the show is somtimes a nightmare — people pushing past each other and getting packed into the sidewalks like sardines. We’ve definitely lost our family members or friends in the crowd a time or two.
But even outside of the entrance/exit process, we’ve seen some wild Fantasmic behavior. Recently, it has become a trend for people to try and leave the show early in order to beat the crowds, which can ruin the viewing experience for people who want to see the finale.
On top of that, you occasionally get surrounded by guests with generally bad show etiquette. We’ve been near people who talk through the entire performance, scream loudly in our ears, block the view of people behind them, or even those who let their kids get up and climb around during the show.
Basically, we’ve seen some bad behavior when going to watch Fantasmic. It’s not every time, but it’s often enough that we take note. So if you’re going to see the show, make sure to be kind, courteous, and patient. And if you’re hoping to avoid the heaviest crowds, it might be a good idea to go to the second performance of the night (if there is one when you’re visiting).
Because this show is so popular, people can get absolutely FERAL about it. Sometimes the chaos before and after this show is almost as bad as watching fireworks in Magic Kingdom!
If you want to have Fantasmic on your radar, make sure to plan ahead, check showtimes before your visit, and be very patient during and after the show!
If you’re heading to Disney World, check out some of our best tips for using Lightning Lanes in the video below!
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Take a Behind-the-Scenes Look at Fantasmic Here!
Have you ever experienced these problems in Hollywood Studios? Tell us in the comments!
My story is really a good one.. a wonderful cast member acknowledged our need for a seat to easily exit from if our family member needed to without disturbing others and be safe… this was at fantasmic. And yes, exiting can be terrifying especially holding on to little ones. I fear some people had been over served… train your bartenders to be on the lookout for this wdw ..