What is Fantasmic?

Quoted many times as a "worth the price of admission alone" event, this is a show you don't want to miss. A 20 minute evening show spectacular on the Rivers of America that costs Disney a staggering $75,000 per show. Each performance contains fireworks, water screens, fountains, fire, boats, great music, lasers, hoards of Disney characters, one courageous little mouse and heaps more!

Usually showing on nights the park is opened 10pm+ (weekends and throughout busy holiday periods), Fantasmic! is a great way to top off any day at Disneyland.

Tips for the best experience

1. Check your 'Park Map Guide' and see if Fantasmic! is running  and how many shows and their times.
2. For the first show of the night arrive about 30 minutes early on a 'normal' attendance day, about 60 minutes early on a high attendance day. ( Having a book like this comes in most handy for these occasions)
3. For the second show, usually after fireworks or a parade running simultaneously nearer the centre of the park, follow the crowds as quickly and calmly as possible to the second show, which is usually a little less attended.
4. Try for a middle of the river stage view, roughly  in-between Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion (see below image)
   
5. About 10 rows back should be a safe distance back to avoid for any splashes and mist.
6. If you have small children, think about a position where they will be able to see over adults.
7. While mum and dad wait in position saving the spot for the kids, the younglings can plod off and see another. If it's a busy day with long queues then it may only be safe to visit smaller attractions like the Tarzan Tree House or Whine the Pooh Adventure so you don't miss the start, otherwise there are many attractions close buy including Indiana Jones, Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain. Mobile phones or walkie-talkies are a good way for the kids to find you again.
8. Get some food/drink before you start waiting and visit the bathroom too! With your wait for the start, the  20 minute show, the anticipation and excitement of the show, (and full bathrooms once its finished) you're smart to go before hand.
9. Fantasmic! can be cancelled for bad weather, especially wind, for safety reasons. If the weather's a little suspect, rock up only 10 minutes before show time to avoid a 60 minutes wait to be told its cancelled.
10. Have a plan of an easy to find land mark of where to meet (especially with children) for if you get separated. Show changeovers and finishes spark mass crowd movements (yup just like a heard of cows). 

Show Facts:

1. Sound effects: A full orchestral score and a variety of sound effects are presented in full surround sound on an all-new, computer-controlled, state-of-the-art sound system.

2. Projectors located on the Island create images on the screens using 70 mm film.

3. Fantasmic! was originally called "Imagination" in 1992
4. 120 "theatre blacks" had to be made as costuming for the stage crew. 
5. the show cost $75,000 per show. Some nights feature as many as 3 shows. In comparison, Fantasy in the Sky Fireworks cost $58,000 for one show a night.
6. The average number of guests seeing Fantasmic is about 15,000 
   
7. Underneath Tom Sawyer's Island there is a 15 foot basement that is the main storage area for Fantasmic!
8. On Fantasmic the snake is held by the pirates. If you look under it you can see their pants. This is used to get them from one side of the island to the other where the pirate ship is.
9. The Barges used in Fantasmic each have a number
   1. Barge 1 starts by the canoe dock, is the first monkey barge, and then is Snow White's.
   2. Barge 2 starts by the canoe dock, is the second monkey barge, then is Beauty and The Beast's.
   3. Barge 3 starts from the Mark Twain, docked at the Fort, is King Louie's barge, then is the Little Mermaid's.
   4. Barge 4, the Crocodile, follows the Columbia
   5. Barge 5, Ursula, starts from the Mark Twain, then hides in the inlet by the Indian Village.
   Each Barge (except Crocodile) has a driver and a technician. The driver drives, and the tech controls the lights, sound and effects. The tech also does the change-over between passes. If you watch the area on the island across from the Mark Twain Dock, you can watch barges 1 and 2 dock, offload performers, and change the effects. If you watch the dock across from the canoe dock, you'll see barge 3 dock and change over, also the Columbia will stop and unload performers.
10. Maleficent is really a man because the costume is so heavy.
11. No other soundtrack has sold more albums inside Disneyland park than the soundtrack of Fantasmic. One time, when they were out of CD's,
12. My daughter and I commented a while ago about how, when the music starts all the ducks take off and fly away. We thought at first that they had been programmed to recognize that the music signified the start of the show and that they knew it was dangerous. Talking with cast members about this, though, we found out that when the music starts a crew starts feeding the ducks on the other side of the island. So the music does not warn them about the show, but rather tells them there's food to be found where they ain't. And they go where it is, which just happens to be out of harm's way.
13. During Fantasmic you may notice that on the balcony next to the Disney Gallery there probably are people up there sitting watching Fantasmic. The Fantasmic dessert now costs $39. You must make reservations at Guest relations, just to the right of the entrance at the main gate. They can seat up to 20 people. I got in line at 6:30 am was 4th in line. I got seats 19 and 20. Go for the 9 am showing and you can stay and watch the fireworks. Definitely worth the money.

Multimedia:

• Fantasmic Photos (Flickr)
• Fantasmic Videos (YouTube)