From: adrian@mti.mti.com (Adrian McCarthy)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.disney
Subject: Re: Fantasmic/crowd control:  Improved?
Date: 26 Aug 92 18:23:43 GMT
Organization: Micro Technology, Inc., Anaheim, CA

In article <1992Aug25.163746.1@pomona.claremont.edu> greg@pomona.claremont.edu (Tigger) writes:
>In article <1992Aug25.003848.12294@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov>, hartzman@kilroy.Jpl.Nasa.Gov (Les Hartzman) writes:
>> I've seen Fantasmic twice:  once when it opened, and once about 1 1/2 months
>> ago.  Has anyone that has been there more recently noticed any improvement
>> in the crowd control?  
>
>It has improved since opening day, but it is still pretty bad.

True.  They've made most of the walkways one-way, so you often have to walk
a bit farther than the most direct route.  During a show, it's surpisingly
easy to walk through the area, but between shows it's pretty bad.

On very crowded nights, they turn some of the *backstage* areas into walkways.
Between the Pirates of the Caribbean and the Tree House/Jungle Cruise, there
is an area that is rarely used anymore.  It was part of the line for the
Pirates of the Caribbean before they put the bridge in.  At the end of it
is a pair of big doors to the backstage area.  After the show, people exiting
New Orleans over the bridge are directed through these backstage doors.  You
walk along a well-guarded access road, passed all of the parked Main Street
Vehicles and end up on Main Street between the Fire Station and the recently
expanded portion of the Emporium.  This access route isn't used all the time,
but on some of the very busy nights they do do it.

In fact, one night this summer, I heard that they used a similar access
route to bypass major crowds in Tomorrowland.  Guests headed into that area
were routed backstage by the restrooms between the Plaza Inn and Star Tours,
and they re-entered the park by the restrooms at the exit of Space Mountain.

Anyway, Fantasmic! has been much more popular than anticipated.  I heard
(unofficially) that they were hoping for 6000 viewers per show, and the
actual attendance has been more like 10,000.  I was astounded when I saw
ushers allowing people to climb the fences and sit on the grass areas.
(Now they have removeable gates installed in the fences, but the grass is
suffering from all of the abuse.

In recent years, New Orleans has been dead at night.  Even on weekends, one
could easily walk onto Pirates, The Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Mark
Twain, and Big Thunder.  Now it's packed.  And all of the river rides close
a bit earlier to allow them to set up for the show.

I have successfully gotten a good view even on very crowded weekend nights,
by arriving in the area just 10 minutes before the show.  Walk all the way
around to the Haunted Mansion side to where the popcorn and churro carts used
to sit (the popcorn cart is now back by the fountain).  There is usually a
good deal of space in the roped area here, even when everything else is
overflowing.  If you're average height, you should be able to get a nearly
head-on view of the west mist-screen and nearly everything else.
(This doesn't work well with kids or shorter folks.  You just have to get
there early and grab a good seat for that.)

When the show is over, head straight into the Haunted Mansion immediately.
There will be no line.  When you emerge, the most of the next crowd is in
place, and the walkways out of New Orleans will be pretty clear.  If you're
seated in front of the bridge by Pirates, ducking into Pirates right after
the show can also be a very good move.

If you want an even better view, arrive at the Haunted Mansion area a few
minutes before the end of the second show.  When it's over, head for the
front and center section as everyone who just saw the show is exiting.
(Don't let the ushers herd you into the exit channels.  First head against
the crows towards Splash Mountain for a few yards, then cut toward the river
once you're around the grass area -- right by the fish place and the dock
for the Columbia.  Walk along the railing until you're in the front.)

Those square cushions people use on the seats at the ball game make sitting
and waiting on the pavement much more comfortable.

I'm curious to see if Fantasmic! is a summer-only thing, or if they'll run
it on winter weekend nights.  If they do, that would probably be a much better
time to go.

Aid.  (adrian@lexcel.com)  "Imagine THIS!" ---Wicked Witch, Fantasmic!