You are guaranteed to be blown away by Fantasmic Disneyland, perhaps the most amazing light and sound spectacular that you will ever witness. But did you realise you have 13 different options to see Fantasmic!

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What is Fantasmic Disneyland?

Fantasmic is one of the most amazing outdoor stages and fireworks show ever staged. It is based on Mickey Mouse’s hit movie Fantasia, where Mickey plays the lead role as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Fantasmic is a journey through the imagination of Mickey Mouse which ends up in a giant battle with Disney Villains.

It is essentially a classic tale of good versus evil, with flashy special effects thrown in for good measure. There’s even a massive fire breathing dragon!

The show is a spectacular world of colour including fireworks, laser shows, pyrotechnics, animatronics, mist screens, boat floats, water effects and a host of other amazing special effects.

All shows have a large cast of Disney characters, actors and amazing costumes, in a highly choreographed sight and sound spectacular.

Fantasmic disneyland water show
Water show in Tokyo

Where To See Fantasmic!

  1. California Disneyland Resort (since 1992)
  2. Florida Walt Disney World Resort (since 1998)
  3. Tokyo Disney Sea (since 2011)

And here’s a run-down on each of the 3 locations.

California Fantasmic!

Location: Disneyland Park, California. On the Rivers of America waterway, and on a stage across the water on Tom Sawyer Island.

Duration: 27 minutes

Trivia: In January 2016 the California Fantastic closed down for one and a half year. It was worth the wait for the return of Fantastic in July 2017 it had additional scenes added to the show. These were based on Lion King, Aladdin, Tangled and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Dinner and Show:

There are some great dinner and show options available. You will be treated to a 3-course meal by purchasing a Blue Bayou Dining Package or River Belle Terrace Dining Package. You will also get great seating with a FASTPASS included in your ticket. These packages are great options if you want to be assured of a great show.

You can even get a takeaway meal package called the On-The-Go Package at the Hungry Bear Restaurant.

Check out the current prices and all the details here on the Disney Dinner Packages website.

Fastpasses: FASTPASS’s are available and are definitely the way to go if you are not getting a Dining Package. And don’t worry, your Fantasmic FASTPASS won’t interfere with your FASTPASS for rides.

Here are your instructions for getting a FASTPASS:

  1. Get your Fantasmic FASTPASS as soon as you arrive at the park. They are given out first come first served.
  2. Go to the FASTPASS kiosk near Big Thunder Trail, where the Mark Twain riverboat docks.
  3. Pick your Fantastic FASTPASS.
  4. Keep your FASTPASS ticket, then enter the viewing area at least 45 minutes prior to the show.

Get the App: To download Disneyland Mobile App:

Watch the Show: Watch the full show by viewing the below YouTube clip.

Find out everything you need to know about California Disney Fantasmic on the Disney website.

Florida Fantasmic!

Location: Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida. Hollywood Hills Amphitheatre located off Sunset Boulevard behind the “Tower of Terror”.

Duration: 26 minutes

Trivia: The Hollywood Hills Amphitheatre is built specifically for the Fantastic spectacular. The stage is much larger than in California, and the amphitheatre can seat 6,900 spectators as well as 3,000 standing room places.

Dinner and Show:

Similar to California, there are some great dinner and show options available. You will be treated to a magnificent meal by purchasing a Hollywood Brown Derby Dining Package, Hollywood & Vine Dining Package, or  Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano Dining Package.

You will also get great seating with a VIP seating pass included in your ticket. You get more options for your dining experience in Florida than you do in California. Check out the current prices details here on the Disney Dining Packages website.

You can even get a takeaway dining experience with the Desert & VIP Viewing Experience.

Fastpasses: FASTPASS+ is available if you are not getting a Dining Package. The FASTPASS+ seating is not quite as good as VIP seating allocated with the Dining Packages, but by all reports, it is still very good.

The FASTPASS+ system in Florida is rather complicated, the good news is that you can book 30 days ahead for your first 3 FASTPASS+ attractions. The easiest way is to download the My Disney Experience app, which can also be used on the day.

Alternatively, head to one of the FASTPLUS+ kiosks inside the park to secure your FASTPLUS+ for Fantastic! in person, but the app is a much more convenient option.

Get the App: To download My Disney Experience App:

Watch the Show: Watch the full show by viewing the below YouTube clip.

Find out all you need to know about Florida Fantasmic on the Disney website.

Tokyo Fantasmic!

Location: Tokyo DisneySea, Mediterranean Harbour.

Duration: 20 minutes

Format: Tokyo DisneySea Fantasmic has a 100% pre-recorded soundtrack. The entire show is on floating boats and barges, instead of a fixed stage like the other 2 American venues.

Trivia: The grand opening 2011 was delayed by 6 weeks due to the devastating Japan earthquake and tsunami hit of 2011.

Dinner and Show:

This option is not available at Tokyo Disney Sea.

Fastpasses: Not required for Tokyo Disney Sea Fantastic. Instead you just find a suitable viewing location somewhere around the Mediterranean Harbour.

Watch the Show: Watch the full show by viewing the below YouTube clip.

Find out all you need to know about Tokyo Disney Sea Fantasmic on the Disney website.

9 Recommendations For Tokyo Fantasmic!

We were fortunate enough to see Fantastic at Tokyo Disney Sea. And what an experience! We rate Tokyo Disney Sea as our favourite Theme Park in the world, and the Fantastic show may well have been our highlight at Tokyo Disney Sea.

Although it was quite uncomfortable for us due to our lack of preparation. Here are some tips which may help to make it more comfortable for you.

Fantasmic disneyland water show
Water show in Tokyo
  1. You will need to go to the show at least 45 minutes before it starts to get a good viewing position. Come to think of it, 60 minutes is even better. The only option we had was to sit directly on the concrete paving. There is no standing or crouching allowed, and staff will soon tell you to sit down on the ground if you attempt to crouch or stand.
  2. You should bring a groundsheet. Sitting on a busy Disney concrete footpath is probably not the most hygienic place to sit. The second benefit of a groundsheet is to define the boundaries of your piece of ground, thus stopping the crowds from taking over your spot.
  3. Have some kind of cushion to sit on. Ideally, bring an inflatable cushion into the park. If you don’t bring your own then purchase some kind of a pillow in one of the Disney merchandise shops.
  4. Bring something interesting to pass the time while you wait for the show. Sitting for 45 minutes can be very boring for kids and spoil the experience, better if they have a book or a game to keep them occupied.
  5. Make sure that everyone has a toilet break before the show, it will be at least 90 minutes until the next opportunity.
  6. Bring snacks and a drink. There is unlikely to be an opportunity to purchase snacks once you are seated.
  7. If there is any chance of rain, bring a poncho. Umbrellas will not be allowed as they upset the view for those behind, you will be asked to pull down your umbrella by the ground staff. Note that the show may be cancelled if there is rain, and this may not be revealed until just before the show starts!
  8. Bring some kind of selfie stick or extension pole for capturing your photos or video. You will not be permitted to stand up or crouch to record your memories.
  9. Stick around for the fireworks show! It will most likely be soon after Fantasmic

Here are some Tokyo Fantasmic survival pack suggestions…

13 Unique Options to see Fantasmic!

Here are the options available to see Fantasmic at either of these 3 fantastic Disney parks:

  1. Disneyland Park California – Just turn up for the standby area
  2. Disneyland Park California – FASTPASS
  3. Disneyland Park California – Blue Bayou Dining Package
  4. Disneyland Park California – River Belle Terrace Dining Package
  5. Disneyland Park California – On-The-Go Package at Hungry Bear Restaurant
  6. Florida Walt Disney World – Just turn up
  7. Florida Walt Disney World – FASTPASS+ pre-booking
  8. Florida Walt Disney World – FASTPASS+ on the day – kiosk or app
  9. Florida Walt Disney World – Hollywood Brown Derby Dining Package
  10. Florida Walt Disney World – Hollywood & Vine Dining Package
  11. Florida Walt Disney World – Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano Dining Package
  12. Florida Walt Disney World – Dessert & VIP Viewing Experience
  13. Tokyo Disney Sea – Just turn up

Plan Ahead

As with all Disney theme park visits, it pays to do a little planning ahead. If you plan to see Fantasmic, at least have your strategy worked out. Are you going Dining Package, Fastpass, or simply turning up?

Purchase your tickets in advance if possible, you can pre-purchase you Dinner and Show Package, or in some cases book your FASTPASS ahead. Bring the right gear to make your night comfortable. Do not miss Fantasmic, it may be the most amazing light and sound spectacular you ever see.

Here are some value Disney ticketing options from the ever-awesome tour provider GetYourGuide.com

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