Fantasmic Hungry Bear Review and general show advice

[ExcitedMama]

In the fall we did our first Fantasmic show and after looking at the options we went with BB. This trip I went with the HB package. I was nervous since it’s supposed to be a less desirable location for viewing. For anyone worried about that it’s a great view! It felt just as good to me as the BB location. I felt like I was dead center in front of the island and that Mickey was looking right at us.

They’ve changed the line up procedure since our last trip for the better. Last time we went the CMs seemed pretty clueless about where to go. The first CM I asked about where to go pointed me in the right direction and encouraged me to line up, last time the CMs were much more blasé about it. Now you line up before you get to your show location. Head down toward the rafts that go to Tom Sawyer and at the very end is a small food place that will be the line up location. HB is closest to the water with BB on the path side. Go earlier than you think you should! I thought I was being diligent getting there at 7:30 but there was already a huge line.

If it’s been hot the ground will be boiling!! Seriously it was scorching! By the end of the show the ground was still hot. I missed the two inches of foam in my BB seat from last time!

 

[wishusluck]

Thanks for the info. So, where did you end up sitting, considering you arrived at 7.30 to line up? Near the rail? Further back?

 

[DharmaLou]

How is the Hungry Bear food for the package?

 

[smartlabelprint]

How is the Hungry Bear food for the package?

If you don’t like the package food you can order off their regular menu.

 

[Indiana Scott]

How is the view from the HB? It seems like you would be viewing F! from the side?

 

[Skyegirl1999]

How is the view from the HB? It seems like you would be viewing F! from the side?

It's fantastic. Even on the very edge of the HB area, your view is still pretty centered, but if you're there early enough, you can have a spot that's essentially identical to where people with BB are sitting (they're just separated by a line of tape).

HB dining package is our jam; my daughter and I have done it about five times now. We did RBT the first week Fantasmic! came back last summer, back when we were still mixed in with BB for seating, but since then, we only do HB and we have not been disappointed.

We do usually get quite wet during the show, though. I don't see people mention that very often, but it's true more often than not.

 

[ExcitedMama]

The view was amazing. It was only our second time seeing the show, with our view from BB in the fall, and I still felt like we were in the center. I expected to be disappointed after the BB view but it still felt just as great. Everyone in front of us spread out in front of the railing so I went closest to the right in the second row. I positioned the kids behind a little girl in the front by the railing so their view wouldn’t be blocked.

It was so crazy hot I wasn’t hungry at all, just really thirsty, so I ordered the adult ribs for my daughter. She loves ribs but she didn’t like them, because she thought they were too well done. My husband thought they were ok. I substituted a burger and fries for the kid orders to give my son options. He liked the burger and I thought the nuggets had a great flavor but I think there were only 4 small ones so it wouldn’t be that much food for anyone but a toddler I would think. There were fries too but they weren’t great. The kids liked the grapes but it’s not a lot of food on the side with the kid meals. It was all nicely packaged up so it would be easy to take it to go but we just ate at HB. With all the lining up and moving around before you get your spot it could be really hard to eat while waiting unless you don’t care about the food getting cold. We ended up doing it on a night my husband was able to come and he was shocked by the price. I told him that one day buying the kids chicken tenders and drinks at the Golden Horshoe was $50 so I thought doubling the price and adding two orders of ribs and two more drinks seemed like a steal for a better view of the show. BB is fun but only my husband really eats a lot of the food so that package is pretty wasted on us. The HB package makes a lot more sense for us and I would definitely do it again. Plus he was able to join us unexpectedly and I still managed to get the reservation that afternoon which was great.

 

[Mommb]

How is the view from the HB? It seems like you would be viewing F! from the side?

Just to clarify: the viewing area for people with the Hungry Bear Fantasmic package is not actually at the Hungry Bear restaurant. The viewing area is across from Tom Sawyer Island, roped off so that only those with a voucher (which is provided along with the dinner) can enter. I think the entrance was near Rancho del Zocalo, but we then walked quite a ways along the river (toward Frontierland) to get to the designated seating area for the HB package.

 

[avalon451]

When we went in May, the entrance to the line and viewing area were next to Harbor Galley quick service, across from Haunted Mansion. Maybe it was less crowded then (but it was Memorial Day weekend, so I wouldn't have thought so) but the viewing area was mostly empty, only maybe two or three rows of people seated. Whereas Blue Bayou, just to the right of us as we faced the water, was completely packed. We had plenty of room to spread out. I folded up a sweatshirt to sit on, which made up for not having the BB seat cushion. I think HB is going to be our go to for F! viewing from now on. It was a bit off center of the spray screens, certainly, but the view was still fine.

 

[MIChessGuy]

I have the HB package for Fantasmic! on August 19. It sounds like the way to go is to bring a seat cushion/blanket/something with me, but I am not exactly sure where to get one that's reasonably priced and does the job.

 

[Mamabun]

Thanks for this great information. I have a couple questions about the Hungry Bear Fantasmic! package, I was hoping someone might be able to clarify for me.

1) The Disneyland webpage says "Reservations made for 3:00 PM through 6:45 PM will receive a voucher that permits entry into the reserved viewing area for the first performance of Fantasmic! that evening; reservations from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM will receive a voucher permitting entry into the reserved viewing area for that night's second show." Have folks noticed this is kept to in practice, or would it possible to say eat at 4pm, but ask for a second show voucher?

2) The Disneyland webpage for this package also says "All viewing areas are standing only". But I regularly read about bringing cushions, etc. Is that because you can sit while you wait for it to start? Or is the webpage mistaken and the Hungry Bear area remains seated during the show?

 

[pharmama]

Thanks for this great information. I have a couple questions about the Hungry Bear Fantasmic! package, I was hoping someone might be able to clarify for me.

1) The Disneyland webpage says "Reservations made for 3:00 PM through 6:45 PM will receive a voucher that permits entry into the reserved viewing area for the first performance of Fantasmic! that evening; reservations from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM will receive a voucher permitting entry into the reserved viewing area for that night's second show." Have folks noticed this is kept to in practice, or would it possible to say eat at 4pm, but ask for a second show voucher?

We've done the package twice and both times they just asked us which showing you want. The second showing is less popular since its so late. I doubt you would have any issues getting second showing if you were still in the first performance window.

2) The Disneyland webpage for this package also says "All viewing areas are standing only". But I regularly read about bringing cushions, etc. Is that because you can sit while you wait for it to start? Or is the webpage mistaken and the Hungry Bear area remains seated during the show?

The F! viewing areas OTHER THAN the dining packages (including HB) are standing. All the dining package areas are seated on the ground. If you stay for fireworks after the first showing they usually have people stand up for that but F! itself you will be seated.

 

[az4boys]

We did the HB package the first week in July. I thought the food was surprisingly good considering the reviews. We had the second show and they let the BB people in first, followed by the HB people. Both packages got to sit wherever they wanted. Apparently they hadn't sold that many packages so there was no difference in seating. Half our family was sitting on the BB side of the tape and half was sitting on the HB side. I actually like being slightly off center. I think you can see the stage on the island a little better when you aren't directly in front of a water screen. They ended up filling the HB side of the tape with stand-by. I was a little frustrated that we paid a lot of money and they got the same view for free, but I was just glad I didn't have to stress over it. It was the last trip of our AP's and it was on our must-do list. I didn't want to chance having a bad view. My only regret was not doing the first show. I was afraid of the crowds but we would have been able to watch the fireworks.

 

[purple figment]

Thanks for this great information. I have a couple questions about the Hungry Bear Fantasmic! package, I was hoping someone might be able to clarify for me.

1) The Disneyland webpage says "Reservations made for 3:00 PM through 6:45 PM will receive a voucher that permits entry into the reserved viewing area for the first performance of Fantasmic! that evening; reservations from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM will receive a voucher permitting entry into the reserved viewing area for that night's second show." Have folks noticed this is kept to in practice, or would it possible to say eat at 4pm, but ask for a second show voucher?

The second show is less busy so it probably wouldn't be hard to get the voucher for it even if you are dining earlier in the day.

2) The Disneyland webpage for this package also says "All viewing areas are standing only". But I regularly read about bringing cushions, etc. Is that because you can sit while you wait for it to start? Or is the webpage mistaken and the Hungry Bear area remains seated during the show?

We've always remained seated on the ground before and during F! when we've had a dining package. I always assumed the webpage says "standing only" because if it said "seated" some (many?) would expect chairs would be provided. Or, if it is an extremely crowded performance they could ask everyone to stand.

 

[Pamela M]

I have the HB package for Fantasmic! on August 19. It sounds like the way to go is to bring a seat cushion/blanket/something with me, but I am not exactly sure where to get one that's reasonably priced and does the job.

At REI they have a blow up cushion for $20. It's for hiking but I always bring mine to DL. It's light, compact and easily fits in a purse or backpack. I use it anytime I have to sit on the hard DL cement ( parades, fantasmic, etc..)

 

[Mamabun]

We've always remained seated on the ground before and during F! when we've had a dining package. I always assumed the webpage says "standing only" because if it said "seated" some (many?) would expect chairs would be provided. Or, if it is an extremely crowded performance they could ask everyone to stand.

I'm not sure either but it does say "All viewing areas are standing only" on the webpage for the HB package, and "Dining Package reserved viewing areas require Guests to be seated on the ground" on the page for the BB and RBT packages. So, it's great to have answers from the DIS folks to clear this up for me - thanks!

 

[Skyegirl1999]

I'm not sure either but it does say "All viewing areas are standing only" on the webpage for the HB package, and "Dining Package reserved viewing areas require Guests to be seated on the ground" on the page for the BB and RBT packages. So, it's great to have answers from the DIS folks to clear this up for me - thanks!

There have been rare reports that if the HB area is full, people are asked to stand. It seems unusual, but it can happen.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I have the HB package for Fantasmic! on August 19. It sounds like the way to go is to bring a seat cushion/blanket/something with me, but I am not exactly sure where to get one that's reasonably priced and does the job.

We use this (purchased on Amazon.com): Teton Sports ComfortLite Self-Inflating Seat Cushion and Storage Bag; Never Sit on a Hard Bench Again; Lightweight, Portable Mat; Throw it in Your Bag, Take it Anywhere; Watch the Game in Comfort. As a pp mentioned, REI sells something similar. They work very well and are quite portable. A folded up hoodie will work fine, too. If the weather is as hot as it's been lately, definitely bring something to sit on -- the pavement has been very warm!

 

[PurplePencil]

2) The Disneyland webpage for this package also says "All viewing areas are standing only". But I regularly read about bringing cushions, etc. Is that because you can sit while you wait for it to start? Or is the webpage mistaken and the Hungry Bear area remains seated during the show?

I'm not sure either but it does say "All viewing areas are standing only" on the webpage for the HB package, and "Dining Package reserved viewing areas require Guests to be seated on the ground" on the page for the BB and RBT packages. So, it's great to have answers from the DIS folks to clear this up for me - thanks!

There have been rare reports that if the HB area is full, people are asked to stand. It seems unusual, but it can happen.

For the first show, the seating is split up by restaurant and it is possible that HB will be standing room only (but usually only when busy). For the second show which tends to be less busy all of the restaurants are usually combined.

 

[MIChessGuy]

Just a quick follow-up: I did attend the August 19 F! (first show) and brought with me a chair cushion that I had purchased at Meijer for maybe ten dollars. It did seem to help, although I still found it awkward to be sitting around that long and probably won't be doing it again. After the show ended, a CM announced that everyone staying for the fireworks would need to stand.