Fantasmic and GAC About This Page:

[Christine43]

Hi guys, I just spoke w/ a CS agent at Disney and she told me those who have a disability (in our case a child with autism and my friend's son with CP) and a GAC will be able to go thru either the wheelchair line or another entrance so we won't have to enter with the throng. That is a load off my mind. I am going to ask them to put this in writing on the GAC when I get to HS though so when I show it to the people in charge at the rope it will be right there in black and white.

[SueM loves WDW]

Originally Posted by Christine43

Hi guys, I just spoke w/ a CS agent at Disney and she told me those who have a disability (in our case a child with autism and my friend's son with CP) and a GAC will be able to go thru either the wheelchair line or another entrance so we won't have to enter with the throng. That is a load off my mind. I am going to ask them to put this in writing on the GAC when I get to HS though so when I show it to the people in charge at the rope it will be right there in black and white.

I'm afraid that person is not quite right.
People with wheelchairs at Fantasmic go thru the regular line - there is no wheelchair line until you are actually a very short distance from entering the seating area.
People with wheelchairs enter the main queue and stay to the right. Once you get the point where people drop off the strollers that they brought into line with them, a CM will meet you and show you to particular seats inside the amphitheater. This is the way they have handled people with wheelchairs/ECVs and other special needs since Fantasmic began.
(This is different than guests without special needs - they just continue moving along until they are well into the theater area and a CM is 'directing traffic' and shows them the section they are to sit in).
There used to be a separate entrance for people doing the Fantasmic dining packages, but that entrance has been closed for a while and people doing the dining packages have been also directed to enter the regular queue. I am not sure, but believe the reason for that is construction that is being done on shops on the same side of the street. I don't know when the construction will be complete, but I think they will change that entrance back then.

[Christine43]

Hi Sue, I called again and they told me if I were to show my GAC to the person at the rope they would show me to an alternate entrance. Do you know anything about this? When we went Christmas Eve there was a smaller line to the left that was roped off and people in wheelchairs were being directed to go in that way because the actual "line" or crowd was so congested. Do you think this is new or for particularly crowded one show nights?

[tigger_03]

I don't know how the wheelchair entrance is. We entered Fantasmic through the dining package entrance. I hope it's back by the time we go next year.

[SueM loves WDW]

Originally Posted by Christine43

Hi Sue, I called again and they told me if I were to show my GAC to the person at the rope they would show me to an alternate entrance. Do you know anything about this? When we went Christmas Eve there was a smaller line to the left that was roped off and people in wheelchairs were being directed to go in that way because the actual "line" or crowd was so congested. Do you think this is new or for particularly crowded one show nights?

The people that you talk to are not park CMs and are kind of notorious for not getting things quite right.
We have been to Fantasmic during Spring break, which does qualify as a busy time.
I imagine that Christmas Eve would be busier than most other days, so it there is any day they would do things differently. Since there are limited numbers of wheelchair spots, they may have separated out the people using wheelchairs just to make sure they did not let in more people with wheelchairs than there were spots for. They don't normally handle it like that though.
I do know that on another Disney discussion board I am on, no one with special needs (specifically autism) has posted about going in any way other that the way I posted earlier, other than people who used the Fantasmic Dinner Package when there was a separate entrance.

[Christine43]

I think I'm going to go hash it out with CM at guest assistance when I arrive at HS.

[Sandra Bostwick]

Originally Posted by Christine43

I think I'm going to go hash it out with CM at guest assistance when I arrive at HS.

Hmmmmm, do you feel like your question was answered so you have a good idea where you stand, or do you need more info?

[Christine43]

I think I'm going to need help.

[Sandra Bostwick]

Originally Posted by Christine43

I think I'm going to need help.

OK.

It sounds like your main question is about any alternate entrance for guests with Autism or CP at Fantasmic. Is that right?

[SueM loves WDW]

Originally Posted by SueM loves WDW

I do know that on another Disney discussion board I am on, no one with special needs (specifically autism) has posted about going in any way other that the way I posted earlier, other than people who used the Fantasmic Dinner Package when there was a separate entrance.

I should also add that my daughter uses a wheelchair (she has CP), but she also has a variety of invisible special needs that she requires a GAC for accommodation.
We have asked at the entry to Fantasmic and also I emailed a CM I know who works at Hollywood Studio. In both cases, we have been told there is no special or alternate entrance.

When leaving, it is possible to exit at a path that goes from the lower point of the theater (toward the stage area). That exit is a very long backstage path that leaves you out a long way from the entry point to Fantasmic. I guess it might be possible to take someone in that way (and, indeed, they might use it for guests on Make a Wish (MAW) trips). I have never heard of them using it as an entry point for guests with special needs, even for MAK, as I have seen families on MAW trips in the regular line with us.That exit is very well disguised from the 'outside' and would require a CM escort to find and/or use to get in.

[Sandra Bostwick]

Originally Posted by Christine43

I think I'm going to need help.

OK, it took a few calls and a suprising cut-off (let's hope it was a bad transfer) but I think I have the info.

I just spoke to the SWEETEST CM named Calla, and it seems that all the answers here were differently correct. Here's the scoop!

Since the lines are really accessible to all, you'll be in the general line.

At the rope where the seating starts, your special need for seating will be accommodated and you'll be diverted to the proper seats for your need.

Calla mentioned the dinner/show deal with the three HS restaurants that can bypass the lines for preferred seating if you really want to bypass the throngs.

Do you have any sensory tools or sensory strategies that you could use to make the line wait easier?

[SueM loves WDW]

Originally Posted by Sandra Bostwick

At the rope where the seating starts, your special need for seating will be accommodated and you'll be diverted to the proper seats for your need.

that is the point just near the stroller parking/drop off area that I mentioned.

[Eeyore Tattoo]

Simply put, You enter in the regular line, as you near the top a CM will greet you at the rope near stroller drop off, there you will show them your GAC (they will also see you are in a WC or ECV.) They will then escort you to the special area to view the show..
Enjoy! Its a great show......