General Information

Location: The show can be viewed from along Rivers of America between the Mark Twain dock and just before Harbor Galley. Much of the show is staged from Tom Sawyer Island and anything in front of the Mill provides a good view.

Date Opened: 5/13/1992

Capacity: Many thousands. The entire Rivers of America waterfront is used for viewing.

# of Shows: Two per day, after dark

Characters: Just about every costumed Disney character shows up in the show at some point or another.

Photos and Autographs: No

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Time Commitment

Wait Times: Views are available pretty much up to show time (but they're not generally very good). For decent front views you will want to get in place at least 30 minutes before showtime and more than an hour early for the best spots.

Length of Show: 25 minutes

FastPass: No

Queue Description: None. The viewing area extends from the Petrified Tree all the way around to the smoking area before Harbor Galley.

Access Information

Health Restriction:

Ride Access: Allowed seating areas are well established so speak to a cast member before moving into a spot. For wheelchairs and ECVs you'll be asked to move the back of seating areas or go to the defined wheelchair area at the far left of the viewing area (not a great spot).

Wheelchair Transfer:

Service Animals: Yes

Audio: Assistive listening devices are available from Guest Services.

Weight and Size Issues:

Time Commitment

Height Restriction: No

Child Swap: No

Other Issues: Should be none, other than boredom if camping out for a long period for a good spot. Fireworks and loud noises figure prominently and may scare some young children.

History and Trivia

  • At this location: Fantasmic is the first show of any type on the Rivers of America. Preparing for the show, however, required that the Rivers of America be drained so that necessary piping and other equipment could be built. The need for a stage on Tom Sawyer Island also required moving Harper's Mill to the right.
  • This attraction's history: Originally planned to only run a few years the show was a surprise hit that still pulls in big crowds at almost every showing. Minor tweaks have been made over the years, but the biggest adjustment has been in the crowd control area. The initial popularity of the show completely overwhelmed the ability of park cast members to move people around after shows. In the ensuing months and years, an impressive system of crowd management has developed. Within the show, the biggest change has been the removal of the Ursula float, a giant articulated Ursula ballon that was eventually removed due to slow decay and the cost of fixing it.