One guide write suggested staying for Fantasmic! at MGM. He is absolutely right. In my opinion, if you don't see Fantasmic!, you've wasted your day.

However, his suggestion of getting to the amphitheater about 2 hours in advance in not necessarily something you're stuck doing - if you know the secrets.....

Disney Dining has a Fantasmic package. You can eat at Hollywood & Vine, a buffet in a diner motif; sit down service at the Brown Derby, a replica of the famous Hollywood eatery; or sit down service at Mama Melrose, a family fun style Italian restaurant. The menus selections are good, but more importantly, you get an admission ticket to Fantasmic!

With this ticket, you only need to report to a special entrance near the gas station by the main gate. You will be escorted or directed to a special section of the amphitheater reserved only for these ticket holders. You will feel like a VIP when you walk up to the virtually empty section and look out at the packed house - knowing they sweated in the heat for 2 hours or more to get a seat.

Once your reserved section has no more ticketed guests, cast members will allow guests who didn't make it in through the main theater entrance to fill in the spaces.

Although you may think the side are you are sitting is not a good angle, I can assure you that you will not be disappointed with your view or the show. I have gone many times to this show using the Disney Dining Fantasmic Package. After all, those 2 hours are better spent doing things in the park rather than waiting on line for a theater that isn't open yet.

Of course, if you are at WDW during a slow time, you might not need to do this, but why take the chace.

As for thinking it's just a way Disney gets you to go to one of those three restaurants, well, hey, you have to eat, so you might as well get something extra with your meal.

Enjoy