Party From Saturn

There is a 3D movie in every park at WDW, but how do you get a prime seat? Don't get me wrong, the movies are neat no matter where you sit, but there are a few seats that are a little better than the rest. They're in the dead center of the theater. If I'm too close or too far away from the screen I get a little cross eyed, and a touch of a headache. So, it's best if I sit in the very center of the theater and the effects have less of a ghost effect if you sit in the middle of the theater.

So how do you get in the middle of the theater, when cast members are constantly telling you to move all the way to the end? Simple, start in the middle. That's it, that's the big secret. Each of the Disney 3D movies has a pre-show area, get in the middle of this area and you'll naturally wind up pretty much in the middle of the theater.

Each pre-show area is slightly off from the theater, for example for MuppetVision 3D (at MGM) you'll want to be a little "lower" in the pre-show area than the middle to get into the middle of the theater, but dead middle left to right. Speaking of MuppetVision 3D it's a good time to point out that this has my favorite pre-show. It's great! Arrive 20 minutes early to enjoy the whole thing.

Mickey's Philharmagic (at the Magic Kingdom) is a little harder to set up, I always seem to wind up way closer to the doors in the pre-show area than I would like to be, which means I wind up too far to the right in theater. Stay back from the doors, and let whole familys walk through the door before you if you're too close. Going though the doors is always confusing and it's a good time to relax and let people file past you. When you feel the theater is about half full grab your party, hold on to each other, and pile through the middle door.

The Bug's Life show (at Animal Kingdom) gives me the same problem I have with Philharmagic. I wind up too far down the slope, so that I'm too close to the screen, if you get pushed down too far just meander back up "reading" the posters on the side of the ant hill.

Finally, Honey I Shrunk the Audience (at EPCOT) has a cheesy Kodak sponsered pre-show area. I've never had a problem with getting in the middle of this crowd, because it's becoming a less popular attraction. Everytime I've been to this show, I've pretty much sat right in the middle of the theater.

Again, the shows are great no matter where you sit, but aiming for the middle will really make it better for your whole group. Remember to hold to each other when going through the doors from the pre-show area to the show, and arrive early for the pre-show at MuppetVision 3D.