‘World of Color’ Viewing Tips

Heather Hust Rivera

by , Vice President, Consumer Products

UPDATE (11/18/2010) – We have updated this post to include new information about the lunch prix fixe menu and updated information about boxed lunches and pricing.

UPDATE (7/15/2010) – We’ve permanently added a third World of Color show each night through Labor Day.

UPDATE (7/3/2010) – Disneyland Resort Hotel guests will now receive a new, great benefit that will give them early access to “World of Color” FASTPASS tickets. Disneyland Resort Hotel guests may now arrive at the Disney California Adventure park gate at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa any time between 9:00 am and 9:30 am to participate in the exclusive FASTPASS distribution offering prior to the opening of the main gate. More Details

'World of Color'

Now that the premiere of this new nighttime spectacular is less than two weeks away, we’re answering some of the questions you’ve asked us here on the Disney Parks Blog. How can I see the show? Will there be a Disney FASTPASS service for “World of Color“?

Hopefully, these tips will be helpful as you’re planning your trip to the Disneyland Resort.

There are three ways to secure a spot for the show:

  • “World of Color” Disney’s FASTPASS Ticket – FASTPASS tickets for “World of Color” will be available each morning at the Grizzly River Run FASTPASS terminals. Guests can insert their park tickets into the terminal to obtain a FASTPASS ticket to see “World of Color” from the reserved viewing area in Paradise Park. As with other FASTPASS attractions, there will be a limited number of FASTPASS tickets available for the show. Note: guests will not be able to pick a specific show time. FASTPASS tickets will first be distributed for the earlier show, and after those have been distributed, FASTPASS tickets will then be distributed for the later show. When all of the day’s “World of Color” FASTPASS tickets have been distributed, Grizzly River Run terminals will convert back to distributing Grizzly River Run FASTPASS tickets.
    • Tip: If you would like to see the show on the day of its premiere, June 11, here are a few things you should know about getting a “World of Color” FASTPASS ticket. If you arrive before park opening, you may park in the Pumbaa parking lot on Disney Way and, beginning at 7 a.m., gather at the Main Entrance to Disney California Adventure park. When Disney California Adventure park opens to the public, guests lined up for FASTPASS will be walked into the park and over to the FASTPASS terminals. As always, theme park admission will be required to enter the park to obtain a FASTPASS ticket and to view the show.

  • “World of Color” Picnic Meals – You can also secure reserved viewing by ordering a special boxed picnic meal. Picnic meals may be ordered online – www.disneyland.com – or by walk-up purchase, subject to availability, at the Sonoma Terrace, Golden Vine Winery. Picnic meals purchased online will include reserved viewing for the first show and walk up picnics will include reserved viewing for the second show. They are available on-line for purchase at Disney.com
    • Picnic meals be picked up at the Sonoma Terrace from 11:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Picnic meal options include four selections for adults: “The All American” (cold honey-stung fried chicken), “The Taste of Asia” (chilled miso-glazed salmon), “The European Antipasto” (cured meats, regional cheeses, artichoke heart, sun-dried tomato) and “The Mediterranean Vegetarian” (marinated grilled vegetables in a whole wheat wrap with roasted garlic hummus). Kids’ options for children ages 3-9 include “The Junior All American” (chicken), “The Lunchbox Classic” (peanut butter and jelly).
    • All online picnic meals with “World of Color” Reserved Viewing are priced at $14.99 and must be redeemed for the designated reserved show date and time. No refunds, exchanges or other discounts.
    • Each guest entering Paradise Park must present reserved viewing area admission. Guests may only enter the viewing area during designated times, which is specified on their ticket. Separate theme park admission is required.

  • Prix Fixe “World of Color” Lunches – Prix fixe Lunch with “World of Color” Reserved Viewing are available at Wine Country Trattoria restaurants. Guests may order from a selection of Italian cuisine at Wine Country Trattoria (current prices are $29.99 for adults and $18.99 for children ages 3-9and includes a complimentary Reserved Viewing for “World of Color.” Reservations: (714) 781-DINE. Seatings are at specified times and space is limited. No refunds, exchanges or other discounts. Separate theme park admission is required.

  • Prix Fixe “World of Color” Dinners – Prix fixe meals with “World of Color” Preferred Viewing are available at both the newly redesigned Wine Country Trattoria and Ariel’s Grotto restaurants. Guests may order from a selection of Italian cuisine at Wine Country Trattoria (current prices are $39.99 for adults and $20.99 for children ages 3-9), or a varied menu of seafood, meat and vegetarian options at Ariel’s Grotto (current prices for inside seating are $39.99 for adults and $20.99 for children ages 3-9). Both restaurants offer Preferred Viewing for “World of Color.” Reservations: (714) 781-DINE. Seatings are at specified times and space is limited. No refunds, exchanges or other discounts. Separate theme park admission is required.

You can also see the show without a reserved spot. There is ample space all around the perimeter of Paradise Bay that provides great views of the show. The views from these locations are certainly different, but the choreography of the fountains, bright bursts of color and music can be enjoyed from all around Paradise Bay.

**All information including benefits, restrictions, prices and show times are subject to change or cancellation without notice.

Destinations: ‘World of Color’ Viewing Tips

Comments

  • I just want to confirm something. I reserved a spot for the dinner at Ariel’s Grotto with reserved seating for WOC. Based on the comments here, it sounds like you are supposed to pay for the reservation when you book it; however, I was told to pay at the restaurant. I just want to confirm that this is correct or do I need to call Disney Dining back?

  • Heather,

    I plan to make it out to California Adventure on June 11th for the public premier. I’m also planning to purchase a picnic meal for that date. Will I be able to reserve a picnic meal for June 11th when the link for it online is active, or will I have to order one at the park?

    Thanks in advance!

  • I was wondering what time the Pumbaa parking lot will open Friday morning?

  • Will their eventually be a fastpass just for WOC? Or will it continue to use Grizly River Run? Or is the fastpass just for June 11th?

  • Thanks for the reply Heather, I appreciate it. 🙂

    I’m really looking forward to seeing World of Color!

  • Heather,

    Would you be able to let me know:

    What is the capacity for the preferred viewing area?

    Is Paradise Park tiered?

    Is the earlier you eat with the prix fixe meals better as far as gaining entry into the preferred viewing area?

    Thanks for all the help you’re providing!

  • hi heather, where exactly is the pumba lot located? i though that was closed as part of the cars land expansion?

  • Hi Heather! Thanks for the latest in viewing tips. We have our 8:00 dinner reservations/reserved seating package for Wine County on June 11 with the seating for World of Color for the later show but from this latest update it looks as if the reserved section is standing and not seating. The reason I ask is because I have difficulties with my right leg and can’t really stand or at least not for more than 5 or 10 minutes. Any suggestions or will we have access to seats?

    • There is seating for the Prix Fixe dinner at the Wine Country Trattoria. You will see the show after your meal. All viewing in Paradise Park is standing only, but as always, our cast members will do what they can to assist guests with physical limitations while in the reserved viewing area.

  • thanks for the advice! two questions though…

    where would the fastpass return be?

    when’s the earliest you can line up for it?

    • Reserved viewing tickets will indicate return time, location and show time. This be on your FASTPASS ticket once you get it.

  • Can you please explain to me the difference between Reserved Viewing and Preferred Viewing?

    • Reserved viewing is located in Paradise Park and the bridge. Preferred viewing is in the center of Paradise Park.

  • If I do not have a fastpass, will I be permitted to stand behind the fastpass viewing area?

  • what time do the lunch boxes go on sale online on the 10th? i say the 10th because i talked to bob, director of restaurants for both parks and he said they went on sale then. i was disapointed to see that i could not buy them in person today when i went, i guess the blog was updated after i went today….

    • June 10 sale date has not yet been confirmed.

  • The concept of having a dining package tied to admission to an event such as World of Color is not new: this system is in place for Fantasmic! at Walt Disney World and has been done in years past for the Candlelight Procession seats at Disneyland.

    I think that it’s entirely appropriate for the people who are paying for the prix fixe meals to have a preferred viewing location because they are paying for that privilege. In some respects, this boils down to a time vs. money situation and some people would prefer to spend the money to be assured of a spot rather than waiting for hours, when they could be doing other, more fun things at the park.

    Having several shows per evening, especially with the enormous anticipated crowds for World of Color, is not practical to allow people to ‘camp out’ for several hours. Disney is going to have to move thousands of people in and out of that area for each show, and this is a way to do it as efficiently as possible.

    There’s no system that will please everyone, but I think Disney is to be commended for trying to come up with a solution. How it works may change over time, depending on its effectiveness.

  • What is the show’s running time? Will the preferred viewing area (fastpass, picnic, etc) have to be standing? Or will it be like Fantasmic here you can sit on the ground once the show begins?

  • I was also wondering if AP’s get a sneak peek?

    Also is sitting in our spot not allowed at all for WOC?
    My husband and I wanted to get there early get a fast pass and find a good spot and sit there all day like we do for other shows like fantasmic fireworks and parades.

  • Hi Heather,

    I was wondering if annual pass holders can get a sneak peak?

  • Do you get a pass to the same viewing area whether you have a FASTPass versus eating at Ariels Grotto or Wine Trattoria or purchase the picnic? Does paying more for a meal get you a better view than say just standing in line for the FASTPass?

  • Heather,
    Will Premium AP discounts be available the Picnic Meals? Thanks in advance.

    • Discounts on pre fixe dinner packages at Ariel’s Grotto and Wine Country Trattoria are (excludes alcohol): Premium Passports is 15% discount and all other Annual Passports is a 10% discount. Discounts for Picnic Meals will be available for walk‐up purchases or online purchases through the Annual Passholder website (when available on June 11).

  • This will be our first visit to Disneyland and DCA. Is there a super handy helpful map that illustrates these different seating locations to help my family and I choose which standing option is right for us?

  • AWSOM

  • Heather, with regard to FASTPASS, will I be able to get a FASTPASS for World of Color and then *immediately* obtain another FASTPASS at one of the other FASTPASS attractions in the park, such as Soarin’ Over California? Or will I need to wait the normal two hours before obtaining a second FASTPASS?

  • Will DCA provide a Soundtrack for the public to purchase? Im sure everyone will want to get this soundtrack!

  • Will the World Of Color be year round or only for Disney’s Summer nightastic?

  • @ Debra, Pamela et al: It’s all STANDING ONLY. No seats.

  • Hi Heather,

    Will we be allowed to park in Pumbaa and start queueing on Thursday night, or will we only be allowed in the lot Friday morning? In the case of the latter, what time will the lot open?

    Many thanks,
    Thomas

    • Thomas, If you arrive before park opening, you may park in the Pumbaa parking lot on Disney Way and, beginning at 7 a.m. we will allow Guests into the Esplanade area in front of the Main Entrance to Disney California Adventure park. All other Theme Park Parking lots will open at their regularly scheduled time. This includes Mickey & Friends Parking Structure which is scheduled to open at 8 a.m.

  • I’m surprised that people are comparing this to Fantasmic waiting because there has been preferred seating for Fantasmic for years! I, for one, would rather pay for the seating at Fantasmic than sit there and get numb legs while waiting on the hard concrete. I’m glad that preferred/premium seating will be available for WOC!!!

  • I think the FASTPASS system is a great idea! Now I can actually have fun in the park rather than camp out!

  • im soo confused about this fass pass thing…are guests going to be able to sit in the new amphitheater without getting a fasspass for the premier showing? because me and my family really wanted to go see it the first day, but we were unable to get there so early in the morning for all of us to get fass passes. we were going to get there early enough to sit and just wait for the show to begin during the day, as like what you would do at disneyland for fantasmic?

  • I’m lloking forward to the actual show, we normally sit and enjoy the test runs when we are there. if a few pumps and light look good I imagine how lovely the full effect must be.

  • Thanks for the info! I’m really excited to see the show.

  • I think this is a brilliant idea, and it’s just as fair as anything else. If you REALLY want a prime spot, you can do your camping out early in the day instead of for hours before the show. If you are an AP (as I am), take a day off of work every once in a while if it’s that important to you. I am more than willing to pay $15 per person for a meal AND prime viewing! I’d probably be spending that on dinner for my family anyway! The food sounds very tasty, by the way… my mouth is already watering in anticipation of my cold fried chicken. I hope that by the time I’m actually able to get up there for this, all of these options are still there. 🙂 The people who pull the “survival of the fittest” stuff for Fantasmic and take up space that other people could be using for hours in the afternoon/evening are massively annoying, to be honest. I’d rather spend my $15 each and get to enjoy the rest of the day at Disneyland, eat a tasty meal, and have a more relaxing experience at the show. Excellent idea, guys!

  • Does this mean that to see the show EVER we would need to get a FASTPASS Ticket early in the morning? What if some of us have to work? Does that mean we never get to see the show from the designated seating area?

  • Heather, thank you for all the info, one more Question: do you know at what time we would be allowed to line up for the fastpass distribution on the 11th

  • A few questions:
    1) Are the prix fixe prices for Ariel’s Grotto accurate? They’re different from what’s what’s on the Disneyland press releases.
    2) Preferred viewing is not the same as preferred seating, right? So some of these options are SRO?
    3) Like Nick #46, I assume these options also reflect “tiers” in the viewing areas, with prix fixe guests getting “preferred” viewing, picnic guests “reserved,” and FASTPASS guests everything else? (Well, actually, guests who don’t use one of these three options get everything else, but I digress….)

  • I called Disney Dining and they quoted the price for children at Wine Country Trattoria @ $18.99 not $12.99.

    • This has been corrected.

  • World of Color is not JUST for the summer, right? Will it be available after August???

  • I love the idea of FASTPASS for WOC! Good idea. For someone that has to fly 14 hrs to get to Disney, we want to maximize our time in the parks so not having to stake out a good viewing spot 2 hrs in advance is a great improvement!

    Would love to try out the new picnic boxes. Can you order them for mid september? How many nights will you run WOC show in September?

    Many thanks! Cant wait to visit again.

  • If you have a party of five, for example, will the FASTPASS system recognize it and put you all in the same section? What happens if it breaks up your party into different sections?

    • Cast members will be on hand to do their best to keep families together.

  • Some re-questions as posted above:

    1) I think “standing” only is a little harsh, I understand your limited viewing space but with shorter people and children involved it’s going to be tough. I really do hope CM’s will be able to tell guests that children cannot be put on shoulders during the show, I just find that so rude for everyone behind those people.

    2) Also, I wondered what will happen later in Summer when the WOC crowds die down and all the FASTPASSES are not gone by 12:00pm and the line for Grizzly River Run is 2 hours long but you still will not be able to get a FASTPASS for it until all the World of Color’s are gone.

    Thanks

  • Where do we go with a wheelchair?? I assume I still get a fastpass right?
    You said that the meal area would be for standing…will my chair be ok in that area for me to see well?

    I’m not sure how I feel about how all this will work. But I’m excited..that’s for sure!

    Thanks!

    • Karen, you can get a FASTPASS, too, and they will make every effort to give you unobstructed viewing in whichever area you are in. All viewing areas are accessible to wheelchairs.

  • Can’t post on the Disney Connection post and the application still doesn’t work…

  • I am just wondering if there will be seating for disabled people with or without fastpass/meal package? I will be attending with my mother who has a cane and can not stand for long periods of time….it is usually a disaster to get a spot for Fantasmic because it is mostly for wheelchairs and she has to stand and that is a long time standing waiting period and show for someone who can’t so I am hoping a better job will be done to accommodate the people who need a spot to sit.

    • Viewing in Paradise Park is standing only, but as always, our cast members will do what they can to assist guests with physical limitations while in the reserved viewing area.

  • Do you think that there is a possiblily that Fantasmic! will show at 11 30 also>? beacuse we are seeing the 10 15 show for World of Color and we wanted to see Magical then go see World of Color after.

  • Does anyone know a good time when we should start showing up at the Pumbaa parking lot to wait for fastpasses? Will APs also have to pay for parking since parking is usually only open to the Mickey and Friends structure?

  • @Thor (#40) – The recording says it’s only taking Fantasmic and Electrical Parade reservations, but if you get a live person on the line, you can make the reservations. I booked my Trattoria reservations for the WoC package for next Friday. You eat your dinner (from the pre-planned menu) and when your meal is done, you get your passes for the preferred viewing area for whatever showtime you are assigned. They’ll tell you what showtime you get when you book the reservation.

    As for the actual viewing area, I’m honestly not sure. The woman on the phone told me, but as soon as the call ended I couldn’t remember a thing but my dinner time because I was shocked that I was still able to book a dinner reservation on opening night. lol I want to say she said Trattoria package viewing was in the amphitheater, but don’t take my word for it.

  • It is unclear if disabled people have to get a FastPass in the AM and then have to come back. (Oh THAT will be a breeze!) Plus, where will the disabled access area be? Please respond.

    • Yes, all viewing areas are accessible to wheelchairs, and an effort will be made to accommodate wheelchair guests in a location where their view will not be obstructed.

  • Will every part of the paradise park viewing area need a fastpass ticket?

  • As an Annual Passholder of several years, I think it’s an excellent ideas for Disneyland to control the crowds better around their nighttime shows. In the past, crowd control during the very popular “Remember” fireworks at Disneyland was very minimal. I had several very unpleasant experiences dealing with people shoving their way into the crowd to get a spot to watch or refusing to sit or stand when no Castmember insisted that everyone do the same thing. I’ve been very impressed with all the changes Disneyland made to their crowd control (roping of areas to make clear pathways for people not watching the show, asking all guests to stand as their watch to provide more space for everyone, etc.) All these new ideas for the World of Color viewing sound excellent to me.

    So, if you’re a person who likes to stake out their spot hours before the show, you still can. Or, if you’re someone who doesn’t visit the park as often and tries to take advantage of all the rides throughout the day, now you can reserve your spot with a fastpass or a special meal. The Picnic box meal sounds great, considering it’s the same price you’d pay for a meal even if you weren’t watching the show.

    Thank you Disney for getting more creative with crowd control!

  • Heather, how long before showtime will guests be allowed to arrive at Paradise Park for our designated show?

    • The time of your return will be detailed on your ticket.

  • When will you be alowed to pick-out a spot after you have gotten your World of Color FASTPASS?

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