Fantasmic Dinner Package

[LTMC]

Do you think the FDP is worth it? We will be atttending Fantasmic Saturday, October 18, and wasn't sure if the crowds will be so busy that our kids 9 & 6 won't want to wait an hour +. Also, if you think it's worth it which restaurant do you recommend? Thanks for you help!

 

[mad4themouse]

We did the Fantasmic! dinner package a few years agao and ate at The Brown Derby. That wasn't a big deal because we usually budget for one very nice meal per trip and this was it.

There is no additional charge for the package. We ordered off the menu. The children were impressed with the level of service and DH and I both enjoyed the quality of the food.
Drawbacks:

• The PS that was available was very early (around 4:30, if I remember correctly).
• The reserved seats are to the right of centerstage and are still on a first-come-first seated basis.
• You still need to arrive ½ hour prior to showtime, so you will have to wait in the theater.

Positives:

• You will get a seat.
• There are no really bad seats in the theater.
• You will not need to line up outside of the theater an hour prior to the gates opening.
• You gotta eat anyway.
• While everyone else is standing in line outside of the theater, you are enjoying the less-crowded attractions in the park.

My advise would be to make the PS if the parks are crowded. If they aren't, then eat dinner wherever you like and get in line outside of the theater 1 hour prior to the gates opening so that you can have a seat closer to centerstage.

 

[BethR]

Originally posted by mad4themouse
My advise would be to make the PS if the parks are crowded. If they aren't, then eat dinner wherever you like and get in line outside of the theater 1 hour prior to the gates opening so that you can have a seat closer to centerstage.

The only problem with this is now you must hold your ressie with a credit card. That credit card will be charged $10 a person for any ressie that is not cancelled before 48 hours. Also at the Brown Derby and at Mama Melroses there are set prices for their dinners (which are all-inclusive I THINK.) Hollywood and Vine is a Buffet priced at $20 for an adult and perhaps $13 for a child. This is the SAME price that those who do NOT have the dinner package pay.

We have done the Fantasmic Dinner package 2x and I thought very well worth it. Although when we went in August, we found that although you are told to be at a particular gate at a particular time (a half hour before the show), that MANY (most?) had arrived EARLIER than this time and the section was quite full when we arrived. Although we still got seats that were just fine, I am beginning to wonder if the advantage of the FDP are diminishing. Perhaps, they could refuse to seat FDP ticket holders UNTIL a certain time?

BTW, we ate Hollywood and Vine both times and I really enjoyed my meal there, although, I have heard that some people do not care for it. You may want to ask on the Restaurant Board.

 

[DianeV]

We did this before and ate at Hollywood and Vine and everyone liked the variety on the buffet. Many liked the salmon! We are thinking of doing it again next week as like someone mentioned you have to eat anyway!

 

[darlene walker]

Last October when we went to the show we ended up standing through the whole show with our ds's ages 4 & 5 on our shoulders way in the back. My Mom and dd 17 never made it in. So for this years trip in Nov. I made ps @ Hollywood & Vine for 4:30 just to make sure we'll get a seat together. It's so hard for young children to wait for 10 mins. never mind an hour. The show was great and we are looking foward to seeing it again. Hopefully it won't be pouring buckets. LOL.
Darlene

 

[JeffV71]

October 20th, Monday, my wife and I have "Fantasmic Dinner Package", eating at Mama Melrose's at 5:30 pm. I am thinking of arriving somewhat earlier than that, hoping to be seated a little earlier. Does anyone think this will be cutting it close in order to get to the gates by about 6:45 or so?? They say 1/2 hr early but we are aiming for 45 minutes before show.

 

[crystalb]

We use to do the FDP before they started charging for it. We had always eaten at Brown Derby.
You need to take various factors into consideration to decide if it is right for you.
1) Are they offering a restaurant you want to eat at?
2) Is it worth the extra food/cost for you? If we were big eaters, the BD package would not be that bad of a deal. But the two of us eat at BD for just slightly over what Disney now charges per person.
3) How crowded are you expecting the park to be? (What night? Week night or weekend?)
4) Is Fantasmic a MUST DO for you?
5) Are you willing to buy into the package, even in the case Fantasmic is cancelled for your evening?

 

[jeankeri]

I have made a FDP reservation for Friday, Dec 5th, but am still unsure if I should do it!!! My DS 8 & 6 really have no desire to eat @ H&V, but Fantasmic is my DS6 MUST SEE! The latest PS I could get is 4:50 for the 7 show (only one showing), so I'm figuring there's really not much we'll be able to do between dinner and arriving @ Oscar's at 6:30. How is my thinking on this?
What food is available inside and what is the $ difference? My final question is about saving time- how long before the show do the gates open to begin seating? Advice please to help me save time & money!!

 

[Danemom]

We went to Fantasmic on Friday, Oct. 10. We did not do the dinner package, choosing instead to eat while waiting for the show. People began lining up for the 7:30 show at 5:00, us included. They let people into the theater at 5:30. The park was pretty crowded - TOT had 120 minute waits at one point.

We got great seats - front and center. I think we could've gone in about 6:30/6:45 and gotten seats comparable to the reserved seats. All the seats have a good view. One possible advantage to the reserved seats is faster exit after the show.

You can bring food in with you and they had chicken wraps $5/two, hot dogs $4 ft long, chips $2.50/bag, cotton candy, popcorn, and soft drinks $2.50/bottle inside. Our family of 4 got wraps, Doritos, and two soft drinks for $17.50.
HTH!

 

[jeankeri]

Danemom- Thanks for your reply! Fantasmic will be at 7 when we go. I do think we'll opt to eat inside instead of doing the FDP. Timewise it's probably the same, but my guys have no desire to do H&V, so it wouldn't be any less $. As far as telling how crowded the park is- any indicators besides TOT wait times to gauge when we should arrive to camp in our seats?

 

[Danemom]

I guess you could just walk in and look at the theater once they've opened it, then decide if you need to stay?
If it's a must see for your DS6, I'd just plan on getting there by 5:30 or so and sticking it out. Eat at a very leisurely pace because there is no entertainment pre-show!

 

[jeankeri]

That's pretty much what I've scribbled down on our touring plan! Even DH is willing to stick out the wait for DS (and that's really saying something!). Your info was really helpful in making the decision- thanks again- Jeankeri

 

[Danemom]

You're welcome. Enjoy - it's a wonderful show!

 

[weluvdizknee]

We make a visit to Disneyland in Aneheim California at least once a year. Fantasmic is without a doubt the one of the best things at Disneyland. The show there is the most spectacular show in all of California! Some nights we even see both showings. If you've ever been to Fantasmic in Aneheim, you know how difficult the good seats are to get! There isn't a stadium in Aneheim to sit in, it's a first come first serve seat on the ground all the way around Tom's Island.

So when we planned our first trip to Disney Word, Florida, the dinner show was the first thing on our agenda! We made reservations at Hollywood and Vine. I couldn't wait to get "reserved seating in a stadium" to see Fantasmic.

The food at Hollywood & Vine was great. A buffet stye with great service and lots of choices. We only had to wait 30 minutes, after picking our seats, for the show to start. And we had excellent seats, right in the middle, only four rows from the water.

Let me just warn any of you who have ever seen the Fantasmic show in Aneheim, that you will be greatly disappointed with the show in Orlando!!!!! The Orlando show is a scaled down version of Aneheim's show, with more fireworks and less story line, without the beautiful floats, no Peter Pan - Hook spectacular, and the finale is a corny little boat with very few characters (nothing like the big beautiful Mark Twain Ship finale at Disneyland.) The only thing that's better about Orlando's Fantasmic is the seating!!!! You won't walk away feeling that Disney excitement like you do when you leave Disneyland's Fatasmic show!

If you've never seen The Fantasmic show in California, I say make the reservations in Orlando. The stadium there is great, and the little show is like a little free bonus with dinner.

 

[BethR]

Originally posted by weluvdizknee
You won't walk away feeling that Disney excitement like you do when you leave Disneyland's Fatasmic show!

Wow weluvdizknee! We have done Fantasmic in Orlando on our last night the past 2 times that we have been to Disney just because it gives us the Disney excitement to go home with. I can't imagine how more wonderful it must be in California! I will tell you, you have really made me want to go to Disneyland just to see Fantasmic there!

 

[memymomonica]

We thought about doing the Fantasmic Dinner Package when we were there two weeks ago. I'm glad we didn't. The CM was nice enough to let me know that the park wasn't that full, and regulare seating wouldn't be a problem. Also, I wasn't happy that some of the restaurants had set menus for the package. I think the Brown Derby was the only one that you could actually order off the menu. Also, if the show is cancelled due to weather, etc. they don't refund your money. After he told me all these things, we decided against. We had a great night without.

 

[BethR]

Originally posted by memymomonica
Also, I wasn't happy that some of the restaurants had set menus for the package. I think the Brown Derby was the only one that you could actually order off the menu. Also, if the show is cancelled due to weather, etc. they don't refund your money.

I guess the FDP is not for everyone, but we were happy that we did it twice.

The package is available at the Brown Derby, Mama Melroses and Hollywood and Vine. At the Brown Derby and Mama Melroses, there is a set fee for dinner (there is no extra charge for getting the special seating for Fantasmic.) The dinners include an choices of entrees, sides, desserts, etc. for the price. At Hollywood and Vine the price is for the buffet and soft drinks (no extra charge for the Fantasmic seating.) You are paying exactly the same price as everyone else who is eating there.

If the show is cancelled due to weather or whatever, be sure to go to Guest Services for a rain check. You can use it another night for the special seating at Fantasmic.

 

[memymomonica]

When I checked into 2 weeks ago, Mama Melroses had a set menu. It was a pizza for 2 and something else. You couldn't order off the menu. That's where we had wanted to go, but we wanted the choice of picking off the menu. The CM didn't mention a raincheck to me. He was very specific that it was a gamble. If it was cancelled, you lost.

 

[darlene walker]

I was told when I made our reservation at HW & V if the weather is bad to just call guest services to re-schedule but to make sure we call and do not do a NO SHOW. I feel our resv. will work out just fine.
Darlene

 

[lisalu]

We have done it several times and ate at H&Vine. If you time it just right, you can come out in perfect time to view parade. There was enough variety on the buffet (surprisingly good for a buffet!) to appeal to the 3 adults and 2 children in our party. Considering the cost of most other sit down meals in WDW, it is a good overall value.