World of Color picnic..

[onederland]

Can someone explain to me how this worksis it worth it..do you sit on the ground or is there chairs..do you get a good view..I want to ensure my kids see this, we will be there on a busy week that is why I would like to get a good view for this. we have not seen WOC yet and is top on our list.
I think I would go on a Monday or Tuesday..Thanks!

 

[MattsPrincess]

You pick you meal online, and pick it up day of. You can eat it wherever you want, you don't have to eat it at the show or in line like a lot of people seem to think.

We thought the food was really good, and would get that again.

There are no seats for the show, on the ground or otherwise. It's standing only. The best views are up against the railing for each color section. But that is limited and goes quick.

Last November we got blue tickets with our picnic. We walked up about 10 minutes prior to show start, and went and stood near the "wet zone". We had a pretty good view, not great. We're both short, the people in front of us were tall, and they had their kids on their shoulders.

When we were there last week we opted not to see WoC, but were in DCA one day. People were already lining up for it at around 6.

 

[onederland]

Thanks for the info.. Would I need to line up that early, for the reserved seating?

 

[mrswh]

Someone will correct me if this has changed, but last I knew, if you ordered a picnic online in advance, you got a FP to the early show. You can also walk up and buy a picnic meal (I don't know what time they start, but it is much earlier than showtime) in which case you can't be guaranteed which show you will get a FP for. I don't think there is any way to be guaranteed a particular viewing section.

If you are staying onsite, it's just as easy to get a FP from the FP machine first thing in the morning - if you do that you will get a FP in the blue section for the early show. If you are not staying onsite, you could also just be there right when the gates open and do the same. The lines this summer weren't bad at all. (Nothing like 2010 when it first opened!) The picnic meal doesn't get you anything more in terms of view than a FP from the machine. I believe that is a different story with the WCT and AG meals - there is something called "preferred viewing" with those. But as PP said, the entire viewing area is standing and there is no way to guarantee a good view, maybe with the exception of lining up hours in advance.

 

[mrswh]

Thanks for the info.. Would I need to line up that early, for the reserved seating?

The entire viewing area is "reserved." Standing. And yes, if you want a prime spot, you need to line up very, very early. No matter how you got your FP.

 

[sonnyjane]

I'm not a huge proponent of the picnics. The only time I recommend them is if someone knows they will be arriving to the parks late and won't be able to get a fastpass. Other than that, with each picnic, you get a YELLOW FASTPASS which is the same yellow FP you get for free at the FP machines. Because of that, I view it as a $16 per person rip off, since as other posters have already mentioned, to get a good spot you still have to line up 60-90 minutes prior to ensure a front-railing spot. You will be lining up and standing with all the other people that got yellow FP's for free.

 

[onederland]

Thanks, where is the fast pass machine for WoC..I will get one as soon as it opens that morning.

 

[KE4UA]

Thanks, where is the fast pass machine for WoC..I will get one as soon as it opens that morning.

They use the grizzly river rapids fast pass machines in the morning to distribute WOC fastpasses. Just go there and get one and you will be all good!

 

[SuzanneSLO]

I'm not a huge proponent of the picnics. The only time I recommend them is if someone knows they will be arriving to the parks late and won't be able to get a fastpass. Other than that, with each picnic, you get a YELLOW FASTPASS which is the same yellow FP you get for free at the FP machines. Because of that, I view it as a $16 per person rip off, since as other posters have already mentioned, to get a good spot you still have to line up 60-90 minutes prior to ensure a front-railing spot. You will be lining up and standing with all the other people that got yellow FP's for free.

The "rip-off" is $16 per person only if you throw away the picnic food. I really love the Mediterranean and would buy it even if not planning to go to WOC, so I don't feel like it is a rip off at all. -- Suzanne

 

[HydroGuy]

This thread has lots of info about picnics and WOC:

"World of Color Superthread" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=37986447

 

[DisneyMomof2inSLC]

I'm not a huge proponent of the picnics. The only time I recommend them is if someone knows they will be arriving to the parks late and won't be able to get a fastpass. Other than that, with each picnic, you get a YELLOW FASTPASS which is the same yellow FP you get for free at the FP machines. Because of that, I view it as a $16 per person rip off, since as other posters have already mentioned, to get a good spot you still have to line up 60-90 minutes prior to ensure a front-railing spot. You will be lining up and standing with all the other people that got yellow FP's for free.

I've had the picnic twice, once in August 2010 and once in May 2011. Both times, I got a blue fast pass ticket. We did the walk up and order picnics and were in line pretty close to when you could first buy them (around 11am I believe). I ot the fast passes for the early show both times.

 

[Eeee-va]

If you want the food or can't get to the parks early enough to get a FP for the show you want, I think the picnics are a fair deal. But they're probably not the BEST way to get your WoC FPs (unless you cannot get to DCA in time to get FPs for the show you want to see...as you're not a local driving in after work, that shouldn't be an issue for you). Maybe when the show first started and it was hectic to try to get FPs, it was the best way to get a FP, but probably not now. It's certainly not the cheapest.

As others have said, the only way to ENSURE your kids can actually see it is to be waiting in line, FP in hand, WELL in advance of showtime.

 

[GenGen22]

I'm not a huge proponent of the picnics. The only time I recommend them is if someone knows they will be arriving to the parks late and won't be able to get a fastpass. Other than that, with each picnic, you get a YELLOW FASTPASS which is the same yellow FP you get for free at the FP machines. Because of that, I view it as a $16 per person rip off, since as other posters have already mentioned, to get a good spot you still have to line up 60-90 minutes prior to ensure a front-railing spot. You will be lining up and standing with all the other people that got yellow FP's for free.

I agree the picnic meal was a rip off for me too... The COLD friend chicken meal was nasty & I did throw it away. We had the yellow fastpass tickets and got a good viewing of the show. From now on I will make an ADR for the WOC dining w/show at a TS restaurant.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

We didn't think the food was bad at all. We ordered the Asian meal and the European Antipasto, and thought they were both pretty good. The antipasto one was heavy on the salami and blue cheese, so if you're not into those things (which I am, by coincidence...) then it would be a bad choice. Anyway, my husband and I both enjoyed the meals we chose and thought the food was decent for the price.

We did get a yellow FP for the first show and we went to the section as soon as it opened (an hour before show time) and we got front railing viewing. This was on a Friday night. We grabbed snacks before entering the viewing area and the time went by quickly.

 

[katstokes]

We are going down on the 30th and I want to try to see WOC on Wednesday night - hopefully avoiding some of the larger weekend crowds so I'm thinking I'm going to order the Picnic Meals for us. We'll probably go an hour and a half early so we can eat and then get in line. Hopefully we'll be able to get a decent view. It's my first time there in 23 years and I'm sooooo excited!!!!

 

[duckwife]

We did the WOC picnic meal today and I thought it was a fairly good deal. We picked it up about 6:30 and got in line for the 8:00 WOC show at 7:00. We were in the yellow section and got a railing spot on the third level. We sat and ate our meals while we waited. We spent the day in DL today and I liked not having to worry about getting a FP this morning. For us, it was a good choice.

 

[Dizzy4DL]

We really enjoyed our picnics. In fact, my Mom has made a special request that we get them again on our next trip. It's a way to experience a higher class of food at DL without breaking the bank.