Advice on shows/parades/etc dessert parties/dining packages

Also...be aware that this might be the "dance event" weekend...
@LKing, I tried searching for your wonderful event calendar but it must be buried somewhere. Is Dance the Magic this same weekend?
 
Dining Package for Fantasmic = Must Do
4 Options
1. Expensive = Cafe Orleans
2. Mid Price = Riverbelle Restaurant
3. Cheapest = Rancho del Zocalo
All above you eat the food during the day, and get a ticket for the waterside viewing sections. All 3 sit on the concrete ground for the show.
4. Mid Price = Riverbelle Terrace
You seat at the outside section of Riverbelle Restaurant and eat during the show. Restricted view but you sit at a table and chair

Parade Dining (Available for daytime and night time parades) Package = Not Necessary
Eat lunch at Plaza Gardens and then watch the parade from a reserved section.
Not necessary as the parade route is long and its easy to get a view of the parade.

Dining Package for World of Color = Not Necessary But Nice To Do
3 Options
1.Buffet at Storytellers Cafe
2. Wine Country Trattoria
Both above you eat the food during the day, and get a ticket for the waterside viewing sections. Both stand in the viewing sections during the show
3. Desert Party
Sit at table and chair during the show. Desert plate and drinks served before the show

World of Color Virtual Queue
There is one daily opportunity to join the virtual queue for World of Color
12:00 PM (Noon) – Guests must have entered Disney California Adventure Park with a valid one-park ticket or Park Hopper ticket, or Disneyland Park with a Park Hopper ticket.

World of Color Standby Viewing Section
Go to Paradise Bay viewing area 30 to 45 minutes before showtime to check in with a Cast Member for walk-up viewing options.
Correction: number 4 on your Fantasmic Dining package is not “mid”, it’s definitely the most expensive one available at $94 person

(Also, ironically, the worst view)
 
I really appreciate being able to sit at a table for the shows, especially if there's dining involved. Not a big fan of sitting on the ground. Because of that, we always do the Dessert Party at WOC. The views are great from those seats. It looks like you have a big family, so be aware those tables only seat 4. Maybe someone else can tell you what they do if you have more than 4 people. Most likely it would involve seating 4 at one table and the rest of you at another, but I'd guess they'd put other guests at the second table with you if there are less than 4 of you there.

The only reason I'd ever do the premium dining for RBT for Fantasmic again is if I absolutely couldn't sit on the ground. It was nice, but the views are nowhere near as good as what you get even from the least expensive of the other dining packages. It's too far back and people, trees, etc., can block your view. We've done the RDZ and the BB packages (the center section, I think it's Cafe Orleans now?). Both were great views, with the center section being a little better. No one blocks your view even if you're toward the back because sitting on the ground, what you're looking at is not right at eye level; you're looking slightly up. My daughter loved sitting right at the fence and getting a little wet; I didn't, so I sat towards the back.

I have to say though, we're probably not paying the $$ for Fantasmic this year. I've read so much about how the show isn't great because of cutbacks, and it's never been the same since the dragon has been gone, and there are no refunds if the show is cancelled (because you got food), which does happen. Although if you haven't done it before, it may still be worthwhile for you.

I've never done the dining package for the DL holiday parade, but I've seen posts here indicating some people don't think it's a good deal because you still may not get a good spot even if you pay for the package and show up an hour ahead of time.

We did the parade package at DCA one year. It was nice, but totally not necessary because there are so many places at DCA to get a good view.
 
Thanks @irlandaise for linking to the page with events happening at DLR. Did people find it helpful? If so, I have a draft for 2026.

Dec 12- 14 will be very crowded. Dec 12 is the last day for Enchant MK to visit before being blocked for the holidays. It is also the last weekend that people can use their Costco tickets. I wouldn't be surprised if LL sold out that weekend. Dance the Magic is also that weekend. I believe the DTM parade is on Dec 13 which will make DL very crowded. I would do DCA midday on the day of the Dance the Magic parade.

This is already a very long thread. Below are some of my thoughts.
  • Plaza Inn is at Disneyland. Plaza Gardens is at WDW
  • The Christmas Fantasy Parades should be at 3 pm and 5:15 pm. The first parade starts at Small World and ends on Main Street. The second parade starts on Main Street and ends at Small World. It will be much easier to find a viewing location for the first parade. There is more viewing space near Small World than there is along the straight portion of Main Street. It takes approximately 20-25 min for the first dancers to appear, walk the parade route, and then exit. If you are standing at the end of the parade route, add 20-25 min onto the start time before you will see the parade. That's not to say that people will line up later, just that it is a longer wait. The parade itself is 15-20 min. If the second parade starts on Main Street at 5:15, it should finish at Small World by 6 pm. Fireworks aren't until 9:30 pm. Someone suggested waiting after the second parade for fireworks. That wouldn't be an efficient use of your time.
  • Regarding fireworks, the least crowded area is near Small World. ROA is packed with Fantasmic viewers and Main Street is full of people who don't realize they can view fireworks from other locations. In front of the castle requires one to camp out for 3+ hours - especially that weekend.
As far as watching fireworks after WOC. There is no music or projections but you can see them from the top of Pixar Pier bridge (outside of Knick Knacks). You can also see them from the waterfront next to Poultry Palace (see below). Note that WOC Happiness is approximately 27 min long. Fireworks start at 9:30 so you need to hustle to get from Paradise Gardens Park to a viewing location.


1761169899647.png 1761170088631.png


Its set up that way for locals, multiple experiences happening at the same time means its a way to get locals to return to the park. Its not set up for tourists on a one and done visit to Disneyland California.

I strongly disagree with this statement. There were height restrictions when DLR was built and Disneyland's castle is smaller than WDW's. Main Street at WDW is both wider and longer than Main Street at DLR. Because of that, there is much more room to view fireworks from Main Street at WDW compared to DLR. Conveniently for all, Disneyland added projections onto ROA and Small World to allow more guests to view the projection show. Guests who didn't care about projections started watching fireworks from SWGE. It is a better (closer) view than anywhere else in the park. DLR saw an opportunity and capitalized on it. Fire of the Rising Moons is a great show. Shadows of Memory is extremely well done and, so far, is not available at WDW. Note, Shadows of Memory is a projection show that is not in conjunction with fireworks.
 

We will be in DL/DCA for three days - Dec 12-14 (total trip 11-15).
So I made WOC dessert party for the 11th and Fantasmic first showing lunch at Rancho Del Zocalo for the 12th.
I'm confused. Are you going to be in the parks for more than 3 days?


Wow. So you can't do both in one night? If we want to see the fireworks we would have to do those Sunday night if we have Fantasmic Saturday night and WOC Friday night? What is the view of the fireworks like from the first Fantasmic? Sounds pretty not great. So what about if we watch the second Fantasmic? Can you see them both in one night then, or no? I don't see that times of nighttime events and park hours are out yet for this weekend, but out you can make reservations for them - which is odd to me
I understand that you would prefer to pay for a dining package rather than waiting. While convenient, dining packages don't necessarily have the best view. What is more important, the best view or convenience?

Below is a what the schedule should look like. Can you prioritize which are most important for you?

Disneyland
Christmas Fantasy Parade - 3 pm and 5:15 pm
Fantasmic - 9 pm and 10:30 pm
Fireworks - 9:30 pm
Shadows of Memory 8:25 pm and 10:15 pm
Fire of the Rising Moon - 9:30 pm

DCA
World of Color: Happiness - 9 pm and 10:15 pm

Not happening during the holiday season
Paint the Night
Tapestry of Happiness
Celebrate Happy Cavalcade
 





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