Chances of someone canceling FDP?

[budmonster]

I just called the ressies dept. to see if I could add my Mom and neice to my FDP@ Momma Melrose on 4/30 and the CM said no they were completely booked. I already have a reservation for DD and I with the Fantasmic package, mom surprised me when she called yesterday and said that her and my neice are coming down from MD to join us. I am really happy about her joining us but now have to change my ADR's. The CM said I could call back and check for cancelations, but what are the chances that someone is going to cancel a FDP? Especially now that Fantasmic has limited it shows. I really don't know what to do. Now I beginning to wonder do I really need the FDP? Should I just chance waiting for Fantasmic? I've seen it before, but Mom never has, and I really want her to see it.

 

[Tricia1972]

Keep your package, see if you can make a regular reservation for the extra two at approximately the same time that you're dining there.

You can always decide if two don't want to stay up to see Fantasmic that day, but there's no harm in having the tickets if you're pretty sure that your group can use them.

If everyone wants to go to Fantasmic - use your package tickets to seat your immediate family, and unfortunately the rest of your party will need to stand in the regular line (and probably will not be seated by you when they get up there)

 

[budmonster]

Keep your package, see if you can make a regular reservation for the extra two at approximately the same time that you're dining there.

You can always decide if two don't want to stay up to see Fantasmic that day, but there's no harm in having the tickets if you're pretty sure that your group can use them.

If everyone wants to go to Fantasmic - use your package tickets to seat your immediate family, and unfortunately the rest of your party will need to stand in the regular line (and probably will not be seated by you when they get up there)

Thank you for the advice, that is what the CM had recommended also. They did have another resveration for 5:05 for two, but she siad that we would be seated at two different tables. So I'm thinking I might just cancel the FDP for Momma Melrose and book for just a regular table at Prime Time Cafe. I've always wanted to eat there anyway. I just chance getting into Fantasmic, or maybe they will add a second show that night. Ahhh it use to be so easy to plan a vacation. Now with all these changes that disney has made it makes it STRESSFUL

 

[Tricia1972]

I'm usually a party of 7 or more, and quite frequently we have to book two reservations at the same time to accommodate our group. I put both reservations in my name, and we've never been separated when we got there. They reserve the right that they can but they never have separated us.

If your reservation for the dining package is 5:05, you may want to reserve the second table under your name and 'link' the reservations in the system. (Cm's always told me when they reserved two tables for our party of 7 that they were 'linking' them in the system)

More food for thought, sorry I can't help reduce the stress more.

 

[mary0305]

Keep trying back!!! I got the FDP at Mama Melrose's for our party of 5 two weeks before our trip in October. People cancel all the time. I just kept calling daily and moving our reservations around when the restaurants I wanted would open up. Good Luck!!!

 

[msr709]

Just my personal opinion but I don't see the need for FDP. I find the public seating to be a lot better choice than the ones that are reserved for the FDP. I tried it and the only plus I found was that you are closer to the exit. I liked it a lot better when I got my own seat dead center, I did go early and waited but when do you really go to WDW and not wait in line for anything. Just my 2 cents, no flames please, just my personal opinion. HTH

 

[Tricia1972]

Just my personal opinion but I don't see the need for FDP. I find the public seating to be a lot better choice than the ones that are reserved for the FDP. I tried it and the only plus I found was that you are closer to the exit. I liked it a lot better when I got my own seat dead center, I did go early and waited but when do you really go to WDW and not wait in line for anything. Just my 2 cents, no flames please, just my personal opinion. HTH

No flames from me, we preferred the general public seats ourselves. (We used the F! Dining package, walked up the back entrance and then ended up moving to the general seats when we went)

I wonder though if it's a lot harder to get into Fantasmic now than what it was in the past because it's only shown about twice a week. I honestly don't know the answer to this.

If it were us, I'd check on the Theme Parks Attractions and Strategies to find out how chaotic Fantasmic is now (since the switch)

 

[KatMark]

No flames from me, we preferred the general public seats ourselves. (We used the F! Dining package, walked up the back entrance and then ended up moving to the general seats when we went)

I wonder though if it's a lot harder to get into Fantasmic now than what it was in the past because it's only shown about twice a week. I honestly don't know the answer to this.

If it were us, I'd check on the Theme Parks Attractions and Strategies to find out how chaotic Fantasmic is now (since the switch)

I read just the other day where people were being turned away or it was standing room only since they've cut down the number of shows. Also, I read somewhere that the dining package people had to stand in line with everyone else--no more back entrance.