Be careful with assumptions about busy and not busy times at DLR! The last year or two, February has turned out to be surprisingly busy. With non-peak season scheduling (shorter hours, more refurbs, lower staffing, less entertainment, etc.), any crowds can feel heavier since the parks won't handle them as well as they would during a peak time. And Disney might offer a promotion of some kind to draw in crowds, too. It's safer at DLR to assume that there will be crowds, plan accordingly, then, if crowds are lighter than you expected, enjoy! And if there are heavier crowds, at least you'll be prepared.
For F!, the best viewing is in the reserved dining package areas, so even if a package isn't "necessary," the better view will be a nice luxury. If you want/plan to eat at one of the restaurants which offer a F! package anyway, I would go ahead and do a dining package just for the better view. Our favorite is BB, but RBT and HB have good views, too.
For WOC, you are looking at an investment of money or time for your view. If you get a free FP, you can get a very good view if you are willing to do your research (check the first post in the
World of Color Superthread here) and invest at least 90 minutes wait time to hold the spots you want (again, study the viewing area map in the first post of the
World of Color Superthread). No dining package needed. However, if you want more central viewing with about an hour's wait time, go for a dining package. CCR has a further back, big picture view. WCT is a closer to the water, more immersive view. As I said with F!, if you were planning on eating at one of these restaurants anyway, go ahead and treat yourself to a WOC dining package. As for the WOC Dessert Party -- this gives you an actual chair and the least amount of wait time for a good view (maybe 30-45 minutes?). It is pricey, and while the dessert plate is generous, it isn't an actual meal -- so if you need a real meal, a dining package might be better. All the WOC options, free or expensive, have the possibility of great viewing and bad viewing. Money does not guarantee you a perfect view. It can increase your chance of comfort and less wait time, though. We've done all the options, enjoyed them all, and know how to work with them all. It really comes down to how much money we're willing to spend and how much time we're willing to invest waiting for our spots.
