Disney Magic Tour or Fantasmic Buffet?

[mlshields]

If you could do either the 3.5 hour Disney Magic Tour or Fantasmic Buffet - Which would you do?

 

[Buttercup26]

I would do the tour. I haven't done either before, but have heard from several friends that Fantasmic Buffet isn't really worth the price. Pretty much everyone I know who's done the fantasmic buffet was less than thrilled with it.

 

[mlshields]

Thanks Buttercup!!

 

[barbarabee]

Well...I absolutely love the Fantasmic Balcony dessert buffet. It's a splurge, but you won't find a better view of Fantasmic anywhere in the park! Plus, if you are one who doesn't like to have your whole day eaten up with the tour, it's a good alternative. So...just another opinion I suppose, but I just signed up for our third visit to the balcony in January!

 

[steve_rob]

I did like the dessert buffet, but not for the buffet itself (which was okay). The beauty of it was the view from the balcony of Fantasmic, plus the fact that you didn't have to spend two hours staking out a spot to see it like everyone else does.

 

[JC Butterfly]

How long is your trip and is it your first visit to Disneyland? If you've been there before, then taking the tour would be a wonderful way to learn some extra trivia/tidbits etc. If you've never been then you may or may not want to devote so much of your vacation time to this. I've not had the pleasure of seeing Fantasmic at DL yet but I know that it is an incredible experience at WDW and it would be well worth it to me to guarantee great seats if I had that chance!

 

[RalphMouth]

pardon my stupidity but could somebody give me some info on this buffet?

I wasn't aware there was somthing like this available. I haven't been to
DL in probably 7 years because we keep going to WDW.

How much $$$ does it cost?
What do you get ??
How far in advance can you make a reservation??

I may have to book this ....

 

[iceskatejen]

$49--the price of a one-day, one park admission (almost)
Desserts and a guaranteed seat--there's both balcony (at the Disney Gallery) and riverside (off to the side).
I think it's 30 days.

 

[mlshields]

Thanks for everyone's input.

We have been to DL once before for two days. This time we are just sailing through DL on our way to a Mexican Cruise so we will only be there for one day

I am still undecided on a tour or the Buffet. We were lucky enough to rent a boat in Epcot last May to watch Illuminations! What an experience (I am wondering if this would be hard to beat or if my kids would think the dessert buffet would be too similar).

Isn't life wonderful to have such a dilemma?

 

[diberry]

I've never been to DL - first visit will be Aug 05. Could you tell me about the tour please?

 

[mlshields]

There are a few tours in DL - the Disney Magic tour is a 3.5 hour scavenger hunt type of tour. You meet Princess' & Villians on the tour as you venture around DL looking for clues. You get to go on 3 (I think) rides, and you get some type of prize at the end. I questioned my kids about a tour and they decided that they didn't want to blow 3.5 hours on a tour since we are only going to be there for one day.

I will try to book fantasmic buffet - they don't know about that!

 

[cjsmom5]

We did the buffet -- at the riverside location -- and thought it was great not having to stand and stake out a place. The desserts were yummy -- not equivalent to the price -- but we look at is as paying for a show, the food, and a guaranteed seat. For us, it is worth it. For others it may not be. We will do the balcony view this time in May when we go. We figure it will be crowded for the 5oth and don't want to have to worry about being able to see it. We do this in lieu of waiting in line at Walt Disney World to see it.

For us, Fantasmic would be a much bette choice than the tour but I'm not much of a tour person -- especially if I were only going to be there one day. The tour would eat up a good portion of it.