Do Fantasmic dinner package or buy counter food to eat in line?

[anneofgreengables]

We have Mama Melrose Fantasmic ADRs. However, I'm thinking maybe we should save our TS credits for another restaurant (since we're not so keen about Mama Melrose). I was thinking of buying some counter service food and eating while waiting for Fantasmic. How does the wait work? Can you eat while staking out a spot? Or do you eat while lining up, waiting and standing?

 

[TruBlu]

We went to the second show. We got in line about 15 minutes before they opened the gates for seating. DS4 had slept thru dinner that night, so I grabbed a hotdog for him to eat in line. Personally, I wouldn't have enjoyed standing in a crowd eating, but he didn't seem to mind.

Our experience of the wait was...
We gathered near TOT in a huge crowd (a few rude people wiggled between groups trying to work their way to the front), they opened the gate, we practically ran for a while, stopped again for a long time, ran some more, stood some more, and finally made it inside. We got great seats! It wasn't crowded at all, and many seats were empty for the show. I'm sure it is very different if you go to the first show.

It was our favorite thing we did on the trip! Great show!!!

 

[anneofgreengables]

So they don't open the gates until showtime? Which means there is no such thing as sitting and eating while waiting for the show? So the only time to eat is while standing in line (or in a crowd outside the gates)?

It's different here in Disneyland, because people stake out a spot an hour or two before the show, sit down and eat dinner.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

No, you can enter the seating area quite a while before the show starts. If you plan on buying something from the Fantasmic concession stands I would advise against it as all they have to offer are nachos, hot dogs, etc. but when we went the last time they actually ran out of food...I couldn't believe it! We were starving the whole time the show was going on. Buy something from one of the locations outside, and bring it in with you just to be safe.

 

[welovedis]

You can sit and eat food before the show.

The second poster said that they went to the second show, they do have to wait until the entire theatre is emptied out from the first show and is swept clean from all the carp that everyone leaves behind when they are eating before the show, lol! Not that any DISers would do that.

The line starts before the first show ends and then when the gates are opened there is a general push & shove kind of feeling until you get close to the theatre & eveyrone realizes that they will get a seat.

We just got back & saw the show 4 times in 9 days (yeah we're Fantasmic freaks!). Saw 2 shows in one night because the 1st one was really rained on and they didn't do the dragon on the set, so went back to see the 2nd show & they did do it.

I don't know if the package is worthwhile, but we do love Mama Melroses personally so I can't give an unbiased opinion! We sit in the captioned area because my DH is deaf so we typically don't have a problem getting a seat either.

 

[anneofgreengables]

No, we wouldn't leave a mess behind, we always throw our trash in the garbage after we eat. Even in movie theaters.

It's good to know you can sit and eat while waiting. The key seems to be being able to hold on to all that to-go food while jostling the crowds as they make a mad rush into the stadium. Or we can get seats, then my DH can leave to get food for us while we wait. But, hmmmnn, will he be able to get back in considering the continuous stream of incoming people?

 

[anneofgreengables]

Okay, this is my plan. We will go to the ABC Commissary and use our CS credits to buy food (maybe the tabbouleh wrap or the fish and chips) and sodas and dessert (tart or mousse) to-go. Then we will carry our food to Fantasmic, find a seat and eat there. Does that sound like a good plan?

 

[Esmerelda]

Ya know..its funny you posted this. I had pondered the whole Fantasmic thing myself. I even had concierge make a reservation for me but then after investigating, I cancelled it. First off, its $37.00+ per person and my now 10 yr old is considered an adult. There is no way we would eat a flatbread....a salad...an entree..then a dessert so we would be throwing our money away. (even two very good sized boys and my hubby can't eat all of that!) Secondly, we want to see the 2nd show anyhow not the first so I cancelled.

I can't see spending $150 plus for food that we would never eat.

I can however wait in line 30 minutes before the show to get a good seat.

To answer your question..I say get food then go have a seat!

Esmerelda

 

[anneofgreengables]

Yes, I don't want to use my TS credit for Mama Melrose, so I'm considering doing CS food and bring it there. My concern is if it is too much to carry food, drinks and dessert for two adults and two children all the way from the Backlot area to Fantasmic. They provide cupholder trays at the ABC Commissary, don't they, as well as packages for the desserts?

 

[tmt martins]

We did the early show so they let us start seating way before the show so we did CS and ate at our seats 2 sections off dead center 7 rows up (great seats rightat water screen) at about 40 min before the show

 

[Lizzybee]

There is a large CS with a few different types of choices really close to the Fantasmic amphitheater, maybe Rosie's All-American Cafe and Catalina Eddie's. I know there was a burger type place and a separate window/line for pizza. Anyway, we've gotten a food from there a couple of times about an hour and a half before Fantasmic, go in sit down in the 2nd-3rd row center and have dinner. It's nice to sit and relax for awhile and not have to worry about getting a good seat. There are garbage cans all around in the amphitheater so it's no big deal to clean up. As far as the place inside the theater, it's pretty much pretzles and hot dogs, although the kids meals look cute, they come in a lunch box kind of thing. The kids' box lunch is like a sandwich and stuff (sorry I don't know what stuff includes, but maybe juice box, crackers or chips, cookies?).

 

[DisneyMomJen]

We saw Fantasmic last August without the Dinner Package. I said I would only go again if we had the package. We waited 1 1/2 hours before the show in the heat and humidity. It was packed, but there was only one show that night. We are going again this August and doing the Mama Melrose dinner. The only reason we are even doing this is because my cousins are going for part of our time in DIsney and they wanted to eat here. I figured we might as well do the Fantasmic Package. Based on our wait and experience last year, my husband is refusing to do the Fantasmic part and I guess I cannot blame him. It is so hard to please everyone!

So, if you are going during a slower time of the year or when there are two shows a night, you may be ok not doing a Fantasmic Package.

 

[anneofgreengables]

Good to know people have done this and that there are CS places nearby. I'm wondering if I should pack a plastic grocery bag to put all the food in so it's easer to carry and pack a cupholder tray too for four drinks. Do they provide cupholder trays and to-go bags at CS counters?

Edited to add: We are going December, so I guess it won't be hot or humid.

 

[Lisa_Belle]

Interesting that you posted this, as I have been going back and forth about the same thing. I have ADRs scheduled for H&V, but would really like to use my CS credits. My only concern is that we're going in September during free dining and was wondering if the CS restaurants would be so crowded that it would take longer to stand in line at Rosie's than having a sit-down meal at H&V.

 

[bobcat]

We always get somthing to eat before we head into Fantasmic. Right outside the theater there are counter service ranging from turkey legs, burgers and ice cream. As you enter you can get popcorn and drinks. The counter service inside the theater always has huge lines but does offer hot dogs, pretzles and the like as well as beer.

We prefer to eat earlier and then stop at Sweet Spells and get candy to munch on.

 

[Lizzybee]

Interesting that you posted this, as I have been going back and forth about the same thing. I have ADRs scheduled for H&V, but would really like to use my CS credits. My only concern is that we're going in September during free dining and was wondering if the CS restaurants would be so crowded that it would take longer to stand in line at Rosie's than having a sit-down meal at H&V.

There are lots of service windows in the CS area that has Rosie's and at least one other CS right together (maybe Catalina Eddie's?). The CS/snack place inside the amphitheater does always seem to have a long line about 30 mins before showtime.

 

[anneofgreengables]

How many minutes in advance do you recommend lining up/getting a seat for Fantasmic?

 

[DemonLlama]

We go in December and there is usually only one show a night.

We 've done it three different ways, never with the dinner package:

2000, we ended up getting there late, maybe 10 minutes before the start of the show. Sign said SRO, but there were lots of seats up behind the dinner package section on the far right that we were directed to. Nice view, although not synched as well as being front and center. This was back when they had the two guys warming up the audience in a pre-show with the songs and doing the wave. That was gone by our next trip.

2002, we decided we loved the show enough to devote some waiting time. The show was at 6:00, so we arrived at 4:00 at the rope area and were let in within just a few minutes. We got the railing bench in the center and unpacked our counter service meal from our bag. We did buy the big souvenier mug filled with soda at the theater stand. After that, we then took turns wandering, looking at the Fantasmic goody cart, chatting with CMs, and watching the stadium fill up. It was COLD that night and folks were shivering and buying whatever the vendors had, mainly beach towels, to try to keep warm.

Here was the payoff: (note this is just the finale, but you can get a sense of our seats from it)

Fantasmic Finale 2002

2004, Having done the whole long wait, great seat, wonderful video, we decided to not devote 2 hours before the show and arrived about 40 minutes before show time. Middle sections were full, side sections about half full. We were two sections over from the far right and about half way up. The view is still good and the show will be great no matter where you sit, provided you get a seat. We didn't worry about eating this time, since we had scheduled an after parade ice cream treat at Sci-Fi late that afternoon. Might be another option for folks wondering if they should put down the big bucks for a far right, albeit reserved, seat.

 

[disney09]

I'm also going in September, I had an ADR with Mama Melrose but cancelled since I prefer doing Le Cellier in Epcot... I understand September is a slow month, that's why I decided to called the FDP off... but I don't particulary enjoy long lines so, any of you've been in September before? I'm going in a day without EMH, so I hope the park won't be as crowded....
whaddaya think?

 

[anneofgreengables]

Nice video, Llama. Brings back memories of Fantasmic here in Disneyland, where we staked a spot for two hours, but it wasn't staged in a stadium but at the lake where Tom Sawyer's Island is.

Yes, there is only one show in December, 7 p.m. Based on what you said, I'm thinking of going between 40 minutes and two hours, about an hour in advance.