Early dining w/Fantasmic Package is a downer...

[LisaDKG]

...and so I ask, at the end of Sept, is this package necessary? We did it last year at Mama Melrose and loved our meal. However, I did not really see an advantage to the priority seating at Fantasmic. We still seemed to wait forever for the show to start and people were streaming in at all times and still seemed to get ok seats. We only have an afternoon for MGM this year starting with a 12:20 ADR at Sci Fi (also questioning if we will like this as much as we like Prime Time? Thoughts?). I've booked Brown Derby b/c we have enough room on our plan for a 2 TS (have already done CG, & Jiko so we thought it would be a good try??? I'm STYMIED by second guessing myself!) but the ADR is for 4:20 which means we should probably eat lightly at Sci Fi and it will seem too soon I'm sure.
Should I cancel the package, arrange if possible a later seating for Brown Derby (maybe this isn't possible to arrange with Fantasmic @8pm) and just try to get to the show at a decent time? Are there way better ideas for our 2 TS night?

Thank you for any help!

 

[djblu883]

How about doing the Luau...its not MGM but i I enjoyed it enough last year I'd doing it this year and taking family there as well!!!

 

[beattyfamily]

I've done the package many times off season in August, Sept, Oct, Nov and Dec. I finally tried doing Fantasmic without the package twice; once was the end of August and the other was the end of Oct. Both times I went in around an hour before and had the best seats; in the middle, half way back.

The package is great if you are going peak season or on the weekend maybe or maybe on an EMH evening, otherwise it's not necessary off season.

I'd go without the package the end of Sept and eat where ever you want. If you enter between 1 hour or 45 minutes you should have a great seat, better than the package seats.

The package seats are to the far right and aren't guaranteed after 30 minutes before.

 

[darlak]

We've done the package every time we've been to Fantasmic!. This year, we're going on my birthday in Sept. I really want to eat at Mama Melrose's that evening. The only time we could get for the package was 3:20. I don't want my birthday dinner to be quite that early, so we're going to try doing Fantasmic! without the package. Like you, I'm hoping that it won't be quite so bad in Sept.

 

[LisaDKG]

Thanks everyone!

I am torn about the Luau because although it sounds like it would be great for the atmosphere (we are staying at the Poly) almost all reviews I read say "cheesy", and "not great food"?!

I think I have decided to opt out of the package. I am wondering still if you can schedule a reg. dinner at Brown Derby and still make it to Fantasmic?

I really want to eat at Mama Melrose's that evening.

We really had a great all around experience at MM and it was one of the best dinners we had in 10 days! I loved the Butcher Steak!

 

[jayhjay]

I think I have decided to opt out of the package. I am wondering still if you can schedule a reg. dinner at Brown Derby and still make it to Fantasmic?

I think you can do it, but I'd shoot to leave Brown Derby at least an hour before show time so that you have time to walk over there and get seats. So I'd think you'd want to eat by 5-5:30. Still makes dinner fairly close in time to your lunch though.

 

[beattyfamily]

The latest you can eat at Brown Derby and still make the 8:00p Fantasmic show is 5:00p - 5:30p.

 

[travelgirl06]

For your 2TS Credit you could try one of the restaurants at GF (Narcoosses or Citricos) they both have nice menus and could be a nice night out. Or you could look into Hoop de Doo, it seems to have better reviews than the luau.