Fantasmic Dining advice

[drcmk]

Hello,

My family is going to WDW in November (12-19). We visited during the same time period two years ago. We were able to go to Fantasmic without a dining package then, we arrived maybe 45 minutes before the show and got perfectly good seats.

I have a FDP AR for H&V for our upcoming trip. Of course they could only give me a very early time and I don't even think we'll be hungry then. I am ambivalent about eating at H&V, the reviews are so mixed. I would rather drop the AR and try to see the show anyway. But is this realistic? This week is no longer "off peak," does that mean that Disney expects more crowds compared to our previous visit? I don't want to risk not being able to see the show and I am not willing to line up 90 minutes in advance for the show.

Thank you

 

[solotraveler]

I say drop the ADR if you're not excited about it and just see the show. It's the week before Thanksgiving, so I imagine the crowds won't be so overwhelming you'd get shut out before the 60 minutes before show time mark.

Or another option would be changing the ADR to a restaurant more to your liking, but if you won't be hungry, then that's a wash too.

Hope this helps!
Solotraveler

 

[LiteBrite]

Just to add to your confusion, let me pipe up as someone who actually really likes H&V. We've done it for the FDP several times, always in the off season, and found it to be worth it. I think the food's actually really good, with some non-typical choices on the buffet, and I love that "private access" to the Fantasmic Stadium.

I think the thing I like most of all about it is the ability to get out ahead of the throng at the end. I hate getting caught up in the huge mass of people all trying to leave at once (which happens in the off season just like the busy season), and the FDP people get to go out the same way they came in, which is a million times less crowded and gives you a significant headstart on your way to the trams or buses.

 

[squzzer]

We jsut went to WDW and did the dinner package at Mama melrose (just OK - I'm not terribly wild about the food anywhere at WDW (not counting the California Grill)). Anyway, we got to the gate at 7:50 (show started at 8:30) with our "coupon" and guess what - no seats! There was standing room only. I don't know if it is a change in policy or what but when we got up to the stadium, there were not guarenteed seats for the reserved dinenr package. In fact, people were streaming down off the street into the area that normally is only filled with dinner-show people. So I don't know if someone made a mistake or it was a change in polciy but there doesn't seem to be an advantage to being forced to eat in a nicer MGM restaurnat to see the show.

 

[ZanneMarie]

One thing to keep in mind is that later times for ADR's are often opened up closer to the actual dates -about 3 weeks before. So if you want to keep the package but just want a later eating time you might just check closer to your day and see what you can get. By the way as far as the food at H&V-we enjoyed it resonably well-not the best food ever but decent and we left full.

 

[durango kid]

My opinion is six of one, half a dozen of the other!! I like H&V, I think the food is very good. And I love, love, love Fantasmic (or as I call it, to annoy my family..FANTASMAGORIC) and I consider it a must see. But I think the FDP is a waste of time and money, I also think that the view is nowhere near as good as just walking in to the stadium, without the package plan.