Fantasmic Dining Experience

[X and G's mom]

I am wondering if the Fantasmic Dining Experience is worth it? We are planning a day at HS 12/20. It will be a long day, but we really want to see Fantasmic. Would you suggest we do the Dining Experience, or wait in line? I am thinking of the Dining at H&V. Is the food good? Are there good choices for kids? (But, according to Disney they are adults 10, and 11)
Thanks for any information!

I did check into Mama Melrose, but I can already see my kids face when they look at that adult menu and start to yick and yuck everything on there........Would they charge adult even if they ate a "childs" meal?

 

[Amy&Dan]

If you are on the DDP then your kids can order a kids meal, but they will be charged an adult credit. If you are paying out of pocket, your kids (being that they are still so young) can definitely order a kids meal. My 12 year old does all the time as long as we aren't on the Disney Dining Plan.

Hollywood and Vine isn't my favorite place, its sort of noisy and always crowded as heck. However, they have a full buffet with lots of variety and your kids could definitely find something they like.

However, if it was me (and it is me because I always have to see Fantasmic each trip) I would skip the Fantasmic Dining Package. I have done it once in my 12 trips and I see F! at least twice every trip. We love Sci Fi. Its your basic burgers and shakes but the food has always been good, its so fun to eat in a car and watch the old movie flicks, my kids love that place and so do my husband and I!

If you opt out of doing the package, simply get in line around an hour before the show. And see the later show if they are having more than one, the later shows are always less crowded. The thing is, the seating for the Fantasmic dinner package isn't even the best seating. It does get you in and does save some time, but not as much as you might think.

I know some people will disagree but that is how I do things. And I have been Christmas week and still not done the package and stil seen the show no problem! I just don't care for the choices on the package and am not willing to lock myself into restaurants I dont't like as much as Sci Fi to save myself a half hour. And not even get the best seating for my trouble!

 

[MHSweb79]

We did the Fantasmic dinner one time (Hollywood & Vine buffet) and the show got cancelled due to lightning. No, they don't give you passes for another night - you're out of luck! Since Fantasmic is our favorite show in all the "world" we ended up just budgeting time to sit and wait for the show another night. Pick a night when you may be ready for some down time. Or, have a couple of people spread out along a bench while some of the others dash over to Tower of Terror and/ or Rockin Roller Coaster. As long as they get back before the crowd gets too insane, there shouldn't be a problem.
And once we brought sandwiches from the Earl of Sandwich (Downtown Disney) and sat and ate while we waited. Again, we appreciated the down time by that point. Yes, the show is worth it!
The dinner show section of seats is to the far right and really nothing special, PLUS seats there are still first come, first serve so you should still get there as early as you can. I don't really think it's worth it to do the Fantasmic dinner - you don't get all that much for it.

 

[Luv2Roam]

During holiday season I think the Fantasmic dining package would be a good option.
Also consider starting in early January Fantasmic goes down to two nights a week, unless extra shows are thrown in.
If Fantasmic is your must do -- I suggest you do the specific dining option for that show.

And for picky eaters, I would suggest sticking with the buffet.

 

[tigger_03]

We did the dinner package this past trip. We decided that having to stand in line for an 60+ minutes with a 3 year old and a 19 month old didn't sound like much fun. Looking back it probably wouldn't have been as bad as we thought it would be (DD did better standing in line than we thought)...DS would still have been a handful.

When we opted to do the dinner package H&V was our option (MM was already booked for the package). It was okay but nothing special. Next time I want to try MM. We'll probably do the package deal again.

We could see just fine with no problems. We were just a few rows back from the water. We had decided beforehand that if we didn't like the seats and saw some better ones that we'd get up and go sit in those. I do wish that the seats were more in the center of the stadium but they aren't. They are on the far right hand side of the seating. Robo has some good maps. They've been posted before and he'll probably be along to post them. Or you could send him a PM.

If you aren't doing the dining plan then your kids can definitely eat off the kid's menus. H&V is a buffet.

 

[Kristineamb]

Have done the Fantasmic Dinner & Show Package 4 times...3xs Hollywood & Vine, the last time Mama Melrose...Mama Melrose was much nicer, more civilized than H&V...H&V is probably better with kids since its a buffet...the one time we did not do the Package was in last December (2007) b/c we wanted to try 50's Prime Time (which was a lot of fun!) we were lucky to get a seat at the show because it was so crowded...definately spring for the Package especially during busy seasons!

 

[Xanthe]

I'm sorry, this is totally off topic but I'm really curious what the X stands for in your user id? Theres not a lot of X names out there!

thanks
Xanthe

 

[Candice30]

when did this package in july and i expected to be entering into an empty theatre but when we entered in 1 hour before the show, guess what.........they were already full. the only empty section was the package section. evidently that evening everyone was let in and instead of standing in line, they were sitting just like we were. i looked around and there were alot of large groups there so that may have been their reason for doing it but it seemed unfair to me. i was asking myself what did i pay extra money for.

after sitting there however for a hour, i realized that even the people who came in 30 minutes before the show and joined the package area had good seats. this made me want to always do this package. i like the idea of not worrying if we are going to get a good seat or not; or a seat at all. we only went in a hour before the show as there wasn't anything else we wanted to do but people with the package walked in 30 min prior and we had awesome seats.

 

[ready4mouse]

I would be way to nervous not to do the package- especially the week that you're going! My sons really liked MM- it's a must-do tradition for us now! Our last trip, during a not-so-busy time, as we were heading to the entrance to get our F!seats w/the tickets they were announcing that it was standing-room only (about 30 mins b4 show)... we got to our section and had a great choice of seats. Personally, I'm fine with being off to the right b/c the water spray effect is direct center in front of you... this isn't always the case with some of the middle sections. I say go for it!

 

[leahbeth]

How does the Fantasmic package work with the DDP? How much extra is it, and is the extra included in the Dining plan or do you pay OOP for it? I want to go to Mama Melrose on our trip next March.
Thanks!
Leah

 

[ROEDISNEY]

I don't think it's worth it. Never hear anything good on H &V. I would take the kids to Prime Time . Good food & good fun in my opinion.

 

[X and G's mom]

I'm sorry, this is totally off topic but I'm really curious what the X stands for in your user id? Theres not a lot of X names out there!

thanks
Xanthe

It's ok The X is for my son's name, Xavier.

Thanks for everyone's input! We are not on DDP. Maybe I will print the menu's and let the kids decide........I was worried that we wouldn't get a seat to Fantasmic being the time of year that we are going.
My kids don't know we are even going to WDW yet! I'm telling them this weekend! I've known for 7 months and it's driving me crazy

 

[xoktenox]

I was wondering the same thing as X and G...is the dining package worth it for Fantasmic? Like some of you have said I don't want to wait 60-90 mins for a seat for the show however I'm going April 19th-26th...the week after the week after Easter this year so I don't anticipate crowds to be so extreme. From what I've heard they'll be along the moderate lines. I was planning on booking Mama Melrose for the package too. Please give me all your input, I'd like as many opinions as possible before my day to make ADR's come!!

 

[walt's assistant]

We did Fantasmic with dinner at Hollywood and Vine. Worked out great and was worth it!

 

[dvcdisney]

We have done the Fantasmic Dinner Package numerous times. Each trip with Mama Melrose and then H&V. I will admit, Mama Melrose has better food and atmosphere, but H&V does give you the variety.

I think it's always worth it. We love the idea of not having to wait in line. We wait in line all day. It's one nice thing we can do without the lines.

As mentioned, the seats are not any better, but it's fine for us. We come in 30 minutes before the show and it's still has lots of room.

 

[disneydaveb]

How does the Fantasmic package work with the DDP? How much extra is it, and is the extra included in the Dining plan or do you pay OOP for it? I want to go to Mama Melrose on our trip next March.
Thanks!
Leah

We just did the Fantasmic pkg at Mama Melrose last week and it is really a great deal on the DDP. It is only 1 TS credit and with the pkg everyone gets to order an appetizer.

We showed up 15 mins before the show and were able to get good seats.

 

[heaven2dc]

I just booked our dinner package at Mama Melrose's yesterday and that was the only restaurant available during the week I'll be there (12/13-20/08). We have a 4:30 reservation but the show is at 7 p.m. I was hoping for Hollywood & Vine for my 15 yr old but he chose Mama's instead so he will be happy to hear that! We will be on the DDP and as disneydaveb said, we get to order an appetizer! Definitely worth it

This will be my first time seeing the show (my third visit to WDW and my son's first) so I am excited! I think you will enjoy not having to wait in line for the show esp with having kids. (You will be there the day we leave)

 

[tigger_03]

How does the Fantasmic package work with the DDP? How much extra is it, and is the extra included in the Dining plan or do you pay OOP for it? I want to go to Mama Melrose on our trip next March.
Thanks!
Leah

There isn't an extra charge for the package when on the DDP. H&V and MM are both 1 TS credit and BD is 2 credits.

 

[X and G's mom]

I just booked our dinner package at Mama Melrose's yesterday and that was the only restaurant available during the week I'll be there (12/13-20/08). We have a 4:30 reservation but the show is at 7 p.m. I was hoping for Hollywood & Vine for my 15 yr old but he chose Mama's instead so he will be happy to hear that! We will be on the DDP and as disneydaveb said, we get to order an appetizer! Definitely worth it

This will be my first time seeing the show (my third visit to WDW and my son's first) so I am excited! I think you will enjoy not having to wait in line for the show esp with having kids. (You will be there the day we leave)

How do you find out when the shows are?

 

[Amy&Dan]

How do you find out when the shows are?

go to www.disneyworld.com Click on calendar, then get it to the month and park you want. To see the specific show times, click on the number of your calendar day (in your case the "20"). That will bring up the park hours, ride refurbs if any, show times, parade times, etc.

Here I did it for you!
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wd...x?id=MGMCalendarDailyViewPage&date=12/20/2008

Looks like you have two shows that day. So if you decide to not do the package, the second one will probably be les crowded.