Fantasmic Dining Package - (I might get flamed)

[Carol'sDisney]

Due to the drastic reduction in Fantasmic performances and the ridiculously few Dining Packages available, I think they need to either make Fantasmic a hard ticket item (you have to buy a ticket to see the show) or limit the dining package bookings to 90 days only, not 90+10, so that everyone has an equal opportunity (spoken as someone who IS staying onsite and CAN book 90+10). I could go on and on, but I was wondering how everyone else feels.

 

[CathrynRose]

Due to the drastic reduction in Fantasmic performances and the ridiculously few Dining Packages available, I think they need to either make Fantasmic a hard ticket item (you have to buy a ticket to see the show) or limit the dining package bookings to 90 days only, not 90+10, so that everyone has an equal opportunity (spoken as someone who IS staying onsite and CAN book 90+10). I could go on and on, but I was wondering how everyone else feels.

I don't know about hard ticket - but I absolutely agree about 90 days.

I had even mentioned some sort of fast pass like thing for it.

The way it is currently, is terrible.

 

[Planogirl]

I would avoid Fantasmic just as I do now.

 

[DisneyCruiser83]

I would get rid of the dining package all together. If you want to go, line up or show up late and risk not having a seat. But, obviously there is great demand, so I think Disney should just do the show every day, or at least 4 times a week. Twice a week is riddiculous.

 

[kristen2276]

I am extremely disappointed in that Fantasmic is only showing once while i am there and we were not able to get a dining package, even though I called at 7am, got right in, asked for it first, and it was at the end of my trip. I am not willing to give up 2+ hours to wait in line for a show, when I have an almost 3 year old. It is just not fair,I can see not having it every day, but twice a week and sometimes, depending on timing it is not twice during your trip is ridiculous! At least four times, every other day, is my opinion!
But I also don't think I would pay for a hard ticket for a 30 minute show-

 

[Disney_Dawg]

ITA . . . Fantasmic twice a week is ridiculous! They should do it every other day or four times a week or something. I'm definitely not standing in line for 2+ hours to see it (even though it is a great show!!).

Oh well . . .

 

[kevgraub]

We were not able to get a Fantasmic package either, but the night we needed to go was our first day there, so the 90+10 was of no use for us on that one.

I would not want to see it be a hard ticket item, it is too short of a show to charge extra admission.

I think it would be a good idea to limit it to 90 days out only, it couldn't be that hard to do it in the system.

As for not waiting in line for 2 hours, I hope there are a lot of people at DHS on 9/25 that feel the same way many of you do. The fewer people willing to wait in line to see the show, the later we can line up for it. This is only our second trip to WDW, and this will be the first trip for our family traveling with us. Fantasmic is kind of on our must do list, and it would be nice if a lot of people did not want to see it that night.

 

[GBBTomorrow]

I dislike the 90+10 in general. Fastest fingers should win each day. It's a disheartening policy.

 

[Belle & Ariel]

I dislike the 90+10 in general. Fastest fingers should win each day. It's a disheartening policy.

I think it is a perk for those staying onsite as opposed to offsite that costs Disney nothing, so I think it is very smart business.
If I stay onsite, I can get up early once and get all my ADRs for the trip. Those choosing to stay off and give their hotel money to non-Disney hotels will have to get up early every day for a week or so.

I have stayed both on and offsite and think the perks for those staying on are fair.

As far as OP's point, we could have booked Fantasmic package and chose not to. Our "dinner" ressie would be at 2:45--too late for lunch and too early for dinner. I think they use the package to fill restaurants at undesirable times. Then you still had to line up 30 minutes early--and there is one line for standby and the package, so it is a mass free for all. The package has designated seating to the right. We will go at the last minute and stand in the back. Beats waiting in line forever, and get us out quickly when it is over.

 

[ShannonMB]

I definitely don't want to see something that is now free to be charged for. And I don't like the dining package, I don't see the advantage of getting there just a little later and getting the worst seats in the house (not that there really IS a bad seat, but some are better than others!) We did the package on our first trip, but not last time. We waited our 90 minutes during President's weekend, and had a pretty decent time doing it (most of the time spent in our seats resting the dogs after a busy park day, eating popcorn, playing with light ups, doing the wave). Got our CHOICE of seats, and saw an AWESOME show. We likely could have waited less time for the 2nd show, but it was nice to be back to the resort earlier.

I personally like it the way it is (of course wouldn't mind more showings), but if they want to make the dining package a straight 90 days, fine by me! Wouldn't bother, personally!

 

[girlpenguin]

It IS absurd how drastically they've cut it back. We're going to be there for 7 nights in September and it is only being shown ONE NIGHT the entire time we are there!!! And it is the third night of our trip too, so of course we had a hard time getting a package because everyone else staying onsite got to book it before us. (We're staying on site too). I tend to agree that it would be better if for this particular package, they only let you book 90 days out.

We did get lucky and get a package at Hollywood & Vine but what I really wanted was MM. Those were all gone, both on my 90+ day day and exactly 90 days from the date of the show (I called back at exactly 7 a.m. and got through right away - still nothing for MM.) I'm just glad we got the H&V package. I know a lot of people didn't even get that.

 

[GBBTomorrow]

I think it is a perk for those staying onsite as opposed to offsite that costs Disney nothing, so I think it is very smart business.
If I stay onsite, I can get up early once and get all my ADRs for the trip. Those choosing to stay off and give their hotel money to non-Disney hotels will have to get up early every day for a week or so.

I have stayed both on and offsite and think the perks for those staying on are fair.

I can definitely see your point, but I DO stay on site, always, but haven't seen this perk really work out. Those on-site guests who don't stay for a full ten days (most of us, I bet) still have trouble getting ADR's for the more popular places, from what it sounds like here on the boards. For example, on an upcoming weekend trip, I had some trouble getting desired ADR's because those who are staying longer than a weekend had already snapped up those times. So the perk is really for those who are staying the longest.

 

[catne]

I think it is a perk for those staying onsite as opposed to offsite that costs Disney nothing, so I think it is very smart business.
If I stay onsite, I can get up early once and get all my ADRs for the trip. Those choosing to stay off and give their hotel money to non-Disney hotels will have to get up early every day for a week or so.

I have stayed both on and offsite and think the perks for those staying on are fair.

As far as OP's point, we could have booked Fantasmic package and chose not to. Our "dinner" ressie would be at 2:45--too late for lunch and too early for dinner. I think they use the package to fill restaurants at undesirable times. Then you still had to line up 30 minutes early--and there is one line for standby and the package, so it is a mass free for all. The package has designated seating to the right. We will go at the last minute and stand in the back. Beats waiting in line forever, and get us out quickly when it is over.

Good luck with that, unless "last minute" means 45 minutes before showtime...in May 2009, when there were 6 showing (3 nights with 2 shows each time) the theater was full...completely full, no more standing room...30 minutes before the show started. And that was in a steady rain - even when it started pouring, only a few people left. Many performances, they rope off the entrance long before show time & put up signs announcing the theater is at capacity. Don't think that situation will improve any when they go down to two shows a week in September

 

[MusiqChic99]

I haven't been in almost 10 years but Fantasmic was my fav. show and I loved it. I only got to see it once but it was well worth the hour we waited to see it.

I'm going in October and I'm disappointed to find that it's not shown nightly. So much has changed since I've been there though so I'm sure I'll be suprised by many things.

 

[helenk]

I really think that they should add one or two more shows per week. Only having it on a Sunday and Thursday just is a shame. If the weather is bad and they cancel your day then you are compeltely out of luck. When we went in January it was only shown 1 night during our stay and it was cancelled. I am not sure if it was due to the weather or a malfunction, but we went to DHS in the evening and the CM at the turnstyles were telling people the show had been cancelled.

 

[MaumeeMom]

I know that this is not a popular opinion but I really wouldn't mind making it a hard ticket item (extra charge) for a few reasons:

1. A ticket guarantees entry to the show.

2. No more extremely long waits. My time is worth the cost. Without the wait we could ride another ride or see a different show. We missed a lot by waiting almost 2 hours for Fantasmic.

3. No need to do the "dining package" and be stuck eating early (or worse - at a place that we dislike, H&V)

4. If it makes money, maybe it could be offered more often. It has to cost a fortune to produce that show.

JMO

 

[secretpantssam]

Fantasmic was my favorite show. I am really disappointed that during my week long stay in September, it's only being shown once, and it's during the Halloween party I was playing on attending! So I am going to have to completely miss it this time and that upsets me. I do kind of agree with the pp poster. If it was a hard ticket item, each person would be guaranteed a seat without having to stand in line for 2 hours. And the money they could make from the tickets could make it possible to fund a few more showings a week. I know I'd pay a little extra to see Fantasmic at least once during my trip.

 

[roxazul]

I would love to see Disney make it a Hard Ticket Event. $$$

As a person who did'nt get the package on 90+5 days I feel really disappointed about that. This was one of the, if not, most important show DD5 wanted to see for her first (& probably only) trip to Disney & I'm not sure she can wait in line for 2 hours to see it (neither do I).

Such a shame that Disney is cutting where they should'nt & adding stupid stuff that don't even measure up to the stuff they cut.

 

[JLKennedy]

Add mine as another vote for hard ticket.

Or

Make it during EMH – not really- follow me. Have DHS close at “x” time to all NON-onsite guests. If you have your KTTW card, make that your entry ticket to F!

Or

Do away with the F! package for “free dining”. Make patrons PAY for the package and that’s how you get in. The general public could still view F!, but only those who paid (not dining credits) would be in the preferred area and would require a cc at time of booking, just like CRT and HDDR.

 

[Planogirl]

Locals who frequent WDW would be left out of many of these plans too. I doubt that Disney would want to upset that group even if they are willing to chance upsetting those who stay offsite. Me, I don't find Fantasmic worth the trouble even though it is a nice show. However, I don't think it's really fair to give preferential treatment to a group within a themepark when everyone pays to enjoy the park.