Fantasmic Dining Package Problems

[Sleeping Becca]

Thanks Robo!

 

[northwenald]

I am so glad that I went to MK that night instead of Fantasmic !!!! I was thorn between the 2 shows (Wishes and Spectromagic and then Fantasmic). We went with family that has never been to Disney. I could not get the Fantasmic dinner package at 90 days and keep calling back unable to get anything. We only had a few nights there so instead on waiting in line for 90 minutes with 3 kids we wnr to the MK. They feel in love with Wishes !!! I feel so much better that we skipped the Fantasmic show. I hope that Disney will start to address this issue.

 

[misscj215]

We were down there May 1-8. Prior to the trip, we reserved an ADR for the
Fantasmic dinner pkg for all 12 of us.
When we looked at the schedule for that day, there were two showings. I suggested to my mom and nephew to just eat off property, and head for the 2nd (at park closing) show.

I am so glad we did...

Although everyone else went ahead with the reservation, they couldn't even GET IN the theatre for the first show, so they left.

We got back to HS about 45 minutes prior. The entrance to the theatre was crowded going in, but we got pretty good seats...and there was breathing room, lol

 

[PurpleEars]

OP, I am sorry to hear that you were not able to get into Fantasmic! that evening. We were also there on May 7 with a F! dining package. We got our ticket when we settled the bill and our server told us exactly where to go and when we need to get there. (I knew about the entrance change but didn't know about the 60 minutes ahead recommendation, so it was helpful).

We got to the theatre about 65-70 minutes before the show, no line up at all for the reserved section. This means it would have been around 7:20-7:25 when we got there. Only one of the two reserved sections was half full then, and the far left (audience left) section was completely empty. In other words, what the CM's told you about filling the stadium at 7:10 was not true. However, a steady stream of people came to the stadium after we sat down. I took a picture of the theatre after the far left section was filled, and it was around 7:40. I am not sure when the ropes to the reserved seating section came down, as I couldn't see through the crowds. I do believe there was space in the far right section still available when I took the crowd picture at 7:40.

The reason why I decided to post my experience is not to dispute what OP found (just in case I come across that way), but to let others know that the dining package worked for us. Though, our joke of the trip is that we waited longer for Fantasmic! than to see the fairies.

The second show that evening must have been pretty full as well. We left the park at around 9:30 and the line for the second show was down to where the morning rope drop usually occurs. I don't have a good sense of how many people are in line for the second show but I hope people in that line got in!

 

[irunnoft]

I am relatively new to the boards and am just finding out that there is no separate entrance with the package. How disappointing! That is the only reason I booked the dinner package. So do you still have to wait in the line? What is the point of the package then? Or is the reserved section roped off so you will supposedly be saved a seat? So glad I saw this thread.

I know! We found out the hard way just like the OP. Boy did I feel like a dope!!! We've done the Fantasmic dinner package for about four or five years now and this December the change had already been made. When we were having dinner at the Brown Derby, the waitress started to tell me about the ticket/package and I said "I already know this drill down pat!" I had to eat those words when we got to the old private entrance only to find nobody there! Then we had to practically run (not good with a full tummy from Brown Derby!) over to the main entrance only to find that the reserved section was almost filled to capacity. We got a seat in about the third from the last row and we were just barely able to get in! That was the end of the Fantasmic package for us. We're done until Disney returns it to the way it used to be!

BTW- I see that we'll be in WDW at about the same time! Hope you have a magical time!!!!

 

[ksumn1]

Totally rethinking booking a Fantasmic package for out August trip....if we're going to be in line 60+ minutes before the show...why book the package and eat so early?? More of a timesaver to do a little more tourng in the after noon, eat a quick CS and line up early than use time sitting in a TS restaurant. DH is early for everything anyway so maybe we won't do the package. Although the overplanner in me says book it and still be early....just in case

 

[chloelovesdisney]

We did the Fantasmic package a few times before the new changes. We always entered through the back entrance about thirty minutes before showtime.

I liked the back entrance and I especially liked not having to arrive so early. Personally, I don't think they should open the reserved seating area at all. It's reserved, or it's not. I'm not impressed with having a reserved spot that I have to show up for at least an hour early for.

It sounds like we may end up skipping Fantasmic this summer. We might give it a shot, but not if we have to go two hours ahead.

 

[MaumeeMom]

I've read through all the posts and still not sure of the answer. Looking at the aerial map there looks like 2 lines entering the theatre. Even though its the same entrance is there 2 queues one for non dining guests the other for reserved seating or do you enter the theatre in one queue? Have seen Fantasmic before and this sounds like so much hassle I don't know that I want to spend so much time queuing. Have got a reservation at H&V.

This is probably how they wanted to make it work but in reality there is only one big group of people, not two separate lines.

so you guys are saying you don't have to wait in the long line to get into the theater ,you just walk past everyone else and hand the cm your ticket ?Are there 2 cms at the entrance,one for the regular line and one for people with tickets ?

Nope, you can't just walk past the rest of the guests, at least not the night we were there.

We were a group of 4 visiting in early April (which was a super busy time). We had the H&V package and we were told to line up at the regular entrance 90 minutes or more before the show. I was really surprised because I had read that you could get in 30-40 minutes before the show started if you had the package.

We got in the regular line 90 minutes early and it was already all the way down the ramp and into the street. They opened the theater not long after we got in line and there was a surge forward as people scrambled in. At the top of the ramp, they peeled the people with the yellow cards (package tickets) off to the right and into the reserved section which filled up pretty quickly. We ended up towards the back at the side. I think that they opened the reserved section to others about an hour before the show.

To me, there was absolutely no benefit to having the package. The package dining time is inconvenient and to be honest I thought the dinner was horrible. H&V was absolutely the worst meal we had all vacation (and that includes the fast food at the airport).

Fantasmic was a great show and I don't regret seeing it but if we ever do it again we will not use the package.

 

[enchantingodin]

Man I'm glad I read through this thread.

I've been to Disney a million times and have never done F! because the lines always look so scary. This might be obvious - but can you use the reserved seating for the second show - assuming there is one?

If you can I think I might have my mom take the kids back to the hotel and me and the hubs will stay for the second show. Since I REALLY want to see it - at least once.

 

[MEK]

I'm glad I read through this thread too. I have a dinner pkg for a thursday in early June (6/11) and I would never have lined up 60 mins early. 45 mins maybe, but not 60! The only reason I am doing this is because I am taking my nephew on his first trip and I want him to see Fantasmic. I will now plan accordingly.

Thanks OP's for sharing your experiences.

 

[LilyWDW]

This might be obvious - but can you use the reserved seating for the second show - assuming there is one?

No, you can not. The reserved seating is only for the first show of the night.

 

[ShannonMB]

We went without the package in Feb (Pres week). We got there 90 min early, were among the first in the walkway, got awesome seats, and just chilled out waiting for the show. It really was no problem, as we didn't mind eating popcorn and doing the wave until the show started. In the past we did the dining package (when they had the old entrance), and it was okay, but I much preferred the seats we had without it, and it was nice not having to be stuck eating at one of the places no one seems to like (or HBD for 2TS credits).

F! is a must-do for us on every trip, so we will continue to just head over early, take our time, and get our great seats. I found it LESS stressful, personally.

Sorry you missed the show, OP, and good luck to everyone!!

 

[mybgirl]

hi main entrance ? Are thire two lines one for FDP and one reg, line

we have done the pk , for 5 years , , maybe not this DEC

if one line why buy the pk

take care
Mary DS

 

[Maize&Blue]

I suggested to my wife that we make ADRs for fantasmic in Aug. She ended up not doing this because they suggest you get in line 2 hours before the show starts. Plus they really scaled back on the shows. Meaning there are only 2 shows the time we are going. Which kinda sucks. I think it would be even busier and we would have to wait 3 hours before the show starts. Thats 2-3 hours of park time in my book.

 

[LiteBrite]

We used to really enjoy the Fantasmic Dining Package under the old system (and that seperate entrance was a big part of the experience for us!).

I think that unless and until they go back to that system, the only way we'll bother with Fantasmic is if there are 2 shows available on a night that is convenient for us, and we'll just go to the late show. That's what we did on our late April trip, and it worked out ok, although waiting in the huge queue was still a pain in the youknowwhat.

The situations I'm hearing described for early shows, or shows on nights when there is only one, would just plain not be worth it. I like Fantasmic quite a bit, but not that much!

 

[AKL LOVER]

Yes, that's true - I wasn't thinking about shows and they do often end by late afternoon/early evening. So that makes sense. I didn't consider those things because the operate on a published schedule. And of course the playground at dusk, too. So I guess it just depends on what the OP was looking to do - I was just afraid they got some kind of bad CM info (and we know that never happens - LOL)!

I have 2 young children, so we were looking for Beauty and the Best, the backlot studios tour and the playground! I just couldn't believe that they were starting to close those attractions down so early. And because I have young children, riding the headliner attractions w/ a 60-90 minute wait was not a great idea...that was the wait time for toy story, the coaster and tower of terror.

ugh. I guess next time we will make sure to get to DS early in the am!!

 

[Debbie]

We used to really enjoy the Fantasmic Dining Package under the old system (and that separate entrance was a big part of the experience for us!).

I think that unless and until they go back to that system, the only way we'll bother with Fantasmic is if there are 2 shows available on a night that is convenient for us, and we'll just go to the late show. That's what we did on our late April trip, and it worked out ok, although waiting in the huge queue was still a pain in the youknowwhat.

The situations I'm hearing described for early shows, or shows on nights when there is only one, would just plain not be worth it. I like Fantasmic quite a bit, but not that much!

I absolutely agree. With my ADR date coming up, there will be NO Fantasmic! dinner package from this one. And if it is so busy that I would be squashed like a marshmallow on s'mores, we'll skip it.

 

[AKL LOVER]

This post got me worried about my Fantasmic plans. We have the dinner package (MM) booked on June 18. I just called DD and asked them to explain how it works. Was told that you could just arrive 30 prior to show and enter without waiting in line (separate line). Is she just clueless. What would you do?

She is clueless--DO NOT wait until 30 minutes before. There is no seperate line until you get up to the stadium and to get in you have to be in line EARLY!!

 

[AKL LOVER]

I've read through all the posts and still not sure of the answer. Looking at the aerial map there looks like 2 lines entering the theatre. Even though its the same entrance is there 2 queues one for non dining guests the other for reserved seating or do you enter the theatre in one queue? Have seen Fantasmic before and this sounds like so much hassle I don't know that I want to spend so much time queuing. Have got a reservation at H&V.

It looks like on the map Robo posted it is supposed to be 2 seperate cues--which would be nice if they did that, but on May 7th there was only one huge mob trying to get into the stadium. I couldn't get through the main gate in time to get to give the CM's my ticket to get in the reserved section.

 

[AKL LOVER]

According to the post, they went to the wrong entrance at 60 min. before the show.

There have been many complaints about the new system.


Yes, but I immediately realized my mistake and headed to the main gate. I was at the main entrance by 50 minutes prior to the show!