Fantasmic Dining Package question- Not able to book for late Aug

[Jimsig]

I am 60 days out today (for 8-28) and am not able to book the Fantasmic Dining Package on the website, it has it grayed out, for either BB or the River Belle. As of right now you can only book it until Aug 26th, so even the day before is not showing. I know DL is a little more lax on things when it comes to being able to book but did I miss something? I am able to book other ADR's and even Paint The Night packages. I have not been able to call yet and thought I would maybe get a response here quicker.

TIA

 

[Bluewild79]

Fantasmic most likely won't be playing during that week. It is the start of the offseason schedule. We will also be there that week but I expect it will on Friday - Sunday.

 

[Jimsig]

Thanks.

I finally got through and they basically said that park hours are changing that week and the sched has not been set. He said to keep checking back as the dining could be released later today or even two week from now. I would hope that with WOC not currently running they would not only go to one nightly show between the two parks, unless they hope to have WOC back by then. We will only be there Tue-Thur, trying to avoid Labor Day weekend.

 

[Bluewild79]

Ack. It is so hard to plan when things are so fluid with their schedule! My thoughts were that they would have Paint the night and maybe fireworks? We were planning on WOC dessert party but that's not happening. We are there Monday - Friday and planning to do a Fantasmic package on Friday night. We're also attempting the get Lamplight Lounge reservations but no luck so far.

 

[Jimsig]

I know. I keep having to tell myself this is laid back Cali, not WDW I feel like I should have so much more planned for this trip it does drive me a little crazy

 

[cmwade77]

Imagine how those of us that live by Disneyland feel when we have to plan virtually every little detail at 60 to 180 days in advance. Talk about overwhelming, I much prefer just being able to show up and get
a FP for whatever I want to go on that day. Heck, aside from Blue Bayou and the dining packages, I can almost always get same day reservations for just about anywhere. Well, Lamplight Lounge right now may be a no go for same day reservations, but that will change eventually.

Dining package availability may not show until as few as 30 days in advance.

Schedules at Disneyland are actually not as fluid as they appear, they just don't post them far in advance, but here is the general schedule:

• First Week of January - Still Holiday Hours with Holiday Events, this will end the Monday after the first weekend in January as a general rule.
  • Disneyland - 9:00 AM - 11:00 PM
  • DCA - 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
  • Night time shows, fireworks and parades should run nightly
• Second week of January until about 2 weeks prior to Easter
  • Monday - Thursday
    • Both Parks - 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
      • Mickey and the Magical Map dark on Mondays
      • Frozen dark on Tuesdays, sometimes Wednesdays as well
      • No night time shows or parades
  • Friday - Saturday
    • Disneyland - 8:00 AM - Midnight
    • DCA - 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM (Sometimes 10:00 PM on busier days)
    • Fireworks, Fantasmic!, WOC and Paint the Night (when running) should occur on these nights.
  • Sunday
    • Disneyland - 9:00 AM - 11:00 PM
    • DCA - 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
  • Fanstamic!, WOC and Paint the Night (when running) will have one performance each.
  • This is when most of the Rehabs are done
  • Haunted Mansion will close for about 2-4 weeks first to remove the holiday overlay, when it reopens small world will close for 2-4 weeks to remove the holiday overlay
  • Jungle cruise will close for about a week to remove Jingle Cruise overlay (if it happens)
• Spring Break Weeks (A couple of weeks before Easter to a couple weeks after)
  • Same as first week of January
• After Spring Break until Memorial Day Weekend
  • Same as Second week of January to 2 weeks prior to Easter
• Memorial Day weekend until after Gradnites
  • Same as First Week of January, EXCEPT Fireworks will only run Friday and Saturday nights due to local regulations and some nights may see extended hours.
• After the last gradnite through labor day
  • Disneyland - 8:00 AM - Midnight
  • DCA - 9:00 AM - 11:00 PM (sometimes 10:00 PM)
  • All shows, fireworks, parades, etc. should be running all days of the week
• Day after labor day until Halloween starts
  • Pretty much the same as second week of January, except no Fireworks at all
  • Haunted Mansion will close about 2 weeks before Halloween Time Starts until Halloween Time for Halloween Overlay
• Halloween Time
  • The same as second week of January, except on party nights, then Disneyland closes earlier and DCA stays open later
  • Fireworks are only on party nights
  • Space Mountain will close right before Halloween Time for holiday overlay, this usually takes 1-2 days
• After Halloween until Christmas Starts (about two weeks)
  • No fireworks, everything else the same as second week of January
  • small world closes for Holiday Overlay
  • Space Mountain will close for 1-2 days to remove Halloween Overlay
  • Jungle Cruise will go down for Jingle Cruise overlay (if it happens)
• Christmas Season (until New Years Eve)
  • Disneyland - 8:00 AM - Midnight
  • DCA - 9:00 AM - 11:00 PM (sometimes 10:00 PM)
  • All shows, fireworks, parades, etc. should be running all days of the week
• New Years Eve
  • Disneyland - 8 AM - 4:00 AM (The exact end time varies each year, but in general this is about right)
  • DCA - 10 AM - 2:00 AM
  • Everything is running, dance parties and other entertainment is added

Of course there may be exceptions to these, but if you want to plan your days at Disneyland, these are a good rule of thumb and the overlays may or may not happen next year, as they may need to keep all rides running for capacity reasons after Galaxy's Edge opens.

 

[wishusluck]

No fireworks during Halloween time, except for party nights? Is that true?

I looked at last year's schedule and saw this, for example:

Sunday, September 24, 2017
DISNEYLAND PARK: 8:00-11:00

Mickey's Soundsational Parade: 4:45pm, 6:45pm
Fireworks: Remember…Dreams Come True 9:30pm
Fantasmic!: 9:00pm, 10:30pm
Jedi Training: 10:30am, 11:35am, 12:40pm, 2:25pm, 3:30pm, 4:35pm
Mickey and the Magical Map: 11:45am, 1:00pm, 2:05pm, 4:00pm, 5:30pm
Pixar Play Parade:
The Laughing Stock Co.: 12:15, 1:00, 2:00, 3:30, 4:30, 5:15pm
Royal Theatre: 10:45am, 12:00, 1:15, 3:00, 4:15, 5:30pm
Magic Morning Hours/Extra Magic Hour: Not Scheduled
Disneyland Park Events:

 

[cmwade77]

Which is indeed failry consistent with what I posted, although a little off.

As I said, there are times that are exceptions to the rules, the schedule I stated is the norm and the minimun, but during Halloween time there is usually only fireworks on party nights once the parties start, although there have been a couple of years where fireworks are offered on other nights, that has been the exception, not the rule. The exception is if the fireworks couldn't be shot off for a couple of nights due to weather after being loaded, then they have to shoot them off for safety. Now the other exception is if the rumors are true and they move the Halloween parties back to DCA this year, then that will change fireworks schedule.

But overall, if you set your expectations where I said on the schedule, you may occasionally get extras, but on general you shouldn't get anything less than I stated and overall it is a good rule of thumb.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... Now the other exception is if the rumors are true and they move the Halloween parties back to DCA this year, then that will change fireworks schedule...

The MHP schedule of dates for 2018 has already been announced (Mickey's Halloween Party and Halloween Time Superthread 2018!!), and the parties will be held in DL this year.

 

[cmwade77]

The MHP schedule of dates for 2018 has already been announced (Mickey's Halloween Party and Halloween Time Superthread 2018!!), and the parties will be held in DL this year.

Ok, well to be honest I don't follow the parties, they are too expensive, the only time I really pay attention to the dates is when I decide to go to the parks to determine if it will be crowded or not.

The point is when the parties do move back to DCA, it will affect the fireworks schedule. And I do think it is a matter of when, as the crowds will be insane when Galaxy's Edge opens.

 

[Jimsig]

Looked again today and see that Aug 27-30 are still grayed out but Fri Aug 31st is available to be booked.

Our original plan was too arrive Fri night late but not do the parks until Tue to Thur. But our flight time was changed so I decided to change to an earlier flight getting in around 2p. I am thinking now if they don't open up those dates we might get a 4 day ticket (as they are not much more than a 3 day anyway) and we will go to the park for dinner and Fantasmic earlier or later in the trip.