Fantasmic dining package

[princessap]

I booked h&v the other day to get priority seating for fantasmic and now after reading the reviews am second guessing it.
Is it worth it to book dinner for priority seating?
which restaurant would everyone recommend?
thanks

 

[TDC Nala]

I recommend that you pick restaurants for how the menu looks to you, and not choose or cancel them based on the reviews of others.

As I recall you have two very young children. How much do you want to see Fantasmic? How long are you willing to wait in line with your children to be admitted? There's reports of wait times of more than an hour just to get into the theater - to ensure you get any seat at all.

 

[princessap]

Is that wait time for priority seating?? what is the difference in wait time without priority seating?

 

[TDC Nala]

Here is how it works.

When you have finished eating at the restaurant, they will give you vouchers for the seating. You go up to the theater at least 45 minutes before the show. They will allow you into the theater via a separate entrance - you do not use the entrance that the rest of the crowds are using. There is a section set aside for the dining package guests.

At about 30 minutes before the show starts, they will open up that section for general seating and fill it up. That is why you have to get there before then in order to select your "priority" seat.

Depending on the crowd the day you go, and the Fantasmic schedule for that day, it is possible you will be waiting for theater entrance in excess of an hour BEFORE THEY OPEN THE GATES just to be sure you get seats at all. I am sure you do not want to do standing room in the theater with small children. With the package you still have to get there early (at least 45 minutes before the show starts) but you will be sitting, not standing outside waiting to get in.

Depends on what it is you want to do and whether you are OK with getting in line early for general seating.

 

[basketlacey]

We have the F! package booked for our upcoming trip. Everyone in our large group of 11 people loves Italian food so we would have eaten at MM anyway. Since we are on the DDP, it seemed like a nobrainer to book the package instead of just making a regular ADR. With the package, you get an appetizer, entree and dessert. Quite frankly, I think this will be WAY too much food. But, I like the option of getting an appy!

F! is a favorite for us and we definitely see it every trip. I figure by the time of the show, everyone will be ready for a drink or snack (we have a very early ADR). I think we will pick up a few drinks and snacks and find our seats and just relax for a bit!

 

[Marshay]

We have the F! package booked for our upcoming trip. Everyone in our large group of 11 people loves Italian food so we would have eaten at MM anyway. Since we are on the DDP, it seemed like a nobrainer to book the package instead of just making a regular ADR. With the package, you get an appetizer, entree and dessert. Quite frankly, I think this will be WAY too much food. But, I like the option of getting an appy!

F! is a favorite for us and we definitely see it every trip. I figure by the time of the show, everyone will be ready for a drink or snack (we have a very early ADR). I think we will pick up a few drinks and snacks and find our seats and just relax for a bit!

My parents want to try this in May. I was confused whether the F! package is 1 or 2 credits. They are just doing the regular DDP, which I know doesn't have appetizers. So based on your comments above, I think you are doing the DxDDP? Is that right?

TIA!

 

[305Florida]

Honestly I wouldn't try to see Fantasmic without the package. It's so nice to skip the line!

However, be aware that it is quite expensive. We ate dinner at the Brown Derby and it was about $55/person (without tip!) I was originally told that the package is no additional cost above the cost of food. So be aware that there ARE additional costs involved.

 

[shell8558]

We have done this several times, but we are normally on the dining plan. It only requires 1 table credit , so its really a win/win for us. But we also love Mama Melrose and would eat there anyway!!

 

[pumba]

When we go with our kids and the grandkids we do the HOLLYWOOD AND VINE one......First off .because it is a buffet and we dont have to wait to long for food ..
And second off....its not that bad...plenty of choices and the kids enjoyed picking their own ...

We opt for this Fantasmic pkg because of waiting in line and having to follow the crowd in......The entrance for this PKG...is not as long a walk and they have the area roped off for this..

 

[texasteacher35]

We have eaten at Mama Melrose and we are eating there again for the dining package for Fantasmic! I will not wait in a 2 hour line (which is what it was the last time we were there 5/2011) and so we skipped the show all together. This time I will do the package The food is pretty good, but I am def doing it for the "no standing in line" deal!

 

[3pletprincesses]

I wouldn't do H&V but I would not do the Fantasmic show without the package. I have waited over an hour and half to be seated for the first show to simply being almost out of the luck for the second show and that was in October. That a long wait to see a show IMO. Mama Melrose is not the greatest IMO as we all found the food blend but it was better then H&V any day. If I would have a choice, I would pick Brown Derby and my second choice would be Mama melrose.

 

[nutty4wdw]

are there two lines getting into fantasmic. i thought you had to wait on the regular line but get into the reserved section as you approach the seats. so as long as you get to that area before the 30 min mark you'll be ok?

 

[Marshay]

Honestly I wouldn't try to see Fantasmic without the package. It's so nice to skip the line!

However, be aware that it is quite expensive. We ate dinner at the Brown Derby and it was about $55/person (without tip!) I was originally told that the package is no additional cost above the cost of food. So be aware that there ARE additional costs involved.

Thanks! What were the additional costs?

 

[DisneylandDad]

We did the Hollywood and Vine package last month for dinner. There were 7 of us in the party. I kept trying to get Mama Melrose, but was not able to. I guess you could say that we were pleasantly surprised. I read that H & V was dirty--it wasn't and the workers were constantly wiping down counters, etc. I also heard that the food was not hot enough/cold enough--this was not the case. The kids loved the selection. The adults thought the food was fine-not great nor gourmet, but everyone found something that they liked. The best part was that we got seated quickly and ate dinner rather quickly and were out the door for more rides before the show. We showed up about 40 minutes before the show and the other sections were quite full already. We had no trouble finding seats in the reserved section. Someone mentioned that people were lining up 2 hours before the show for the regular seating--and this was in Sept. on a "slow day". Hope this helps!

 

[basketlacey]

My parents want to try this in May. I was confused whether the F! package is 1 or 2 credits. They are just doing the regular DDP, which I know doesn't have appetizers. So based on your comments above, I think you are doing the DxDDP? Is that right?

TIA!

We are on the regular ddp and my understanding is that the package includes the app. It is only one credit per person at MM.

 

[fitnessmouse]

Does anyone know when you can make resevations online? Today was my 180+10 window but all of May was greyed out. I could make adr's till the 11th, but not fantasmic package or hoop show?

 

[meljean]

We did the Fantasmic package in Sept. and also had chosen H &V since Mama Melrose was not available. I also read some not so good reviews and was super nervous about having a bad experience. Well, we didn't. I actually didn't think H &V was so bad. We had great service and found the food pretty good. The best part of the priority seating is the fact we didn't have to wait in the super long line an hour ahead of time because I knew we had seats waiting for us. We didn't wait in the line and got there about 20 min before it started. I would definetely do this again but I would probably try Mama Melrose instead, we love Itialian! I felt I needed to give it a try and it turned out just fine. I hope you think it's okay also. Have a great time!

 

[Hooked On The Mouse]

If we didn't have the Fantasmic dining package, we wouldn't be seeing Fantasmic. We just don't have the patience to wait in that line. I will qualify though that we were going to be paying table service price for that meal anyway, so to go to Mama Melrose and get the package worked out well for us. Also, be aware that the seats set aside for the package are way off to one side, and while we enjoyed the show very much, I know some people felt that the package seats should have had a better view.