Fantasmic dinner package change

[scotthart]

I try very hard not to be negative about WDW because it is my favorite place in the entire world, but I am so PO'ed right now I cannot stand it. I just made Fantasmic dinner package ressies for two different trips, one in March and one in May. I was told that the latest reservations that could be made were at 4:00. This is on nights when Fantasmic is at 9:00! The CM I was speaking with told me that they were having problems with folks not finishing their dinner in time for Fantasmic. Do they think we were born yesterday? I have had problems before both at HWBD and MM finishing dinner in time for Fantasmic, but this was with seatings 2 hours before showtime, not 4 or 5. This is obviously a way to fill the restaraunts during non-peak dining hours because they know they will fill them the rest of the night anyway. Has anyone else been told about this policy change?

 

[BobbiG]

I have 5:00 ressie for a 7:00 show in March....

 

[scotthart]

Well thats just not fair! I called this morning at 7:00 am eastern (90 days out) and was told that 4:00 was the latest seating. Oh well.

 

[jcemom]

If I were you I would try calling back. You never know. Sometimes you get different answers from different CM's!

 

[vicb]

We opted not to do this package due to the prices and lack of flexibility (being forced to pay even if show is cancelled). We were so glad we didn't because Fantasmic was cancelled the night we had planned to do so. We just had a regular PS at MM so it was easy to call and cancell. We went back the next night for the show. We went in 70 min. prior and got perfect seats in the mid-upper section of Scar. We brought in fruit from the Annehiem Produce place and bought hot dogs inside. Kids played their gameboys and time went by pretty quickly. I would do it this way again next time.

JMHO!

 

[shelly3girls]

Is is possible that is the only time available? A CM told me 3:50 was the latest seating for a 7:30 show then when I called back for the next day a 5:00 was available.

 

[scotthart]

Well, after two more calls to the priority seating hotline, I still do not know diddly.. According to one CM HWBD takes package ressies only until 4:00, MM and HW&V take them up to 5:00. The second CM said she knew of no such policy. The folks that I deal with at Disney Dining and CRO are always so nice, its a shame that upper management cannot find a consistent way to keep them all on the same page.

 

[shelly3girls]

Our 5:00 seating is for the HWBD on 3/21

 

[mrsboz]

I was told that the latest seating available for us is 3:30. Dinner at 3:30? Ridiculous. I said no thank you. We'll eat when we want. If we get in great. If not, we try another time.

 

[jcemom]

Wow! That's crazy! Those are ridiculous times for dinner. How EARLY can you get a PS? I'm wondering if you could get it early enough to be considered lunch? A big "lunch" like that and you wouldn't need to eat anything else the rest of the day -- except maybe popcorn during Fantasmic. Anyone know?

 

[Tonyspad]

Try calling back in two weeks. I tried to have the GF conceirge make PS at 7:00pm at H&V at the end of May. They told me the same sorry about 4:30 reservations. They said that they made non-FDP reservations for H&V at 7:00 and for me to contact them in two weeks and they will add the FDP to my reservation. Sounds screwy but I think Disney wants to fill the early time slots first.

 

[IndianaDVCMember]

I called for a May package at Brown Derby at 90 days and 7 am, and the latest available seating was 3:40. Here's the interesting part. We didn't want to eat this early, so we made a standard reservation for 5:40, which was the latest available seating. I asked if anything was available for later, and I was told that the Brown Derby's last seating is at 6:00 and that they were booked. This makes no sence at all.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

I'm still up in the air about whether or not to do this again. I don't like the side section they put you in with the package. I think I might try one more time without the package and see how we do before I make my final decision, though.

Oh, and I also wish they would include PTC with the package. We end up eating there anyway!

 

[The House of Mouse]

I felt exactly the same as you - disillusioned with the whole PS Fantasmic thing. We had planned on doing Sci-Fi for lunch then dinner at BD with the Fantasmic Package. I took the 3:40 PS for BD on May 11th because while stewing about it I flashed back to our Fantasmic pkg at H&V 2 years ago, it worked quite well. We had an early dinner at 3:30 (we had walked in that day and thought it was the only time available and we were lucky) watched the 5:00 parade and were then able to enjoy a lot of (relatively) "quiet" time at the park. Most others were having their dinner or getting ready to line up for Fantasmic and we were able to do rides like R&R without a line, and the Muppets 3 times in a row (my kids favourite part) before we went to the reserved section. All the seats in the stadium are good and we are now doing Sci-Fi on a different day, which means we won't waste too much of our day in sit-down restaurants.

 

[Southern4sure]

When the time comes for me to make PS at the Brown Derby, say I have a 3:30 seating. I go and eat dinner......can I leave and go to other attractions and arrive back to see the show? Will I loose my "place" with the package deal? We will be in WDW in July....so I'm sure the show will be at 9:00 and I don't want to hang around for 4 hours.

Thanks,
Southern4sure

 

[jcemom]

Yes, you can do other things after you eat. Then you just show up about half an hour before the show and find a spot in the reserved section. I've heard that the reserved section can get pretty full sometimes, but you'll be guaranteed a spot. We didn't use the package when we went last month because the parks weren't crowded at all. However, we went about an hour before the show and our seats were comparable to those with the package but on the opposite side of the stadium. Next time I am trying the package because I don't want to have to go that early. Plus, the exit is right behind the "package section" which should mean a quicker exit I'm hoping.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by jcemom
Plus, the exit is right behind the "package section" which should mean a quicker exit I'm hoping.

That was definitely a 'plus.'

 

[georgina]

Definitely call back in a few weeks if you want to make a later dinner reservation. You will be amazed at how later seating times have somehow opened up. They did the same thing to us last summer. It was no problem calling back and changing our dinner rservation to a more reasonable time. We have had it happen to us with non-Fantasmic package meals too.

 

[shelly3girls]

While dining you will be given a special card. They will also tell you where and when to go to the special entrance. After you finish dinner you are free to roam the park until the time you are required to return for seating.

 

[tink2]

When we were there in Nov., we called and they told us the Fantasmic package was sold out for every night we wanted. However, I walked up to H&V two different days before lunch and got ressies. They had someone outside taking reservations. Our times were early, but the guy told us as long as we ate before 5:30 it didn't really matter what time we showed up. We love this package b/c you don't have to sit for an hour before the show with our small children. It makes it easier.
I hope they get it straightened out before our next trip!