Fantasmic Dinner Package Changes

[jann1033]

Originally posted by Festningdal
Sounds like convenience = more money just like everywhere else. Uncle Walt is just a little more efficient.

My family was planning to do a Fantasmic package, I'd really like to hear what that "limited" menu consists of......

when i booked it today( at MM at least) you get any entree ( with the other stuff) everything from the regular menu. she said it once and I asked again to clarify and then she told me yes, anything and order the most expensive thing, that's what she does(lol)!

 

[DisneyDarwin]

I booked a FDP at HV some time ago...even further out than I think you are supposed to be able to book. Anyway, someone from HV called me and said they need to move my dinner time since it was too close to the Fantasmic show. We had a 4:50pm ressie, with Fantasmic at 6:30p...all of this is for Thanksgiving night. I didn't want to eat at 4:50pm, nor any earlier. Well, to my surprise, when I called back she said they could give us a time after the show. So, we're dining at 7:40pm now! Apparently this is something they do when there are two shows that she says has worked out real well. The only option for the showtime with the package was 6:30pm, but we could eat afterwards. I had not read this before, so I thought I would share. I know it was not an option when I talked with a CM at the main dining number. Also, I was speaking directly with the HV mgmt team at 407-560-5381.

 

[bigkid@disney]

Okay everyone.......

I'm really not sure what to do about this topic and will ask for specific advice hoping some out there can help.

I currently have ressie's for Mama Melrose on January 20th, a Tuesday for 4:30 pm. The latest they would book and still make the Fantasmic Show.

My challenge, my wife and I really wanted to take the kids, DD's 7 and 13 months, and DS 5, to Sci-Fi Dine In Theatre. We think they will love eating in the cars and the inside of the restaurant. The restaurant opens at 12:00 that day and I have ressie's for 12:10 that day. I personally think doing both of these is to much to ask for the family, let alone, get my money's worth at Mama's with eating only a few hours before.

I've thought about eating a really light lunch, but still don't think this will work.

My other option: bear with me.....



I have read and researched that the 3rd week of January, the time we will be there is the lowest attendance of the year for WDW. I have considered skipping, or should I say cancel my ressie with Mama's since I have booked it with a credit card, and just go to the show about a half hour in advance?

That's it.... easy question I hope for the experienced.....

Right now, based on reading and researching again, I think I could skip the Mama Melrose meal because I was only eating there for the Fantasmic package. From what I have read, the seats are not that great and the wait may be short because of the season.

It will be 6 adults and 3 children. If I do wait in line, do all 9 people have to wait in line or could a couple of people wait in line for the group? Do they hand out tickets or how exactly does it work?

I sooooooo appreciate in advance any help on this one!!!!!

 

[marybet]

If you have six adults you could send four of them to get seats and then show up later with the kids. You don't get tickets, if you do the dinner package they give you a piece of paper that shows where to go in and list how many in your party.

You could go to Hollywood & Vine, it is $20 for adults and $10 for kids. I think you are right that you won't be that hungry if you eat at Sci-Fi. I was there in Sept. 2001 and it was not crowded, we did the package because we had to eat someplace. I think you will get a good seat even without the package, but if you all want to sit together you need to get there earlier than 30 minutes before show time. Will this be your first day at WDW? You could cancel now and if you get there and it is more crowded than you thought you might still be able to get a reservation.

The big advantage in doing the package is knowing you have a seat and you don't have to get there until 30 minutes before the show. But if the park isn't that crowded it is probably not that important. I think the advantage that you have is that you have enough people to save you a seat so that you don't have to get there an hour early and try to keep your kids entertained.

It is late, so I hope this makes sense. I should be in bed!!

 

[jann1033]

I am hopping on board cause I did exactly the same thing for Jan 8!...canceled my M/MFP and decided to go to scifi..me, for the latest lunch I can get ( which I'm hoping is 3 ish) which will leave me a little time to get to fantas. to check things out by 5 or so, and enter when I need to depending on the size of the crowd figuring it is prob. 6;30 ( what a cm said last week, I saw only epcot hrs for Jan so far on dis.online) I had a 4:00 dinner for m/m, but started wondering about all the" 2 hr long meal " posts I read here and do not feel like gulping $30 worth of food and running across the park to get to Fantas. in time. I really think I would rather wait in line for a little while and sit in the seats longer even though I have back problems and sitting on a backless bench for 2 hrs will not be a good thing.

 

[marybet]

I am pretty sure that the benches have backs. Also, they only hold the package seats till 30 minutes before show time, then if there is room they let anyone sit there.

 

[FFerret]

the benches we were on with the package did NOT have backs--they were the ones up front

 

[Minnie's Mate]

All benches at Fantasmic are backless benches. This can be a problem because people tend to step over the benches from one row to the next to get around the crowds as they head up the aisles.

 

[ROZENBOB]

How long are the lines in January...is the package expense justifiable?

 

[jann1033]

we are going to wdw the 6-15(jan) I have heard different things but some have said it is busy no matter what the parks are like. we are skipping the package. i had booked it but cancelled. the only reason I wonder is when I booked it ( a few weeks ago) they only had a few time slots open at MM so it could be busy or maybe lots of people just book it. my time was 4 and I could get lunch for lots cheaper at scifi( insead of MamaM) for 3:55 so I figured I'll take my changes and save $40 plus a number complained about slow service at MM and I was afraid if the show was at 6 or 6:30 we might not make it ( it's at 7). we are going early in the trip so if it's too busy we'll try again.

 

[Danauk]

We used this package in August when we went to WDW. We ate at HBD which was a great meal and we would have liked to have eaten there anyway. We recieved tickets for fantasmic that night but it was cancelled due to a bad thunder storm. We were able to choose another night to see the show which we did. We were really glad that we did not have to que for the show as we walked straight in and had a good seat. On my next visit to WDW we will book the package again.

 

[Starz723]

I just got backa few days ago from 7 days at WDW. I did the Fantasmic dinner package. I absolutely loved H&V. What a great buffet, really delicious food and the desserts where out of this world. I would highly recommend that restaurant. We had a really early seating at 4pm. My DS and I tend to eat a light breakfast & lunch, so we like to eat dinner early.. This time we chose real early, so we could have plenty of time to get to the show and browse around a bit. We did this on Oct 26. The theater was completely packed by time the show started.

I had really good reserved seats. They are on the right hand side. I like sitting in the upper rows starting at row Q, excellent view, unobstructed...Seems like most of the people who have attented before also choose that area. Its strictly a matter of preference. I got there in time to do the wave. That was fun. If you dont like having to wait..this is a good choice.

 

[coota]

I am going to WDW the first week of December and made a PS reservation for the Fantasmic Dinner Package for The Brown Derby. There was no upfront charge and I specifically asked about it since I read on here that there was a prepayment required. I was told that we simply go to the restaurant with our PS confirmation and let them know that we are doing the Fantasmic package.

 

[sters]

I didn't like the Fantasmic dinner package. I was forced to buy this expensive dinner whether it rained or shined and it poured the night we went. In the end, the rain let up enough for the show to go on.

Also, the times they set aside for the preferred dinner package were ridiculously early. We had to wait quite awhile for dinner. In the rain. There was too much time left to go directly to Fantsamic, but not enough time to really do many attractions. Everything is timing at this park, since it's mostly shows, and the timing didn't work out for us.

I felt "locked in" at MGM under this plan. The seating was not preffered in terms of view and there was PLENTY of seating available, probably because of the rain, up till the last minute for walk ups. This was November 5, during Jersey Week.

 

[Efastpitch]

Brown Derby here we come- yum, yum!

 

[jann1033]

Originally posted by coota
I. There was no upfront charge and I specifically asked about it since I read on here that there was a prepayment required. I was told that we simply go to the restaurant with our PS confirmation and let them know that we are doing the Fantasmic package.

unless sombody goofed they made me give themacc for a deposit although they said it would not be charged unless we didn't show up.

 

[RUSHBURY]

We did the Fantasmic Dinner Package for the 1st time in Oct 2003 - H&V - what a buffet! - it was terrific and we all thoroughly enjoyed it - expensive YES but we (9 in total) felt it was worth the money not to queue for the show.
We'll be booking the package again for Oct 2004.

Helen

 

[faithinkarma]

there was PLENTY of seating available, probably because of the rain, up till the last minute for walk ups

My guess would be that this was definitely because of the rain. We were there on November 3 and it was a full house. We felt it was worth doing the package deal. Specially when we found out we could exit the same way we came in and avoid the push and shove to get out of the theater area.

 

[laurabelle]

I'm thinking about doing this for our upcoming trip the week before Easter. I'll probably choose H&V to have variety for my kids. I've read that sometimes they open up FDPs at 50's Prime Time Cafe. Maybe for holidays? Has anyone ever gotten this, and what was the charge for dinner?

 

[whopper65]

I called about 55 days in advance, waited two minutes to be connected, and reserved FANTASMIC! package, as well as 5 other PS's with no problem. We'll be WDWing first full week in Jan/04.