Fantasmic! Dinner package or Fastpass+?

[Sam1]

We didn't see this the last time we went, so I really want to fit it in if possible, but I'm not sure which will be more suitable for us. It's a week until I can book our meals, so I need to decide if we're going to book a dinner package or not. I don't like the idea of being tied to a certain day because I've bought the package, but is it a lot better than having a fastpass+?

Is there any difference with the seating and the time you have to get there by? I've read conflicting posts about where you sit for each, so I'm now confused with which to go for.

 

[2Tiggies]

Robo says it's a waste of time. Others disagree. From my experience in all things Disney planning related, Robo has never given bad advice but depending what is most important to you in considering burning a FP for the show, YMMV

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=49896321&postcount=8

 

[Elise79]

Never bother now with either the package or a FP+.

If there's two shows go to the later one - You will always get in

 

[queendisney]

Never bother now with either the package or a FP+.

If there's two shows go to the later one - You will always get in

yes this.

We normally leave it right to the last minute and end up in the left hand side of the seating (as you are looking at the stage). They really are mostly all good seats in Fantasmic. So if you aren't to worried about where you will end up just wing it.

 

[~Fisharefriends~]

We have never had an issue getting in as a standby guest, I don't think I would use a fp+ to get in unless it was with the changes after I had already used the 3 and then choose fantasmic as my 4th choice.

 

[chocolateMinnie]

If you are on the dining plan the bonus of having the fantasmic package is that not only are you guaranteed a seat (and let's be fair you don't have to take it you can queue for an alternative if available) but also you get three courses on the ddp instead of the two you would get without the package.

 

[Sam1]

Thank you!

I think my best bet is to go to a later show. I'd prefer to just go with how we feel on the day if possible, so the second showing is probably going to be better for us. I don't think we're too fussed about where we sit, it was more the extra waiting to get in that was bothering me.

 

[Sam1]

If you are on the dining plan the bonus of having the fantasmic package is that not only are you guaranteed a seat (and let's be fair you don't have to take it you can queue for an alternative if available) but also you get three courses on the ddp instead of the two you would get without the package.

Unfortunately we're not on the dining plan, so we'd be paying OOP for the package or I'd probably just book one.

 

[MrRomance]

We have done both and here is my two cents...

The Dinner Package there are (or at least were) 3 options. Hollywood & Vine, Brown Derby (2 credits) and Mama Melrose. Hollywood & Vine was terrible the last time we had dinner there (and the time before that) so I wouldn't go again. Brown Derby is expensive at 2 credits and in my experience the slowest service I've had had in any restaurant on property and I've eaten at most of them. Mama Melrose I can't comment on but that would be the only one to consider IMO.

Last time (November 2013) we did the FP+ option. It worked well for us at that time, seats were good, the only issue is that now, with the tiered FP+ system, if you choose Fantasmic! as your tier 1 FP+ you forgo Toy Story Mania & Rock n Rollercoaster that day. This wasn't the case on our last trip.

The question becomes whether or not you will be having 2 days at DHS or can do the other big attractions without FP+ .

Hope that helps

 

[bacoach2014]

Never bother now with either the package or a FP+.

If there's two shows go to the later one - You will always get in

you can always have someone in your party get there early and save a spot and switch out while you are doing stuff. I would "sacrifice" mainly to rest and save our spot.

 

[wilma-bride]

We used a FP+ for Fantasmic! last month. The only reason we did so was it was on a day where we hadn't intended to visit a park (shopping day) so decided to use what would have been spare FP+ for Fantasmic! and a couple of rides in DHS to boot. Was it worth it? For us, yes, because it wasn't a 'wasted' FP+, however you need to be aware that there is no reserved seating for FP+ entrants. You DO enter through a separate area and it is a shorter walk up to the stadium/seating area but DD and I still ended up near the back (albeit in the middle but only about 6 rows from the very back). Although we did arrive to the FP+ entrance after they's already started to let people go in. So, my answer is that it probably isn't worth it unless you are at the FP+ entrance right at the beginning, when it first opens as you're likely to get in before most standby people then.

Generally, I would agree with Tracy and say if there are two showings, go to the second one as it will be much quieter.

you can always have someone in your party get there early and save a spot and switch out while you are doing stuff. I would "sacrifice" mainly to rest and save our spot.

I wouldn't recommend doing this as the CMs repeatedly tell you, once in the stadium, that you cannot save seats, especially at the first show. And if you're talking about one person saving a spot in line before you're even allowed in, it would be very difficult to find them (or get to them) in the mass of people that builds up before you're even allowed in to the seating area.

 

[moreisgood]

The booking window is only open till October 31st right now, while the restaurants are up to November 19th. Does anyone know why?

 

[disneyholic family]

when we were there last august, the FP area took a LOT of the seats.
there was only one section, at most two for non-fastpass, non-package viewers.
And we even had a GAC card (the last month the GAC was still in use).
Even with the GAC card we almost weren't seated.

So i don't know about how easy it is to get seats now that they've reserved so much of the area for FP+

i think it will depend on when you are there. And if there are two viewings.

personally, i wouldn't put a FP on it because of what's been described here regarding the tiers.
But if i really really really wanted to see it, i would go for the fantasmic dinner package.
However, one question - what happens if fantasmic is rained out on the night of your package?
Fantasmic was rained out multiple nights in a row when we were there last year. So what happens to the dinner package people? do they get a FP for another night?

it was crazy - we tried to view it several times. One time, it was raining a little and they said it would still be on.
But then a massive lightening storm hit and the announcer came on with the most urgent warning i've ever heard at disney.
He came on the loudspeaker and pretty much yelled "take cover take cover take cover. EVERYONE immediately take cover"
and everyone ran - the lightening was right overhead - you know when there is no delay between the lightening and the thunder.
Cracking right overhead. A mad dash of thousands to take cover. Crazy.

Anyway, finally - on our fourth try, we saw it.
So again - what happens if you do the dinner package and your show is rained out. Do they give you a FP to come back on another night?

 

[wilma-bride]

when we were there last august, the FP area took a LOT of the seats.
there was only one section, at most two for non-fastpass, non-package viewers.
And we even had a GAC card (the last month the GAC was still in use).
Even with the GAC card we almost weren't seated.

So i don't know about how easy it is to get seats now that they've reserved so much of the area for FP+

i think it will depend on when you are there. And if there are two viewings.

personally, i wouldn't put a FP on it because of what's been described here regarding the tiers.
But if i really really really wanted to see it, i would go for the fantasmic dinner package.
However, one question - what happens if fantasmic is rained out on the night of your package?
Fantasmic was rained out multiple nights in a row when we were there last year. So what happens to the dinner package people? do they get a FP for another night?

it was crazy - we tried to view it several times. One time, it was raining a little and they said it would still be on.
But then a massive lightening storm hit and the announcer came on with the most urgent warning i've ever heard at disney.
He came on the loudspeaker and pretty much yelled "take cover take cover take cover. EVERYONE immediately take cover"
and everyone ran - the lightening was right overhead - you know when there is no delay between the lightening and the thunder.
Cracking right overhead. A mad dash of thousands to take cover. Crazy.

Anyway, finally - on our fourth try, we saw it.
So again - what happens if you do the dinner package and your show is rained out. Do they give you a FP to come back on another night?

Beth, there are no reserved seats for FP+ now (I did mention that above).

The only reserved seats now are in the centre, for those who have done the Dining Package.

 

[disneyholic family]

Beth, there are no reserved seats for FP+ now (I did mention that above).

The only reserved seats now are in the centre, for those who have done the Dining Package.

sorry - i guess i need reading comprehension 101!!!

so you just get a FP and then sit anywhere? not in a particular section?

it was really terrible when we were there because so much of it was dedicated to FP+. This was during the very first FP+ trial.

as i said, we had a GAC - a special GAC that was supposed to put us close to the front - but we barely got a seat in the very back.
they wouldn't put us in the FP sections or in the Dinner package sections.
Only in the regular section, which was tiny and already full with the people who'd stood in line (lots of people were turned away)

so i guess they've improved it since august.

 

[chmurf]

as i said, we had a GAC - a special GAC that was supposed to put us close to the front - but we barely got a seat in the very back.

As a GAC/DAS user myself, allow me to clarify a point.

the seating has limited availability and is on a first come first serve basis.
it's like the disabled parking bays, a blue badge does not guarantee a parking space close to the entrance.

The catch with GAC/DAS is that, if you want reserved seating, you need to get to the theater even sooner than the other guests.
I supposed you were aware of that, but I thought I'd react to this, since your statement could lead to think that having a GAC/DAS would allow guests to enter the theater later than others, or with the flow of FP+ users. Actually GAC/DAS users need to enter even sooner (especially for front row seating, since the reserved (disabled/wheelchair accessible) benches are at the very top/back of the theater for fantasmic!

 

[edinburghlass]

We used FP+ for Fantasmic for two reasons, didn't want to wait for the second showing and as I understood it to be a shorter climb up that hill

As we joined the FP queue it was announced there would be standing room only. The queue moved quickly and as a 2 we were directed to an area that looked pretty full presumably to fill in the spaces. As we were going to have to go fairly far down to get a couple of seats I said no thanks my knees won't take the climb back up the stairs at the end so the CM popped us in to the disabled seating two rows in front of the wheelchairs.

What did become annoying were the people who tried to sneak in between the wheelchairs rather than going via the CM manned pathways. They were given their marching orders by the CMs but one family did get past the CMs after it started and squeezed in to three different rows.

I would certainly use FP again.

ETA: This was a week ago.

 

[disneyholic family]

As a GAC/DAS user myself, allow me to clarify a point.

the seating has limited availability and is on a first come first serve basis.
it's like the disabled parking bays, a blue badge does not guarantee a parking space close to the entrance.

The catch with GAC/DAS is that, if you want reserved seating, you need to get to the theater even sooner than the other guests.
I supposed you were aware of that, but I thought I'd react to this, since your statement could lead to think that having a GAC/DAS would allow guests to enter the theater later than others, or with the flow of FP+ users. Actually GAC/DAS users need to enter even sooner (especially for front row seating, since the reserved (disabled/wheelchair accessible) benches are at the very top/back of the theater for fantasmic!

we had a special stamp on the GAC card (we had lots of stamps, but one of them in particular) that specified front row seating without having to come in advance.
The GACs used to have different stamps with different meanings (we had pretty much every stamp you could have on a GAC).
They had a place reserved for people who needed front row seating but couldn't come in early. (this was available in only a few places in WDW)
(of course, it could happen that they wouldn't have place left, however, i don't recall that ever happening to us).

i have no idea how the DAS card works. We were last there right before the GACs were discontinued.
From what i understand, we won't be able to do what we did in the past.
It will make it more difficult, but it's fine. It means the person who needs it will have more of a problem than he did in the past, but he'll be happy just to be at WDW - whatever the conditions.