Fantasmic Dinner Package Questions

[Suzanne74]

We are going to Disneyworld the week of Sept 4th, DH and 3yr old daughter and I have a few questions about this package.

Has anyone gone to Fantasmic in early Sept? Is it still a must to get the package assumming the waits are long then.

Does Fantasmic play everynight then? I can go ahead and book in a few days (90 day advance) even though the Sept calender isn't out yet?

Also which restaurant would be best for an almost 3 yr old? I would assume the Hollywood & Vine since it is a buffet but I am still curious - the Brown Derby has great reviews although it is $15 more a person.

Also My DD will JUST be under 3yrs old and is free to get into the parks - is she free to eat too or should I pay the 3-9yrs old $9.99 charge? I think I would feel funny not paying for her at all - she CAN eat!!

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[helenk]

Fantasmic is shown every night. In busier times, it is shown twice a night.
Sept 4th is part of the Labor Day weekend and might be busy, I used the Fantasmic Dinner Package the end of September last year and really did not need it. But I do not know how crowded it will be during your timeframe.
You can book 90 days out even if the park hours are not posted, but most likely you will be told that the last seating is 4:00, even if Fantasmic is at 8:00 or so. Depending on what time Fantasmic is held there may be later seatings when you get to the 30 day mark.
Hollywood and Vine would be your best choice with a young child. If the child is under 3 then there would be no charge, at any of the restaurants.

 

[tjmw2727]

My thought on the Fantasmic Dinner Package is if your planning on doing a sit down dinner then its a good deal. Especially with a toddler it can be a long wait even in September as the staduim somtimes fills up 1 + hour before the show. My favorite of the three restaurant choices is Mama Melrose but our second choice and my kids favorite is Hollywood & Vine and your dd would be free. Keep in mind that under 3 eat free at all the buffets but if your order off the childrens menu at other places she pays the normal price. Great news for the character buffets like Chef Mickey's and Crystal Palace!!

Even with the package you want to get into the stadium about 30 minutes before the start. Bring some snacks and a light up toy for dd. Get some popcorn if she can eat it and pass the time with everyone else doing the wave.

Fantasmic is one of our familiies favorite shows at WDW so its a must do for is - in which case we simply plan one of our bigger sit down meals for this.

TJ

 

[Jordan's MOM]

We really enjoyed H & V when we did it a few years ago. We were there in January that year and it was a cool rainy night that we did the package as a walk-up. We were hungry any way and so we choose to eat where we could get a seat for the show. The food was really good, service was good and DS then about 8 ate really well. They have a neat ice cream bar that the kids love. Enjoy the free under 3 one last time.


Jordans' mom

 

[kelscross]

We're going that week as well!!

Anyhow, last year we did the package at Hollywood and Vine. This year when I was inquiring about the other choices with a friend who has been to all three, she said Hollywood and Vine is #1 choice with kids, Mama Melrose's #2, and Brown Derby #3 as it is a bit more formal in her opinion.

Have fun..Fantasmic is great!!!!!

 

[Suzanne74]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I am SO excited. We already know that MK will be closing early on our Friday night (which will be our last night) so I think that is when we will book it. Everyone is making it sound so good that I think it will be a nice final night for us.

I am REALLY looking forward to her last under 3 free days!!

 

[CrazySun27]

May seem like a silly question. Where or how do I purchase the fanstasmic dinner packages???????

 

[kelscross]

Call WDW dining and ask for the package. They'll help you out.

Have fun!

 

[CrazySun27]

Hi, Thanks!!! I'll do that.

 

[jweiss]

Here's an ever sillier questions.....WHAT is the Fantasmic dinner package?? do you guaranteed seating for the show?? We were there last August and Fantasmic was cancelled due to Thunder storms..... We are going again this August???

 

[jkjjhuddle]

We jsut got back. We went to Hollywood and Vine and it was great. We had our 4yr old son and he loved it. There was a great selection of food and everything tasted great. They gave one of us the reserved seating for fantasmic. You are not assigned a certain seat, but you get to enter without waiting in line. We walked right in at 8:30 and took a seat. Unfortunatly for us it began raining about half way through the show and they had to cancel it, but I would do it again.

 

[trracers]

We go during the week you are going, too, maybe we will see you there

We did the Fantasmic Package last year and quite honestly, the parks are very low capacity and there was no need. The Fantasmic show wasn't completely full that I remember. We went twice. Even Labor Day last year in the MK was a pretty slow day. We didn't wait in any lines and wondered where in the world everyone was?

It is a very slow time of year and I think you can get by with just showing up and getting a seat, but if you do decide on the package, I would definitely go with H&V. We did the Mama Melrose's the time before and (I don't know if it is still set up this way) but there were certain entree's on the menu that we had to pick from and well, let's just say that Spaghetti and Meatballs wasn't one of them. The food was good, but pricey and "weird".