Fantasmic Dinner Package, worth it?

[DWeav]

The Fantasmic Dinner package, at Hollywood and Vine-minnie mouse meal. Seems silly to ask this when we've already done it. I don't remember having great seats from it, but we were not exactly early either. Just arriving early for the show suitable enough? Its not the cost, it's more of the timing of the meal interfering with other plans. Is it really worth it or just arrive early for Fantasmic?

 

[Bete]

I can go either way with this but I prefer doing the dining package for Fantasmic.

If you can live with seating anywhere then it doesn't matter.

 

[otten]

I’d try and get a sdfp for Fantasmic.

Dinner at H and V is one of the worst meals I’ve had at Disney.

 

[portcityw]

That is one of our must do's. It's worth it for the seating to us. We have been in a position before, that we wouldn't have gotten a seat without those tickets. Everyone values things different though.

 

[jkh36619]

We get a 4th for for F!

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I never do the package because my 2 faves (sci fi and prime time) aren’t included. Also agree that H&V is terrible, but that’s just my opinion

 

[Robo]

What a FP+ for F! offers is more CHOICE in seating.

If you DO get a F! FP+, you can choose to sit in either the FP section (virtually the entire left half of the theater) or the Standby section (virtually the entire right half of the theater.)
So, whatever section has the better seating at the time you arrive, you can go there.
Without a FP, you can only choose a seat in the Standby section.

There is a very good chance that you can get a FP+ for F! as a 4th or 5th FP of the day because they issue SO MANY of them (enough to cover nearly the entire left half of the seating.) On many nights, it is possible that you can gat a FP+ for F! as you are walking to the theater.

As to when to arrive at the theater, I'd get to there 45-60 minutes before the show-time.
Even WITH having a FP or Dining Pkg. reservation, don't wait too late.

On busy nights, the CMs can stop holding the reserved sections within 20-30 minutes before show-time, and turn over any available seats to waiting walk-in guests.

Guests who learn how to take advantage of the various available "tools" and timing strategies will be able to take more control over their WDW experiences.
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Map Below-
Arrows indicate the center of the seating.
Shaded areas:
(First or Only F! performance of the evening)
Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating
Red= Dining Package Reserved
Blue= FP+ Reserved
Purple= Can be either FP+ or Dining Plan Reserved, depending on needs.

(Second or Third F! performance of the evening)
Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating
Red, Purple, Blue= FP+ Reserved
(Although much of the outer Blue will likely be used for Standby.)

 

[KenHutch]

We always do a dinner package for the tickets and seating. But as others have said Hollywood & Vine? No way.

 

[Robo]

We always do a dinner package for the tickets and seating. But as others have said Hollywood & Vine? No way.

Just to keep things straight, there are no "tickets" required or used at Fantasmic!

 

[KenHutch]

Just to keep things straight, there are no "tickets" required or used at Fantasmic!

Sorry for the way I worded that. But I do like the dinner packages since we have to eat anyways.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I just wish they’d include SciFi or Primetime in the package. I guess that’s the point though, trying to drive more traffic to the other less popular restaurants.

 

[Robo]

I just wish they’d include SciFi or Primetime in the package. I guess that’s the point though, trying to drive more traffic to the other less popular restaurants.

There is a very specific reason that they DON'T include them.
They are already POPULAR.
They use the F! Dining Pkg. to steer guests to dine at their less popular (and far "weaker") restaurants.

 

[KenHutch]

I just wish they’d include SciFi or Primetime in the package. I guess that’s the point though, trying to drive more traffic to the other less popular restaurants.

That what I always assumed except the Brown Derby is on the list. We are doing Mama Melrose this time because its the only restaurant at Hollywood that we haven't tried.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Yes, out of the probably 50 times I’ve been to HS, I’ve only ever eaten at Sci-fi or Primetime. On my last trip I had a heck of a time getting an ADR for both of them. Of course that was during FD, had a heck of a time getting any ADR. So I see why they do that, just don’t like it. But I have always been able to get a last minute FP for it

 

[kniquy]

I have done the package with Mama Melrose - we showed up a 1/2 hour before the show and had out pick of seats. It was nice to get off our feet, there were cast members there entertaining the crowd so we didn't feel like we were just there wasting time. This year we are doing brown derby package. If you are going to plan a TS lunch there then you might as well make it a package (just not at H & V) -- when you do this it allows you to get your 4th FP earlier --if you can get a FP for Fantasmic then that is what you are locked into with no other FP options.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I’ve been able to get a FP for Fantasmic shortly before sitting down for the show

 

[rg35]

We did it last July (lunch at Mama Melrose's) and it was great. We walked up a few minutes before the show was set to start and got great seats right in the middle section. I would definitely do it again since we always to TS meals anyway.

Part of what makes it "worth it" is how much you value your time and what else you might be doing instead of showing up X minutes early to wait for seats in the Fantasmic theater.

 

[Lisa F]

We did it in December 2016 with H&V dinner. We were on the DDP at the time so it's a great value for a single TS credit. The food was ok - typical buffet but nothing as bad as people say, nothing stellar (for a buffet character meal FOOD I prefer Tusker House). The character interaction was stellar and I really wanted to see the characters in Christmas costumes. The seating for F! was great. Overall it was worth it, I think we are going to try it with Mama Melrose, which is another old favorite of mine that I haven't been to in years. I really liked having the seating, that section is the best seats in the house.