If you're planning on eating at a sit-down restaurant at MGM, I don't understand why you wouldn't do the Fantasmic dinner package. Even if you don't use the seating (and you decide to get there early for other seating), the package isn't an extra cost. Personally, I don't think that the seats for the package are bad. True, they're on the side, but I don't really think there's a bad seat in the house.
RyMickey