Fantasmic Dinner & Show Package Question

[Kristineamb]

I have booked the Fantasmic Dinner & Show package on 12/26. Our dinner seating is @4pm @Mama Melrose with the show scheduled @6:30pm (there are two showings of Fantasmic that night.) We were planning on going to see The Osbourne Lights after Fantasmic. But after reading some other threads I am second guessing my plans...first off, Mama Melrose is getting some negative reviews (bring the free bread back!) Is the Dinner package even necessary if we wanted to see the later show (later show is always less crowded???) and finally how hard will it be to get from Fantasmic (@the front of the park) to the Osbourne Lights (@the back of the park) with the crowds???? Ugh! What should I do?!?!?!

 

[wilde_oscar]

there are rumors flying around that WDW is very busy at Christmas time... the general crowd pattern after Fantasmic! is that everyone heads for the exit. if you are in the restaurant package section, you'll take a kinda a back alley toward the entrance from where it would be pretty easy to cut across to head back toward streets of america where the lights are.

The food at Mama Melrose is very typical american style Italian food. Ya know like what Olive Garden does to italian food. Which is not to say it is bad food.

I'd say stick to the plans ya made.

 

[disney6family]

We have done that plan and we were fine. As long as we've gone to MM we've never gotten free bread. However, when we did the Fantasmic package we did get choice of appetizer and of that there were flatbreads and bruschetta with pesto. You can order x amount based on party size. You should be good.
However...if you were looking to save money you can get into
Fantasmic without waiting so you could eat somewhere else, then do the lights, then do Fantasmic. The second show is much less crowded.

 

[LoveThatDarnMouse]

Sorry to disappoint you, but MM was really bad. I could kick myself for waisting that TS there but you live and you learn. We did the first Fantasmic show and it was crowded but the 2nd one was definitely not. Either way, the park is small enough so getting from the back to the front or vice versa does not take that long. Have fun whatever you do.

 

[mcgypsy]

We did MM the 2nd week of July, and were nervous because of reviews I had read here, but let me say that everyone in my party - even my picky kids, thought the food was wonderful.
We had the calamari and the bread sampler for appetizers. The kids had the minestrone. We could have made a meal from that alone. My sister got the spaghetti with seafood in it - mussels, clams, etc. I got the penne pasta with panchetta. One of the kids got ziti and the other spaghetti. The food was delicious, and our service was fabulous. This was the ONLY restaurant the entire trip where I left an extra tip for the waiter.
Finally, the desserts were awsome. It took about 1 1/2 hours for our meal, but it was worth it to us. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was one of the best meals we had during our trip despite what I had read here in the reviews.
I say stick with your plans and decide for yourself.

 

[Kristineamb]

OK...heres an update...I am still struggling with this situation...I've been thinking it would be nice to see the Osborne Lights before Christmas so I've made an ADR for 50's Prime Time Cafe on Sunday 12/23 @4:45pm. We won't have the reserved seating for Fantasmic but thought we could go look at the lights while everyone was as the first Fantasmic show and then take our chances getting seats at the second show. (Help me decide so I can cancel one or the other!)

 

[Kristineamb]

I have cancelled the Fantasmic Dinner Package on 12/26 @Mama Melrose.
Have an ADR @50's Primetime Cafe on 12/23 but still trying to score a Fantasmic Dinner Package @Mama Melrose on 12/23!