Fantasmic H & V Package

[raelee]

Would love more opinions on this package...

My unofficial guide to WDW from 2002 kind of pooh-poohed the seating they gave you with the package saying it was not that great- opinions???

Last year, my DH and our two DS (3 and 6) went early (2 hrs early) and got great seats in the center section but.... Trying to entertain two kids for two hours in the bleachers was a bit of a chore. I brought books and color crayons and little cars etc. but they were so excited... Not sure I'd want to do that again.

Also I must admit that after 2 hours of holding our seats and then sitting thru the program itself my back and bum were a bit ouchy.

So- are the seats with the package OK??? Do you think the price is worth it to you??? What time did you make your ressies for? What time did you arrive at the gate??

We are heading to WDW Dec 5-10.

 

[elgerber]

We have done the package twice at H&V. We think it is definitely worth it. The seating is to the right side of the stage, but I didn't think there were really any bad seats in the stadium. I like the buffet, because my kids can pick lots of things, and it's ok if they don't like them all. On our last trip, we tried the stand in line and wait method, and and hour and 45 minutes before the show (this was the last week in August) it was wait on the street, and maybe get in for standing room only as it was full already. We went back to the hotel and booked the package for the next night. I absolutely say it's worth it!

Erika

 

[jgates]

I know the view from front and center is supposed to be all it - but we really enjoyed our H & V package. I liked the food and atmosphere - 18 yr old DS ate Prime Rib from the adult bar and spent the rest of the time at the kids bar! DD ate a ton from desert bar!

I hate WAITING - specially when it's hot out. And it got warm in that stadium even with our short wait! I really enjoyed being able to sit on the end of a row - I get claustrophobic otherwise.

If there are 2 showings the 2nd one wouldn't require the dinner seating but we took advantage of no lines at ToT and RnR while the 2nd was going on when we went.

 

[erikthewise]

For what it's worth, the price of the Fantasmic package at H&V is precisely the standard price plus 15% gratuity. Except that one might not have cared to tip quite that much, this is a straight-up deal, especially compared to the other two restaurants. I'm going to try it in 11 days!

 

[wdwnut]

hi: we've done both the package and the no package deals. we've also been seated in the center. being off to the right for the package deal isn't bad at all. just try to make sure you are centered on the water screen for the right side. you'd have to do that for either the center or left sides as well.

 

[Pam Lau]

We just booked H&V for the Friday after Thanksgiving. Although I thought the new package deals to be a little overpriced compared to what we used to pay just ordering an entree at Mama Melrose's, I decided that with a party of 7, we couldn't chance eating anywhere without a lengthy wait unless we had priority seating. So for that reason we decided to due the Fantasmic Package.

 

[eeyoredisneynurse]

We did the Hollywood and Vine Fantasmic dinner package last Friday, 10/18. We were glad that we did it, since the show ended up being standing room only. We have 2 daughters and did not want to have to sit in the seats for 1-2 hours beforehand. I think that the reserved seats were great, and the dinner was fine, although we had to wait quite a while to be seated at H&V -- they were really running behind. After reading a lot on the dinner package subject on these boards, we almost didn't do the package, but since my family really hates sitting around and waiting, we thought that the package was worth it. And as other posters have stated, the H&V package really isn't much more expensive than the dinner (although I don't think that the waitress deserved a 15% gratuity for bringing one round of drinks for a buffet dinner.)

 

[the Legend]

We've always watched Fantasmic via the H&V Dinner option. In fact, I did it the long way, through stroller hell back in the Summer of 2000 (Millenium year and WDW Milestone as far as attendance went), a WDW solo trip and vowed never to repeat that 90 minutes of torture ever again.

However saying that, they changed the structure of things before our trip, last month. Such as securing PS by credit card, picking up the backdoor passes separately (although we didnt) from Hollywood Junction, upped the prices of the meals and included a set gratuity, which I did not like but I did not complain. Someone in H&V must've ran down to Hollywood Junction and got our fantasmic backdoor passes because they were presented with the check! (Which is what they've done in previous years) The Meal itself is pretty standard Disney Buffet and we've always received great service here.

With a possible family reunion of sorts planned for next year, I will definitely be looking at this option for our Fantasmic route.