Fantasmic one month window

[sueg]

When I called for our PSs in early July for our end-of Aug. trip, I was offered a horrible time for our Mama Melrose Fantasmic package. We don't eat dinner at 4:15PM, even for Sorcerer Mickey. I took advice that I got from this Bd. & called back yesterday. They offered me a CHOICE of 6:10 or 6:30. I happily took 6:10.
I know that WDW is a business & sometimes must annoy us Disneyphiles so that they can make a profit. But I think this Fantasmic system is beyond irritating. If it wasn't for the DIS Bds., you'd never know about these little "tricks". Who would think that you would get better times by waiting until the last minute.
Now that I got that off my chest, I can settle into waiting mode...ending our summer w/ the Mouse!

 

[gallaj0]

Thanks, I'll have to give them a call today. I tried calling last week, adn spoke with a VERY rude CM who told me there were no seatings past 4:30. I asked if they would open anything later the closer we got, and she insisted that, " due to the early park closing, nothing past 4:30 was ever going to be available". I brought up that the park closed only 30 minutes early, and she just about yelled at me.

 

[Debs5angels]

Hey gallaj0

I see we are going around the same time. I had PS for Sept. 2nd for 4:00 for H&V and I called this past Sunday and was offered many different times. Call again and hopefully you'll get a nice helpful CM this time. Good Luck!!!!

 

[lulu71]

This is very good to know. Thanks!!

 

[CamColt]

I agree it is irritating, but I wonder if its back firing on Disney.

We could only get 4:30 for Mama Melrose for mid July when we called 90 days out. We kept trying and kept trying, even once being told MM only serves dinner from 4:00-4:30, LOL! We were finally able to get later and booked for 5:20. While we were actually dining there we were very surprised at how not crowded the restaurant was. Its wasnt dead, but there were plenty of empty tables...during prime dinner time. I wonder if some people take waht they are told as the official word and they dont try back for later times, therefore leaving the restaurants not as full as they could be.

 

[sueg]

CamColt,
I completely agree with you and that is why I'm puzzled (irritated) at this PS "scheme". It's times like this that I like to reflect on how lucky I was to discover the DIS. I couldn't start to list the number of really useful tips that I've discovered on all of the Bds. (Not to mention the support for my weight loss on the WISH Bd.) But after you become a DISer, you tend to forget that the great majority of WDW visitors don't know about the DIS. Therefore, using the Fantasmic package as an example, why wouldn't they think that it's either eat at 4PM or forgo the benefit of the package. Heck, if they don't visit the DIS, they may not even know about the Fantasmic package, at all.

 

[CamColt]

You are right, sueg...we sure are lucky to have the Dis and to gain all the knowledge we have from others experiences here.

I know some people think the reason for not opening later dining times until later is because they want the park hours to be out, which does make sense, if they were realeased when the park hours were. But, the park hours were out well before we were able to get later times. And I would believe that the powers that be at Disney know that MGM will be open later than 5:00 or 6:00 in July...especially since Fantasmic cant take place until its dark out. Im sure somewhere Disney must have a good reason for doing this, but it does drive you crazy when you are trying to plan.

 

[sueg]

It also makes more work for the dining reservation people. Everyone said "take the early seating just to be sure & you can always call back & change it." As I posted before, we don't eat that early for any reason. So I didn't book then. If we couldn't get a better time, we would have skipped that package & reserved for somewhere else. My point is that my not offering the best times up front, you are encouraging diners to take whatevers available & to keep calling back to see if something better becomes available. Then you cancel & re-book--more work for everyone. Why doesn't Disney just hire some DISers as consultants!