Is Fantasmic Dinner Package Worth It?

[mamazaz]

I need some honest opinions here.

Our trip consists of myself, DH, DS 10, DS 9, DD 7, DS 4, DS 3, DD 2, my mom and my mother in law.

We have an ADR scheduled for Brown Derby for the Fantasmic Dinner Package. That was the only restaurant available for our dates. The bummer is that our ADR is for 3:30!!! That's way too early for me for dinner really, but I was just going to have snacks for everyone for lunch and then eat big here.

My question is - Is the cost of Brown Derby for the dinner package worth it for the food??? Is is worth it for the priority seating at Fantasmic??

We're not on the DDP, so it will be close to $50.00 for each 5 of us adults (including my 10 yr. old) and close to $14.00 for each of the kids. Plus 18% gratuity. So we'll be spending close to or over $300.00 for dinner. (Math is not my strong point.)

I'm having my doubts that this is worth it.

Also is Fantasmic "all that"? Is it that fantastic of a show?? People waiting for over an hour to see a 20 minute production???

My DS 9 is the one who would probably really enjoy this the most, and my 2 year old will be outside the theater with one of the grandmas since she hates loud noises and I'm sure that this show would send her into hysterics!!!

Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[magicaldisney]

Yes, Fantasmic is all that!!!

That said, I would not do a dinner package. You don't say when you will be visiting WDW, but for the most part you can walk in less than 1/2 hour before the show and find seating. There really are no bad seats for the show. I wouldn't do the package, but that is my opinion and I'm sure there are many here who will say the opposite.

 

[beattyfamily]

Well, the package's value depends a lot on when you are going and if there are two showings or not.

We LOVE Fantasmic but after doing the package several times (for fear of this line I always hear about) and seeing that the rest of the stadium was still half full, we stopped doing the package.

We go off season (end of August, Sept, Oct, Nov and beginning of Dec) and we no longer do the package. We eat where we want to and then enter the stadium (no line!) at about 1 hour or 45 minutes before and sit in the center, about half way back. Perfect seats. The last time we did the package, we walked in the main entrance to see how crowded it was (and if it were very crowded then we'd enter through the package entrance and use our package voucher to get the guaranteed seats) and it was not crowded at all so we sat where we wanted (in the center, half way back) and saved our package voucher as a souvenir.

The package seats are to the far right. The waitress will usually tell you to enter through the special package entrance at about 45 minutes before to get a seat. Once you get to the 30 minute mark, the package section can be opened up to the general public if the stadium is SRO.

The package seats are guaranteed, not preferred.

So, again, it depends on when you are going. During peak season (June, July and holidays), there could be a line before they open up the stadium at 1 and 1/2 hours before the show but that has never happened to us in the off season; the waiting is in your seat, not a line.

 

[mamazaz]

Our ADR is scheduled for May 30th at Brown Derby.

I'm glad to hear that you can get in easily. That's my biggest concern. I don't want to wait for over an hour and then be told it's full or something.

Thanks for the input.

I'm thinking that we can do a lot more with the money we would spend at Brown Derby and have some fun doing something else.

And we'll still make it in to see Fantasmic!!

Oh and thanks for letting me know that it IS "all that"!

 

[TLHB70]

We normally go low season (mid September, early November, or early December). However, this year we are going mid October. I have been warned by DISers, and by looking at Touring Plans numbers, that crowds will be moderate.............more than I am accustomed to dealing with. I have never bothered with a Fantasmic dining package before because of low crowds. Should I book one, do I need one, for mid October?
Specific EMH hours are not posted yet for October so I still do not know have my park days lined out. That is what I am working on now. I am going to try to line up expected restaurants, though, and then assign the schedule to the days once the EMH are posted.
So do I need a Fantasmic package for October?