Is the World of Color dinner and reserved seating worth the $$$?

[helenb]

Just so people know, you don't have to have dinner. I have WOC lunch at Wine Country Trattoria booked for our upcoming trip in July. I confirmed twice with the dining reservations person that lunch was okay to get the WOC passes, and they said yes.

 

[sonnyjane]

Just so people know, you don't have to have dinner. I have WOC lunch at Wine Country Trattoria booked for our upcoming trip in July. I confirmed twice with the dining reservations person that lunch was okay to get the WOC passes, and they said yes.

BUT the WOC lunch at WCT just gives a regular FP, NOT a pass for the preferred dining. If you want the preferred section, the dinners are the only way. Their wording online is quite sneaky ("reserved ticket" vs. "preferred ticket" with dinner) but there is a difference. If you want the preferred area, call and change to dinner!!

 

[helenb]

BUT the WOC lunch at WCT just gives a regular FP, NOT a pass for the preferred dining. If you want the preferred section, the dinners are the only way. Their wording online is quite sneaky ("reserved ticket" vs. "preferred ticket" with dinner) but there is a difference. If you want the preferred area, call and change to dinner!!

Interesting... I didn't realize that! That sucks... we don't like the dinner menu and prefer the pastas on the lunch menu. I'll have to see what everyone else wants.

Thanks for letting me know!

 

[OregonMickeyLover]

That is sneaky. So you have to eat dinner, and during the times that they have listed in order to get the priority viewing area? They should have told you that when you called and asked. Did they charge you the WOC dinner/viewing price or less?

Traci

 

[sonnyjane]

That is sneaky. So you have to eat dinner, and during the times that they have listed in order to get the priority viewing area? They should have told you that when you called and asked. Did they charge you the WOC dinner/viewing price or less?

Traci

The Wine Country lunch ($29.99) is less than the dinner ($39.99) but more than the picnics ($14.99). You get more and better food than the picnic, but I think it's definitely sneaky to not disclose that you're getting the same FP that you can get through the cheaper picnic or FOR FREE from the FP machine. Again, they make the language really sneaky. They say you get a "reserved ticket" with the lunch package, which is the same language they use for the picnics. The dinners are the only ones that say you get a "preferred ticket".

 

[nancy drew]

Sorry to piggyback on this topic, but I thought I asked this elsewhere and now cannot find my question and/or answer.

What is the best viewing option for a short adult and two young children? The preferred dining package, picnic, or regular FP? We'll be there in August, if that matters.

 

[DebbieB]

A friend & I did the dinner package at Ariels at the beginning of May. Our dinner was 5:20, the show was not until 8:30. We were told to wait by the lighthouse but admission was not until 8:10 (that was printed on the ticket). We asked a cm what time the viewing opened and they said 7:30. So we were by the lighthouse at 7:30 and we saw that they were opening so we hurried over to the sign that said preferring dining and got a spot behind the railing, it was perfect. You have to pay attention, people were standing around not knowing what to do.

 

[OregonMickeyLover]

NancyDrew, from what I am told, the best option with the least amount of stress, although it costs money, is the dinner package.

And to the previous poster, sorry it won't let me check your name darn-it, that is my concern. Not knowing where to go or not getting in line soon enough, but thanks to you guys, I will be well prepared!

Traci

 

[HydroGuy]

Sorry to piggyback on this topic, but I thought I asked this elsewhere and now cannot find my question and/or answer.

What is the best viewing option for a short adult and two young children? The preferred dining package, picnic, or regular FP? We'll be there in August, if that matters.

The "best viewing option" is anywhere at the front rail. Every option you mention has good viewing spots and poor viewing spots.

See "The Best World of Color Viewing Spots" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2655956

 

[dawnrose]

We did the preferred seating with dinner at Ariel's last year. While dinner was enjoyable, it was quite average and expensive...and we found that even in the preferred section, there was a dad with a child on his shoulders that blocked our view the entire show. I want to give it another try this summer to see if we could find a spot where we could see more...but I definitely wouldn't pay for the dinner again.

 

[OregonMickeyLover]

HydroGuy, that thread was great and especially the pictures of the seating area! Such great information, so thank you!

Dawn, that is good to know, even if it confuses more, lol! You may have seen the other thread I started about kids on shoulders. It would be very frustrating to have that happen, and as stated in the thread, why do people think it is okay to do that? I would never dream of doing that with our DD. Some posters listed good alternatives to having kids on shoulders, and I used to think I wouldn't say anything if it happened to me, but the DISboard members have given me the confidence, if need be darn-it I think we will give the dinner a try because it is a special trip, but I am hoping we have a better experience than you did

Thanks,

Traci

 

[nancy drew]

The "best viewing option" is anywhere at the front rail. Every option you mention has good viewing spots and poor viewing spots.

See "The Best World of Color Viewing Spots" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2655956

Thanks. I'll check out that thread.

I guess my concern involves more than just where to stand, it also involves minimizing the wait time to enter the viewing area and ease of getting a FP if not doing a dining option. We aren't staying on site, so we can't get in early for FP. I think DD wants to eat at Ariel's anyway, but I didn't want to do the preferred area if it was going to be the most crowded and/or if it would just be easier to get a FP.

 

[rentayenta]

We probably won't be doing a character meal this trip, but are looking at doing the World of Color dinner/seating. This sounds worth it, just to avoid dealing with WOC seating/fastpass. Has anyone done this yet, and if so, what did you think?

We found it worth it. This was last June so the crowds were BIG. The second time we saw it we did the picnic lunch option which we also enjoyed. I'd say though for the first time, I'd do the dinner package again. We ate at WCT.

 

[HydroGuy]

Thanks. I'll check out that thread.

I guess my concern involves more than just where to stand, it also involves minimizing the wait time to enter the viewing area and ease of getting a FP if not doing a dining option. We aren't staying on site, so we can't get in early for FP. I think DD wants to eat at Ariel's anyway, but I didn't want to do the preferred area if it was going to be the most crowded and/or if it would just be easier to get a FP.

If you really want to have a good viewing spot for WOC and do not have a lot of time to spend, you should consider skipping it. To get a guaranteed good spot for WOC requires time.

Whether you are not staying onsite does matter. There will be plenty of WOC tickets available after regular park hours.

 

[nancy drew]

I'm not saying I don't want to wait at all. I'm just saying if one option involves waiting for 2 hours and one option involves waiting for 1 hour, I'd prefer to take the 1 hour waiting option. I'm just trying to sort all of this out and figure out how to get a good spot where we can all see, and I was looking for help in doing that.

 

[OregonMickeyLover]

That is my thinking also NancyDrew. I figure we have to eat dinner regardless, so why not kill two birds with one stone. I would rather wait an hour knowing I have a priority viewing fastpass, than two hours with a regular fastpass. I think we are going to do the Ariel's WOC dinner. Originally I was going to go with Wine Country, but their menu choices are more limited than Ariel's for the WOC package. If we were able to order off of Wine Country's normal dinner menu that would be fine, but for our families likes and dislikes, especially the kid's menu, Ariel's is a better fit.

Good luck!

Traci

 

[Bungle]

I'm not saying I don't want to wait at all. I'm just saying if one option involves waiting for 2 hours and one option involves waiting for 1 hour, I'd prefer to take the 1 hour waiting option. I'm just trying to sort all of this out and figure out how to get a good spot where we can all see, and I was looking for help in doing that.

Even with the dining package you still have to wait. When we went the prefered dining area was PACKED. You will still need to wait and work at it to get a good view. It really is time consuming, but so worth it. Its an amazing show but you have to go into it knowing you might not get the greatest view on the first night you see it. Our first night I had a lovely view of other people. The second night I was third in line waiting and still had to be quick to get a railing spot.

 

[HydroGuy]

I'm not saying I don't want to wait at all. I'm just saying if one option involves waiting for 2 hours and one option involves waiting for 1 hour, I'd prefer to take the 1 hour waiting option. I'm just trying to sort all of this out and figure out how to get a good spot where we can all see, and I was looking for help in doing that.

The point is that if you are only willing to wait for one hour you risk not having a rail spot and not being able to see - especially for those of small stature or with kids. So it may not be worth it at all.

Here is a rough guideline:

1. Want a slam dunk, for sure shot at a rail spot and guaranteed unobstructed view?

- Arrive at the queuing area 90-120 minutes before the show starts

2. Willing to risk getting a poor view but hoping for a good view?

- Arrive at the queuing area 60 minutes before the show starts

3. Want to minimize waiting for WOC and do not care about view?

- Arrive 30 minutes before the show starts - the queue will already be allowed into the viewing area

If you have a blue section FP and are in #2 and 3 category above then consider the fire hydrant spot.

 

[bluegrizzlies1]

picnic and find a rail in that section

 

[cyclenut]

picnic and find a rail in that section

That is exactly what we did and we enjoyed the show. We arrived a little more than an hour before and it was very much like a herd of cattle. People coming up after us definately got in front of us, but we still got on the rail at the lowest area.

You just have to pay close attention and be ready to move. People who were a little less aware ended up losing spots when the "line" moved forward.