Mama Melrose before Fantasmic

[Ju]

Two points in 5 mins - wow!
Has anyone any more info on booking a meal at Mama Melrose and/or Hollywood Brown ?? so they can eat and then get into Fantasmic without queuing for hours?
Last time we went - 3 yrs ago - we were there 2 hrs before it started, but I read in the BIBLE (Sorry Simon's book!!) that you can pre-book to eat and then they have special seating areas where you just waltz in.

Cheers

Julie

 

[FloridianGirl]

Hi Ju

The deal u are talkng about is the fantasmic dinner package. U can book this for a meal in Holywood and Vinve, Mama Melrose or Holywood brown derby. They give u a ticket for reserved seating at the fantasmic show. There is a section reserved for people who have booked this package, u dont get numbered seats as such. You can then have your meal and go right into the seating area about 30 - 45 mins before the show rather than queing up for hours.

Cal the Disney reservations people (cant remember the number off hand but it is listed on this site somewhere) to book your package.

We have booked the holywood and vine for ours. We are going next Saturday and have booked for the Sunday.

 

[KayleeUK]

Hi there

This is the Fantasmic Dinner Package that can be done at Hollywood & Vine, Mama Melrose and Hollywood Brown Derby the telephone number to book is 001 407-939-3463.

We have done H & V a couple of times before and this year trying Mama Melrose

 

[mike230652]

I have to say this looks like WDW's version of forcing even more cash out of their loyal customers.

What happened to the lunch reservations for Fantasmic seats??

At least you could eat for a reasonable amount, we did Mama Melrose in November 2001 at lunch......cost just over $60 INCLUDING drinks and taxes, and have time to relax/enjoy the park before heading to Fantasmic.

The evening meal is almost $100 including taxes.....PLUS drinks!!!
For that amount I'd expect a leisurely meal......not one where you'll be clock-watching to make sure you're finished in plenty of time to get into Fantasmic.

mike230652

 

[FloridianGirl]

You can reserve your seat from about 3.30 pm to about 7pm so therefore you dont have to rush your meal at all. Also if you eat at Holywood and Vine, the price is $22.99 which is quite reasonable.

 

[RUSHBURY]

Is there a good choice on the menus at H&V and MM? - I believe there is a restricted menu for the dinner package.

Thanks, Helen

 

[FloridianGirl]

Holywood and vine is an all you can eat buffett, Mama Melroses is a set menu I think.

 

[juliebro]

We loved the H&V buffet, which we booked as part of the Fantasmic dinner package when we were there in April. The buffet was so good that we decided to eat there again during our second week, too!

 

[BongoBetty]

We also did the H&V Fantasmic package and it worked beautifully. Reasonably priced (no extra for the package over and above the regular menu charge) and so long as you make your PS at a sensible time then you won't feel hurried. The reserved area for the show is great - extreme right of the auditorium but with as good a view of the action as I've experienced. One suggestion though, do have an extra tee shirt or light sweater for the restaurant as my family all found the air conditioning to be rather severe. We were there in July though.

TT (BB's dad & Fantasmic fanatic)

 

[mkingdon]

Due to various acts of God, we ended up doing the FDP three times on our last trip, with only one viewing of the actual show.

However, this did mean that we got to try all 3 restaurants.

So, IMHO....

Brown Derby - Fantastic, classy, lovely food, great atmosphere but all this reflected in the price. Worth every penny.


H&V - Busy, noisy, fantastic choice of food which is of a high quality. Priced OK, especially if you can eat like we can


Mama Melrose - OK food, slow service, but a nice place. Least favourite of the three for us.

HTH

Craig

 

[tazz23]

Having just got back home from disney, i would recommend getting a take away from one of the restaurants and bringing it with you into the theatre. Not only do you get to have the best seats, time goes quickly and you havent spent nearly as much money. When we went the reserved seats for the show were on the far side of the theatre so yes u dont have to get there early but your view of the show is not as good.

 

[mike230652]

tazz33

That seems like a pretty good idea!! Didn't know they allowed you in with food...but worth remembering.

I don't think there are any bad seats at Fantasmic.

We did the Fantasmic Lunch package 2 years ago........when we went into the reserved area i saw a bench right at the very front next to the railings.....absolutely the best view possible. Dragged my DW and 2 kids straight towards it....CM said " Where are you going , sir ? " I replied "Is it OK to take the front bench? ".....Answer came back " I guess so, sir ".

Good enough for me!! Mind you there were some murmurings from those behind us....terrible thing, jealousy!!

mike

 

[BongoBetty]

Mike

Have to disagree with you (again) that their are no bad seats at Fantasmic. Actually what I should say is that their are seats that are not quite so good. The first time we went with MIL and DW's sister and family we managed to get a seat with a view midway between two water screens and I have to say that the images were extremely blurred. A lot of the impact was lost and afterwards I could tell that they were wondering what all the fuss concerning Fantasmic was about. Fortunately we persuaded them to give it another chance and with better seats they "discovered" the best show at WDW for themselves. IMO the "package" area to the right of the auditorium is as good as anywhere and removes the SLIGHT chance of getting a not so good seat.

Coincidentally, although I live in Scotland I am actually an exiled Cestrian too.

TT (BB's dad and Fantasmic fanatic)

 

[mike230652]

BB

I don't mind you disagreeing with me LOL!!

I did say I didn't THINK there were any bad seats at Fantasmic.....obviously some are less good than others.

I stand by what I say about WDW trying to coerce more money from their customers, though. As I understand it you can no longer book a Lunch package for Fantasmic..........why not??

The problem with the dinner package is that we ( and 000's of others ) go later in the year when Fantasmic is on earlier in the evening. I'd much rather have lunch then have time to relax before Fantasmic. It's all very nice WDW offering dinner from 3.30 p.m. but it would be nicer still if they'd left the Lunch package alone.

As I said we had lunch for 4 + drinks for $60 inc taxes...........I doubt that any of the dinner packages come in at that price which suggests ( IMHO ) that WDW are looking to get even more money from their punters. No harm in that BTW, just sad that there are no options for lunch!!

mike

..........Adopted Cestrians!!! We moved here from Sunderland last year so that DD could qualify for admission to Park View School.........we live in Bournmoor, and love the place!!

 

[Disney owl]

Did the package 2 years ago at Mama Melrose's & loved the food. Tried to book again this year & MM was full & we went to Hollywood & Vine instead .

Glad we did - now its a package the menu for MM was more expensive & more restrictive it was a set menu. H&V was a buffet , all you can eat & great choice & great food .

We would all definately go back - DH & I & 4 kids.

We were staying off site & booked for that day whilst we were in the park, reason for not a lot of choice. Booked at a booth at top of the main street. Because we were a party of 6 they said they had no tables big enough left, & we would have to be seated on 2 separate tables. As our youngest is 11 this was no problem but when we got to the restaurant there was plenty of room & we were all sat together.