Price of Fantasmic Dessert- a mini rant

[PinkBudgie]

I haven't done the special seating for this yet. Might try it someday. The price is a little high, but since I don't want to camp out for 4 hours, I'll probably have to do it to see the show again.

Anyway, I was listening the Dis Podcast from a few weeks ago and they were talking about a new dessert buffet where you can sit and watch their fireworks show, Wishes, at WDW. They talked about the nice table seating, the fancy table of desserts and drinks, the great view, and so on. I'm thinking this must run around $50 or $60. No! My jaw hit the floor when said it was under $18! It sounds like a lot nicer food than a little box of treats!

This leads me to ask if they can do that so cheap over there, why is it SO expensive for a Fantasmic dessert? I realize the show is different, I guess the fireworks are not as long, but still! She also mentioned she liked not having to camp out for an hour for good seats. An hour? You can't waltz in at an hour in DL and get prime seats for the fireworks show. Are things really so different there? Or so cheap? I'd do that dessert seating in second (if it wasn't 3,000 miles away! )

Any thoughts on this? Is our dessert show too expensive? Am I compairing apples and oranges? I've never been to WDW so maybe I'm just not getting something.

 

[Marciern22]

I did the Fantasmic! seating 4 years ago for $59 each but we were up on the balcony where the Dream Suite is now. Up there they gave us drinks (I had a Mint Julep) and fruit and chocolates and fritters and cheeses. The people who say down by the river only got the desserts. I was glad I did that then, I wouldn't do it again now though.

 

[nunzia]

We are doing it again in Sept..it will just be much better with 2 little kids along not to have to fight that crowd or find a good place so far in advace. It is sooo expensive, but OK, worth it. I also read about the WDW dessert thing and saw pictures and it looks amazing..not only great desserts, but cool drinks too. And alot of people were whining about the cost. Are you kidding!! It's a bargain. If they offer it in the winter when I go I'll snap it up.
I guess they charge so much for the F! dessert because they CAN.

 

[cannp123165]

I would love to do the Fantasmic Dessert party when we go in October, but for 3 of us it is quite expensive. The WDW one sounds really good - and at a good price as well.

 

[Burnt Toast]

Wishes = Larger viewing area (as long as you aren't in a building or standing behind or under a tree, you can see it)

FANTASMIC! = Much SMALLER viewing area. People start camping out for the 9pm show at 5pm for front and center.

Supply and demand.

 

[Marciern22]

DON'T GO TO THE 9PM SHOW!!! Go enjoy the parks while those others are sitting and waiting. Grab your seat for the 10:30 show while everyone is watch the fireworks and picking up their blankets and stuff.
That's what I do and I get front and center every time!

 

[PinkBudgie]

Wishes = Larger viewing area (as long as you aren't in a building or standing behind or under a tree, you can see it)

FANTASMIC! = Much SMALLER viewing area. People start camping out for the 9pm show at 5pm for front and center.

Supply and demand.

Yes, I believe that is what it comes down to. But I can't imagine someone complaining about the price of the other show!

Also, the later showing is a good idea. We didn't do F! this summer, so maybe we'll try that next time. Definately have to go back for an afternoon nap to make that showing! We get up at 5am to get to DLR for opening.

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

Do you get an AP discount for the Fantasmic dessert viewing?

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Wishes = Larger viewing area (as long as you aren't in a building or standing behind or under a tree, you can see it)
FANTASMIC! = Much SMALLER viewing area. People start camping out for the 9pm show at 5pm for front and center.
Supply and demand.

I agree. WDW MK is so much bigger than DL. It's huge. They still get extremely busy though. I went there in 2001 over July 4th weekend (what, was I nuts?) and it was still wall to wall people.

DON'T GO TO THE 9PM SHOW!!! Go enjoy the parks while those others are sitting and waiting. Grab your seat for the 10:30 show while everyone is watch the fireworks and picking up their blankets and stuff.
That's what I do and I get front and center every time!

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! You're going to give away our secret!

 

[PinkBudgie]

Do you get an AP discount for the Fantasmic dessert viewing?

I don't think so. If I knew of one, I would have done it.

 

[pixiewings71]

I think that perhaps PAP holders do get a discount on F! dessert seating, but I'm not 100% sure. I was considering booking it for us when the dragon was working but now I'm reading NO dragon all summer.

 

[99haunts]

We're going at the end of August and my fingers are crossed that the dragon will be there. I wish they would announce an official date so I know whether or not to get my hopes up!

 

[PinkBudgie]

I read Al Lutz and he said they set a date about mid August, I believe, but you shouldn't get your hopes up about it. It has been so much trouble. He also reports trouble with the new Flotsum and Jetsum.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

I read Al Lutz and he said they set a date about mid August, I believe, but you shouldn't get your hopes up about it. It has been so much trouble. He also reports trouble with the new Flotsum and Jetsum.

I agree; I wouldn't get my hopes up either... Al Lutz said:

The big question on everyone's mind is obviously, when will Murphy the ever-so-troublesome Fantasmic dragon finally appear? The current answer is not for at least a couple more weeks, and perhaps not even until after the Nightastic campaign officially ends on the 23rd.

Here's the link:
http://miceage.micechat.com/allutz/al072809a.htm

 

[DisneyIsMagical]

I agree with OP....

I love watching F! but can't imagine spending that much $ on it. We don't have any little one's so it it easier to find a place to watch it.

That is a crazy price difference, though.....

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

THe WDW Wishes Dessert party is in a defunct restaurant space - sort of where our Plaza Inn is at DL. There is a huge outdoor patio that they have it set up on and therefore, it is easier to charge less.

But OMG - the spread Kathy took photos of in her blog (www.disunplugged.com) was amazing. You would not beleive the variety of desserts.

Way better budget wise. Like the PP said - supply and demand.

 

[blackjackdelta]

We did the balcony and we have done the riverside and we will be there next Thursday at riverside. I would rather take a second or even a 3rd job to pay for this then sit on the ground and waste my time reserving a spot when I can have a chair and snacks. We always do this on my birthday so it is a special treat for the old man.

Jack

 

[DisneyDork1969]

I did the dessert/seating at DL in Aug 2008...totally worth it!...had second row seating for the 10:30pm show...it was great eating our snacks and having as many drinks as we wanted...I had 3 cokes, my nephew had two OJ's...since they extended F! until the end of the year, do you think they will have 3 showsing of F! over the Thanksgiving weekend? I'm arriving on T-Day, but I won't be in the parks until the days after (Fri, Sat & Sun)...which would be a better night to see F! on: Fri or Sat after Thanksgiving?

Jon / DisneyDork69 on TWITTER

 

[PinkBudgie]

Glad you liked it. I'll have to try it sometime. It just killed me though when I heard how cheap that dessert buffet was at WDW!

I have read they will do three shows on days when it is extra crowded. They might not announce it until that day though, so probably couldn't plan on the third show.

If it was my I'd probably try for the show for the first night I was there, just in case there was a problem and it didn't show the second night. As far as crowds go, I don't know which would be better.

 

[blackjackdelta]

I did the dessert/seating at DL in Aug 2008...totally worth it!...had second row seating for the 10:30pm show...it was great eating our snacks and having as many drinks as we wanted...I had 3 cokes, my nephew had two OJ's...since they extended F! until the end of the year, do you think they will have 3 showsing of F! over the Thanksgiving weekend? I'm arriving on T-Day, but I won't be in the parks until the days after (Fri, Sat & Sun)...which would be a better night to see F! on: Fri or Sat after Thanksgiving?

Jon / DisneyDork69 on TWITTER

They did 3 shows on the 20th.

Jack