Question about River Belle & Hungry Bear Fantasmic Packages

[wendlle]

I have a question.
I booked both the River Belle for Lunch (regular booking) and the Hungry Bear Fantasmic Package.

With the River Belle I only like their"bites" - nothing on the main menu.
Will they let me upgrade to the Fantasmic Package by eating only "bites" and a desert?

Others in my party will eat from the menu, it's just myself that isn't keen on the mains.
I'm also very worried about them "selling out" of the package - I'm only eating there to get the special viewing.

The hungry bear food doesn't appeal to me either - will they let me pay the full adult price but get the kids mac & cheese??

At the moment I have both booked but will cancel in the next few days the one I don't want anymore. I'm just having a hard time deciding what to keep.

 

[RoseColored97]

They have a specific Riverbelle Terrace Fantasmic prix fixe dining package that you'll be offered when you request the Fantasmic seating, which isn't always the same items that are on the regular menu. Hopefully someone who has done it will chime in.

 

[wendlle]

They have a specific Riverbelle Terrace Fantasmic prix fixe dining package that you'll be offered when you request the Fantasmic seating, which isn't always the same items that are on the regular menu. Hopefully someone who has done it will chime in.

Thanks, I did read that you can choose from the fantasmic menu or select from the regular menu

But wasn’t sure what the exact options are

 

[starlite_]

I have no idea what you mean by bites but there is mac n cheese on the RB fantasmic menu.

 

[shosh1530]

They allowed us to substitute some things (e.g. an entree for another entree) from the regular menu when we did the Riverbelle package, but of course you still pay the full package price.

I've heard mixed reports on Hungry Bear substitutions. Some have done it, others have been told no. Must vary with different castmembers.

 

[GatorChris]

If you do end up cancelling your Hungry Bear, send me a DM. I'd love to pick that up.

 

[Girimama33]

Are they still allowing regular RB or BB bookings to upgrade to the F! package when you check in to the restaurant?

 

[wendlle]

I have no idea what you mean by bites but there is mac n cheese on the RB fantasmic menu.

They lost “bites” on the menu, I assume they are like appetisers
The Mac and cheese has brisket, I’m a vegetarian

 

[starlite_]

They lost “bites” on the menu, I assume they are like appetisers
The Mac and cheese has brisket, I’m a vegetarian

You should have mentioned that on your post. The RB vegetarian dish is good too, I've had it before.

 

[wendlle]

You should have mentioned that on your post. The RB vegetarian dish is good too, I've had it before.

The reason I don’t is because people usually suggest the vegetarian options, which I usually also don’t eat because I’m allergic to onions and also because I hate vegetables
I’m complicated LOL

I am actually a pescatarian so I eat some seafood. I’m quite a picky eater.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I have done River Belle twice. Both times they were VERY accommodating with us regarding the choices.

They allowed us to order anything we wanted off the Fantasmic menu or the regular menu.

Once they offered an appetizer off the main menu (pimento cheese dip with pretzel bread) because the kids opted to not order an appetizer (due to not liking the choices).

They specially prepared a plain grilled cheese sandwich for my vegetarian friend (no meat, no sauce).

They let me get double tater tots in place of baked beans with my entree.

They let me order the chocolate pudding off the kids menu rather than the special Fantasmic dessert (pudding was so good!).

I was very pleasantly surprised with our experiences at River Belle both times. Service was excellent and we asked to sit inside for a lovely air conditioning break from the heat of the day. Food was tasty and abundant! Menu descriptions don’t do the food justice in my opinion, and this is not even my favorite style of food.

Ask before you are seated to make sure they still have the Fantasmic show time you want. If you are eating between 12 and 1:30pm I would be surprised if it sold out.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

They lost “bites” on the menu, I assume they are like appetisers
The Mac and cheese has brisket, I’m a vegetarian

I bet you can order the mac and cheese without the meat. They made a plain grilled cheese for my vegetarian friend (also usually comes with brisket).

 

[wendlle]

I have done River Belle twice. Both times they were VERY accommodating with us regarding the choices.

They allowed us to order anything we wanted off the Fantasmic menu or the regular menu.

Once they offered an appetizer off the main menu (pimento cheese dip with pretzel bread) because the kids opted to not order an appetizer (due to not liking the choices).

They specially prepared a plain grilled cheese sandwich for my vegetarian friend (no meat, no sauce).

They let me get double tater tots in place of baked beans with my entree.

They let me order the chocolate pudding off the kids menu rather than the special Fantasmic dessert (pudding was so good!).

I was very pleasantly surprised with our experiences at River Belle both times. Service was excellent and we asked to sit inside for a lovely air conditioning break from the heat of the day. Food was tasty and abundant! Menu descriptions don’t do the food justice in my opinion, and this is not even my favorite style of food.

Ask before you are seated to make sure they still have the Fantasmic show time you want. If you are eating between 12 and 1:30pm I would be surprised if it sold out.

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Omg this all looks so good
My time is 1:05pm

I’m just so scared to cancel hungry bear because it’s a lock for the package
I’ll be penalised I guess if I wait to cancel after I get to river belle and find out I’m assuming

 

[monkeypat83]

Omg this all looks so good
My time is 1:05pm

I’m just so scared to cancel hungry bear because it’s a lock for the package
I’ll be penalised I guess if I wait to cancel after I get to river belle and find out I’m assuming

You can't cancel less than 24 hours before your reservation but you can still modify it up to about an hour before your reservation. Just go in and change the date to some random day like a month out (or whenever you can get a reservation that is in the future) and once you have the new date that is more than 24 hours away you can go in and cancel that new reservation

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

You can't cancel less than 24 hours before your reservation but you can still modify it up to about an hour before your reservation. Just go in and change the date to some random day like a month out (or whenever you can get a reservation that is in the future) and once you have the new date that is more than 24 hours away you can go in and cancel that new reservation

You can do this, but with Hungry Bear availability is so hard to come by that the OP might find this hard to accomplish, especially while touring the park that day.

It's a $10/person cancelation penalty for a no show.

I feel like with a 1:05pm lunch reservation your chances are very good for getting the show you want. If you were eating at 3 or 4pm it might be riskier.

You can also stop at the restaurant podium earlier and ask if you can be seated sooner. If they have availability they can bump you up.

 

[TikiTikiFan]

I'm also a vegetarian and didn't have the best experience with Hungry Bear F! package- they wouldn't let us substitute anything, it was a hard no.

 

[wendlle]

I'm also a vegetarian and didn't have the best experience with Hungry Bear F! package- they wouldn't let us substitute anything, it was a hard no.

Yes, I feel like I'm basically paying for ONLY the viewing and tossing the food away, which I don't like the idea of. At least with River Belle i could eat something, but I don't love the idea of the unknown - it's a big risk as sitting for Fantasmic is extremely important to me.

 

[TikiTikiFan]

Yes, I feel like I'm basically paying for ONLY the viewing and tossing the food away, which I don't like the idea of. At least with River Belle i could eat something, but I don't love the idea of the unknown - it's a big risk as sitting for Fantasmic is extremely important to me.

Our food was pretty gross from Hungry Bear, we took a few bites and tossed it and got food elsewhere. But Fantasmic! was the most important piece for me too so it was worth it!

 

[starlite_]

Yes, I feel like I'm basically paying for ONLY the viewing and tossing the food away, which I don't like the idea of. At least with River Belle i could eat something, but I don't love the idea of the unknown - it's a big risk as sitting for Fantasmic is extremely important to me.

It's not really an unknown, RB opens for lunch at 11am. As long as you do lunch it's practically guaranteed to get in, at what time is your lunch? We went at 2 and both shows were wide open.

 

[Girimama33]

Yes, I feel like I'm basically paying for ONLY the viewing and tossing the food away, which I don't like the idea of. At least with River Belle i could eat something, but I don't love the idea of the unknown - it's a big risk as sitting for Fantasmic is extremely important to me.

I just got off a chat with a cast member. According to them, the standard RBT F! package can only be reserved the day of and not in advance. Only the premium has the ability to book in advance.


She also suggested checking in at the podium the day of for to request the package sooner.