Round Up Rodeo or Fantasmic Dinner Package?

[shaycamp21]

We are debating whether to book the Fantasmic Dining Package (Hollywood & Vine) or Round Up Rodeo for our August trip. In the past we have always booked the Fantasmic Dining Package in order to get good seats but I have been wanting to try Round Up Rodeo (never been) so wondering if the Fantasmic Dining Package is necessary in order to get decent seats (don't really want to line up for hours in order to get them)? This trip we are going with friends who are first timers so wanted to make sure they get to see Fantasmic. They have a DD who is 8 so she would probably love either place though we plan on doing 3 other character meals at CRT (lunch), 1900 Park Fare (dinner) and Ohana (breakfast), so 4 character meals may be overkill. Another thing to note is we are all on the Dining Plan so I am aware that Hollywood and Vine is a better use of credits though not super concerned since we booked with "not so free dining" lol. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[QueenofPrideRock]

Full disclosure, I have never eaten at Roundup Rodeo and Fantasmic! is one of my favorite things on the planet (not just in Disney World), so I am biased, but based on the mixed-to-meh reviews I've seen for Roundup Rodeo, I'd go with the Fantasmic Dining Package. Character dining + reserved seating for one of the best things at Hollywood Studios seems like a much better bang for the buck than what might just be an okay BBQ dinner.

 

[Marthasor]

I would opt for the Fantasmic dining package - maybe choose a different restaurant if you feel 4 is too many character meals. For first timers, I think seeing Fantasmic in an optimal spot with little wait is a better option than Rodeo Roundup. The food is ok at Rodeo Roundup, but the design of the restaurant felt incredibly chaotic. Total sensory overload for my family.

 

[MinnieMSue]

We usually do fantasmic dining but decided to do the rodeo roundup restaurant last trip. We went early but not super early to fantasmic and were able to sit in the section next to the middle and were able to go down to 3rd or 4th row and the seats were great. It was no different to us view wise.

 

[TheHulamuffins]

I'd guess that you can safely go to Round Up Rodeo and still get a seat that offers a good view for Fantasmic. The characters at Hollywood and Vine might be more suited for children younger than 8 than for an 8-year-old. We went to Round Up Rodeo on our late December 2024 to January 2025 trip to WDW, and enjoyed it. Basic BBQ food was on offer: chicken, ribs, brisket, sausage, baked beans, cheddar biscuits with sweet pepper jelly (outstanding!), potato barrels, macaroni and cheese, corn on the cob, watermelon salad, tomato and cucumber salad, and cole slaw. I would call the decor immersive, but I can see that "chaotic" might also be a reasonable description. You are fully surrounded by Andy's toys, either as figures or in the designs on the walls and ceiling. We enjoyed this. In fact, as the story line goes, you actually are some of Andy's toys--so if anyone comes through who should think you are inanimate, you are supposed to freeze. It is amusing to watch everyone in the restaurant freezing in place. You get a short count-down before freezing. We had about 4 sound "events" during our meal as well: arrival of various characters from the film, although as far as I could tell, it was just the sounds. Aside from the menu, I think this restaurant would be most enjoyable for someone who is quite familiar with Toy Story, or who recalls many of the toys and illustrations from childhood. This was our second trip to Round Up Rodeo. I thought it was the most fun the first time, but we were also in a larger group the first time.

 

[AngieInOH]

We ate at Round Up Rodeo last week and really enjoyed it. The food was nothing spectacular but was good. The surroundings are immersive and very Toy Story as expected. We all loved freezing when Andy came by. We would definitely eat there again, my 8 yr old granddaughter loved it. You don't have to do the Fantasmic Package to get a good seat.