Should I cancel one of my Epcot ADRs in favor of the Fantasmic Dinner Package?

[singingpixie]

I'm having second thoughts about my dinner plans for our trip the last week of August. As of now, I was planning to see Fantasmic on our first full day- an evening that DHS has EMH, and thus two Fantasmic shows. We were going to ride during the first show, enjoy EMH and see the 2nd Fantasmic show. Now I'm wondering, since Free Dining has been offered and it'll be a bit more crowded, if I should do the Fantasmic Package instead. First of all, I'd want to confirm that this would be covered w/ the DDP.

If I did switch, I'd be canceling our dinner at Les Chefs de France for that night. If I did that, I may consider scheduling Les Chefs for our last night, instead of a late lunch at Le Cellier.

Thoughts? My options are
1) Keep things as they are and wing it for the late Fantasmic
2) Do the package, and keep Le Cellier for the last day (late lunch, 2:50pm)
3) Do the package, and cancel Le Cellier in favor of a (hopefully better timed) dinner at Les Chefs.

We are on the free DDP if that makes a difference. I've been to both Les Chefs and Le Cellier and liked them both. I'm a vegetarian. My mom's an omnivore who's never been to Epcot, so she doesn't have a restaurant preference, although she's taken French and traveled to France, which is why I originally picked Les Chefs.

 

[robinb]

I personally think that the Fantasmic packages are overrated. The times are almost always terrible unless you make your reservations at the 180-day mark (who wants to eat "dinner" at 4:30?) and the seating is not all the different than if you got to the theater 30 minutes before show time.

 

[singingpixie]

I personally think that the Fantasmic packages are overrated. The times are almost always terrible unless you make your reservations at the 180-day mark (who wants to eat "dinner" at 4:30?) and the seating is not all the different than if you got to the theater 30 minutes before show time.

So you think I shouldn't have a hard time getting seating 30-45mins ahead of the second Fantasmic on 8/25? I guess I'm just worried about missing the show all-together if I don't book the package!

 

[robinb]

So you think I shouldn't have a hard time getting seating 30-45mins ahead of the second Fantasmic on 8/25? I guess I'm just worried about missing the show all-together if I don't book the package!

I go during the busiest time of the year around NYE and I have never had a problem being seated at Fantasmic 30-45 minutes ahead of time. Just don't follow the crowds to the end. Pick an aisle and go down it ... there are usually seats up from people putting their feet up on the benches. We get seated and then I usually go grab a popcorn and some beer for the wait .

 

[beattyfamily]

I did Fantasmic without the package the end of August in 2006 (free dining) and we entered at one hour before and had the best seats; center, half way back and it was a Saturday night.

I would not enter at 30 minutes before though.

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

You still have to be at the show early with the package and they put you all the way to the right so you can probably get a better view somewhere else.

 

[belleatheart]

1. the chances of getting a fantasmic package is now slim, they go fast!

2. they are way overrated and not worth it, we did it and decided never again. We can go to mama melrose ourself and not worry about it, don't cancel your nice meal for a fantasmic package

 

[singingpixie]

I did Fantasmic without the package the end of August in 2006 (free dining) and we entered at one hour before and had the best seats; center, half way back and it was a Saturday night.

I would not enter at 30 minutes before though.

Even if we really don't care where we sit? There's only two of us, and we just want to see the show- good seats don't matter at all.

 

[beattyfamily]

Even if we really don't care where we sit? There's only two of us, and we just want to see the show- good seats don't matter at all.

I guess if there's only 2 of you and you do not care where you sit then you might get a seat at 30 minutes before. I wouldn't chance it though if I really wanted to be sure to see the show. You say it's an EMH night which could make it more crowded but you are going to the second show which is always less crazy than the first so maybe 30 minutes is enough. Not sure.

We also did Fantasmic with no package the end of October and that time we entered at 45 minutes before and if you wanted to sit in the center, you had to sit right up front (we got soaked!) but there still were seats to the far left and the right.

The end of August we entered at 1 hour before and had our choice of spots.

 

[singingpixie]

Thanks, that helps give me an idea