Warning on fantasmic dinner package

[Fire14]

Ok I got a question that maybe someone can answer for me:
At MM doing FDP: Last Time we did it, we had special menu where we chose 1 Flatbread for table, an entree for each, and I believe dessert, this has changed correct?

I personally prefer to do FDP at Hollywood and vine as it's buffet ( same price without pkg) and food is good IMO.

 

[NancyIL]

Interesting, I remember when it changed to price fixe quite a few years ago. But on Disney's website for the FDP it actually says "a la carte". It's in the box on the right side of the screen.

I don't recall it being anything but fixed price. We ate at Hollywood and Vine in 2002 because it was the least expensive of the 3 options. The only change I recall is that lunch is now an option, whereas it was only dinner when it first began.

 

[valeriemouse]

Even though I've been to Disney a bunch, I've barely done Fantasmic (once, standing room only in the back), or Mama Melrose, so I'm out of my element!

I am on the regular DP and have a ressie for a MM F! Package in June. Now, that DP does not come with appetizers. This is the first I'm hearing that its not an ala carte situation, so I have questions . . .

1. Can I order from anything on the menu, or is there a special menu for those with the package.

2. Do we get appetizers?

Thanks for any info you can provide!

 

[Mom23Disneybelievers]

Even though I've been to Disney a bunch, I've barely done Fantasmic (once, standing room only in the back), or Mama Melrose, so I'm out of my element!

I am on the regular DP and have a ressie for a MM F! Package in June. Now, that DP does not come with appetizers. This is the first I'm hearing that its not an ala carte situation, so I have questions . . .

1. Can I order from anything on the menu, or is there a special menu for those with the package.

2. Do we get appetizers?

Thanks for any info you can provide!

Yes, you can order anything off of the menu and you will also get to pick an appetizer.

 

[nemofans]

HBD is the only restaurant we are willing to eat at in DHS. We eat there every trip. This trip, we booked it w/the F! pkg so we can avoid that line. I LOVE the cobb salad & look forward to getting to eat it again! For us it's worth it b/c we eat there anyway & now we can see F! w/o wasting lots of time in the line.
My only concern is that we were limited on the menu choices so I am glad that's not the case. When we eat at nicer restaurants, we usually order appet, entree, & dessert anyway so it's no diff for us.

 

[Dizney73]

We love the F! Dining package! We waited in that over crowded cattle corral 2 summers ago and swore we would never do it again! So....last summer we booked MM for a 3:30 dinner. We ordered an app, entree and dessert each and it was so good we automatically booked again for this past February 2012 again at MM. Thus time, however, We could irder our own app and entree but were forced to share a plate of premade desserts. There were 3 small desserts on the plate for 4 adults! I was disappointed in that change! My 2 kuds had wonderful desserts and they ended up sharing with us! I don't know if this has changed for good or we jyst happened to be there during a test period.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

If no one has posted yet. We are not on dining plan, when we showed up at Mama Melrose for our reservations tonight they informed me that they have changed things. It will be $35 per person to eat and get fantasmic package. That will include appetizer and dessert. But we were not that hungry. If you don't pay that price you don't get the fantasmic seating

That is NOT new.it was that way in February 2011 when we went! Its a complete meal, your choice from the menu(excpet for one item which I don't remember)......app, main course and dessert..and it was very good!

AKK

 

[smitch425]

That is NOT new.it was that way in February 2011 when we went! Its a complete meal, your choice from the menu(excpet for one item which I don't remember)......app, main course and dessert..and it was very good!

AKK

I am guessing that you did not read the entire thread prior to posting, but the problem OP had is that the Disney dining website says absolutely nothing about this package being a fixed price meal. In fact, it is described as "a la carte" dining. That is why OP posted it as a warning, and apparently, several other people in this thread had no idea it was fixed price either.

 

[diskids2]

I didn't realize how many folks didn't know about the price fix on F! dinner packages, so to the OP for bringing it up.

We go back and forth about the F! package. This summer will be our third time booking it, but we seem to do it every other year.

Summer is always crowded, but you still have to get to the line about 45 minutes earlier than the show. This is compared to the 2 plus hours before on the regular line. So that is a benefit, IMHO.

The seating is on the side of the theater not dead center. It's not bad seating, but I'm just bringing that up.

Not sure when you are going but if there is a later show ( and that works for you), we have found that we can get online in the summer about an hour to 1.5 hours ahead and sit where we want. Sometimes we go that route.

 

[WDW-PRINCESS]

I am confused now...
I was under the impression that if you got the F! Pkage at the BD, you did NOT have to pay for a package deal (with entree + dessert) but that you you could order a la carte (just an entree or whatever). I called disney dining and they seemed to confirm this. What am I missing?

I booked the F! package b/c even though I don't like the seats, I figured we were eating there anyways, so I might as well get them...thinking we were not going to have to pay a fixed price...

 

[NancyIL]

I am confused now...
I was under the impression that if you got the F! Pkage at the BD, you did NOT have to pay for a package deal (with entree + dessert) but that you you could order a la carte (just an entree or whatever). I called disney dining and they seemed to confirm this. What am I missing?

I booked the F! package b/c even though I don't like the seats, I figured we were eating there anyways, so I might as well get them...thinking we were not going to have to pay a fixed price...

The Fantasmic Dinner Package is a fixed price at the Brown Derby - even if you order just an entree.

**I just called Disney Dining and asked for the prices of the Fantasmic Packages. Prices include tax but not tip.

Mama Melrose: $38.33 adult/$12.77 child - lunch and dinner are the same

Brown Derby: $60.77 adult/$18.10 child - lunch and dinner are the same

Hollywood and Vine: $36.20 adult/$21.29 child - dinner only

 

[WDW-PRINCESS]

The Fantasmic Dinner Package is a fixed price at the Brown Derby - even if you order just an entree.

**I just called Disney Dining and asked for the prices of the Fantasmic Packages. Prices include tax but not tip.

Mama Melrose: $38.33 adult/$12.77 child - lunch and dinner are the same

Brown Derby: $60.77 adult/$18.10 child - lunch and dinner are the same

Hollywood and Vine: $36.20 adult/$21.29 child - dinner only

Thank you!

This is very confusing...I am someone that does my research, but this one threw me for sure

 

[NancyIL]

Thank you!

So this price, includes entree + dessert + drink + tax....no tip?

This is very confusing...I am someone that does my research, but this one threw me for sure

I asked only for prices, and they include tax but not tip.

This is the info on the DIS: http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/fantasmic.htm

 

[sharon_wv]

I booked the F! Package at MM for June. I did a lot of research (or so I thought) about it and nowhere did I see it was a fixed price meal. I am doing the DDP so I guess it doesn't matter and actually makes it a better "deal" on DDP since its one credit and you get an appetizer too. I was thinking it wasn't a good deal since the dinners are relatively inexpensive compared to other restaurants in Disney. Thanks for the "warning" OP. I got educated today about my ADR.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I am guessing that you did not read the entire thread prior to posting, but the problem OP had is that the Disney dining website says absolutely nothing about this package being a fixed price meal. In fact, it is described as "a la carte" dining. That is why OP posted it as a warning, and apparently, several other people in this thread had no idea it was fixed price either. :sad2 :

That is NOT new.it was that way in February 2011 when we went! Its a complete meal, your choice from the menu(excpet for one item which I don't remember)......app, main course and dessert..and it was very good!

AKK

I agree that WDW has once again dropped the ball on providing pertinent info. I think the thing smitch may be referring to is the fact the OP was told "they had changed things" (his words). There hasn't been a change. It's always been this way. So as smitch said, this is not new. I'm surprised so many people who post here didn't know this either. I guess we've heard about it so much, I just assumed they did. It's good the OP posted a warning to let others know. It's just not a new policy.

 

[TDC Nala]

the OP probably thought a change had been made since they researched on Disney's website, which didn't make it clear that the meal was a fixed price. In reality, no change was made. The website just wasn't clear from the beginning.

 

[MBELSANTI]

the OP probably thought a change had been made since they researched on Disney's website, which didn't make it clear that the meal was a fixed price. In reality, no change was made. The website just wasn't clear from the beginning.

Agreed on the fact that the website is not clear! I guess I need to check with DS and see if he really wants to go see F! badly...I already cancelled my MM package though.

 

[aubriee]

The Fantasmic package was already fixed price when we went in 2007. We are international visitors and knew it was fixed price as it was stated in the Disney website. I can understand why it is fixed price. Otherwise guest can just order a drink and dessert and expect to get the show tickets. Sorry, you did not know before hand. Hope you still got to see the show.

It was a fixed price way back in 2005. It's not new or anything to warn anyone about. At Mama Melrose and Brown Derby it's always been an appetizer, entree, and dessert and of course Hollywood and Vine has always had it as a buffet (one of the worst buffets on property by the way). Nothing has changed. No way would they let someone go in and order say just a soda and maybe an appetizer and let them have those Fantasmic seat vouchers. They expect you to order all three courses and they charge you a set price to make sure you do. You can order less if you want, but they are going to get the same amount of money out of you as if you had ordered three courses.

 

[TDC Nala]

Apparently there are those who wanted to go for the Fantasmic package and only order an appetizer because they didn't want to eat much, and weren't aware that they would be paying for the full meal no matter what they ordered.

I've seen some people say they don't want the meal, just the Fantasmic vouchers, and wondered if they could sign up, and go get the Fantasmic vouchers and not eat the meal. Not without paying for the full meal...

 

[NancyIL]

Apparently there are those who wanted to go for the Fantasmic package and only order an appetizer because they didn't want to eat much, and weren't aware that they would be paying for the full meal no matter what they ordered.

I've seen some people say they don't want the meal, just the Fantasmic vouchers, and wondered if they could sign up, and go get the Fantasmic vouchers and not eat the meal. Not without paying for the full meal...

I can't imagine anything would make Disney happier than people paying for the Fantasmic package and ordering nothing!