Warning on fantasmic dinner package

[TDC Nala]

Well, that was the idea...they didn't want to pay for it. They just wanted the vouchers. Or they wanted to do what was mentioned previously, just pay for a drink or dessert and still get the vouchers. It's probably good that we've got a thread making it clear that guests can't do that. I believe there probably are some that pay for the full meal and then don't order it because they just want the vouchers.

 

[Bellamouse]

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.

Didn't you read this thread? While it may not be new, for those of us who have never done Fantasmic package before, the website says nothing about a fixed price. A warning IS necessary for those of us who have no other way of knowing this info. The website specifically says a la carte. So how else are we supposed to know this? Osmosis? Clearly the OP didn't know either and was surprised which is why they chose to give a warning.

While it would NEVER occur to me to go in and order a drink and appetizer and expect the vouchers, we simply cannot eat an appetizer, entree and dessert each. We never order that much in any restaurant, at any time. So knowing that you have to pay for it all whether you order/eat it or not is important information and I for one am glad someone warned me about it! I don't want an unhappy surprise when I get to the restaurant. That would leave a bad taste in my mouth. Now, knowing that info and if I still choose to go is a totally different story. I won't be unhappy/upset at all.

I am not questioning the "fairness" of the policy, I get why it's there. Just need correct info in order to make good planning decisions for our family.

 

[BamaBornNemoNut]

How does the two-day clock work? The last time using a CC to secure the ADR, the policy was 48 hours prior to the ADR time.

So, my F! Package time is Tuesday @ 12:30pm. I understand 48 hours prior, but does two-days prior mean that I must cancel before midnight on Saturday to avoid the penalty?? That would mean that no matter what time on Tuesday, the deadline to cancel would be 11:59pm on Saturday, correct?

Is there somewhere that the cancellation policy is explained in terms of hours?
Plans do change and I just don't want to get caught.

Thanks

 

[vinotinto]

For those who are wondering why does it say a la carte when it's a fixed price, the answer is, it's both.

You will be charged a set price for the Fantasmic package, which includes your reserved ticket and your meal, which includes app, entree, and dessert. You can order a la carte, from any of the app, entree and dessert choices. The word prix fixe conjures images of a set menu. The Fantasmic dinner package allows you to order any app, any entree and any dessert from the a la carte menu, which makes it an a la carte choice. For HBD, the adult price is something around $55. You can only order an app or dessert, but you will pay the full price of the package. I've posted a pic of the Fantasmic receipt, which shows that you are rung up not as "beef" or "salad" or "lamb" but as Fantasmic dinner package, but with the "upgrade" I can't seem to search anymore for the pic.

 

[nemofans]

For those who are wondering why does it say a la carte when it's a fixed price, the answer is, it's both.

You will be charged a set price for the Fantasmic package, which includes your reserved ticket and your meal, which includes app, entree, and dessert. You can order a la carte, from any of the app, entree and dessert choices. The word prix fixe conjures images of a set menu. The Fantasmic dinner package allows you to order any app, any entree and any dessert from the a la carte menu, which makes it an a la carte choice. For HBD, the adult price is something around $55. You can only order an app or dessert, but you will pay the full price of the package. I've posted a pic of the Fantasmic receipt, which shows that you are rung up not as "beef" or "salad" or "lamb" but as Fantasmic dinner package, but with the "upgrade" I can't seem to search anymore for the pic.

That makes perfect sense. Prix fixe means a set menu w/only a few choices & the F! dinner pkg is not that. It's a set price, but you can order off the reg menu.

 

[tinkerpea]

Thank you, that is helpful!

We always pay OOP - we stay offsite so don't do DDP.

I don't know if the lines will be like what you experienced when we go in October. But I do like the "VIP" thing and I do hate lines, so that's definitely a big consideration for us.

I understand now why they do what they do - as someone who doesn't try to "scam" the system, and doesn't even think in those terms, it wouldn't occur to me to go to a restaurant and order an appetizer or something and expect the special passes.

That said, there is no time when I order an app, an entree and a dessert. I just don't eat that much, ever. I might order a salad and an app, or just an entree, or DH and I might split an app along with an entree each or something like that. We might split one dessert if there's something amazing we have to have. But for all four of us to each have an app, an entree AND a dessert just sounds like way too much food (And it's not about the money - if I could eat that, I would order it - it's vacation!). So I think it's kind of a bummer that I'm forced to either order and eat it or pay for (even if I don't order) stuff I simply can't eat. It's not like you can take a doggie bag either.

So I will just have to keep considering what I want to do. I have some time to think about it

Thanks for the good info though.

Why can you not take a doggie bag? plenty of people who can not eat the fullmeal at disney do this! Also they will put your dessert in a takeaway carton for you to enjoy later

I just wanted to add to somethingabout what you said earlier about a poster not being helpful........Sometimes people just post their opinions in here whilst not refering to a PP question but just carrying on info for the thread( or posting a opinion about something that was said much earlier on) so if somebody posts something without QUOTING you it may be that they are doing just that not actually quoting you

 

[Bellamouse]

Why can you not take a doggie bag?

I am not taking a doggie bag and carting around food in the heat and humidity for many hours before I could get it into refrigeration. If I were a local and going home right after dinner, I would definitely take a doggie bag.

But to eat dinner at 5 pm and not go back to our condo until 9 or 10 pm, there's no WAY I would eat any of that food anymore. Talk about food poisoning!

Also, when am I supposed to eat it? We are in the parks from early morning until late at night every day. Unless I get up and eat it in the middle of the night, there is no opportunity for me to eat those leftovers. So there is no point.

So while I'm sure it's quite possible to take a doggie bag, it's out of the question for me. Not to mention I don't want to carry it around either. We don't carry anything around. We have a small fanny pack and that's it. So I'd be stuck carrying around this bag of leftovers while trying to ride rides and so forth. No way.

Which is why it's important for us to only order what we know that we can reasonably eat at that moment. Which is why we often split entrees and share apps and desserts.

 

[Houston86]

I am so glad I found this thread. We have table service meals everyday of our stay. Aloha is 2 credits and we are also doing a breakfast at Whispering Canyon. So we were trying to figure out which meals we wanted to use our DDP for and which one's we wanted to pay out of pocket for.
Originally thought we would pay OOP for MM and WC however, now that I know the fixed price I think we will just pay OOP for Aloha and upgrade to a category 1 seating and the rest of or resies will be on the dining plan. It is amazing no matter how much you research you will always find something new on the disboards. Gotta love you all !!

 

[39CINDERELLA]

MM takes the TIW, but can you use it if you have a Fantasmic package? TIA

 

[clanmcculloch]

MM takes the TIW, but can you use it if you have a Fantasmic package? TIA

The Fantasmic! Dinner Package is not eligible for a TiW discount.

 

[Aidensmommy22]

Maybe someone can help me. I just booked Mama Melrose for dinner. Does it automatically come as a prefix fantasmic package price or can we just order anything off the menu without having the fantasmic package? When I made the reservation, it didn't say anything about fantasmic & it didn't make me give a credit card # either.

 

[smitch425]

Maybe someone can help me. I just booked Mama Melrose for dinner. Does it automatically come as a prefix fantasmic package price or can we just order anything off the menu without having the fantasmic package? When I made the reservation, it didn't say anything about fantasmic & it didn't make me give a credit card # either.

The only way you would have a fantasmic package is if you specifically booked one. What you have booked is a regular dining reservation. You can order whatever you like and will only pay for what you actually order.