WOC & Fantasmic Dining Package Dilemma (vs FastPass)

[Frozen2014]

We're coming to LA for 10 days with our Disney park days Tues Aug 29 - Fri Sept 1st.

We've been to WDW once and saw Fantasmic, but would love to see it again.

Here's the dilemma. I have booked WOC Dining Package for the Tues night. We've never seen that show so I'd like to ensure we get a designated area to stand (I've already dismissed the dessert package due to cost).

I was hoping to use FastPass on the Wednesday for Fantasmic but it looks like slow season starts that week and thus our only night to see Fantasmic is Fri Sept 1st. That day is also supposed to be busy due to the Marathon weekend.

The easy solution is to also get a dining package for Fantasmic. The best option for our family in terms of the food being offered is River Belle Terrace, but this comes to a total of $255 CAD. If Disney was the only part of our trip then ok, but it's a 10 day trip that adds up quickly.

How hard do you think it will be to get a FastPass on Fri Sept 1st? We will be in the parks close to opening but not necessarily rope drop. Or should we bit the bullet and just get the dining package for Fantasmic as well? What would others do realistically? (i.e. it's easy to say just get the dining package but our trip is already costly as we're doing a day at Universal, Warner Brothers. and other LA things)

 

[SMD]

Has Disney even said that F! won't show on weekdays? I'd think they'd want to keep the revenue from the dining packages like they were doing before it went down. Are you not able to eat the food in the Hungry Bear to go option? That is a lot cheaper and comes with an FP. And how does getting an FP for WOC not give you a dedicated area to stand just like the dining packages?

 

[Frozen2014]

I looked at Hungry Bear but I don't think there that my son will like. Haven't heard about no shows but the dining packages stop at Aug 27 and start again on Friday Sept 1.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

If you're going to be there close to park opening, I'd just do FP for both WOC and Fantasmic. If you want to do a dining package, I'd do Fantasmic over WOC.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Has Disney even said that F! won't show on weekdays? I'd think they'd want to keep the revenue from the dining packages like they were doing before it went down. Are you not able to eat the food in the Hungry Bear to go option? That is a lot cheaper and comes with an FP. And how does getting an FP for WOC not give you a dedicated area to stand just like the dining packages?

The schedule shows it switching to Friday-Sunday at the end of August.

 

[Frozen2014]

If you're going to be there close to park opening, I'd just do FP for both WOC and Fantasmic. If you want to do a dining package, I'd do Fantasmic over WOC.

Thanks. So you don't think the marathon plus it only showing on weekends going forward won't limit chance of getting a Fastpass? That's my preference but don't understand how marathon affects crowds (or maybe they don't even enter the park until later?)

 

[SMD]

If it's just one person in your party, it's probably cheaper to buy him a Hungry Bear meal and then either supplement what he won't eat with snacks or buy him a second meal somewhere else than to do RBT. The reality is, your budget is your budget and with Disney just being part of a whole trip you either have to invest the time and effort to get a F! FP, pay a premium for an FP or skip the show. This isn't a dilemma, it's about your priorities.

 

[nono]

The schedule shows it switching to Friday-Sunday at the end of August.

Can you point me to that schedule? It would be helpful to have a longer view. On the DL Fantasmic page, for as far out as they are showing, there are midweek Fantasmic times (Aug 22/23/24). The last week of Aug. isn't posted yet there.

 

[Frozen2014]

Can you point me to that schedule? It would be helpful to have a longer view. On the DL Fantasmic page, for as far out as they are showing, there are midweek Fantasmic times (Aug 22/23/24). The last week of Aug. isn't posted yet there.

I did the same thing and someone pointed it out to me....if you look up one of the Fantasmic Dining packages and then move ahead to September, you'll see the dining packages are only showing for certain days. But yeah, Fantasmic itself (under Entertainment instead of Dining) only goes up to Aug 27. Guess we don't know 100% unitl Disney shows entertainment into September, but from the dining packages, it seems like they are lessening the days it is showing starting end of August.

 

[biochemgirl]

I was at DL the Friday night before labor day AND marathon weekend - it was a packed night! The type of crowds where you all hold hands and can only shuffle your feet to move around the park. We staked out a place for PTN 2.5 hours ahead of time and it was worth it. F! is going to be busier than even that. So many people are in the parks early that day because of the race I think it's possible to miss getting FP if you don't rope drop early.

If I were planning that week, I'd FP WOC and get a dining package for F! Good luck and have an amazing trip

 

[nono]

I did the same thing and someone pointed it out to me....if you look up one of the Fantasmic Dining packages and then move ahead to September, you'll see the dining packages are only showing for certain days. But yeah, Fantasmic itself (under Entertainment instead of Dining) only goes up to Aug 27. Guess we don't know 100% unitl Disney shows entertainment into September, but from the dining packages, it seems like they are lessening the days it is showing starting end of August.

Awesome thanks!

We always come out (from NJ) at odd times to DL, and know things are in flux, but they always flux interestingly! I appreciate your guidance.

 

[Frozen2014]

I was at DL the Friday night before labor day AND marathon weekend - it was a packed night! The type of crowds where you all hold hands and can only shuffle your feet to move around the park. We staked out a place for PTN 2.5 hours ahead of time and it was worth it. F! is going to be busier than even that. So many people are in the parks early that day because of the race I think it's possible to miss getting FP if you don't rope drop early.

If I were planning that week, I'd FP WOC and get a dining package for F! Good luck and have an amazing trip

Thank you. This is exactly what I wanted to know. Kind of sucks that this is the only night we can see Fantasmic).

So from your feedback...I have booked River Belle Fantasmic dining package for the Friday night (i.e. Labor day weekend).

I just hope that WOC Fast Pass will be easy enough to get. I had planned WOC for the Thursday since DCA is not early hours that day (since we are not staying at Disney hotel) so hopefully crowds ok. Or would we be better on the Tuesday? We do have park hoppers so we could first grab a FP for WOC and then head back to Disneyland.

 

[biochemgirl]

Thank you. This is exactly what I wanted to know. Kind of sucks that this is the only night we can see Fantasmic).

So from your feedback...I have booked River Belle Fantasmic dining package for the Friday night (i.e. Labor day weekend).

I just hope that WOC Fast Pass will be easy enough to get. I had planned WOC for the Thursday since DCA is not early hours that day (since we are not staying at Disney hotel) so hopefully crowds ok. Or would we be better on the Tuesday? We do have park hoppers so we could first grab a FP for WOC and then head back to Disneyland.

I've never found it difficult to get WOC FP, but I only visit one week per year. Definitely check out the WOC superthread for the best tips on FP. Also, the WOC area is quite large and having particular color FP seems less important than arriving early and getting a spot within that area.

Oh, and Disneyland Daily is AMAZING! Up to date info and very good about responding to questions.

 

[Frozen2014]

I've never found it difficult to get WOC FP, but I only visit one week per year. Definitely check out the WOC superthread for the best tips on FP. Also, the WOC area is quite large and having particular color FP seems less important than arriving early and getting a spot within that area.

Oh, and Disneyland Daily is AMAZING! Up to date info and very good about responding to questions.

Great. Thanks. I do still have both reservations so can change my mind (or end up keeping both but that's pricey as we have a character meal too). I'm thinking that on the Wed (Aug 30), we hop over to DCA and if we can get a FastpPass then we go that night. Otherwise, we grab a FastPass first thing when we enter DCA on Thursday. I imagine that Wed will be lower crowd than Thurs for the same marathon reason.