WOC for the cranky

[FlameGirl]

This thread got me thinking, particularly this:

...the food at Ariel's grotto was vastly overpriced (a family of four two being children 6 or under was over $160 with tip) and the food was just ok...by comparison we ate at La Brea in Downtown Disney the second night and the food was much much better and only about $65. But we got our "reserved dining" FPs so that was good right?

Wrong. You still have to line up with the herd of people an hour before they let you into the show, which is another 45mins before the show actually started. Then when they let people in even if you follow the advice here (which we did) and got to the front of the crowd so you could get a decent spot people will run you over and literally knock kids in strollers over to get by you. This was easily the closest I have ever come to punching someone in the face at a theme park. I was just about to snap as someone jumped over my daughter's head when I heard someone else yell at the kid before it even registered to me what had just happened. But we were still one of the first third of people in so our view was still good right?

Wrong again, I am 6'1" and I had to hold my 6yo over my head so she could see and I only saw about half of the show. My wife had to hold our 4yo for her to see. Again I blame Disney for this as they are usually really good about crowd control but this was a disgrace. Then on top of that there is no seating anywhere...which is also why the sight lines are so terrible. Put in seats even if it means less people will get to see the show, at least the ones who do will actually enjoy it. I thought i was just having a bad night but I heard the same complaints of several others that were sick of standing over 90 mins for a show and end up having a bad sight-line. I can't even imagine what the people who had "bad" views saw.

Again I thought the show itself was really beautiful but if you have small kids I can honestly say don't bother wasting your time at this show. That's right my advice is to skip it as even though it is nice it is just not worth the aggravation.

So my question is: WOC w/ a dining package- yay or nay? We do a pretty good job of conditioning ourselves when we go to DLR to deal with rude people and try not to let it get to us. Unfortunately, I've read enough accounts such as this one that I'm starting to sweat our decision to do the AG WOC dining option and wondering if we might be happier if we just skipped it. As I stated in the related thread, we don't care about the mediocre food, because we have come to expect that almost everywhere in DLR. But, to pay $150 or better for dinner for three of us and then have to experience what this family did...I'm starting to waver.

So please...be honest and let me know what your experiences have been.

 

[pixiewings71]

Well I don't know, I've not done the WoC yet but we've eaten at AG many times. We really enjoy the food and feel it's worth the price. Last time we ate there we were (according to Disney's dining rules) 3 adults and 1 child, it was $132 plus tax and tip, yes pricey but for the amount of food you get we feel it was always worth it. Of course everyone has a different opinion and you should decide for your family, the question you should ask is, would you eat there if you weren't getting the WoC FP's? If the answer is yes then do it, if it's no then maybe consider the menu at WCT (which will be about the same amount of $$) or maybe consider the picnics instead. They are a lot less and the options seem to be pretty good.

 

[FlameGirl]

I appreciate that PW. And I do realize that I am going to get a wide variety of answers or experiences, which I am completely OK with.

I guess the bottom line for us is, if we go and dinner is "eh....fine"...and navigating the WOC crowd is a breeze we will be happy to plunk down that amount of cash for dinner, no problem. But if dinner is "eh....fine" and we end up wanting to inflict pain on the majority of people around us, we will flat skip it altogether and watch it on YouTube. We know ourselves, and I know that if someone barrels over my child, or she isn't able to see, it will really put a damper on our moods and we'd frankly just rather avoid that kind of headache.

So I told my husband I'd collect data and see.

 

[KBelle5]

I've seen WOC many times, only once with dining. We did the cheap Trattoria (I think it was that) dining - the "boxed" dinners. The only complaint I had about those are that we couldn't take them to the actual area...but some people did anyway, so who knows on that point. The food was pretty good, ocnsidering we only paid $15 or so. I wasn't starving after it.

I've always had a good spot, and I definitely haven't been close the first one in line. Granted, I've never had kids with me, and one time someone held the space while the rest of us went on rides. When I've had to jockey for a spot, getting one right by the railing has always worked, even in a crowd.

I honestly can't tell you how or when to come in to get a good spot, because it's always been different times that we came in, and we've never been at the front of the line. Maybe we're just lucky?

Also, I refuse to do AG when the princesses weren't there...if I'm paying a lot, there had better be some characters there!!

 

[sacteach]

We did the WOC dinner package on Friday night. We got a same-day reservation at AG for 7:10pm. There were three adults. We all ordered the tri tip and thought it was delicious as were the potatoes and veggies. The appetizer was okay as was the dessert, but we all really enjoyed the dinner and found it was worth the price (about $130 after AP discount, tax, tip).

When we made the reservation, we were told we would have passes for the 10:15 show (there were 3 that night). After dinner, we were offered either first or second show, we stayed with the 10:15. We were instructed to be at the meeting area no later than 10pm as that's when we'd be escorted to the section. We arrived around 9:50 and sat at a table to wait (it was in the winery area where you pick up the picnics). The lines for the "color" sections were packed while our area was relaxed no formal line. Around 9:55, we walked over to the "preferred dining section" and experienced no pushing, shoving, etc.

We stood right against the rope in the big open circle area near the front, next to the yellow section I think. There was a walkway next to us and the lower level in front of us. We had a PERFECT view of the show. No one was pushing or shoving and people were extremely well mannered. Overall, we spent 20 minutes between standing in the waiting area, walking over and waiting for the show to start.

Compared to doing the picnic and having to wait hours and dealing with pushing and shoving, we found the experience to be well worth it! The food was good, the wait was minimal, the view was great and I would definitely do it again!

 

[Tink91]

We did the WOC dinner package on Friday night. We got a same-day reservation at AG for 7:10pm. There were three adults. We all ordered the tri tip and thought it was delicious as were the potatoes and veggies. The appetizer was okay as was the dessert, but we all really enjoyed the dinner and found it was worth the price (about $130 after AP discount, tax, tip).

When we made the reservation, we were told we would have passes for the 10:15 show (there were 3 that night). After dinner, we were offered either first or second show, we stayed with the 10:15. We were instructed to be at the meeting area no later than 10pm as that's when we'd be escorted to the section. We arrived around 9:50 and sat at a table to wait (it was in the winery area where you pick up the picnics). The lines for the "color" sections were packed while our area was relaxed no formal line. Around 9:55, we walked over to the "preferred dining section" and experienced no pushing, shoving, etc.

We stood right against the rope in the big open circle area near the front, next to the yellow section I think. There was a walkway next to us and the lower level in front of us. We had a PERFECT view of the show. No one was pushing or shoving and people were extremely well mannered. Overall, we spent 20 minutes between standing in the waiting area, walking over and waiting for the show to start.

Compared to doing the picnic and having to wait hours and dealing with pushing and shoving, we found the experience to be well worth it! The food was good, the wait was minimal, the view was great and I would definitely do it again!

When I went there was no Preferred Dining Entrance, everyone went through the same way. It was just my mum and I who went but we did have to avoid being trampled on by a fair amount of people, we did get right at the front and it was great! Make sure you take a hoodie or something though, you do get a little bit wet.

We had the WCT dinner package, it was great! I honestly have no faults. We did originally have AG booked but I refused to pay the price when no princesses were there so we switched that to the morning. I have never had AG for dinner but the breakfast food has always been great and you get ALOT of food!

 

[disneychrista]

I thought there WAS seating? They are making people stand for the show?

 

[PinkBudgie]

I thought there WAS seating? They are making people stand for the show?

Yes, everyone stands.

I encountered no pushy people for WOC last summer. I think that is just random. Who can know who you will be next to.

 

[skiingfast]

I thought there WAS seating? They are making people stand for the show?

The only seating for WoC is on an ECV.

 

[disneychrista]

WOW! They started out building seating for 9000 and ended up with standing for 4000? How'd they do that? LOL

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I voted "run for your lives" and I only purchased the picnic meals. The food was okay, the view not so great. We were in the front section and still didn't have a good view (though I've heard the sections further back are better than where we were in the "splash zone"). What I was able to see of the show was underwhelming. I am not planning on seeing it again, unless they change the whole viewing system.

 

[skiingfast]

WoC seating is a lot like F! desserts in DL or F! dinners in WDW's DHS. You stand around for a while and then you go into the area and wait for the show to start. F! desserts are the best of the 3 but you pay $60 for a dessert.


In WDW you buy a dinner for about $40 or more, which actually cost $25 or more if you were just going to these places for dinner. You are seated between 3:30pm and 5:30 pm because they let regular guest patronize these places during normal dining hours. Being from the west this basically means I had dinner for lunch. Then we went to a special entrance that provides a lot of back stage views and wait 30 minutes, the minimum amount advised. They open the gate and a hug pack of people walk about 500 feet and sit about 30 minutes in the reserved dining package section. While thier F! has no bad view it's not the best spot in the arena.

When you leave this area if you aren't at the top and one of the first out it's aweful because you merge into a flood of people and have to get around the stroller parking area. So you walk back 500 feet, seeing the back stage as you creep along in an even bigger pack of people. There is some relief once you are back onto the main pathway in DHS, but it's not free walking by and means.

WoC is really an evolution of the other shows. I'm sure once they get a few more things figured out it will run more smoothly.

 

[SleeplessInSeattle]

We bought the WOC tickets through dining at WCT. I was personally quite disappointed in how DCA handled the crowds and my line of vision was rather poor.
We went to the 9 pm show. We arrived there at 8:15 and everyone was already rushing in. So even we didn't have front row "seats."

My husband, who is taller than me, on the other hand, enjoyed the show very much. This despite the fact that he had to hold our 8-yr old daughter up in his arms for pretty much the entire show.

BTW, we were rather disappointed in the food at WCT. Likewise with respect to Blue Bayou. It was OK, but nothing special. The best restaurants seem to be in Downtown Disney (Catal, and Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen, e.g.).

 

[FlameGirl]

WoC seating is a lot like F! desserts in DL or F! dinners in WDW's DHS. You stand around for a while and then you go into the area and wait for the show to start. F! desserts are the best of the 3 but you pay $60 for a dessert.


In WDW you buy a dinner for about $40 or more, which actually cost $25 or more if you were just going to these places for dinner. You are seated between 3:30pm and 5:30 pm because they let regular guest patronize these places during normal dining hours. Being from the west this basically means I had dinner for lunch. Then we went to a special entrance that provides a lot of back stage views and wait 30 minutes, the minimum amount advised. They open the gate and a hug pack of people walk about 500 feet and sit about 30 minutes in the reserved dining package section. While thier F! has no bad view it's not the best spot in the arena.

When you leave this area if you aren't at the top and one of the first out it's aweful because you merge into a flood of people and have to get around the stroller parking area. So you walk back 500 feet, seeing the back stage as you creep along in an even bigger pack of people. There is some relief once you are back onto the main pathway in DHS, but it's not free walking by and means.

WoC is really an evolution of the other shows. I'm sure once they get a few more things figured out it will run more smoothly.

See, I am 100% ok with paying $60 for dessert, with an assigned seat and no one pummeling my kid. I would be also 100% ok paying $40+ for each of us (three) for a ho-hum dinner, as long as it comes with the same hassle-free, non-kid pummeling experience. What I'm not ok with is $40+ each for a ho-hum dinner and a miserable, stressful viewing experience that raises my blood pressure. That's really what we are trying to decide....even if we go with the picnic option, I'm starting to think maybe we should just hold off on WoC until the crowd control issues are ironed out.

 

[mvf-m11c]

I have done AG on the 2nd night of its debut to the public in June. The food at AG was average, nothing spectacular but it was a nice dining. AG have a fair amount of choices to eat. The only problem is that if you want a railing view, you have to show up early just like the Color FP holders. I had talked to a group that had the dining FP didn't like to wait an hour in line but they had to do it to get a front railing spot.

 

[Albort]

WOW! They started out building seating for 9000 and ended up with standing for 4000? How'd they do that? LOL

ITs loosely filled... So you can bring strollers into the section just fine...

 

[momrek06]

DH and I went to DL on Sunday staying overnight just so we could see WOC!

We thought about WCT dinner package but when we called it was booked. DL suggested AG's and we made our ressie. No credit card needed to hold the ressie. We got to DL and decided to just forgo AG and eat at Storyteller's which we love!!! We got FP's for the 10pm show (earlier show was s/o).

We had a great day and while walking around DTD, someone left WOC FP's on the top of a trash basket near La Brea Bakery! I grabbed them and they were for 9pm! Yeah!!!!!

At 8:15pm we went and lined up at the RED section! And soon the CM's allowed us to enter the area for the show. We just stayed near the back next to one of the light poles. The show started right at 9pm and it was awesome!

So all in all, we were able to see WOC w/o a dinner package!!!!!

 

[JustAKid]

We did the WOC dinner package on Friday night. We got a same-day reservation at AG for 7:10pm. There were three adults. We all ordered the tri tip and thought it was delicious as were the potatoes and veggies. The appetizer was okay as was the dessert, but we all really enjoyed the dinner and found it was worth the price (about $130 after AP discount, tax, tip).

When we made the reservation, we were told we would have passes for the 10:15 show (there were 3 that night). After dinner, we were offered either first or second show, we stayed with the 10:15. We were instructed to be at the meeting area no later than 10pm as that's when we'd be escorted to the section. We arrived around 9:50 and sat at a table to wait (it was in the winery area where you pick up the picnics). The lines for the "color" sections were packed while our area was relaxed no formal line. Around 9:55, we walked over to the "preferred dining section" and experienced no pushing, shoving, etc.

We stood right against the rope in the big open circle area near the front, next to the yellow section I think. There was a walkway next to us and the lower level in front of us. We had a PERFECT view of the show. No one was pushing or shoving and people were extremely well mannered. Overall, we spent 20 minutes between standing in the waiting area, walking over and waiting for the show to start.

Compared to doing the picnic and having to wait hours and dealing with pushing and shoving, we found the experience to be well worth it! The food was good, the wait was minimal, the view was great and I would definitely do it again!

This whole experience sound like a dream!! You mind if I summerize what you've said for claification purposes?

You ate at AG with same day reservations, everyone got the tri-tip which they loved, then you were instructed to come back to a meeting area (where exactly was the meeting area? Back at the restaurant? Was it just AG people, or ALL preferred dining people? Do you know if they did this for all shows or just the later showing?), from there you all walked as a group to the PD section of WoC. During all of this there was no shoving, no frantic running, and everyone was well behaved AND you had an excellent view.

If I've got all this correct, perhaps they've got the dining situation figured out so that we don't have to wait in extensive lines and all. Has anyone else who recently did the WoC dining have this same experience (meaning the meeting area and all)?

 

[nunzia]

I had a great experience with the dinner at WCT..we did get right up to the rail for WOC, but theer was no pushing and shoving and everyone was in a good mood and seemed happy to be there. Very nice experience.

 

[Diznygrl]

While I'm glad I did the dining package, just for a better CHANCE at a better view of the show, I was still irritated at how it was handled. I don't know how they handle it any other times, but when we went on Oct. 4th, there was no "special" waiting area for the preferred viewing section, they made us wait in the same crowded claustrophobic mess as everyone else. That I was not expecting. I thought part of the premium you pay eliminated that sort of headache, but I guess not. Anyway, we still managed to be close to the front of the pack, so when they let down the rope we at least got the last bit of railing on the far left side of the preferred viewing section.


Generally speaking, I think the whole 'viewing area' that they have set up for WoC is just ludicrous. Really, there are only a few places to stand where you can actually see the show, and they're all right at the railings. Especially if you're short, forget seeing a thing anywhere else. I probably won't even bother with regular fastpasses for WoC again, and just try to watch it from somewhere else, even if the projections are distorted. I'd still probably get a better view than trying to stand behind anyone in the viewing area.