WOC package... worth it?

[Albytaps]

Just a show of hands who thinks the WOC package is worth getting. Would you suggest a family member who has never seen it to go for it? What happens if WOC gets cancelled that night, is there some type of reimbursement?

 

[Aladora]

We've done it three times and we obviously feel it is worth t for our family.

 

[Butterfly123]

We've seen WOC about 5 times, and have never done the dining package. We have had some great spots, but you do have to invest some time to get there early.

 

[silence]

We did the dining package the year the show first opened. At the time, totally worth it for us, though, you still have to arrive early and wait. We bought some pillow pets and sat on them while we had to wait for the show.

We have seen it two other times, but just by showing up, not lining up early or anything. My kids were able to find spaces to see, and we stood in the back, nt much of a view. Last trip they sat on the ground with me in the handicap section as due to a herniated disc, I was unable to walk/stand and had an ecv.

I would recommend it for a first time viewer.

 

[Eosphotog]

We did it to lower our time investment. Given problems with RSR earlier it turned out this was the only way to ride RSR at night and get great viewing for WOC. If we didn't have the package we would have had to miss RSR or settle for much worse viewing.

 

[lalasmama]

I've seen WOC three times, twice with WOC dining packages.

Only you can answer if it is worth it for you. For our family, we'd be eating at Carthay Circle anyway, and have always found something on the WOC dining menu that sounded good. Our meal has always been a delicious experience. This last weekend, there was only 1 showing of WOC; I worried that this would mean the area would be overran with people who had done the dining menu, especially because it seemed like a busy day. We ended up getting to the viewing area 15 minutes early (maybe 20?), and sat on the steps at the rail of the Carthay Circle area. We were able to sit in the spot we wanted, and stood up when the show was about to begin. By far, so much more comfortable than having to stand at the rail and wait-wait-wait for 60-90 minutes in the general waiting areas!

 

[Minnie Loves Mickey]

We have done the dining package several times and we do love it, but honestly we have seen the show with just a FP and did not line up early and still had a great view!

 

[HydroGuy]

Just a show of hands who thinks the WOC package is worth getting. Would you suggest a family member who has never seen it to go for it? What happens if WOC gets cancelled that night, is there some type of reimbursement?

If you already want to dine at one of the three WOC restaurants it is worth it. If not then it is absolutely not worth it.

Since you got your food already, if WOC is cancelled (which has almost never happened), then you do not get anything reimbursed.

For the record, I have done WOC dining five times (AG three times, CCR twice), the now discontinued picnic once, and regular FP I believe six times.

 

[BayGirl22]

For us yes. This week we went on Monday with blue section Fastpasses. We lined up an hour early and I knew the good spots. We ended up not getting a front rail spo, we were several people back so I moved us to the wet zone but we were too far to the left to have a decent view. Then 3 people put there kids on shoulders in front of us. I'm 5'9" and couldn't see the bottom half of the show. My short husband and kids couldn't see anything. We had seen it 2 years a go so we knew what we were missing. It was painful.

We had considered canceling our WCT reservation but decided to keep it so we could have a better shot at a good view. We were there when they opened the reserve section an hour before and were right at the raised front rail. The show was breathtaking, better than the wet zone rail view I had 2 years ago. The two spots were like a totally different experience for me, both in the same low crowd week, arriving at the same time. Aside from date night with the chefs menu at Napa Rose our WCT lunch was our most expensive meal. But totally worth it to me because I don't think you can really fully appreciate WOC with a subpar view.

 

[HydroGuy]

For us yes. This week we went on Monday with blue section Fastpasses. We lined up an hour early and I knew the good spots. We ended up not getting a front rail spo, we were several people back so I moved us to the wet zone but we were too far to the left to have a decent view. Then 3 people put there kids on shoulders in front of us. I'm 5'9" and couldn't see the bottom half of the show. My short husband and kids couldn't see anything. We had seen it 2 years a go so we knew what we were missing. It was painful.

We had considered canceling our WCT reservation but decided to keep it so we could have a better shot at a good view. We were there when they opened the reserve section an hour before and were right at the raised front rail. The show was breathtaking, better than the wet zone rail view I had 2 years ago. The two spots were like a totally different experience for me, both in the same low crowd week, arriving at the same time. Aside from date night with the chefs menu at Napa Rose our WCT lunch was our most expensive meal. But totally worth it to me because I don't think you can really fully appreciate WOC with a subpar view.

I understand every night is not the same but you still have to arrive early whether in blue or dining area. And frankly the blue area has more good viewing spots than the dining area has. I don't get why the dining area was so much better. Were there just not that many diners that night?

 

[sandysue]

For the 9 show with dinner at CC, what's the latest reservation time? 5:30? 2.5 hours to eat and get a spot by 8:00?

 

[HydroGuy]

For the 9 show with dinner at CC, what's the latest reservation time? 5:30? 2.5 hours to eat and get a spot by 8:00?

The WOC Superthread suggest a minimum of three hours. 90 minutes to be seated and to dine and 90 minutes to make your way to to viewing area and to queue.

"World of Color Superthread" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=37986447

 

[BayGirl22]

I understand every night is not the same but you still have to arrive early whether in blue or dining area. And frankly the blue area has more good viewing spots than the dining area has. I don't get why the dining area was so much better. Were there just not that many diners that night?

I agree in theory. But like I said I arrived early in both cases. I suspect people in reserved dining tend to arrive later, so I was one of the first people in arriving early whereas for the blue section there were more in front of us. We got in the blue line before 7 for an 8:15 show on a low crowd day.

I think the best spots in the blue area would be the front of the round area, and a few at the front wet zone rail, correct? The people in front of me filled the front row in all of those spots. In Reserved I easily grabbed the center spot on the raised rail when they let us in at 7:15. Others went to stand on the steps and the rail did not fill for a good 15 minutes. The person who ended up next to me arrive maybe a half hour early, she got lucky. So maybe fewer reserved diners, with different strategy? Regardless now I am hooked not hat spot and will probably do what I need to everything rip to get it..

 

[Delilah1310]

i think it depends on how you define value for this experience.

We were there for one of the first nights of the Winter Dreams version.
I was concerned that there would be several locals who had the time to camp out hours ahead for get the best spots.
our 6yo is pretty patient, but sitting in one place for over an hour is really asking alot of any kindergartner, I think.

We ate at Ariel's Grotto because the menu worked best for our family.but
The meal was bleh - forgettable and expensive.
But we got passes for an early show, walked out of the restaurant to a place right on the rail, and only waited maybe 30 minutes.

worth it for the food? No, not for us.
worth it for the seating? Yes, for us that was the most important part and it worked for us.

that being said, I don't know that we would do it again ... we'll probably take our chances.

but for one great viewing experience, it was worth it for our family.

 

[Kristina4109]

We've only done the dining package once - the April after WoC opened. I understand it's changed a bit since then. We are a family who likes to splurge on meals anyway. We went for Ariel's Grotto (NO characters during the WoC meals) and loved the food.

The problem was, we waited too long to get to the viewing area. Our waitress suggested we get there 15 minutes before the show started. We followed that advice and found there were many people already standing in front of us.

Still enjoyed the show very much, but obviously haven't felt the need to do the package again.

 

[Nosepass]

Worth it, definitely.

 

[nabi]

Yes, if the kids are adjusted to the time zone.ours weren't so it was nice for the adults only.

 

[Midnightred]

Yes, it is completely worth it in my opinion. I looked at the mass of people in the other sections and was so glad I was not a part of that. DH had a heart attack the previous month, and we have 2 boys with autism. The WOC meal at Ariel's was the best on our trip. That being said, if it were just me alone, I wouldn't mind grabbing a fast pass for the later show and waiting for it.

Midnightred

 

[Albytaps]

Reserved Carthay Circle for 4pm on Wednesday, April 9! I have reviewed and will still be studying Hydro's guide.

The only thing I'm worried about is having to fight for a rail spot once the flood gates open as I'm sure there will be some people that run to those spots. I don't want to have to box people out (basketball style.)

 

[HydroGuy]

Reserved Carthay Circle for 4pm on Wednesday, April 9! I have reviewed and will still be studying Hydro's guide.

The only thing I'm worried about is having to fight for a rail spot once the flood gates open as I'm sure there will be some people that run to those spots. I don't want to have to box people out (basketball style.)

When it comes to WOC, as you have learned the viewing area is flawed. So I recommend basketball style. Think TSMM at DHS running of the bulls first thing in the morning!