World of Color Dining package

[Maelstrom_]

Is it worth getting the dining package with preferred viewing for World of color?

 

[Tarijeno]

I'd be interested to hear about this, too.

On our trip later this year, my plan is to have a couple special/memorable dinners while we're there (Blue Bayou, Celebration Roundup, World of Color, etc.) but every picture I've seen of the food for this event makes it look like a small tray of (gourmet) airplane food. I won't comment on the tastiness of the food, since I haven't tried it, but is it a meal or just a snack?

 

[skiingfast]

The main thing is the WoC dining Packages don't save time, or guarantee a better view of the show.

Really what you are paying for is the dinner.

At Ariels Grotto, you share the appetizer/first courses and dessert. Everyone gets thier own plate with thier ordered entree.
AG WoC Menu

At Wine Country Trattoria you order your own courses.
WCT WoC Menu

 

[ArchOwl]

I'd be interested to hear about this, too.

On our trip later this year, my plan is to have a couple special/memorable dinners while we're there (Blue Bayou, Celebration Roundup, World of Color, etc.) but every picture I've seen of the food for this event makes it look like a small tray of (gourmet) airplane food. I won't comment on the tastiness of the food, since I haven't tried it, but is it a meal or just a snack?

I think perhaps you are confusing the World of Color picnics with the World of Color dining packages. There are picnics that you can purchase that are presented on a tray and come with a regular WOC FP.

There are also dining packages where you have a sit down meal and get special FPs to a preferred dining section of WOC.

The picnics can be helpful if you want to keep the cost down, but won't be in the parks during the day to grab a free WOC FP.

The dining package is much more expensive and you can get a very good view of WOC from this area, but you really won't save that much time. If you don't show up early, you could easily get a bad view from the preferred dining section and that would be very disappointing after spending the big bucks.

More information here at the WOC Superthread, including a map:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2542717&highlight=superthread

 

[hootey]

Last trip down, we had the WOC dinner package. The dinner was first rate. The wife and I both had the tri-tips, which were absolutely outstanding. Our two boys liked whatever it was they had, they are both very picky eaters. The chocolate trays with desert were great. No one in our group walked away hungry...

 

[calsig31]

The main thing is the WoC dining Packages don't save time, or guarantee a better view of the show.

Actually, they do guarantee a better view. I have done this twice and there is a preferred seating area that you can only get with a dining pass that is right in the center of the viewing area.

 

[drag n' fly]

Dd and I had the dinner package when it first opened in June 2010 at AG. The meal was just ok and very rushed. When we got to the viewing area for the dinner packages it is a special area however if you are not in the front of the line to get in the viewing area (no seating available) you are still looking over peoples heads. I am taking dh next month and we are doing WCT for dinner. What I learned from the last trip was...stay on the steps..for a much better view!

 

[ArchOwl]

Actually, they do guarantee a better view. I have done this twice and there is a preferred seating area that you can only get with a dining pass that is right in the center of the viewing area.

I think what was meant is that just because you have a preferred dining FP, doesn't mean you can just show up 5 minutes before the show and have a great view. It is possible to be in the preferred dining section and not have a clear view of the show. That is why it isn't guaranteed you will have a good view, you still have to show up early and stand in line and be politely aggressive about where you stand (front rail not in the wet zone is best).

The preferred dining FP gives you a shot at one of the best viewing sections, but doesn't guarantee it. You still have to know what you are doing and line up ahead of time. Otherwise you could be standing behind a group of people and have a blocked view.

 

[PinkBudgie]

We had the Ariels WOC dinner the first summer it opened and we loved it. We had a nice relaxing meal outside over the water. However, we did arrive way early to get in to the viewing area. We were one of first to get in the preferred area and got great spots right at the railing. If we didn't get there, we probably wouldn't have been able to see very well.

Last summer we got FP tickets at noon hoping for Blue FPs for the second show and got them. We arrived to the "holding pen" only a half hour early and got great spots behind the fire hydrant in the back. It was a clear view of the entire show.

So, we enjoyed our meal and Preferred WOC experience, however we also had a great experience with the free tickets.

 

[Rynosaur]

i would rather pay. since im going to eat dinner anyway i justify the higher cost in the meal with a sitdown dinner and not using my time sitting and waiting for a spot.

i was happy with the food offered and was not left wanting more from ariels menu. We showed up about 20 min before the show and got a spot on the railing, which was great.

if you go when the park is not too busy and you feel your time would not be better spent out and about in the park, then with a little planning you can cop a squat and reserve your own spot. that is the only way my friends have done it and they still enjoy the show.

 

[skiingfast]

Actually, they do guarantee a better view. I have done this twice and there is a preferred seating area that you can only get with a dining pass that is right in the center of the viewing area.

I'm fully aware of the WoC operations. Seeing that the poster is from the East I want them to be aware this is equivilent to the F! dinner packages at MGM/DHS where you sit high or low but everyone can see.

I think what was meant is that just because you have a preferred dining FP, doesn't mean you can just show up 5 minutes before the show and have a great view. It is possible to be in the preferred dining section and not have a clear view of the show. That is why it isn't guaranteed you will have a good view, you still have to show up early and stand in line and be politely aggressive about where you stand (front rail not in the wet zone is best).

The preferred dining FP gives you a shot at one of the best viewing sections, but doesn't guarantee it. You still have to know what you are doing and line up ahead of time. Otherwise you could be standing behind a group of people and have a blocked view.

And that is why you are doing for the dinner not the show. You can see the show just as well from other areas too.

 

[DizNee Luver]

The dining packages are .......a nice dinner. The FP for the WoC show is a perk. If the show is cancelled, you won't be getting money back since it's a free thing they offer after your dinner.

We do the Ariel's dinner because we enjoy that meal. We've been in line early & got right on the railing for an unobstructed view of the show & it was awesome.....we've also shown up closer to show time & stood further back & still had a great view of the show. You don't have to crowd up to the front if seeing over other's heads is an issue.

The preferred viewing area is in the center & really up close or in the back is still a very nice view.

We've done the picnic & won't do that again......the food really wasn't very good & our view was way off to the side (on the railing) & it seemed like we were missing stuff.

This is our personal preference for seeing this show. It's not for everyone....but you need to remember, that you're paying for the dinner, not the show.

 

[soaringirl]

I asked this at the WoC superthread but didn't get an answer: does the lunch package at WCT includes drinks and tips?
I've looked at all the WoC dining menus, and found that Ariel's have the drinks on the menu, but not at Wine Trattoria.

 

[mellers]

Is it worth getting the dining package with preferred viewing for World of color?

Maybe the picnic, but not the more expensive meals, in my opinion.

 

[sonnyjane]

I asked this at the WoC superthread but didn't get an answer: does the lunch package at WCT includes drinks and tips?
I've looked at all the WoC dining menus, and found that Ariel's have the drinks on the menu, but not at Wine Trattoria.

I'm sorry, I don't know the answer, hopefully this will bump it for someone that does.

I do want to give one caveat about the Wine Country LUNCH. The LUNCH only includes a fastpass to the blue viewing section (same one you can get for free from the machine). If you want a pass for the preferred viewing section, that is only available through dinner.

 

[skiingfast]

I asked this at the WoC superthread but didn't get an answer: does the lunch package at WCT includes drinks and tips?
I've looked at all the WoC dining menus, and found that Ariel's have the drinks on the menu, but not at Wine Trattoria.

I'm sorry, I don't know the answer, hopefully this will bump it for someone that does.

I do want to give one caveat about the Wine Country LUNCH. The LUNCH only includes a fastpass to the blue viewing section (same one you can get for free from the machine). If you want a pass for the preferred viewing section, that is only available through dinner.

The WCT WoC Lunch packages do include drinks, milk, soda, ice teas the non alcholic stuff. The package does not include gratuity.

 

[soaringirl]

I'm sorry, I don't know the answer, hopefully this will bump it for someone that does.

I do want to give one caveat about the Wine Country LUNCH. The LUNCH only includes a fastpass to the blue viewing section (same one you can get for free from the machine). If you want a pass for the preferred viewing section, that is only available through dinner.

Thanks for bumping!! I was beggining to fear that no one would answer.
And thanks for clarifying about the lunch, didn't know that!
So I'm still so confused to what to do, dinner prices are somewhat above of what I wanted to pay, but if lunch gives you blue, I might as well pick up fastpasses and arrive 90 minutes early (anyway I know I have to do that). I'll keep reading posts and see what's best for our family.
And sorry for hickjacking the thread!

 

[soaringirl]

The WCT WoC Lunch packages do include drinks, milk, soda, ice teas the non alcholic stuff. The package does not include gratuity.

Thanks skiingfast

 

[TinkFlies]

We just did Aerial's Grotto with WOC dinner last weekend. I'm going to vote not worth it IF you are up for either the picnic or FP method and can be one of the first ones in those areas.

It's really pricey for what you get in comparisons to other restaurants at that price point. And it's a prefix meal so there aren't a ton of options. Our tri tip and the kids shell pasta was not awesome although the mashed potatoes and dessert were spectacular.

 

[23bw]

We've now done WOC 3 times and each time we obtained our FPs differently.

First time was summer of the opener through AG's WOC dinner package. Though the dinner was expensive our family of 4, we had a very pleasant meal and got fantastic spots right smack center court inside the "premium dining" section. I remember the FPs have something printed on them along the lines of "Premium Dining". We got to the WOC viewing area 45 min before the show started. Nice & leisurely experience.

Our 2nd WOC trip, we collected FPs at Grizzly machines. Wasted the first hour at DCA trying to get WOC FPs. Ended up with the coveted blue section FPs or so we thought. Got to the WOC viewing area 20 min before the show to find blue section was pretty much filled in already. Was able to squeeze into a spot in the back. So after wasting a morning of getting FPs, I wasn't all that pleased with this experience. I'll acknowledge we could gotten better spots if we got there earlier.

And just this past Christmas we tried the WOC picnic deal. I was expecting to get FPs in the "premium dining" section. Instead the FPs we got were just "Yellow" section. No different than getting free FPs at the machines are Grizzly. We ate the picnic meals for lunch and thought it was just OK. Got to the WOC viewing area with our yellow FPs and we herded into a staging area. Then shortly after they herded us into the "Yellow" section. We had a good view and enjoyed the show.


Knowing what I know now, I would definitely opt for the WOC premium dining package if this is your first time and you want to ensure a nice experience. And don't forget that you have to eat dinner anyway so why not try dinner at AGs or WCT. The food is actually pretty good for "theme" park food.