World of Color dinner package not so great

[clarka]

So it was our first time seeing World of Color at California Adventure, so we wanted to make sure we got great seats, so we purchased the dinner reserved seating package from Disney.

Okay so here is the skinny on the whole thing. You have to reserve at least 24 hours before. The day of you take your voucher to the place they tell you to, so you can pick up your meal anytime after 11AM, yep that is right, it is not at the place you will be viewing the show. So you can eat your meal for lunch or dinner. The meals were actually pretty good.

Then you can start lining up 1 1/2 hours before the show to get into the reserved seating area. I highly recommend this so you can actually see the show. We did not do this, since we thought we have reserved tickets. All this did was get us into a roped in area where 1000's of other people were standing/sitting on the ground. About 15 minutes before the show starts they tell everyone to stand up and then they squish you in, which means your child cannot see over the person in front of them...so now parents are putting kids on their shoulders to they can see...which means now your teenager cannot see...get the drift?

So to say the least, we paid to see a show that we got to see the back of our neighbors head, which was very disappointing. Disney really needs to figure this out...I really would have loved to have seen the show, it looked (what I could see) pretty neat. But definitely not worth the money.

 

[Girimama33]

If you choose the picnic meal option, it only gets you a FP for the same area the FP machines distribute for. All it does is guarantee you a FP for the showtime you want.
We are going in a few weeks and opted to do a WOC dining package at Ariel's Grotto. With this, you actually get to go into a separate section to watch it. Plus from what I understand, you only have to line up 30 minutes prior to get a good seat in the preferred dining area.

 

[sweethannah]

I had done a ton of research for the WoC when I went last May to the point that I printed out a 'map' of the area which had the highlighted seating areas by color as well as some of the 'better' places to stand. What was recommended over and over again was to find a place by a railing to prevent people from standing in front of you.

We got our fastpasses the morning of and we got to the seating area for the first and only show very early. We got our spots at the railing near the fire hydrant but it meant we waited over 1.5 hrs for the show to start. We had my 70+ yr old mom with us and it just wasn't possible for her to sit on the ground or stand for that long. A fantastic CM took her to a park bench outside of the roped off area and brought her back to us before the show started. He was absolutely AMAZING.

With that said, the show was awesome but all that waiting and prep work for WoC questions whether or not it's really 'worth it' or whether or not next time we'll just go and wing it and try to watch from the bridge.

 

[nunzia]

I'm really sorry you didn't understand that this package did not provide seating. It only gets you in the premium viewing AREA..and is certainly not going to get you a guaranteed view and not a seat at all. I hope when you purchsed this you weren't mislead..I'm sure on the Disney site this experience doesn't mention a seat or that the dinner is served where the show happens. Here on the DIS there are threads and threads about this show and the fact that there are no seats at all and much discussion on if the Dining package (or picnic) is worth it for just those reasons.

 

[sonnyjane]

Sounds like you accidentally ordered a picnic, not a dinner package. Also sounds like you found the DISboards much too late! If you came here before purchasing, we could have explained the process so you wouldn't have been surprised. For anyone else reading this, be sure to read the WOC superthread before you pay for any special WOC offerings: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=37986447

 

[Girimama33]

I'm really sorry you didn't understand that this package did not provide seating. It only gets you in the premium viewing AREA..and is certainly not going to get you a guaranteed view and not a seat at all. I hope when you purchsed this you weren't mislead..I'm sure on the Disney site this experience doesn't mention a seat or that the dinner is served where the show happens. Here on the DIS there are threads and threads about this show and the fact that there are no seats at all and much discussion on if the Dining package (or picnic) is worth it for just those reasons.

Not sure if this comment was for me, but Yes....I understand that eating at AG doesn't guarantee me anything but entrance to the Preferred Dining Area. It has been explained on this board that you do not have to line up as early to get a good viewing spot on the rail or steps. Sorry I misspoke with seat for spot.
Picnic meals do not get you into the preferred dining area.

 

[nunzia]

Not sure if this comment was for me, but Yes....I understand that eating at AG doesn't guarantee me anything but entrance to the Preferred Dining Area. It has been explained on this board that you do not have to line up as early to get a good viewing spot on the rail or steps. Sorry I misspoke with seat for spot.
Picnic meals do not get you into the preferred dining area.

No, actually I was responding to the OP at first since when I first read it I thought she had purchased the dinner, not the picnic, but then later realized it was the picnic, which must mean she was even more disappointed since that gets you, well, pretty much nothing but a...picnic meal. Still, I have also had the dinner and lined up pretty early and still not gotten a very good view.. There have been rumors something is going to be done with the whole WOC viewing issues, so hope that's true...

 

[3card]

I actually had the same experience as the OP. This was our first (and only) time seeing WoC, even though we make trips to DL/CA twice a year. We went a few months after it started in '10 with 3 small kids. We had no idea that Preferred Viewing would mean you had to arrive 90 minutes ahead of time to see the show at all after paying for a sit-down dinner.

I don't think the problem is that Disney is intentionally misleading in it's marketing, it's just a reasonable expectations issue. If you pay (a lot) extra for a "preferred viewing" area you wouldn't expect to have a small chance for your little kids to see a Disney show. Of course, I've read the WoC Master Thread now with HydroGuy's amazingly detailed maps and tactics, so we may try again when the kids are a bit bigger. Really hoping that Disney finds a way to make the show a good experience though that doesn't require crazy waits for little kids.

 

[blackjackdelta]

The WOC superthread explains all of what the op was taling about. I am sorry that they had other expectations than what does happen. I do agree Disney needs to do something different.

Here for future reading..http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2542717&highlight=woc+superthread

Jack

 

[HydroGuy]

So it was our first time seeing World of Color at California Adventure, so we wanted to make sure we got great seats, so we purchased the dinner reserved seating package from Disney.

Okay so here is the skinny on the whole thing. You have to reserve at least 24 hours before. The day of you take your voucher to the place they tell you to, so you can pick up your meal anytime after 11AM, yep that is right, it is not at the place you will be viewing the show. So you can eat your meal for lunch or dinner. The meals were actually pretty good.

Then you can start lining up 1 1/2 hours before the show to get into the reserved seating area. I highly recommend this so you can actually see the show. We did not do this, since we thought we have reserved tickets. All this did was get us into a roped in area where 1000's of other people were standing/sitting on the ground. About 15 minutes before the show starts they tell everyone to stand up and then they squish you in, which means your child cannot see over the person in front of them...so now parents are putting kids on their shoulders to they can see...which means now your teenager cannot see...get the drift?

So to say the least, we paid to see a show that we got to see the back of our neighbors head, which was very disappointing. Disney really needs to figure this out...I really would have loved to have seen the show, it looked (what I could see) pretty neat. But definitely not worth the money.

First, WOC viewing is imperfect and that is Disney's fault.

Second, there is good information on how to work the WOC show. It is always disappointing to see people who cannot find time to come here before their trip to research something but can find time to come here afterwards to complain. This was the OP's first post and it was the best they could do?

Most everything the OP experienced was avoidable and described almost two years ago here:

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

 

[fctiger]

Well while its obvious I'm VERY new here, I'm certainly not new to Disney or boards like this and while I agree with others, the more research you do for ANY trip will always be more positive than the less you do, it still doesnt guarantee your trip will be better with the info!

The problem is the WOC viewing area is just highly, highly flawed! I've seen the show about a dozen times now, in every section, blue to red, from the back to the front of the boardwalk, dining section to standby line. And honestly, its always been 50-50 on terms of the view no matter what I done.

Case in point, the reserved dining which is what most are talking about here. First time I did it, EXCELLENT view! Got to a rail, no one was blocking us, plenty of room to stretch out! I even sat for 30 mins because there was so much room! It was great and worth the money!

SECOND time I did it was with friends abroad! We did the dinner, but this time it was a weekday in the winter and there was only one show! Unlike the summer show where there were 2-3 shows and you can tell they sparsed the dining spots, on the weekday it was only one, so they PACKED us in like sardines! Tried for the rail like before and it was about three times the amount of people than the first time! We ended up in the fountain circular area of the park where there were so many people (and much taller than me) I had to stretch my neck just to see the lower effects. I felt bad for my friends because it was their first time, they came from AUSTRALIA and they paid $40 to see a show they probably wouldve saw just as good, if not better in a standby area! And yeah, we are Disney geeks! Researched it! I had DID it before obviously. We were all trained in this and still it was a bad area regardless!

Now I realize the OP was off on basic assumptions, but the point is I think Disney basically sells you on the idea if you pay for a dinner or even lunch, you are guaranteed a good view. Or at least a DECENT view and even when people who knows the routine, its just not guaranteed if there are too many people and you are thrown in an area thats not viable to see the show from a great angle! We all know blue is better than red, but it still doesnt guarantee just being in blue you are going to get a great view! Thats the problem!

And yeah, you shouldnt have to stand 60-90 mins JUST to get a good view, especially after you show up just to get the FP! Its too much. In fact, I dont even bother anymore! I just do the standby line in front of TLM building and its GREAT! You get a panorama view of the whole show, dont have to worry about 10 people ahead of you and you just show up 5 mins before showtime without the hassle! I agree, probably better to have your first time in the park, but as said, you may not get a great view anyway and after awhile, you get the idea lol and I dont want to go through the hassle if its just me!

As for my friends, they both saw it again that trip and got better views and loved the show! WOC can be a great experience but I realize it really is marred by terrible views and waiting forever which can lead to terrible first impressions of it!

 

[kelmac284]

I have done WOC 3 times now and I think I FINALLY learned the trick. We went the first year it opened like a week after and so we bought the dinning at AG to make sure we got a decent seat. Problem was it was RIGHT after it opened and there wasn't enough info yet so like OP we thought we were guaranteed a good spot if we did the dinner. Problem was we didn't know WHERE to stand and ended up having a bad spot with the parents with the kids on shoulders.

So then last summer we went and just got fp's out of the machine. But we made sure to get there super early and got a spot right near the railing in the blue section I believe. Better but we were down a ways and not in the "center" so still not the best view but much better then the year before. Then THIS year I wasn't even planning on going but at the last minute decided to do Ariel's again. We love the food and we like to have one nice dinner each trip so we would have done something like that anyway. We got our tickets and went as early as we could and again got RIGHT on the railing. THIS time it was amazing. Right up front and dead center. IF everyone had that view it would be perfect but I agree that all the planning that must be done and potential paying with the meals makes it tough.

I have a bad knee so standing is hard for me and even sitting on the hard ground for over an hour before hand was tough. I think it is a GREAT show but I agree that the viewing options are not desirable.

 

[EKW]

Is that area used for anything else? Why can't they install benches similar to the ones WDW uses for Fantasmic? Other than greed, that is. I find it highly offensive that they ask people to pay for standing room.

 

[sonnyjane]

Is that area used for anything else? Why can't they install benches similar to the ones WDW uses for Fantasmic? Other than greed, that is. I find it highly offensive that they ask people to pay for standing room.

They don't. They offer plenty of absolutely FREE viewing spots. It doesn't cost $40 to get a spot to view the show. It costs $40 to get your meal (which would be about $30-something anyway) and a spot in the preferred area, which is located in the center. If you want to see the show, you don't have to pony up a dime, but you have to pony up some time, but that is no different than anyone wanting a free great spot for a parade or fireworks.

 

[HydroGuy]

Is that area used for anything else? Why can't they install benches similar to the ones WDW uses for Fantasmic? Other than greed, that is. I find it highly offensive that they ask people to pay for standing room.

Wow, before saying something like that you should know what you are talking about.

1. Yes, the Paradise Park area used for WOC viewing is used for other things than WOC

2. Benches would mean less people could fit into the show area

3. Benches would mean people still could not see the show any better and it would probably be worse

4. WDW Fantasmic does not use benches, they built a stadium.

5. A stadium at DCA there could not be installed without blocking the view of the entire Paradise Bay area. The first time anyone walked into Paradise Pier all they would see is the back of a stadium. A stadium would not work.

6. Many Disney activities involves standing including fireworks shows (unless you arrive super early to get a bench), Illuminations and DL Fantasmic (unless you arrive early to get a sitting spot).

The issue with WOC is not the standing itself. It is that people are forced to arrive so early to get one of the few decent viewing spots - and that adds to a lot of standing if they arrive 90 minutes early and then stand thru a 30 minute show. If you could arrive 15 minutes before the show and then stand to see the show, and the show had more good viewing spots, it would not be such an issue. Folks at WDW Fantasmic often have to stand for long periods of time too to see the show. But they can sit once they are in the stadium.

 

[Cincycpaw]

Waiting 1.5 hours to see WOC is crazy. I can't believe so many people would do that and defend disney with their terrible execution. Seriously? Where is the brainwashed smiley?

Well, this smiley will have to do to represent those people here...

 

[skiingfast]

It takes that long to see many of Disney's shows and attractions. There is nothing unusual about it.

 

[HydroGuy]

OK, I am starting to smell a troll here. Controversial statements made by folks with low post counts is usually a good indicator.

I suggest we all agree to drop this thread. I will not be posting in it any further unless circumstances change.

 

[fctiger]

Is that area used for anything else? Why can't they install benches similar to the ones WDW uses for Fantasmic? Other than greed, that is. I find it highly offensive that they ask people to pay for standing room.

No as others said, the show is 100% free! The dinner is clearly just an option if you want a more upscale experience like so many options Disney offers!

The ISSUE of course is that even with the charge you are not neccessarily given an upscale experience. You are still herded like cattle to an area and have to fight to get in a good spot where you and your family can see. If you are a child and too big to sit on daddy's shoulders, good luck seeing much of anything unless you are in a very clear range.

Ultimately thats the problem, free or not!

It was just poorly designed all around, but to be fair, they were working in a show and viewing area that was never designed to hold such a show that scale, so they did the best they could.

 

[DebbieB]

The key is you have to be there when they open the viewing area and head for the railing. We did that in the preferred dining area last May after we ate at Ariels and then again in August when we had a fastpass for the free area. But it is a long wait.