[TiggerRay]

We're not big fans either....I just don't care for the seat location and the fact that you have to make the trek to the beginning of the entrance to the park to get take to the seats.

[Matt Hart]

I'm a bit torn on this one.

We generally go during the Summer, so it's busy. On nights when there's only one Fantasmic, I wouldn't even think of trying to see it without the FDP. It just fills up too early.

If there's two shows, I'd normally say just wait for the 2nd show, but we tried that on our last trip (6/20) and at 10:10 (10:30 show) the line into the theatre stretched almost all the way back to the front of the park. We got in, but had seats in the very far left section. Not what I expected.

We used the FDP on the 23rd, and it went well. We ate at the Brown Derby, and the price, $44 was actually a discount based on the price of most of the entrees and appetizers.

They tell you to arrive 30 minutes early, but that's when they usually cut-off the special entrance, so you want to be at least 31 minutes early...

[QuickGold]

Matt Hart said:

They tell you to arrive 30 minutes early, but that's when they usually cut-off the special entrance, so you want to be at least 31 minutes early...

Very true and important if you do use the package

[Casey]

I did the FDP because I didn't know better and thought it was the way to go. I'm a Disneyland girl and have had to wait for up to three hours for a prime seat in front of the Rivers of America for a good seat and it's not the most comfortable or exciting thing to do. When I went to WDW, I didn't want to do the same thing (not realizing how huge the Fantasmic seating is) so I booked a FDP at Mama Melrose. I didn't like having to order specifics from the menu but the meal was okay. I was a little disappointed with the seating, I'd like to be more in the center and we did get stuck in the herd exiting. The last time I did it, I ate at H&V (not my favorite place) but after listening to WDW Today and thinking about it, I don't know if I'd do it again.

[QuickGold]

Glad we could help steer you in the right direction Casey

[The Dark Lord of the Sith]

I definately agree that they need to move the seating more to the center. I like the package overall, but have to agree that being over on the one side is a dissapointment.

[MJMcBride]

QuickGold said:

MJMcBride said:

I'm a big fan of the package. I like being assured of a spot for Fantasmic without having to get there at rope drop. I don't mind eating at 400 either for it

You and I don't see eye to eye at all What times of the year do you usually go to WDW?

depends. I went November 06 right before Turkey day

We'll be there early May this year

[Casey]

Speaking of Fantasmic...I'm having a brain-fart. Does the Fantasmic! theater have a little snack bar there? Or am I getting confused with Fantasyland Theater? :?

[QuickGold]

Casey said:

Speaking of Fantasmic...I'm having a brain-fart. Does the Fantasmic! theater have a little snack bar there? Or am I getting confused with Fantasyland Theater? :?

There is a Concession Stand at the rear of the theater that sells things like pop corn, hot dogs, soda and beer.

[TempoNZ]

We (my lovely wife and I) did the package in December. We ate at Brown Derby which was very nice with great service. Our dinner time was around 5:30 so it wasn't too bad as far as timing went.

The seating.... average. It was nice not waiting in line but they certainly aren't "special" seating but I've certainly had worse. The music sync was fine where we were which was right at the steps near the general seating are at the front.

Having a special exit like Matt suggest would be very handy and almost would change the package from "probably won't do again" to "worth doing again."

[ghost1000]

We did the Fantasmic Dinner Package back in December. One day we got a call from Disney telling us that they added a second Fantasmic show that day, and did we want to go to the early or later show. We chose the later show. She explained we would get voucher for the early show, and we should pick up our later show vouchers at Guest Relations.

As it turns out, only a handful of people chose the later show. After we took the looooong walk to the Fantasmic theater, we were allowed to sit anyplace we wanted, not in the specified area the the dinner package guests. So we had center row seats for the show.

[QuickGold]

ghost1000 said:

We did the Fantasmic Dinner Package back in December. One day we got a call from Disney telling us that they added a second Fantasmic show that day, and did we want to go to the early or later show. We chose the later show. She explained we would get voucher for the early show, and we should pick up our later show vouchers at Guest Relations.

As it turns out, only a handful of people chose the later show. After we took the looooong walk to the Fantasmic theater, we were allowed to sit anyplace we wanted, not in the specified area the the dinner package guests. So we had center row seats for the show.

Whenver there are 2 shows per night of Fantasmic!, always go for the second showing. You wont need the package because the 2nd showing is always less crowded

[ghost1000]

The Fantasmic! theater was pretty well packed for the second show. We would have had to be in line pretty early to get the same seats that we ended up with.

[biblio]

We did the FD this past April. Thank goodness we did. Even the FD section was completely full.

After reading Matt's article, I wasn't thrilled about doing it, but my wife pursued the idea. With 5 kids and 4 adults, it did make a huge difference in the overall evening. Not having to wait up to an hour in our seats was worth it for us. When you have two 9 year olds with ADD, the less time you sit still the better!

I was hoping Glenn would fly in that week to babysit for us, but he never answered my calls!

[MJMcBride]

biblio said:

We did the FD this past April. Thank goodness we did. Even the FD section was completely full.

see. Matt always yells at me for advocating the package

[QuickGold]

biblio said:

With 5 kids and 4 adults, it did make a huge difference in the overall evening. Not having to wait up to an hour in our seats was worth it for us.

You still had to wait AT LEAST 30 minutes. What's an extra 15 minutes? Buy them some popcorn and you'd have been set.

[biblio]

QuickGold said:

biblio said:

With 5 kids and 4 adults, it did make a huge difference in the overall evening. Not having to wait up to an hour in our seats was worth it for us.

You still had to wait AT LEAST 30 minutes. What's an extra 15 minutes? Buy them some popcorn and you'd have been set.

I did have to wait in line for popcorn, hotdogs and drinks almost 25 minutes.

But it made my wife feel better (which was worth the money alone) and my 9 year old really loved going in a different way. So...we would do it again for a large group or if Len says it is going to be a busy week (ding).

[PhilHarHarMagic]

We used it once a couple of years ago and it worked well for us.

If you are going to eat anyway and you are going to see Fantasmic, you might as well save some time waiting to see Fantasmic.

[QuickGold]

Welcome to Studios Central PhilHarHarMagic!

See, my point of contention is you don't need the package and you don't save that much time

[TiggerRay]

QuickGold said:

Welcome to Studios Central PhilHarHarMagic!

See, my point of contention is you don't need the package and you don't save that much time

And the seats aren't all that great.