Fantasmic Dinner Package

[sbkline]

We've never done the dinner package before, but I had always thought that there was no additional charge. But I was looking in the 2008 Birnbaum's book today and it showed that whichever place you eat at, it's $46.99. So I have a few questions:

1) Since it's a fixed price of $46.99, does that mean it's a set menu? In other words, are there only certain entrees at each restaraunt that are available for those who pay for the Fantasmic Dinner Package?

2) Can you do this in conjunction with the Disney Dining Plan?

3) We are going April 13-21 next year. Our day at Disney's Hollywood Studios is tentatively scheduled for Saturday April 19. Since that is almost a full month after Easter, should I expect that parks to be that much less busy, and therefore, no need to mess with the Fantasmic Dinner Package?

 

[brisem]

We did it at Hollywood and Vine's Buffet. Which I would recommend. Everyone got what they wanted.

I'm not sure if you can get it on the Dining Plan.

 

[Monty]

You can use dining plan for the Fantasmic Dinner package.[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Hollywood & Vine and Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano both count as one Table Service meal for the Dining Plan, while the Brown Derby counts as a Signature experience, or two Table Service meals.[/FONT] There is no extra charge and I have no idea which places you were looking at, but the price is based on wherever you're eating:

[From AllEars]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Prices for the fixed price dinners are as follows:

[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Brown Derby $43.99 adult/$11.99 child [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif](3-9) (plus tax and gratuity). Adult meal includes appetizer, entree, dessert and non-specialty, non-alcoholic beverage[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]. Children must order from Children's Menu, and have a choice of soup or salad, entree, dessert and child's beverage.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]NOTE: [/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Effective November 5, 2007, the adult price for the Fantasmic Dinner Package at the Hollywood Brown Derby will increase to [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] $46.99 (plus tax and gratuity); the price for children ages 3-9 will remain $11.99 (plus tax and gratuity).[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mama Melrose $32.99 adult/$11.99 child[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] (3-9) (plus tax and gratuity). [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Adult meal includes appetizer, entree, dessert and non-specialty, non-alcoholic beverage[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]. Children must order from Children's Menu, and have a choice of soup or salad, entree, dessert and child's beverage.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Hollywood & Vine $24.99 adult/$11.99 child[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] (3-9) not including admission, tax, and gratuity (no characters). All you care to eat buffet. Choose from a number of selections including; oven-roasted Prime Rib, Citrus Baked Chicken, Pan-seared Salmon, and Stir-Fry Noodles with Sesame. Also includes fresh salads and build your own ice cream/dessert bar. Adult beverages NOT included.[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Child's meal includes beverage.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]All packages include a special pass for seating at that night's Fantasmic! and dinner at the restaurant chosen.[/FONT]​

 

[sbkline]

You can use dining plan for the Fantasmic Dinner package.[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Hollywood & Vine and Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano both count as one Table Service meal for the Dining Plan, while the Brown Derby counts as a Signature experience, or two Table Service meals.[/FONT] There is no extra charge and I have no idea which places you were looking at, but the price is based on wherever you're eating:

[From AllEars]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Prices for the fixed price dinners are as follows:[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Brown Derby $43.99 adult/$11.99 child [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif](3-9) (plus tax and gratuity). Adult meal includes appetizer, entree, dessert and non-specialty, non-alcoholic beverage[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]. Children must order from Children's Menu, and have a choice of soup or salad, entree, dessert and child's beverage.[/FONT]​

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]NOTE: [/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Effective November 5, 2007, the adult price for the Fantasmic Dinner Package at the Hollywood Brown Derby will increase to [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] $46.99 (plus tax and gratuity); the price for children ages 3-9 will remain $11.99 (plus tax and gratuity).[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mama Melrose $32.99 adult/$11.99 child[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] (3-9) (plus tax and gratuity). [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Adult meal includes appetizer, entree, dessert and non-specialty, non-alcoholic beverage[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]. Children must order from Children's Menu, and have a choice of soup or salad, entree, dessert and child's beverage.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Hollywood & Vine $24.99 adult/$11.99 child[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] (3-9) not including admission, tax, and gratuity (no characters). All you care to eat buffet. Choose from a number of selections including; oven-roasted Prime Rib, Citrus Baked Chicken, Pan-seared Salmon, and Stir-Fry Noodles with Sesame. Also includes fresh salads and build your own ice cream/dessert bar. Adult beverages NOT included.[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Child's meal includes beverage.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]All packages include a special pass for seating at that night's Fantasmic! and dinner at the restaurant chosen.[/FONT]​

Thanks for the info, but what you say is different than what I see on page 240 of the 2008 Birnbaum book. I like the information you gave better, though, so I'm hoping they got it wrong. :lol:

Here is what they say:

Hollywood Brown Derby, Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano and Hollywood & Vine offer a "dinner and a show" deal ($46.99 for adults, $11.99 for kids). Special seating for the evening's performance of Fantasmic! is included at no extra cost (though tax, gratuities, and beverages carry an additional charge).

 

[brisem]

I would go with AllEARS as being rght on the money

 

[sbkline]

I would go with AllEARS as being rght on the money

So, if the Allears info as posted by MontyMon is correct, then it appears that this is a way to circumvent the "no appetizer" policy of the new dining plan. :sohappy:

I mean, ordinarily, under the new dining plan, appetizer is no longer included. But if I book the Fantasmic Dinner Package, the dinner package includes appetizer and the dinner package can be paid for under the DDP. So on this one particular meal, the DDP would include my appetizer, correct?

 

[Monty]

Thanks for the info, but what you say is different than what I see on page 240 of the 2008 Birnbaum book. I like the information you gave better, though, so I'm hoping they got it wrong. :lol:

Here is what they say:

Hollywood Brown Derby, Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano and Hollywood & Vine offer a "dinner and a show" deal ($46.99 for adults, $11.99 for kids). Special seating for the evening's performance of Fantasmic! is included at no extra cost (though tax, gratuities, and beverages carry an additional charge).

I'd say they [Birnbaum] got lazy or didn't proof their copy properly. I can't imagine anyone in their right mind paying $46.99 each for the H&V buffet... Although I will grant it's my second-favourite buffet in WDW [Boma being the front-runner], it isn't worth that much!

Also, if you were charged the same rate regardless, who wouldn't choose The Hollywood Brown Derby? :brick:

 

[Monty]

So, if the Allears info as posted by MontyMon is correct, then it appears that this is a way to circumvent the "no appetizer" policy of the new dining plan. :sohappy:

I mean, ordinarily, under the new dining plan, appetizer is no longer included. But if I book the Fantasmic Dinner Package, the dinner package includes appetizer and the dinner package can be paid for under the DDP. So on this one particular meal, the DDP would include my appetizer, correct?

Nice try , but the AllEars info just relates current policy. When the DDP changes kick in they will change the current policy across the board.

 

[sbkline]

Nice try , but the AllEars info just relates current policy. When the DDP changes kick in they will change the current policy across the board.

Oh well, it was a nice thought while it lasted.:lol:

So I guess that gets me back to my third original question. If the dinner package neither costs me any extra nor saves me any money, nor allows me to bypass the "no appetizer" thing, then the only thing left to decide is if it would be necessary three weeks after Easter. Could I just as easily walk into the ampitheater half hour or 15 minutes before show time and get a good seat, since the Easter/Spring Break season will be over?

 

[Nemo14]

Oh well, it was a nice thought while it lasted.:lol:

So I guess that gets me back to my third original question. If the dinner package neither costs me any extra nor saves me any money, nor allows me to bypass the "no appetizer" thing, then the only thing left to decide is if it would be necessary three weeks after Easter. Could I just as easily walk into the ampitheater half hour or 15 minutes before show time and get a good seat, since the Easter/Spring Break season will be over?

I'm not sure if I mentioned this before but that week is spring break for schools here in RI,and I would suspect that some in MAss. and CT would have that week too, so it may be more crowded than you think....

 

[sbkline]

I'm not sure if I mentioned this before but that week is spring break for schools here in RI,and I would suspect that some in MAss. and CT would have that week too, so it may be more crowded than you think....

Ya, you did mention that. Drat! Hopefully they won't add to the crowds quite as much as you think, but we'll just have to wait and see.

So, just to recap and clarify, let me make sure I have these facts straight:

Since there is a fixed price at your restaraunt of choice on the Fantasmic Dinner Package, If you are not on the dining plan, you may actually pay MORE for your meal than you would have if you didn't do the Fantasmic Dinner Package. For example, the 16 dollar entree at Mama Melrose is STILL gonna cost $33 dollars since you paid that amount for the Fantasmic Dinner Package.

However, since you can pay for it on the Dining Plan, then for those using the DDP, the Fantasmic Dinner Package doesn't cost any extra, nor does it save any extra above and beyond what you save by using the DDP. So, moneywise, it comes out a wash, leaving the only benefit of using the Fantasmic Dinner Package a preferred seat to the show.

Is that all correct?

 

[Monty]

Actually, the $16 entree probably isn't available on the Fantasmic Dinner Package, they give you a different menu. Having never eaten at Mama M's, I can't be sure what is offered.

You're way overthinking this.

And BTW, "Spring break" is actually six-eight weeks long. Different schools/states stagger their breaks.

 

[sbkline]

I'm not sure if I mentioned this before but that week is spring break for schools here in RI,and I would suspect that some in MAss. and CT would have that week too, so it may be more crowded than you think....

Apparently, you're right. I just checked disneyworld.com and the April hours are now up (except for AK last time I checked) and the parks are open later than I expected. I thought I'd see alot of 7 and 8 PM closings for MK, but there are several nights that week where they are open until 10 or 11. Same for MGM...er...I mean, Disney's Hollywood Studios as it will then be called.

 

[mouselvrmom]

We've never done the fantasmic dinner package. We tried to add it at the last minute once, but the participating restaurants were booked.

I personally like to sit in the middle and we usually get there in enough time to ensure a good seat. I think with proper planning, it is really not necessary. Besides, after a day of walking around, it's kind of nice to sit for awhile.

 

[brisem]

The last time we did preferred seating, the seats were on the far right hand side on the stage.
The only advantage was being able to go in near showtime and knowing that you had a seat.

 

[sbkline]

Can someone refresh my memory how long Fantasmic lasts?

Looks like on the day we'll be there, the park will be open until 10 PM, with two showings of Fantasmic, the first being at 8:30. Is the show half hour, 45 minutes or an hour? I just wondered if I got a fastpass for ToT or RnR for 9:30 or 9:45, if I would get out of the show in time to ride?

 

[mouselvrmom]

Can someone refresh my memory how long Fantasmic lasts?

Looks like on the day we'll be there, the park will be open until 10 PM, with two showings of Fantasmic, the first being at 8:30. Is the show half hour, 45 minutes or an hour? I just wondered if I got a fastpass for ToT or RnR for 9:30 or 9:45, if I would get out of the show in time to ride?

I thought that it seemed like it was closer to 20 minutes, so I checked on Allears and they said that it was 25 minutes.

 

[lilclerk]

Eh, I don't really think you need the package, just get there ASAP if you want front row middle seats. In February, we got there about 20 minutes before, and sat front row off to the left and still had a great view.