Fantasmic! Dinner Package

[crazy_for_wdw]

Hi,

Is the Fantasmic! Dinner Package still going and is it still worth while booking it?

Last time we went to WDW was in 2007 and we used it then; we had a meal in Hollywood and Vine and then went in the "sneaky" entrance down near the park entrance. It worked out really well and meant we didn't have to stand in line at all.

I've heard rumours that they are no longer using the "sneaky" entrance due to CM cutbacks and that you have to go and stand in line with everyone else, which seems a little pointless.

Any info you can offer would be great.

Thanks

 

[bgraham34]

It is still going on. I was not able to book it for a trip this week. I tried back in July but it was fully booked.

 

[JillC LI]

We booked it for October. The CM I spoke with on the phone told me that there is not a separate entrance but that we will get a pass at dinner that will allow us to walk to the front of the line and enter and get seats in a reserved section (although that section will be first come first served for those with the package). I did not want to miss Fantasmic since we've never seen it, so we decided it's worth it to do the package even though we have to eat "dinner" so early it will feel like lunch to us! (3:30pm)

 

[JWH]

Highly recommended - - we used the package when we went in June. Had dinner at Hollywood & Vine, they gave us a yellow (golden?) ticket, and we walked to the front of the line, to the reserved seating section. I heard people who didn't have reserved seating waiting 1.5-2 hours in line to get a seat. Standing room only after waiting an hour.

 

[mickey7879]

I think it's worth it. Beats standing in line while you could be riding rides, etc. You've got to eat anyway, might as well do the dining package imo.

 

[DABIGCHEEZ]

We had this package for the first time this year since the show has been cutback. We were given the ticket at dinner and told to enter at the main entrance by 7:15 for the 8:30 show. When I questioned this I was told that at 7:30 the "reserved" section is no longer gauranteed and will be filled first come first served. I was upset with this as the point of booking it shoulve meant I/we were entitled to a seat for the show. It worked without problems for us as we were there by 7:30 but don't think you can show up at the last minute and have a seat saved. BTW the stadium was filled by 7:35.

Our original show was actually rained out with scores of people standing in the light rain until the canceled it at 8:15 or so. When I went to guest relations I was told they were going to honor our tickets at the 10pm show. This wasn't going to work for us. When I told the GR person this she said" Well you ate the dinner right?" I said "Yes but I paid for my seat as well". She stopped the questions right then as the line behind me were all there for the same thing. They did give us a ticket to DHS for entry at 6PM of the next show night along with "reserved"seating for that show as well.

Another funny comment I heard from a CM at the rope at the entrance.. " the reserved seats aren't even that great of a spot". I knew where the reserved seats were and it wasn't a big deal. I thought just an odd comment to make to people who paid a little for their seats.

 

[JimboJones123]

Basically, Fantasmic is a disgustingly large investment of time. The dinner packages are nearly impossible to get anymore. I really miss being able to start heading back to the theater about an hour before the show and getting a decent spot. The theater shuts down 90 minutes before showtime now even in the slowest seasons. Why not just charge?

 

[Lucky]

You can get lucky. We went last Tuesday at the last minute and there were still prime seats available - a few dozen in the bottom few rows near the middle. The sections off to the sides were practically empty at show time.

That was for the 10 PM show. The 8:30 was cancelled due to rain, and it was sprinkling lightly during the 10 PM show.