I'm going to go against the grain here about the dinner package in general. I'm curious if others have started feeling this way.
My issues with Fantastmic Dinner package are: The restaurants you are forced to choose, the timing of your meal, and the "new" seating area for dinner package guests.
I think 50s Prime Time is the best food in the park, but they don't allow the dinner package at this restaurant. I do like Hollywood and Vine's buffet, but it's overrun with kids and seemingly much worse than Crystal Palace in terms of organization and order.
Usually, you have to eat at some ridiculous time like 4pm or 3pm. I understand why the do this (Don't want you to almost miss a 7pm viewing if you're eating), but it always throws my whole day's eating schedule off.
Furthermore, they have simply allowed too many guests into the "reserved" seating area for dinner package guests. It's so watered down now, you actually get a worse seat than if you just walk up at times. These seats are not really "center" anyway, so the seats aren't special to start with.
True Story: I actually did the Fantasmic Dinner Package and once we got there, my wife and I elected to leave that area and find our own seat. It worked out better to sit in general admission because it was so packed in the dinner package viewing area.
My advice is to get there late and sit on the far ends. They are usually wide open and you can get a front row seat. You are not "center" but you can easily see all of the action and have your own projector. I'm not saying sit on the very end corner, but the theater has a ton of good seating that isn't dead center.
If you don't listen to me, I'd eat at Mama Melrose (although it's not great) or Hollywood and Vine (but it's like a zoo in there). I do think Hollywood and Vine has the best food of the 2. Brown Derby is very average.
