Fantasmic Dinner Package FAQ

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Last updated: 9/29/08

What is the Fantasmic! Dining Experience?

The Fantasmic! Dining Experience includes dinner at one of the participating Disney's Hollywood Studios restaurants and reserved seating in the Fantasmic! amphitheater. As of this writing, only Brown Derby, Mama Melrose, and Hollywood & Vine are participating.

This means that instead of waiting in line for 60-90 minutes outside the theater, you can walk right up to the theater 30-45 minutes before show time, (no waiting in line!) and still have a seat.

Is there a charge for the package?

There is no additional charge for the package itself. However, the package, which includes a fixed price dinner and the Fantasmic! seating pass, MUST be guaranteed at the time of booking with a credit card, and a $10 cancellation fee applies if not cancelled at least 48 hours beforehand.

Prices for the fixed price dinners are as follows:

Brown Derby $46.99 adult/$11.99 child (3-9) (plus tax and gratuity). Adult meal includes appetizer, entree, dessert and non-specialty, non-alcoholic beverage. Children must order from Children's Menu, and have a choice of soup or salad, entree, dessert and child's beverage.

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

Hollywood & Vine $26.99 adult/$13.99 child (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. Child's meal includes beverage.

All packages include a special pass for seating at that night's Fantasmic! and dinner at the restaurant chosen.

Report to your restaurant 10 minutes before your Fantasmic! Dining Experience Reservation, and you'll receive your special Fantasmic! seating pass at that time. Theme park admission is NOT included.

Can I Use the Magic Your Way Dining Plan with the Fantasmic Dining Experience?

Yes, as of September 2, 2005, the Magic Your Way Dining Plan can be used to purchase a Fantasmic Dining Experience. You can also get the Fantasmic Dining Experience if you have the Magic Your Way Premium Package or the Platinum Package.

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.

When you call to make a reservation, your credit card number will be taken, but the charge won't be put through (unless you are a no-show, or do not cancel at least 48 hours before your dining date). You will pay with your Magic Your Way Dining Plan when you dine, just as you would for any meal.

Do I have a reserved seat?

No, only the section itself is reserved for those with the Dining Experience. Within the reserved section, seating is on a first come-first served basis, so if you want your choice of seats, you should arrive early.

How do I book the Fantasmic! Dining Experience?

You can book the package now for dates 180 days in advance by calling 1-407-WDW-DINE.

What if I have already made reservations in advance at one of those restaurants for dinner?

That Advance Reservation is distinct from the Fantasmic! Dining Experience. If you want the Fantasmic! Dining Experience you need to book it specifically.

Where is the reserved section?

The reserved section is all the way over on the right side of the theater - the Witch section. The amphitheater is set up so that there really are no *bad* seats, except you will get wet if you sit in the first few rows.

Where do I enter the theater?

Do NOT enter the Fantasmic! line that starts at the amphitheater's Sunset Boulevard entrance.

Present your Fantasmic! Dining Experience voucher 30 minutes prior to showtime at the Fantasmic! sign located on Hollywood Boulevard next to Oscar's Super Service (inside the turnstiles at the front of the park). Guests arriving less than 30 minutes prior to showtime will be offered standing room only, if available.

How early do I have to get to the theater?

You must arrive at least 30 minutes before the show starts. There are enough packages available that the Reserved section gets fairly filled up, so if you want a better seat selection within the reserved section, plan to arrive more than 30 minutes before show time. Even though you still need to arrive early, you do NOT have to wait in line like those without reserved seating - you can just walk straight to the reserved section and sit down.

What if that night's show is cancelled?

According to the policies of the Fantasmic! Dining Experience, if the show is cancelled because of weather your pass is invalid, and you will NOT be issued a new one.

Is it worth doing?

If you dislike waiting in line, or have little ones who can't tolerate the waiting, the Fantasmic! Dining Experience is probably worth it. The reserved seating area affords a fine view of the show, which is very entertaining.

READER COMMENTS

Vickie Setzer (1/08): You asked for comments on the Fantasmic Dinner Package. We have done it MANY times! I LOVE IT! During busy times, on occasion, they have even opened this up at the Sci-Fi Dine-In restaurant. You need to have dinner on the early side, during the winter months, due to the earlier Fantasmic time (6PM). But it's way worth it, especially with little ones, because you won't have to wait in line all that time.

Tom Schmitt (8/06): Our family and guests attended the Fantasmic Dinner plan on August 2nd. Although the dinner at Hollywood and Vine was great, the dinner plan was a waste. We had to be at the Fantasmic arena 45 minutes before show time to be assured of seating, but noticed that at that time there was plenty of seating outside the reserved seating area that we were provided. We had a special entrance near the front of the park, and we thought that this would be nice way to exit to beat the crowds when the rest of the show leaves. Well, it didn't work that way. We were ushered to the exit with the rest of the guests for reasons unknown (most likely to catch some of the shops on our way out). I thought that this was something special for those who arranged for the dinner package, but it only appeared to be a half-hearted attempt at one.

Lynn (10/04): After a long day at the park, our dinner at Mama Melrose's revived us. Our Dining Experience reservation was for 4:20 and allowed us ample time for a leisurely meal, with plenty of time to browse in shops afterward. Having heard so much about the difficulty of getting into Fantasmic and how the seats with the package are first come, first served, we headed to the designated entrance for the Fantasmic Dining Experience attendees far earlier than necessary - about 90 minutes. We were immediately waved in and directed to the "stadium" and given our choice of an entire empty section upon our arrival. Even though we could have lingered in the park, we'd never seen Fantasmic and preferred to secure good seats. On that particular day, I don't know that it was necessary to either do the Fantasmic Dining Experience or get our seats so early - HOWEVER, if it's important to you that you get to see the show, I highly recommend it. It allowed us to relax about the whole thing, to have our choice of sitting close or further back, to get the aisle and we didn't have to stand in line, but sit and enjoy the lovely evening. We enjoyed our meal at Mama Melrose's - it seemed a good price for the amount of food you got. It was also a treat to sit down and be served and
enjoy a civilized meal after having done counter service at lunch in a more frenzied and crowded seating. I really think this is the way to go if you want to see Fantasmic.

Leighann (10/04): At 9:30am I decided we needed to do the Fantasmic Dining Experience that day. So I called the priority seating hotline, and lo and behold, I had my choice of Mama Melrose's or Hollywood and Vine. We chose Hollywood and Vine and loved it. The buffet was wonderful as well as the service. As a matter of fact, the service there was better than any other place we went. Then on to Fantasmic. We got
to the "special entry" gate about 6:45 and got right in. I was so glad we did the package deal. MGM was so busy that day that they extended the park hours from 7:30pm to 9pm. So as soon as we left Fantasmic it was off to Tower of Terror and Rockin' Roller coster for a second ride with hardly any wait at all.

Connie La Tempa (10/04): Our best meal was our Fantasmic package dinner at Hollywood & Vine. My sister and brother in-law were not too crazy coming here but it turned out to be the best.

Melissa Kegley (10/04): Fantasmic Dining Experience party of 5 (2 adults, 3 kids: 7,4,2yr old) Sept/Oct 2004. We chose Hollywood and Vine as our Dining Experience since it was the cheapest,and because we didn't want to waste time waiting in line. I was worried that I should have chosen Brown Derby because we tend to dislike buffets and would rather pay a little more for better food. We were so thrilled with Hollywood and
Vine's food that we booked a Fantasmic Pkg there again for the last night of our 9 day trip. There was an awesome selection of delicious food, unlike any buffet I have ever been to.Although there is a children's buffet my kids loved the adult buffet. I think my 4 year-old ate his weight in grilled salmon! The steak and chicken, grilled shrimp,mussels and all the side dishes, salad selections and variety of breads and awesome dessert buffet were a huge hit with my family! The Fantasmic Package was a great idea. We arrived at the theater entrance approx. 30-40 minutes before show time and had terrific seats! I have heard a lot of people complain about the location of package seats, but we were there early enough to be next to the aisle rope so were to the far left of the reserved seating. I think this location was great because Mickey ends up on that side with his sword when he finally defeats the villains and the finale show boat comes from that side as well. I think it is better than sitting in the middle, but the way the stage is set up, there are probably few "bad" seats. I might feel differently if I got there late and
had to sit on the far right. The Dining Experience was worth it to us so much that we did it twice during our trip!

Lynn (9/04): I will definitley do it again! It was nice to know that I did not have to sit for an extra long time before the show started. We had to eat dinner anyway, so why not one of the great restaurants that provide this feature? Without out doing this, we had to sit for about an hour and a half... with this feature we sat for a litle less than 45
minutes... although this may still seem like a lot when you are waiting with anxious children, or adults....45 minutes saved is AWESOME! AND you are guaranteed a spot, so less worries while you eat!

Michael Seigworth (8/04): I did the Fantasmic Dining Experience for my birthday last yr at the Brown Derby...very good and may do it again this year. The package price actually saves a few dollars if you order the more expensive entree I believe. The seating on the far right of the Fantasmic theater is fine, and the exit is the same way you enter for the pkg, which may seem a little longer leaving. If you dont do the package, they still open the reserved area to anyone 5 minutes before showtime.

Michelle Connell (7/04): I just wanted to give you some feedback on the Fantasmic
Dining Experience. We ate at Hollywood and Vine (the salmon is to die for!) because it was the least expensive of the three choices, At the end of the dinner the waitress gave us our voucher for the seating. She then informed us that we needed to be there 45 minutes before the show, and that we could only use the voucher for the 9:30 show that day. Well, I do not see how this makes the package worth it. We wanted to go to the late show and usually you have to be at the show about 45 minutes to 1 hour before without the package. We never used the voucher that night. Instead we chose to ride Rock 'n' Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror while everyone else was at the early show. As we got off of the rollercoaster we got into the line for Fantasmic 20 minutes before it started and got a seat without a problem. I would have much rather eaten at either the Sci-Fi Dine in or 50'S Prime Time cafe and paid a little less. I guess if there is only one show on the night you go it makes the package worth it, but if there are 2 shows don't spend the extra money that the three expensive places charge you. As far as the food goes it was quite good, but the dessert bar was pretty bare and the offerings tasted a little stale!

G. Lara (6/04): We just returned from our June 2004 trip and the highlight of our trip was the Fantasmic show. It was awesome. We did the package where you have dinner and get a pass to enter at a different entrance than all the other people. We ate at Hollywood & Vine. The food was outstanding as was the service. Our pass was given to us and we had to arrive at Fantasmic at least 30 minutes early to get to our section of saved seats. All the seats in that section are perfect. I don't think that there are any bad seats in that auditorium. The show is so enormous it can be seen from where ever you are seated. The Dining Experience was about $25 per adult and about $17 per child. We highly recommend this Dining Experience. Great food with good seats to Fantasmic!

Kathryn (6/04): My husband and I decided to try the Fantasmic Dining Experience on our recent trip to WDW (6/04). We chose the Brown Derby for dinner. Dinner was delicious. We both had the tenderloin, delicious appetizers and dessert. We were able to order off the entire menu. I was under the impression that the menu would be limited. It was definitely worth the money as the actual dinner we had cost much more than the $36.99 per person. Two caveats. First, this is probably not the best place to bring small children. While we were there, a 4 year old girl had an hour-long temper tantrum. Her parents had to take her out of the restaurant and still had not eaten when we left. Second, we had a difficult time getting a reservation time close to dinner. At first, all I could get were times up to 4 p.m. With persistence, though, we ended up with a 6:20
p.m. reservation. One other thing that not everyone knows is that if you are on one of the package plans (we were on silver), you can use your wishes for the Dining Experience. It is only one wish per person, definitely a value. As a final note, our ability to order off of the entire menu may have been due to the fact that we were on the silver plan. I am not sure. In any event, the service was great, and we enjoyed the dinner and our first time at Fantasmic. The seats were great, and you get to leave out of the special entrance, a big time saver when getting to the buses. We ended up on the first bus to the Wilderness Lodge, but noticed on the way out that several buses for each resort were lined up and waiting in the parking lot.

L. Dampier (6/04): As a frequent visitor of Disney parks, I have now used this package
twice. The first time was at Mama Melrose's and the second one at Hollywood and Vine. Both are excellent, but I have to rate Hollywood and Vine higher. I loved the variety and value of the buffet. Warning: The Mama Melrose package does not include a beverage, which adds several additional dollars to the cost. This is not the case at Hollywood and Vine where sodas, coffee, lemonade, and tea are part of the package price. Also, the dessert at Mama Melrose's is ice cream or tiramisu... no variety unless it's your birthday; whereas Hollywood and Vine has a great selection of desserts! My advice is to eat breakfast (and a small snack later if you are a frequent eater). Then, eat at Hollywood and Vine around 4 as a late lunch/early dinner. You can then enjoy rides/shows while others are lining up for Fantasmic. The show is awesome, especially when you enter and exit near the park entrance/exit and don't have to wait in line!

Linda Williams (6/04): We tried the Fantasmic Dining Experience. We ate at the Hollywood & Vine restaurant. The food was sub-par, and our server was inattentive and aloof. The reserved section for Fantasmic was worth it, though, and if we do it again, we'll try Mama Melrose's or the Brown Derby. Hollywood and Vine won't be visited again.

Susan Livingston (5/04): Fantasmic Dining Experience at Hollywood and Vine is an
excellent idea. Booked from the UK by phone 90 days before the earliest slot we could get was at 4:30 for our meal (possibly because it was Memorial Day May 30). Arrived at 4 p.m. and were seated at 4:15. The food was very good and the service was also good. At first I thought that we would have to miss the parade of stars in their cars, but as we had been seated early we emerged from the restaurant with 10 minutes to spare at a good view point! Spent the next couple of hours doing the rides we had missed during the day and then at our leisure made our way to Oscar's garage to be directed to our reserved area. A very civilised way to end the day at MGM. What a Fantastic show! Fantasmic is definitely not to be missed.

Kathy Kettner (5/04): In May of 2004 I went to WDW with my mom, my two boys and my fiance. My fiance and I used 'Fantasmic' as our night out. We ate at Mama Melrose's and then saw the show. The price of dinner (around $60 total - with dessert) was definitely worth it to us!! We ate a casual, quiet dinner and then literally 30 minutes before the show started we walked up and had fantastic seats! The show was so awesome that the next night we took our 5 year old... we had to wait in line forever, and arrive one hour before the show started. The seating was a lot more crowded than the seats we had earlier. I would highly recommend this to anyone even thinking about it.

Brian D. (4/04): Seeing that no one else has yet reported on the Fantasmic Package at Brown Derby, I will add my comments here. We actually prefer this new form of the program, as you are paying one price which enables you to order what you want without worrying about the price. This is why we chose the Brown Derby and it was certainly
worth it. We usually don't choose two appetizers and sometimes pass on dessert, but because of the package we had one of the best meals we have ever had at WDW. We have eaten at both Mama Melrose's and Hollywood & Vine and found the Brown Derby far superior. The food and service were both excellent. Throw in the reserved seating for
Fantasmic and you have a perfect evening at the Studios!

Connie Goodwin (3/04): Our family was so glad that we took advantage of the Fantasmic! Dining Experience. We were in WDW from Mar. 18 - 26 and the crowds were quite large. We chose Hollywood and Vine because it was the least expensive of all the restaurant choices. Our initial reason for using the package was simply so that we would not spend two hours waiting for the show. To our huge surprise the meal was wonderful
(we had chosen Mama Melrose the time before and thought it was not very good). Our waitress was fabulous and traded pins with our youngest daughter! All of the food was yummy, fresh tasting and lots of choices. The entrance for Fantasmic Package users is quite a hike but our seats were GREAT! The show was standing room only so we were so glad that we had opted to use this service. We recommended while we were there to other visitors in the park who were told there were no more availabilities, so call early because it does fill quickly. We did learn from some people we met from Chicago that we had informed about the package that you can be on a stand by list and if someone fails to show up for their reservation they will let you have that spot if you are on the list.

Mike Thomas (2/04): Mama Melrose's is my wife's favorite restaurant at MGM and Fantasmic is the highlight of our visits to Disney World. Allowing us to combine these experiences in one package is perfect. The cost may seem high but when you consider everything you get to eat it is a bargain. There is almost too much food for us to finish. You get to order an entree from a wide selection that should have at least one entree
that will appeal to you. Along with the entree you get a flatbread pizza of your choice as appetizer and a salad. Non-alcoholic drinks and dessert are also included. The best part is knowing we don't have to spend hours in line to get into Fantasmic. We make our reservations 90 days in advance to get an earlier dinner and then walk around enjoying MGM. the package allows you to get in through a special entrance so your time is spent
having fun instead of waiting in another long Disney line. It is well worth the time to make a reservation.

Dean Phillips (1/04): On our vacation to WDW in January 2004, we took advantage
of the Fantasmic Dining Experience. Everyone who wants to get a guaranteed seat to see the show should use the Dining Experience. We ate at the Hollywood Brown Derby where we had an excellent meal. We then went straight to the fantasmic arena and got excellent seats to see the show. The advantage of this is you don't have to wait in line for 2 hours before the show starts to make sure you get a seat. It only costs the price of your meal (it isn't extra to see the show).

Ruth Berman (1/04): We had the Fantasmic Dining Experience at Hollywood and Vine. We found the buffet to be superb! There was a very wide variety of foods, breads, and desserts and the waitstaff were terrific. So far, our two favorite places to eat are here and Chef Mickey's.

Marlene Mitchell (10/03): We went to the Studios in early October 2003 with the Fantasmic package at Mama Melrose's and it was the best thing we did. We were at the
parks when they were bumper to bumper people and when you have a 5-month, 2-year, and a 6-year old you can not stay in line. We are Italian background and the food was quite good and we were able to rder anything off the regular menu, also were served bread with dipping olive oil and herbs also butter, a large salad and two flatbreads of our choice and dessert was fine. For the price the saving on waiting in line with little ones and as much as people spend at Disney anyway this was our best value. I am going again in January and will try the Hollywood and Vine with my daughter. Oh, by the way,
we were lucky -- we had a 4:00 reservation, so we had plenty of time to enjoy and relax after a hot day in the park.

Crystal Perkins (10/03): This is in reference to the Fantasmic Dining Experience. We have used it the last two times we have gone to WDW. The first time we chose to eat at Mama Melrose, and the second time we ate at Hollywood and Vine. We made our PS's for 5:30. After we ate we had plenty of time to see Beauty and the Beast stageshow, as well as ride Rock n Roller coaster since everyone else was lined up waiting for Fantasmic! About 30 minutes before showtime, we made our way to Oscar's garage. The seats were to the far back right. We could see great!(we had made the mistake of sitting down front the first time. We could hardly see due to the spray from the water screens). An added bonus to sitting at the rear: when Fantasmic ended, we were able to make a quick exit and beat the mobs to the busses! Wouldn't dream of going to Fantasmic again without the Dining Experience!

Laura W. (10/03): We recently tried the Fantasmic Dining Experience on our trip to MGM. It was great! We ate at Hollywood & Vine, which had amazing food, buffet style with quite a nice variety. Their club salad itself was worth the price! Even my finicky 2-year-old found things to eat that pleased her. Of course all of us enjoyed the sundae bar! The seats that are reserved for the FDP diners in the theater have great views, if you get there early enough. Don't expect to just stroll right in there right before the show and expect an amazing view. Ample time allotted will assure you a good view. However, once you're in, you can go out to the bathroom and to concessions, through your own exit, just have to repeat a password to the attendant (nope, I'm not repeating it either!)to get back in. Someone earlier posted about the FDP not having adequate handicapped seating. We had a pleasant experience. My mother-in-law was in her motorized wheelchair and we were escorted to a handicapped section right on the top, almost in the middle, with an amazing view. And the Cast Members there couldn't have been more accomodating for her. So no problems during our visit. I do recommend eating early, as you can enjoy your meal and not rush to see the show. For example, our PS was 4:30 and the show was 7:30, enabling us to leisurely eat, and then walk to the theater in plenty of time. Good job, Disney!

Michelle (6/03): My boyfriend and I did the Fantasmic! Dining Experience while we were at Disney in late June. We ate at Mama Melrose, and it was well worth it. The meal was fantastic, and the priority seating was a real plus. We got to the theatre about 45 minutes before showtime and had great seats. We also booked the package the day before... I don't know if that was just pure luck or not. If you are impatient and don't like to wait (like my boyfriend) I would highly recommend doing this. You get a great meal and great seats.

Dianne S. (7/03): If you are going with a person with a disability it is not worth the
package. Unfortunately, they have not made the accommodations for seating for
people in wheelchairs any better -- in fact, you are seated to the far side and you can not get close due to the stairs. If you have able body people you will be able to get closer to the staging area.

Leslie (6/03): We booked the Fantasmic Dinner show after reading several favorable reviews and we could not have been happier. We decided to book this for our first day there, which also happened to be Father's Day. This is a great way to start your magical disney vacation. We ate at Hollywood and Vine and it was a great choice as we had seven adults and 3 small children. The selection was fantastic and our waiter Devon was fantastic. After noticing our "picky" 6 year old wasn't finding anything to his liking he quickly went next door to the 50's Primetime Diner and showed up with a great big
basket of French Fries, problem solved! When you do enter at Oscar's for the show, know in advance that there is a long walk to the ampitheater! We left our strollers thinking we would not need them for this outing, we wished we would have had them! By the time we arrived, which was 45 minutes prior to the show the other sections
of the theater were full and we were glad we didn't have to stand in the lines to get our seats. The show is fabulous and a must-see for all ages. We will definitely do this again on our next visit!

Regina A. (4/03): I found out about the Fantasmic! Dining Experience online at the allearsnet.com website and I called in our reservation for 4/26/03. We picked Hollywood & Vine because it was the cheapest. We ate, got our little blue ticket and were told to go to Oscar's Classic Car Souvenirs and Super Service Station. We were a little confused since that was near the front entrance to the park, not near the Fantasmic! amphitheater, but we went along with it. There was a sign by the Cast Member entrance behind Oscar's for Fantasmic! ticket holders and a CM that was waiting by the gate, we gave her our ticket and she waved us through the CM entrance!

Just being back behind the scenes was almost as cool as the show itself! There was really nothing to see along the long, long walk to the amphitheater, but I have a neat photo of me in a big grassy field with the TOT in the background...the picture only matters if you know there's no publicly accessible field near the TOT :)

Anyway, the walk was so long cast members along the way (there were only 2 that we could see but I'm sure security was keeping an eye out on us) asked a few people having trouble with the walk if they needed wheelchairs, my mom was one of these folks, and she was not happy with the walk!

We entered the theater at the entrance right behind our seating area. I have read a lot of complaints that the Fantasmic Dining Experience seating is on the far right side when you enter the theater. This is true - it is the last two full sections on the right side if you are facing the stage. However, if you come early enough, you can see there are two whole sections reserved for us. If you come late you are literally on the edge of the amphitheater. I think it's hard to have a bad seat in any case as I'm used to watching Fantasmic! in California from standing on a wall, or on a bench, etc.

Anyway, the Dining Experience people have their own entrance at the regular entrance too, I have a feeling using the back way kept us out of the long line that seems to have stretched from the amphitheater entrance to at least the Beauty and the Beast theater. You can come and go to concession stands, but if you leave the area a CM will give you a password to repeat on your way in. A lot of people were trying to get to the reserved side and were turned away when they were asked for the password or where their Dining Experience ticket was. An answer of "We didn't eat dinner" was a guarantee you weren't getting in - and no I'm not telling anyone the password!

Amy Calvo (3/03): On my last trip to Disney, in March 2003, my party of four chose to purchase the Fantasmic! Dining Experience at Mama Melrose's. We had previously used the old system for Fantasmic! dining, and were very disapointed by the new package. Our server gave us no flexibility, even after we explained we needed a simpler dish for my grandmother's strict health-related diet. Additionally, the meal was extremely overpriced for what we received, and when my mother asked for extra cheese, the server informed us he would have to ask if that was allowed. Needless to say, we were furious! After a quick, pleasant talk with the manager, however, we remebered why we travel yearly to see Mickey-- He came back to our table, explaining he had overheard us as he walked away saying we were going to Downtown Disney to look for a print, and presented us with a voucher for the $30 print my mother wanted. That is Disney service at its finest! This may not be an excellent food review, but I think that it serves its purpose: exposing the side of Disney that makes us come back. So no, the meal deal is not terrific, but remember -- Disney always does what it takes to leave you with a smile.

Kathy Schneider (1/03): We used the Dining Experience first during a summer trip (when the parks were quite croweded). We ate at Mama Melrose's, which is a healthy walk from the Fantasmic area. By the time we got there it was already very crowded. We sat in some of the last seats of our reserved section and it was great. The seats, even though they were a little off to the side, were terrific. The next trip (during January) we didn't think we needed to use the package. It was still very crowded (even though we got there earlier than the time before) and we barely got ANY seats at all. I really think the package is the way to go -- it is much nicer knowing that we will get nice seats than worrying about whether we will get any seats at all.

Deb K. (1/03): We used the Fantasmic Dining Experience at Hollywood & Vine the last weekend in January. It turned out that we probably didn't need to do it, since crowds were so low in the park that day. But who knew? Secondly, having to pay for all that food just to see the show... well, it's one reason I don't like buffets. I don't eat enought to get my money's worth. But I hate to wait in lines even more, so the package itself still seems to be worth it. The process worked pretty much as expected -- I had given my credit card to guarantee the reservation, but was not charged until we actually had the meal. I didn't have to pick up any vouchers beforehand, just had to be at the restaurant a few minutes before our PS time. We showed up at Oscar's about a half-hour before showtime and were seated in the special section (which was Ursula that night, one section over from the usual Witch section, due the the low crowds). I would definitely use this package again.