Fantasmic Dinner Package...worth it?

[zipadeedoodah]

So, I have never done the Fantasmic Dinner package before but have been considering it for this trip. I hate standing in that LONG line up to the amphitheatre, but I LOVE Fantasmic. Is it worth it to do the dinner package? I've read such negative reviews for both Mama Melrose's and for Hollywood & Vine, so I'm not sure if I want to use one of my dining credits on it if its not going to be good food.

Has anyone had a good experience at either of these restaurants?

Also, I had always thought that Hollywood Brown Derby was a signature restaurant, requiring 2 table service credits, however on WDW offical site, it lists it as "unique dining experience" and doesn't say anything about it being signature like the others do.

[Strmchsr]

I didn't find it particularly worth it now that they've gone back to nightly showings. When it was only 2-3 times a week, definitely, but now you can get in without it and the dining package seats are way over on the right side. It's a guaranteed seat, but unless you're going at one of the busiest times of the year you'll get in without needing the dining package.

And I'll also say, I don't get the negative reviews of Mama Melrose's. I was hesitant to eat there, too, but I tried it for the first time in December and my family loved it. When I was down for a conference in January I ate there again and, once again, really enjoyed it. So, no one time fluke.

[wdwnutz]

We are trying Mama Melrose w/ the Fantasmic package for the first time this upcoming trip in 2 weeks. We have done Hollywood and Vine in the past and weren't impressed, just ok food. We hate getting in line early for Fantasmic anytime of the year, so it's worth it for us. (ds5 has adhd and anytime we can shorten a wait it's wonderful!) Also, we have sat all over the stadium and how found every seat is great except for first few rows where you probably will get wet! (unless it's 95 degrees!) Also, we don't do the meals that require 2 tableservice credits, basically because we don't want to pay OOP for another meal.

[Pirate Granny]

Brown derby is definitely two table services...had been for as long as they designated "two". I would never wait in that line to get in....dining package is the only way we go.

[Butters]

We just used it with Mama Melrose in Feb, and found it to be completely worth it. Food was good (not great) but worth one credit, and not having to worry about getting a seat made our day more relaxed.

[Scar]

Also, I had always thought that Hollywood Brown Derby was a signature restaurant, requiring 2 table service credits, however on WDW offical site, it lists it as "unique dining experience" and doesn't say anything about it being signature like the others do.

If you look at the 2012 DDP brochure, you will see Brown Derby listed as a signature.

I ate at Hollywood & Vine once... never again.

[amorillo]

Have done the fantastic package with all three restaurants (in my guest to try everything once ) Mama Melrose's was definitely the best of the three. While my husband and I loved the brown derby... the picky kids weren't so thrilled. Hollywood & Vine is just ok. That said, eating at any with the package was well worth it to not have to wait in that line with 4 children!!

[zipadeedoodah]

Thanks for your responses everyone! Strmchsr does give a good point. The last couple times I was at wdw, Fantasmic wasn't showing nightly - so that may be why the crowd was so terrible, because I don't recall it being all that bad when it ran nightly.

So, which would you choose...Mama Melrose's with the fantasmic package. Or Whispering Canyon Cafe at WL, and not have VIP seating? I'll have to think about it...

[joonyer]

We tried it once (at Hollywood & Vine) and the food was fine, not great but OK fine, but we were disappointed in the seating area (all the way to the right hand side). We avoid the long wait by not standing in the line. We go in after most of the people have already gone in. We don't get front section seating, but we've always been able to get decent seats in the middle of the theater. But, we do usually go at less crowded seasons and never had a problem finding a decent seat. Frankly I don't think the Fantasmic show is worth waiting in line more than 10 minutes for, at least after you've seen it once or twice (JMO)

[zipadeedoodah]

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking, Joonyer. We're going the last week of September, and I always use Touring Plans crowd forecast. The day we plan to see Fantasmic is on a day when they are forecasting only a 1.1 crowd level at DHS. So I think we may pass on the package and eat somewhere that I KNOW is good, so that I won't potentially waste a dining credit. Thanks guys!

[whitney37354]

It was worth it for us on our first trip. We ate at Mama Melrose. The food was good. DH & I compared it to Olive Garden. After eating, we walked through a few shops & took a bathroom break before heading in for our seats. It was nice to go in & get the seats early (probably seated for an hour before the show started), but we weren't on a break-neck speed tour of the park either.

You can get the dinner package & wait while sitting down or not get it & wait while standing in line...or you could just wait until closer to show time and see if there is seating still available, if you don't care where you are sitting. I wonder how much luck one would have by waiting until the last minute? It would probably depend on the time of year & how many shows were on that week.

[PETE FROM NYC]

It does NOT guarantee that you will be admitted to the show. We found out that the hard way in 2007. We had the package at Hollywood and Vine. The food there was decent but not bragging quality.