Best Place to Watch Fantasmic?

[Kati]

The epic trip planning continues... this time I'm wondering where the best restaurant is to watch Fantasmic at MGM/HS?

(1) Brown Derby
(2) Mama Melrose's
(3) Hollywood & Vine

I'm looking for best food + view of the show. Any and all suggestions are helpful!

:mickey: :fworks:

[disneydeb]

I think there may be a bit of confusion. The dinner packages insure you a seat in the arena to view fantasmic. I like the food at Mama Melrose's if I do the dinner package, but I think the seats are better if you do not take the seats reserved for the dinner packages. IMHO. Enjoy your planning!:mickey:

[Strmchsr]

I agree with Deb. The dinner package reserved seating is way over on the right side. You can usually get a better seat not doing the package. The drawback is having to get in line 45-60 min before the show to guarantee you get a seat.

But, as already mentioned, there is no view of the show from the restaurants. The show takes place in an amphitheater.

[faline]

The Brown Derby would be my favorite restaurant as part of the Fantasmic dinner package.

It works like this:
Make your reservation for a Fantasmic dinner package at one of the participating restaurants.
While you are dining, your server will provide you with special passes for entry into the Fantasmic arena.
At the appointed time, go to the entrance you are instructed to use as part of your dinner package.
Enjoy the show.

The area where the show is held is huge. Still, it fills up completely of most evenings when it is held. If you are someone who likes to be as close the front as possible (I'm not), you might still want to arrive early - even with the dinner package.

Over time, I seriously have not found a lot of difference the view from wherever you are seated. We first went to this show before the dinner package was introduced. We've also done it several times on the dinner package.

[KH]

Having seen the show several times, I have to say that it was fascinating to see it from the extreme edge of the amphitheater. I know it would wreck some of the magic for a first time viewer, but from the edge one can see how some of the effects are created and some of the entrances/exits of the cast members that we're not supposed to see.

See it a couple of times from a seat more toward the center first, though! Have fun!

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

Nope, you cannot see Fantasmic from any of the restaurants. I haven't used the dining package but have had to stand in line for around 1 hour to get in to ensure we got seats. Depending on if you are planning a sit down meal anyway, you might be better off doing the dining package.

[Gator]

If you have kids, I'd go to Hollywood and Vine. The buffet has something for everyone there. But if it's just adults, the go to Mama's Melrose. The food is very good. Brown Derby is just too expensive.

The seats you'll get at the ampitheatre are over to the right, but they're pretty good. You'll be glad you did the package.

BTW: welcome to Intercot. And Hook'em!:fball:

[Lindsey310]

None of the three. That is only "preferred seating" as part of the fantasmic dinner package. I honestly don't like any of the three choices but we are doing this package this month (8/31) and we chose mama melroses. Not in love but I'm not a fan of the brown derby and I don't care for Hollywood and vine either.
It's worth it for the preferred seating but that is near beauty in the beast in the amphitheater and you can't see the show from the restaurant.
While the dinner probably won't be spectacular (and I can't even call it dinner bc the latest time we could get was 3:30) it's a great advantage with the preferred seating and not having to wait in the theater up to 90 minutes ahead of time! Have fun! :mickey: