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We booked the Fantasmic Dinner package. They only had a 3:40 slot. We are doing the 8:00 show. There are two that night. 3:40 is too early for us to eat dinner. I asked if we could show up at 4:00 or 4:30 with this ressie. The CM told me that they would give our table away if we did not show at the scheduled time. Does anyone know if this is true. Also, will we be forced to attend the first show instead of the last one? Can anyone answer this for me?
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When it gets closer to your trip, call and see about changing to a later time. I've heard they often open up some later times as it gets nearer.
On the other hand you don't have to do the Dinner Package if the times they give you aren't good for your family. Just make a regular dinner reservation for whatever time suits you and just go to the theater entrance about 30 minutes before the show start time. You'll still get a seat somewhere. I've never done a package and have always been able to get a seat except once.....when we showed up really late and were in standing room.
There are two that night. 3:40 is too early for us to eat dinner. I asked if we could show up at 4:00 or 4:30 with this ressie. The CM told me that they would give our table away if we did not show at the scheduled time
No offense intended, but if you could just show up at the restaurants when you're hungry or at a time that's good for you and get a seat, then Disney wouldn't have this whole ADR thing in place and highly encourage people to make them. I agree though, keep checking back for a time that's better for you, and if not, just skip the meal. I've read the theather holds something like 10000 people so chances are, if you don't wait until the last minute to get a seat, you're going to get one, with or without the dinner package.
We booked the Fantasmic Dinner package. They only had a 3:40 slot. We are doing the 8:00 show. There are two that night. 3:40 is too early for us to eat dinner. I asked if we could show up at 4:00 or 4:30 with this ressie. The CM told me that they would give our table away if we did not show at the scheduled time. Does anyone know if this is true. Also, will we be forced to attend the first show instead of the last one? Can anyone answer this for me?
If you want to go to the later show, just plan to eat or do other attractions during the first show. You don't have to get the package to see the show, you just get the 'special' area for seating and can get in line a little later.
Make a reservation at the restaurant of your choice for the best time for your family. They, get in line for the show about 30-40 minutes ahead of time. The theatre is fairly large and I don't think there's a bad seat in the place IMHO. Don't worry about not having the "package". The package gets you into the theatre earlier, but you still have to wait for show time for the show to begin.
The FDP seating is only for the first showing of Fantasmic.
The second showing is usually less crowded than the first, so there's no need to reserve seats.
If you don't show up at your ADR time, they most definitely can (and will) release your table to walk-ups.
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The general "guideline" for the restaurants is that they will hold your ADR for 25 minutes past the time set (to allow for being stuck in transporation, rides, or crowds.)
I second the opinion that you don't need to do the Fantasmic! Dinner Package to get decent seats -- depending on the time of year you're going and the size of your party. (If I had 10 people and was going on July 4th, then I'd spring for the package.)
Here's what I do to get a seat without too much waiting:
I get to the line just as it's moving into the theatre (usually about 30 minutes before the show is what I aim for.)
I head over to the Mickey (center) section and walk all the way down the stairs to the bottom. Then I look up to find the open spots. There's also a CM stationed at the bottom of the steps to help fit people in and they will assist you.
This has worked pretty well for me in low to moderate crowds, but with a smaller party, I would think it would pretty well in higher crowd times too.
I've never used the Fantasmic dinner package and never had a problem getting a seat. We usually go about 1 hour or 45 minutes before the show time, grab a drink, sit, and just relax. I think Fantasmic is my favorite end to a day in the parks - maybe it has to do with the sitting down part.
In my way of thinking, the FDP is really just a way to skip waiting in line any longer than you want to (kind of like a fastpass!!). We did it simply because we have 3 little kids and didn't want to wait in the regular line. They still advised us to get there at 8:30 for a 9 oclock show. So we still sat in the theatre and waited. So I guess maybe you should ask yourself if an early dinner is worth skipping a long wait? What's more important - waiting in line for a good seat, or enjoying the rest of the Studios and strolling into the theatre (on the far right side!) just before showtime?
On the ADR note - I was lucky in still getting my ADR after showing up 1 1/2 hours later. It was at Crystal Palace for breakfast, and I had missed the only early morning bus from my off-property hotel. I couldn't believe that they still honored it. Of course, this was in 2001. Things may have changed since then. Not that I am encouraging you to do this - most definitely am not! I just wanted to share my lucky story!!!
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We actually did not have a good experience with the Fantasmic Dinner Package (I booked it that way and they said I didn't - then when it was time to enter the theater it was pouring down rain and they almost cancelled the show). We prefer to make ADR's for the meal and then show up for whatever show we want to see.
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We also had a 3:30-ish ressie for the package during our last trip. We ate a late-ish breakfast (9:30 or so) had our 3:30 "dinner" as our late-ish lunch, saw a 7pm Fantasmic! show, and then had a late real dinner (9:10) at O'hana. Worked for us!
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