Disney’s Famous Dinner and Show: The Fantasmic! Dining Package – Is it Worth It?
Fantasmic! is one of the most beloved nighttime attractions at Walt Disney World Resort. This 25-minute show at the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater offers more than just fireworks. It blends live-action characters, water screens, fountains, lights, pyrotechnics, and a 40-foot-tall dragon animatronic to create an absolutely unforgettable show.
It originally opened in 1998 and has been running in some form ever since (minus some refurbishment time and minor closures). While Fantasmic! was closed throughout most of 2020-2022, the show re-opened in November 2022 along with the highly-anticipated dining experience! (Yay!)
If you’re planning a trip to Walt Disney World Resort, you’ve likely heard of Fantasmic! – after all, it’s one of those can’t-miss nightly events! But what about the dining package? Let’s dive in and see how it works!
What is the Fantasmic Dining Package?
The Fantasmic! Dining Package is an add-on dining experience for Hollywood Studios that brings a little Disney magic to the concept of “dinner and a show.” You can select breakfast, lunch, or dinner at one of five participating restaurants in Hollywood Studios. Depending on what you choose, you’ll get an entrée and appetizer (or dessert) at full-service restaurants or full buffet access at family-style restaurants. You’ll also be served a non-alcoholic beverage. Currently participating restaurants are 50’s Prime Time Cafe, Hollywood & Vine, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant, The Hollywood Brown Derby, and Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano. (More about those later!)
When you arrive at the restaurant, you’ll also be given a voucher for VIP seating for one nightly viewing of Fantasmic! With your voucher, you won’t have to wait in line but will be shown to the Mickey Mouse section of the theater (which just happens to be the center and arguably the best spot to watch the show).
Gratuity and any additional purchases you make at the restaurant (extra dessert, alcoholic beverages, etc.) are not included in the price. So make sure you’re prepared to tip after your meal! Remember that the dining package does not include admission to the Disney parks. You must have a valid park ticket (and park reservation) for Hollywood Studios on the day of your reservation to be allowed into the restaurant.
How do I get Reserved Seating for Fantasmic!?
As of right now, the only way you can have access to the reserved seating section for Fantasmic is by purchasing the Fantasmic! Dining Package. Disney does not offer reserved seating any other way. Even within the reserved seating section, it is still on a first-come, first-serve basis. There are no reserved seats for the show. You’ll need to be at the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater 25 minutes before your showtime. There is no other VIP seating for the show.
Unlike the other shows at Hollywood Studios, Fantasmic is still not on Genie+, so you can’t reserve a spot on the My Disney Experience app. As of 2023, there are no Lightning Lanes for the show either.
If you want to grab a seat for Fantasmic!, then you must get there early. Without the dining experience reservation, we recommend getting in line at least an hour before showtime to guarantee a spot!
Where can I make Fantasmic! Dining Reservations?
Right now, you can make Fantasmic dining reservations one of two ways. You can book your dining package directly online at Fantasmic! Dining Packages or you can call 407-WDW-DINE (939-3463) for dining reservations and assistance.
You can start making Disney advanced dining reservations 60 days before the start of your trip. Because these spots can fill up quickly at certain times of the year, we recommend trying to book your dining reservation as close to that 60-day mark as possible to ensure you get the experience you want!
How much does the Fantasmic! Dining Package Cost?
The Fantasmic dining package cost is determined by which restaurant and which meal you choose. As with most Disney restaurants, breakfast prices are typically less expensive than lunch and dinner. The meal pricing is comparable to ordering from the menu, with a slight upcharge for the reserved seating.
Hollywood & Vine
This location is a buffet-style character dining restaurant. Breakfast features the Disney Junior Stars, while lunch and dinner have visits with Minnie and her friends.
- Breakfast: $54.00 for Adults, $36.00 for Kids 10 & Under
- Lunch &Dinner: $71.00 for Adults, $47.00 for Kids 10 & Under
50’s Prime Time Cafe
If you’ve ever wanted to experience 50’s home cooking with a kitschy twist, this location serves that up and then some!
- Lunch & Dinner: $54.00 for Adults, $22.00 for Kids 10 & Under
The Hollywood Brown Derby
Step into the Golden Age of Hollywood at this warm, wood-paneled restaurant that serves contemporary American cuisine. You’ll find a little bit of everything on the menu, from steaks to seafood.
- Lunch & Dinner: $73.00 for Adults, $29.00 for Kids 10 & Under
Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano
Mama Melrose’s is a classic Italian restaurant heavy on pasta dishes.
- Lunch & Dinner: $54.00 for Adults, $22.00 for Kids 10 & Under
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater
This dine-in theater is exactly what it sounds like! Eat dinner in your “car” at a drive-in theater-inspired restaurant where you can enjoy All-American classics (think burgers and fries) while you watch sci-fi movie clips on the big screen.
- Lunch & Dinner: $49.00 for Adults, $22.00 for Kids 10 & Under
What’s the Best Restaurant for the Fantasmic! Dining Package?
Let’s talk about the dining options for this dining package. Clearly, your mileage may vary for where you prefer to eat at Hollywood Studios (everyone has preferences!), but we think there are a few obvious winners in this race.
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant
If you have kids or if you love retro science fiction and a little bit of kitsch, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater would be at the top of our list. This restaurant is a truly unique experience. Your party will sit in a darkened “drive-in” where you’re in a car-shaped booth that faces a large screen playing clips from old black and white sci-fi films.
If you have a large group, you may want to think about seating arrangements. Each car has two forward-facing bench seats so everyone can watch the screen. The booth can comfortably fit two adults per row (or perhaps three little ones). The menu has pretty standard American fare. Think burgers, chicken, and a few pasta dishes – so it’s great for picky eaters!
The Hollywood Brown Derby
The Brown Derby is the most expensive option for Fantasmic! dining, but it’s also the more exclusive restaurant at Hollywood Studios. This makes it a great choice if you are doing an adult-only trip or planning a date night/special occasion at the parks.
The menu might be a little too much for younger taste buds (appetizers include escargot and charcuterie boards) but the food is good. We recommend the prime rib or the filet mignon as an entrée – both of them are delicious! We also recommend checking out the menu before you go so you can make the most of your meal. Some of the cheaper entrees aren’t as cost-effective with the price of the dining package!
50’s Prime Time Café
Do you miss “mom’s home cooking”? What about dining in a midcentury home-themed restaurant with a new “family member” (the wait staff takes the role of your aunt, uncle, or cousin) to make sure you clean your plate? It’s a really fun vibe that’s good for the whole family to enjoy. We think this is another winner for the dining package!
The menu is filled with staples like meatloaf, fried chicken, cornbread, and pot pie. It’s a twist on a simple menu that makes your mealtime fun (so long as you all enjoy playing along!). If you don’t want to worry about audience participation during your meal, we’d suggest one of the other restaurants.
Hollywood & Vine
If you’re already booking a character meal for your kids (or yourself, we won’t judge!) then we’d choose the Hollywood & Vine option for Fantasmic! dining is just killing two birds with one stone. You’ll either dine with Minnie and friends (for lunch or dinner) or with Disney Junior characters (for breakfast). Hollywood & Vine is a buffet-style meal, so there’s usually something for everyone at your party. You’ll get to try a few fancier options as well as some simple staples for picky eaters.
Being able to book breakfast is another bonus! You’ll start the day with a big meal and still have plenty of time to explore the park.
Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano
We’ll be absolutely honest here. We’d recommend trying every single restaurant on this list before Mama Melrose’s. While it always smells delicious (especially when we’re walking by this spot on our way out of Muppet Vision 3D), we’ve always found the food serviceable, but just not worth it when there are so many other options. Unless you’ve got someone in your party that just really wants a flatbread pizza, we’d go with something else.
Is the Fantasmic! Dining Package Worth it?
Whether this dining package is worth it to you really depends on two things:
- How much do you want to prioritize seeing Fantasmic? (And how long are you willing to wait in line to see it?)
- Do you want to eat at one of the restaurants included in the dining package?
The upcharge for the dining package is minimal compared to the restaurant prices normally (so long as you choose menu items comparable to what you’re already spending), and it’s an excellent way to try restaurants that often book out on reservations early. If you’re already considering eating at one of the five restaurants while at Hollywood Studios, it’s a good strategy to book the Fantasmic! experience while you’re there. It will also cut down on your wait times for the show, giving you more time in the park during the day.
However, on busier park days, Hollywood Studios has two performances of Fantasmic! If you’re at the park on one of those nights, you might have better luck (and a shorter wait for seating) by just skipping the first showing and trying for the second. It’s typically less crowded. That way, you won’t have to spend extra time or money just to be guaranteed a seat. Getting the dining package is not the only way to see the show. You can always commit to getting there early (as seating opens 90 minutes before showtime), and you should get a good seat that way! Ultimately, it just depends on the day, the crowd density, and your dining budget.
What do you think? Would you book the Fantasmic! Dining Package on your next trip? Let us know in the comments below!
Cover photo: HarshLight via Flickr
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