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furbE95
03-31-2003, 09:09 PM
I was wondering if anyone could tell me all about the fantasmic! reserved seating/desert thing. a description including: price, desert offerings, where to make reservations, and personal opinions would be very appreciated. A website answering some or all of these things would be very acceptable.

Also, does anyone know about the haunted mansion holiday dinner and the holiday event mentioned on the mouseplanet update? The same type of description would also be appreciated.

scaeagles
04-01-2003, 05:25 AM
I did this once and it was very cool. Te only way to see Fantasmic, especially with kids. However, the price and lack of ease of actually getting in is incredibly prohibitive.

It runs $45/person. Ouch. Also, seats are limited (although since I did it several years ago they have added another area). What I had to do, and apparently is still the process based on an e-mail question I sent to DL, is a very early trip to a line to the west of the DL main gates. The "group ticket sales" window, I think it is. I got up at 3a.m. to go get in line to purchase these tickets and there were several people in front of me! I got the last 3 tickets for that evenings early performance.

The major problem with this is you don't know how many tickets are available for sale for any given show prior to the window opening. For example, the previous night to my seeing the show, the pirate who swings on the rope outside of the pirate ship fell off and into the water. Immediately all lights went on and the show as stopped. Everyone who had paid for the reserved seating/desert buffet was offered a free seat the next night or reimbursement. About half came back the next night, severely limiting the number of seats available. A lot of people in line for tickets didn't get them because they didn't know so many had already been taken. I would suppose these seats are also used as giveaways and perks and compensation for other things, so who knows how many are ever available.

Anyway, there is another option which runs cheaper, but it isn't a desert buffet - I guess it's a reserved river side seat with popcorn and a drink. Ouch.

It was worth it to splurge on once, and we are thinking of doing the same thing when we go this July.

MammaSilva
04-01-2003, 05:37 AM
It seems that each season they 'change' the procedure so this is 'last seasons' information on the Fantasmic Balcony ...you could call 30 days out and purchase your tickets on the phone but there is very limited seating up there, I'm not sure how many they are stuffing on the balcony these days, (oh for the days when it was 18 people max :crying: ) our last time on the balcony they crammed 24 of us up there and it was a bit of a tight fit' but having said that, you have nice padded seats.. think the chairs like they have downstairs at the French Market, the most perfect view of Fantasmic possible short of being in the control booth area and some yummy food. It is more than worth the price.. (the 45 is above and beyond your entrance costs) .....I have never done the lower 'reserved' seating area because I've heard 'mixed' reviews, that the location was a bit less than 'prime' meaning it was off to one side of center, and the dessert was a box with some treats and a drink for only a few dollars less than the balcony.

I have to say I do miss the "fun" of treking over in the middle of the night to sit in front of the guest services window, the several times I did it I managed to either be first or second in line but I went REALLY early (3am once, and 4am another time) one time when the park used to stay open until 1 am we saw folks just walk out the gate of the park, go right to the window and sit down..... they basically slept on the ground camping out for those elusive tickets! The phone system is a lot easier on everyone.

Instidude
04-01-2003, 05:45 AM
I did the reserve seating for Fantasmic reserved seating in September on the banks of the river. They are good seats (but you want to get there early enough so when they let you in you can get the better seats). It was $45/person, and they had cast members for you as "waiters". You were supplied with a dessert box with quite a lot of sweets, and all the softdrinks you could pour into your stomach. The trick to it is to sign in as soon as they allow you to (I think it was a couple hours before Fantasmic started), then you can wander around for an hour or so. They call people for seating based on when you signed in.

So, to summarize:

The good:

1) Lots of food
2) Lots of drink
3) an actual chair to sit on
4) not crammed in like sardines
5) good view of the show

The bad:

1) $45 (although I thought it was worth it)
2) making sure you sign in early enough

Since I only make it to DL every 5 years or so, it was well worth it for me to have a good, comfortable view of the show so I could compare it to WDW's version (and yes, DL's is better)

Lani
04-01-2003, 08:04 AM
furbE95 -- start by doing a search here on MousePlanet. Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix wrote "Priority Dining at the Disneyland Resort (http://www.mouseplanet.com/more/mm020711.htm) that covers information about the Fantasmic dessert buffet.

One slight glitch for now: Until the rehab for the Rivers of America is complete, there are no Fantasmic shows at Disneyland. The river is supposed to reopen sometime this month, but we'll have to see.

mystycalchyk
04-01-2003, 08:26 AM
I would definately reccommend it. For us it's our big splurge. We do it everytime we go (unless it gets cancelled which is always a bummer)

Don't eat dinner first! For goodness sakes eat your $45 worth of decadent desserts and forget any diets for at least one night.

The seating is very limited, but that's one thing I really like about it. Not fighting the crowds is worth every penny to me.

prudence
04-01-2003, 10:20 AM
I would absolutely recommend this. We did it last August and it was fabulous. (It was also our first time seeing Fantasmic! So now we're spoiled.) I have a notorious sweet tooth and even I reached my sugar limit with the bountiful array of treats available. I would caution about bringing restless kids, though. One large party that was there had some rambunctious kids who knocked over the little drink tables (for you to set your drinks on) several times as they climbed over and under chairs waiting for the show to start. (I think it was basically bad parenting to permit this athletic activity, but apparently I'm old fashioned.) It's not a large space and there a number of chairs stuffed in there.

Now we're crossing our fingers we'll get to see it in June. We arrive on the 15th and it's up for debate whether or not Fantasmic will be showing then. (So if anyone hears anything, let me know!)

julia
04-01-2003, 01:04 PM
I did the reserved seating for Fantasmic! last August, too, and it was so great! The dessert box was wonderful - so many goodies that it took me a week to eat it all, even with my husband's help. Lots of different things in the box, such as chocolates and bon bons, Mickey Mouse rice krispie treats with chocolate ears, chocolate chip cookies. The box makes a nice souvenir, too, if you have a use for it. It is kind of expensive, but it is such an unforgettable treat.

I was seated right next to the water, so I got both wet and warmed and dried by the show itself. Then, we sat and had a really good seat for the fireworks for the evening.

Have fun!

dgdisney
04-01-2003, 01:20 PM
FurbE95--you didn't mention if you had children but my experience has been that if you end up with river seats (no dessert buffet--it is the dessert box with beverages) you really need to get there early to get the front row seats. It would have been very difficult for our then 5-year old to see over the heads of others!

On the positive front-the CMs hosting the river seating went out of their way to make our child's experience a special one. She received a special hot fudge sundae in a Mickey collectable cup and when she asked for milk and hot chocolate the CMs went over to the restaurant to get special beverages for the princess!

I think the river seating was a few dollars less than the gallery seats ($43 instead of $45 maybe:confused: ) but the gallery seemed to sell out as the park opened! We bought our seats at City Hall (where I also found out you could make BB reservations without having to run to NOS).

We would do it again in a second---if they would restart the show!! Have a great time!

furbE95
04-01-2003, 01:38 PM
First off, i would like to thank everyone for their abundance of feedback. I have one more question for those who have done the river seats: where exactly are these seats located? Are they pretty far off to the side, or are they pretty centralized?

scaeagles
04-01-2003, 01:40 PM
Pretty faroff center, near the HM entrance.

dgdisney
04-01-2003, 04:12 PM
They are certainly off center but I thought that was actually better because it seemed like we had a better view of all the ship action for a longer period of time (or maybe you just don't get as wet there so you think you have a better view!).

You are nestled under a huge speaker--maybe too loud for some.

dsny1mom
04-02-2003, 05:56 AM
The main differances between the balcony and the reserved seating along the ROA are:

1) Price. The balcony is a few dollars more and they do not offer a reduced price for children where the ROA site does.

2) View. The balcony gives you a dead center view that is elevated and allows you to see F! in a manner that is not possible from any other vantage point. The ROA view is pretty much the same as sitting in front of one of the water screen by the HM.

3) Food/ Beverages. At the ROA reserved seating you get one box per person, that is actually nice and worth saving and is the size of a shoe box for a children's pair of shoes, of maybe 6 small desert items and beverages served, I believe, in regulation park soda/coffie cups. Children that are paid for at the childrens reduced price do not get the desert box, they get an ice cream sundae in a plastic frosted Mickey head bowl, that they get to keep and of course beverages. At the balcony you get unlimited deserts and beverages served in tumblers and or china cups for hot beverages. You also get linen napkins and the serve staff that is from the BB, as oppossed to a small paper napkin and special events CMs at the ROA. Also in the balcony when you first arrive you go get your own deserts and then when you are seated your server takes your bevearge order and brings you your beverage and continually checks back with you to see if you want a refill or a different beverage. The servers at the balcony will also bring you additional deserts, once you are seated if you choose not to get up again.

If you have small children it would probably be cost efficent to do the reserved seating at the ROA, as you pay less for them there and they may not like many of the deserts in the balcony. Not to mention little ones can fall asleep waiting for the show, we've seen this many many times in the balcony, and your loss would be less if they fall asleep at the ROA site as oppossed to the balcony.

If you are all adults or adults with older children I feel the balcony is much much nicer, in all respects. Also if you plan on video taping F! the balcony is the VERY best location to do so.

The check in system at the ROA is very nice, as it allows you to reserve your seats and then go do other things. Last summer at the balcony they kept changing their system and I don't know if they are taking early check in any longer, to allow you to reserve your seat and then leave. But even if they aren't, only one person from your party has to be up in the gallery for any length of time and the rest of your party can join you right before you are let onto the balcony.

As for staying for the fireworks, after the 1st show, that is not a given in either location. If they have no special party/event coming up for the second show they usually allow you to stay but if they have to prepare for a special event or guests for the 2nd show you will not be allowed to stay. There is no gaurantee and the price of either ticket does not include anything other that the F! viewing and the food/beverages during F!. So no one should get upset of they are asked to leave thier seats after F! is over.

We have viewed F! from every possible location, dead center front row at the ROA, off to both sides on the gorund, the desert balcony, the VIP side balcony, Club 33, and once we were blessed to watch it in the actual control booth. Other than sitting in the actual control area, the balcony is the by far the best and most unique view.

IMHO, the view you get at the reserved seating area at ROA is nothing special and somewhat subpar from sitting on the ground, for free, anywhere infront of the center water screen. But then again some people like to be really close to the show as oppossed to watching it from the balcony, that is furhter back and above the on the ground sight line.


I hope I haven't confussed you too much!

Have fun!

dsny1mom