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View Full Version : TPO BLAST! Dinner Package: Anyone done?



SzczerbiakManiac
03-19-2002, 05:26 PM
45 Adult / 20 Kids

I was just perusing the DLR AP pages and came across the following "special" offer:

"The Power of BLAST!" Dinner Packages!
Beginning March 15, 2002, enjoy "The Power of BLAST!" like you never have before with dinner at selected Theme Park or Resort Hotel restaurants, reserved seating at the show and commemorative merchandise. I called the dining line and I wound up more confused than before I called. I think the CM said for $45 ($20 for kids) you get to "be in the show" (I have no idea if that means you see the show of you somehow get incorporated into it, but I assume the former.) Then you can go to either Avalon Cove, Wine Country Trattoria, or Soap Opera Bistro (I think that was all of them, but don't quote me) for "free" appetizers (she didn't seem too sure) and an exclusive pin.

So has anyone done this? Planning on it? What was it like? Was it worth the 45 bucks?

HBTiggerFan
03-19-2002, 06:28 PM
Considering BLAST is free to begin with, your not eating dinner or getting awesome deserts in the show (like fantasmic desert buffet), and you can get dinner alot cheaper than $45 a person, I think its a RIPOFF!!! Also since your paying $45 for an already free show, "free" appitizers and dinner, the apatizers would not really be freel. Again, HUGE RIPOFF. Even a pin does not make it worth $45. Even Nova Scotia lobster at Avalon Cove after the lagoon was cleaned up would be a RIPOFF!

MammaSilva
03-19-2002, 07:28 PM
I agree with HB Tigger Fan... why pay for the cow when the milk is free? what are they going to do reserve a section of the theater for those "paying" guests? the show is awesome there are no 'bad' views in the theater and if you really want/hope to 'interact' then sit in the first row of the lowest balcony....sheesh I can't think of anything except maybe a date with that cymbol player for one of our MP crew that would be worth 45 bucks...

SzczerbiakManiac
03-19-2002, 07:54 PM
mammasilva wrote:
I can't think of anything except maybe a date with that cymbal player for one of our MP crew that would be worth 45 bucks...Well I can tell you a date with the Flügelhornist, Zak Graff would be worth $45 many times over! <lascivious grin>

MammaSilva
03-19-2002, 07:58 PM
well I have to admit there are some YUMMMMMMAYYYYY looking folks in that show but I think if Disney were to arrange that as part of the "package" the Anaheim vice squad would show up sooner or later ROFL

cstephens
03-19-2002, 09:12 PM
Originally posted by SzczerbiakManiac
45 Adult / 20 Kids

I was just perusing the DLR AP pages and came across the following "special" offer:
I called the dining line and I wound up more confused than before I called. I think the CM said for $45 ($20 for kids) you get to "be in the show" (I have no idea if that means you see the show of you somehow get incorporated into it, but I assume the former.) Then you can go to either Avalon Cove, Wine Country Trattoria, or Soap Opera Bistro (I think that was all of them, but don't quote me) for "free" appetizers (she didn't seem too sure) and an exclusive pin.

Whoever you got on the phone seems to have given you the wrong information. The price includes dinner (including appetizer, entree, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage) at one of the above-mentioned restaurants or Hook's Pointe, PCH Grill, Storyteller Cafe or Yamabuki. You also get priority seating for Blast, a lanyard and a pin. It sounds like a great deal to me as those are high-end restaurants (except for the Trattoria, imo), and just a meal at any of those restaurants can run $45 per person, so having the added value is even better. Sounds like a great deal to me, and my husband and I will definitely try it out in a few weeks.

Perhaps it might be a good idea to get all of the details before launching a tirade.




/cs

SzczerbiakManiac
03-20-2002, 06:31 AM
Thanks for clearing that up cstephens. The girl (she did not sound like a woman) who took my call came across as having little clue.

I agree, now that I have all the details it does sound like a pretty good deal and I'll have to give it a whirl. Anyone care to join me? ;)

Corndog Barbie
03-20-2002, 09:57 AM
Checked out Chef Kevin on MP for dinner prices at Hooks Pointe:

'For the following sections, add approximately one dollar in cost to estimate the prices of the same items on the dinner menu.'

Grilled Tiger Prawns - $10.25
- with chili oil and tomatillo sauce

Cognac Marinated Rib-eye Steak
- $23.50 - with corn and potatoes

Warm chocolate soufflé cake - $4.75
- with toasted pistachio ice cream

Drink, probably $2.50

So, probably about $45 for dinner (thanks cs) and you get the pin and priority seating. You decide if its worth it for you.

PS, I saw no corn dogs on the menu.:mad:

HBTiggerFan
03-20-2002, 04:25 PM
OK, so for $45 you get a viewing of an already "free w/ admission" show, a "free dinner" at your choice of 5 or 6 high end restruants and a $10 (max) pin and $7 lanyard?? RIPOFF still! UNLESS the admission to DCA is included with all of that!! Are your choices at the dinner places limited to certain items? I still say its a HUGE RIPOFF. You can get a fastpass for BLAST, Fastpass is already free, the show itself is free. what kind of priority seating?

I would rather spend $50 to see Fantasmic desert balcony where that is truely an awesome view with awesome food (all you can eat too) where with $45 BLAST the dinner is not in the show and there are no bad views in the theater.

cstephens
03-20-2002, 05:52 PM
Originally posted by HB Tigger Fan
OK, so for $45 you get a viewing of an already "free w/ admission" show, a "free dinner" at your choice of 5 or 6 high end restruants and a $10 (max) pin and $7 lanyard?? RIPOFF still! UNLESS the admission to DCA is included with all of that!! Are your choices at the dinner places limited to certain items? I still say its a HUGE RIPOFF. You can get a fastpass for BLAST, Fastpass is already free, the show itself is free. what kind of priority seating?

But the full dinner is not normally free.

Not knowing whether there are restrictions on what entrees are ordered at the various restaurants, it appears that you and I have very different understandings of what constitutes a "rip-off". As long as there aren't huge and unreasonable restrictions on what one orders, it's basically the same as paying for a full meal (if one doesn't eat much, then yes, it would not make sense to try the promotion) and getting the pin and lanyard for free and getting priority seating at Blast, whatever that entails.

Still sounds like a good deal to me, one I fully intend to try in a few weeks.




/cs

Ghoulish Delight
03-20-2002, 08:12 PM
It boils down to this.

Price of appetizer + price of entree + price of drink +price of desert + price of pin + price of lanyard = WAAAY more than $45 (probably closer to $60-65. Remember how much pins and lanyards retail for). And a free show to boot (of course you get that anyway, but it certainly doesn't detract from the value)

So IF you were planning on having a full, sit-down meal anyway, or IF you were planning to have a moderate sit-down meal and buy a couple decent souveniers, this turns out to be an excellent deal. But if you planned to grab a corn dog, buy a lightchaser, and fastpass the last showing of Blast!, then it's not worth your time and money. Simple as that.

MouseWife
03-21-2002, 07:36 AM
I would love to do this. Sounds 'special'.

I would also love to do the Fantasmic desert.

But, with a family of five, we do tend to do the
kids/combo meal deal. :(

I think since we live so close, we don't really 'save' for these
vacations. We just go. And, in doing that, we end up having
to do it on a budget.

Someday. :)

MammaSilva
03-21-2002, 07:52 AM
I'll be interested in reading the review after someone has actually done the deal and finds out the particulars on what you can/can't order during the meal (the little fine print will kill ya sometimes) but after looking at the prices and stuff it does sound a lot better than it did when I first read the thread....

HBTiggerFan
03-21-2002, 03:24 PM
I agree with mammasilva now, and GD made a great point. I will refrain until I hear all the details.

jslivinski
04-12-2002, 12:47 PM
Originally posted by HB Tigger Fan
I agree with mammasilva now, and GD made a great point. I will refrain until I hear all the details. So, has anyone done the dinner since the last post. If so, how was it?

stan4d_steph
04-12-2002, 01:24 PM
Originally posted by Ghoulish Delight
It boils down to this.

Price of appetizer + price of entree + price of drink + price of desert + price of pin + price of lanyard = WAAAY more than $45 (probably closer to $60-65.

yeah, I mean the price of desert alone... what with all the cacti and tortoises... :p

BTW, for those mentioning Fantasmic, I hear it is no longer "all you can eat" but will be a "dessert assortment in a gift box" for the same price

MouseWife
04-14-2002, 08:58 PM
Phooey!:mad:

MammaSilva
04-15-2002, 08:09 AM
it was only a matter of time, besides they needed to come up with SOMETHING to do with all those boxes they had for the terrace version of priority seating....although the view of the show is not to be beat I have seen it from the balcony several times I don't think I'd be willing to pay 45 bucks for a CM to hand me a box and a paper cup of cold drink and be squeezed in because NOW without the table and stuff I"m sure that they have increased the numbers that they let on the balcony, long long way from the original 16 guest magical experience that it was a few short years ago

MouseWife
04-15-2002, 08:58 AM
Exactly.

I never was able to partake in the balcony buffet. :(

And, I would not like to pay the same amount for less
and more people.

If they lower the price, that would be great.

Funny thought about the boxes. ;)

MammaSilva
04-15-2002, 12:09 PM
Originally posted by MouseWife
Exactly.



And, I would not like to pay the same amount for less
and more people.

If they lower the price, that would be great.


when is the last time we saw Disney lower the price on anything that didn't involve getting butts into the new park?

MouseWife
04-15-2002, 12:36 PM
Sad, but true. :(

Not everyone in my family appreciates such luxuries so I would hate to put out so much and then they might say, Hmm, can we go get a frozen banana? or We would have had better at Krispy Kremes.

But, if they put a nice little selection in the box, then it might be worth it. I mean, you could not take a 'doggie bag' from the buffet, right? I personally can only handle sweets a little at a time. So this might be better for me.

And, they must have a selection of beverages. Coffee, milk, and soda for those who must have it.

MammaSilva
04-15-2002, 04:15 PM
LoL on the doggie bag, just to share how the demise of this fantastic event has gone, our first visit I hiked my hiney over and sat in front of the guest services window at 4:30 am, by 5am there were 9 of us in line and some of them were NOT happy because I was buying out the entire first show......tickets were limited to 16 MAX per show, we arrived to two full tables loaded with treats, 3 CMs dressed in the enchanted evening tux costumes, they waited on us hand and foot, it was so wonderful it was actually decadant! At the end of the show they asked if we would like the 'leftovers' since they couldn't serve them to the next show, we DID get 'doggie bags' of the fruits and some of the sweets to take back to the hotel, second time we went, we bought out the balcony again after another middle of the night hike and long hours in front of guest services, we arrive to find ONE table of treats with a smaller selection but still plenty to make it worth the money and effort, same great service, Next visit I "thought" I bought out the balcony, got there and after we were seated they squeezed in another 4 guests, food selection was even SMALLER and there were only 2 CM's to take care of all of us so service was adequate but not spectacular, they actually RAN OUT OF DESERTS before everyone had gone thru the line and had to run down to BB to get more food before the show started!.........On to our very last time....still doing the hike in the middle of the night, sitting for hours visiting with others as willing to experience the show from the "perfect" spot....buy our tickets and find that NOW they sell 22-24 tickets per show, get there get seated and have the other guests complaining about the two wheelchairs getting 'front' row, hello seating was in order of purchase and I was first in line, the food was 'ok" but nothing in comparison to times past and service was a joke, we all got ONE drink for the entire time because there was only ONE CM for the entire group and serve yourself wasn't offered as an option for drinks....and keep in mind that each year it has gone up roughly five dollars a year, the last time I went we paid 40 dollars and I have to admit to being disappointed, the best part of that trip was that we got to go up the 'secret' elevator with the wheelchairs and a backstage tour of Club 33 kitchen.....so we won't be doing that particular extra again :(

cstephens
05-04-2002, 11:52 PM
I've posted our experience with the Blast! Dining Package, including a review of Hook's Pointe. If you're interested, please go to http://www.colddeadfish.net/hookspointe042102.html.

Thanks!



/cs

Signed box of Cap'n Crunch from Not-Justin at the Luxor.