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kisroo
08-16-2002, 08:31 AM
Hi! Was wondering if anyone has done this recently? The last trip we did was almost 2 yrs ago when you had to go stand in line at godawful hours in order to get a ticket and it really was a dessert buffet~all you could eat if you dared. Now, it looks like you get a dessert in a box??? Do you still sit up on the balcony outside of the Disney Gallery? I am thinking of surprising my soon-to-hubby on our honeymoon, but only if it is as nice as it used to be, 'cause that be a lot of cash...
Thanks!
Kisroo

MammaSilva
08-16-2002, 08:35 AM
Kisroo, you can call and buy tickets 30 days out now, I'm too lazy to go find the link for you but I think it is on the 'dine line' but don't hold me to that, even if you only get the box dessert (sorry haven't done the balcony in a couple years) it would be worth it to see the show from the balcony, I've read that now instead of doing the ugly early morning thing you have to get in line and wait to be seated someplace near the gallery, my best guess would be in that little courtyard with the fountain upstairs but once again I can't swear to it.....the seating is first come now, not like when you would do the guest services window and the order you bought your ticket was the order you got seated.. hope that helps a bit.... besides that "if" you are on the balcony you can hide from your "honeymoon stalker" ROFL!

AVP
08-16-2002, 08:36 AM
A group of MP staffers did the Fantasmic balcony when researching this column (http://www.mouseplanet.com/more/mm020711.htm) on current Priority Seating and Premium Viewing options for the resort.

The balcony still offers the dessert buffet. Dessert-in-a-Box is offered on the lower terrace seating, (which I would avoid at all costs)

AVP

kisroo
08-16-2002, 09:11 AM
Originally posted by mammasilva
.... besides that "if" you are on the balcony you can hide from your "honeymoon stalker" ROFL!

HaHa mammasilva! LOL! We're actually meeting them for Goofy's kitchen for lunch the same day (our arrival day is Sat.), but don't think that Stinkerbell will be too into the buffet (so many rides, so little time...)

AVP-How do you make sure you get the balcony and not the seating area?? (my apologies if this is in the link provided, I'm heading there next).

Thanks! And I'm sure we'll be scouting out for you MouseAdventure-ers...We'll be the ones in the Mickey and Minnie Bride and Groom hats, bought right here at Mouse Shoppe!!!! ; )
Kisroo

[Moderator's note: Broken vB code fixed in quoted material. -- Lani]

pixiepal
08-16-2002, 09:36 AM
My friend and I did this last weekend....it was awesome! Great seats, lots of good food (cheese and crackers, fruit kaboobs--I ate 5 of them--, cheesecakes, chocolate mousse, little tarts, and baby creme brulee) plus whatever you wanted to drink--coffee, soda, mint juleps, etc.
We stuffed ourselves silly!
My friend called Disneyland Delivers, I believe, to get the tickets about 2 weeks before the date, and asked for the balcony. Tickets were 45.00/person. Then that day we picked them up at Will Call (window outside the park). We lined up about 30 minutes before the show in the courtyard upstairs (outside of the gallery)...and were seated about 5 minutes later.

MouseWife
08-16-2002, 09:44 AM
Okay. I don't go to the park as often as I like so I don't know the schedules very well.

Is Fantasmic! seasonal? Or does it go all year long? And, if it is all year, during the off season, I am assuming that it only runs on Friday nights?

I have never seen the whole show. I would love to see it from the balcony.

And, I know a couple of sweet tooths that would just love it!!

Thanks you guys.

kisroo~ ooo, it sure sounds like it will be a sweet honeymoon!! ;)

SzczerbiakManiac
08-16-2002, 11:13 AM
pixiepal wrote:
...whatever you wanted to drink--coffee, soda, mint juleps, etc.Was/is milk one of the available beverages? While I certainly am a milk fiend, I'm capable of eating a meal without the tasty deliciousness of "moo juice". But desserts, especially chocolate absolutely require a milk chaser!

MammaSilva
08-16-2002, 11:52 AM
I don't know if milk is among the "normal" offerings but I know when we requested milk and not cream for our coffee they were able to get it for us, they have the Club 33 kitchen right around the corner and the Blue Bayou right below, so I'm sure if you requested milk they would find some for you :)

kisroo
08-16-2002, 01:31 PM
Originally posted by MouseWife
kisroo~ ooo, it sure sounds like it will be a sweet honeymoon!! ;)
Ummmmmm, yeah. I also have the Mickey and Minnie cake topper from Mouse Shoppe! My fiance is being soooooooo calm about the whole DL theme~I was just working on my invitations (Mickey and Minnie). Hee Hee Hee. No wonder Stinkerbell and I are such good friends; we have so much to talk about!

P.S. They have Fantasmic on the schedule for Sat. October 19th on the Disneyland homepage. You should try the balcony, MouseWife~It's awesome!

[Moderator's note: vB code fixed around quoted material. -- Lani]

MouseWife
08-16-2002, 02:16 PM
It sounds so good!

I will have to work on my hubby.

Yeah, I could never get him to do things Disney.
Well, I shouldn't say that. He didn't stop me from theming
our bathroom all Mickey. Even had little decals to decorate the
tile with.

Hmm. Will you have any hidden Mickeys, say, on your gown? ;)
Or, in your hair? :eek:

roberts1398
08-16-2002, 02:21 PM
There are 2 separate areas, with different ressies. The balcony has the dessert buffet and is $45 per person (adult or child), and the "Priority Seating Area" is on the ground, has the dessert boxes, and is $45 adults and $35 for kids.

You can make ressies 30 days in advance on the Dine Line. (But one source on another site says they've opened this up beyond the 30 days and the rest of the season is almost sold out. Don't know whether this is true or not!)

F! goes to Fridays (1 show) and Saturdays (2 shows) only after 9/1 ... although checking the disney website this a.m., there was no show on Fri. 9/6, at least for now (who knows if this is accurate or not, tho). I have heard the last show at least until next summer is 11/2 ... so book those balcony seats quickly, boys and girls...

Sonya in Boise
08-16-2002, 02:49 PM
Does any one know what they consider a "Child"? Is it the same as admission ages? My sister and I are going in Dec. (I will also be there in Oct) for our birthday's and we will have my 3 yr old daughter, and her 18 month old son. Would we be charged for her son? I can understand paying for my daughter because she will need a seat, but her son would sit in her lap. Does that matter?

I really want to do the balcony, but can't justify the price for both the kids. If we don't have to pay for the baby, I can just tell myself they are each 22.50 and feel better about it. :D

Sonya

sjchristy
08-16-2002, 04:10 PM
Do you still sit up on the balcony outside of the Disney Gallery? ... 'cause that be a lot of cash...

I've been up on the Balcony for the Fantasmic! Show several times over the last year. :) I usually call ahead when I have out-of-town guests or family visiting, since it's such a special experience.

ADVICE: Call as early as possible, the sooner the better, to get seating. The sooner you call, the "Better" the seats. Also, getting in for a later show is usually easier.

What do I mean by "better" seats? Well, there are only about 20 seats up there, maybe less.
** In November when I went with family we were first on the list (#'s 1-5) and got seats all the way to the left - front row, when facing the Rivers of America. GREAT seats.
** In June, after the show re-opened, got seats #11 & #12, second row, still all the way to the left. Good seats, but stuck behind a fidgetting 5 year old who was less than quiet. Good seats, but could have been "better".
** In mid-july booked seats only 1 week out, got the last two seats for that show. Seated back row, at the far right. Got to see the "stage" with the water screen, but stuck behind an overgrown tree in the PotC courtyard, and missed all of the "suprise" effects :crying: from the Peter Pan ship and Columbia entrances, and lost sight of the Monkey Barges and Princess Barges before the segment completed. Not the greatest seats, and could bave been "much better".

BOTTOM LINE: Early, early, early booking.

** One last note. If you go on a night when the nightly breeze is non-existant (usually less wind for the early show than later, in my experience) then you run the risk of what I call "Fogtastic!" If there is no breeze to clear some of the pyrotecnic smoke away, then you get a cloud which is difficult to see through. :crying: This is most obvious during the finale when Mickey pulls out all the stops and throws out every water, fire, and explosive effect he can muster. Some nights you can barely see Sorcerer Mickey, and may even miss viewing the "Some Imagination, Huh?" Line at the end.

All in all, enjoy the show, either from the balcony, from the river level seats, or just on a blanket on the waters edge. It's by far the best show Disney has ever done. :D

disguy
08-16-2002, 04:49 PM
Ok I'm going in about 4 weeks...should I do this buffett thing? I've seen Fantasmic tons and tons of times...is it worth the 45 bucks to see it from the balcony once?

MammaSilva
08-16-2002, 05:38 PM
disguy if you have NEVER done the balcony I would say run don't walk to the phone, it is worth every penny of the 45 bucks, we have done it several times and won't even bother trying to watch fantasmic on the ground anymore.....this has been said many times but the theory is that the show was designed with the balcony being center stage for VIP's to watch in comfort then disney got "wise" when the balcony was packed everynight with folks watching the show and the Fantasmic Balcony experience was born.....I have to say that I actually enjoyed the early morning hike to wait in line, there were others that would show up shortly after I would so it was FUN to be first and I went to great lengths to make sure I was! (3am one time!) but the reservation line is much more convienant :)

kisroo
08-16-2002, 07:13 PM
Hey mammasilva~I wonder if we've ever bumped into each other?! I've done the 4:00 am trek to the Ticket booth 3 times (oh, alright, I got there at 5:30 once and didn't get tickets after waiting in line for 1 1/2 hours-that'll teach me to sleep in)!! Then, went on in for Early Entry. Sigh....early.....entry. I'm gonna miss that. Of course, my "husband" will love the fact that he gets to sleep in (I'll still be up at 4:00)!
I second the sentiment that everyone should experience the balcony at least once (twice, three times a lady-oops, sorry). It's worth it, especially during the busy season when you have to stake out your lake-side seats.

MammaSilva
08-16-2002, 07:58 PM
LOL it wouldn't surprise me! I was a nice person tho and always warned folks that I was buying out the entire show, once we bought out both shows our group was that big.......that one was the 3am trip I HAD to make sure I was first in line when I wanted to buy 32 tickets... that was when 16 was the MAX they allowed, now I understand they have bumped it up to 20, which is still doable but makes for a tight fit...

Way back... we took toddlers one time, the 3 year old they ask us to pay for, the 2 year old we didn't, they used the same guidelines as park admission......so if I were going with young ones and really wanted them to see the show the balcony is my choice everytime!

Sonya in Boise
08-17-2002, 09:05 AM
Thanks for the reply about the kids MamaSilva. We are going to watch the show from the ground in Oct, but if my daughter likes it, I want to take her on the balcony when we go in December.

Sonya :D