Lola, do you get a cushion with the river belle? also looks like river belle with be closed during my dates so they are offering the cafe orleans. also if i decide to skip the package all together, how are the seating options if I pull a fastpass for F! ? Thanks in advance,
Yes, you will be sitting if you do the Blue Bayou or River Belle Terrace (and Cafe Orleans during RBT’s refurb right now). We did this a few years ago and it was a great view. At that time they provided a butt cushion, not sure if they still do. I will be doing this Cafe Orleans option 3 weeks from today so can report back if your trip is after that.
Wow, they are sure taking reservations early! 
I am guessing that is 2018.
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Yes, for the dining packages the seating is on the ground and they make everyone sit. Not sure if they are giving out seat cushions anymore, they used to with the package.
For the TS dining packages the seating is on the ground (front and center though). That’s Blue Bayou and River Belle usually but while River Belle is down for refurb, Cafe Orleans. On the go package has a standing section but if you get it for the later show and the crowds are thinner they may mix it in with the other two TS sections and then it would be a seated section. FP are all standing sections.
I’m not clear on, if Cafe Orleans is offering a premium stay in your seat during the River Belle refurb. That was the only way to sit in a chair proper to watch the show. But once River Belle returns, I’m sure they will move right back to offering that again as they are moving more & more to upcharge models.
@amberlys94 and @PrincipalTinker, I just saw this from Disneyland Daily and it implies that while the on the go option was rumored to be standing, she has done it 3 times and always been able to sit. This is what she said about the on the go option:
I think this dining package is an excellent value. The viewing section is fantastic – right next to Blue Bayou, which is much pricier – at $65 a person.
Technically, the only sections that are guaranteed to be able to sit on the ground while watching the show are Blue Bayou and River Belle Terrace. If the crowds are heavy enough, guests in the Hungry Bear section may be asked to stand to accommodate more people. However, in the three times I watched Fantasmic!, shortly after it began in the busy summer, I never saw this section have to stand.
Within each dining package section, guests in wheelchairs or ECVs are stationed near the back of the section so that they’re not blocking other guests’ views since they’ll be sitting on the ground. Feel free to enjoy any of the dining packages and know you can sit with everyone in your party within in the dining package sections noted on the map above.
This is a great page with all your options:
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Sounds like no, as that seating area is under refurb. Looking forward to seeing you all in just a few weeks! What day do you arrive? I will be there around noon on Thursday.
When F! first returned they tried to upcharge for the cushions as. Premium Blue Bayou dining offer. But quickly it was made a part of the regular package and instead the premium one offered a FP in the Main St reserved viewing section for the late MSEP. As far as I know, Blue Bayou is the only dining package to offer the butt cushion. BUT I did hear a rumor (that I haven’t yet confirmed) that the butt cushions are available for purchase on Disney park app for $8.
And lastly Hi Karen! @Wahoohokie
Hi Loraine!
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We will be there early Fri after our usual overnight drive. This year we have soccer games on Thur night before we leave but they are early so we should still be able to make it for RD!
Yes! I was also thinking of linking to Disneyland Daily but totally forgot!
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You guys are troopers with the overnight drive and 3 kiddos. Hope S travels as well as X and E. Are you going to the Halloween party?
Yes we will be there for the Hallloween party Friday night with everyone!! It be an epic meet sending the party off from DL.
S is touch & go for the drives. He sleeps through the night beautifully at home but wakes up 2-3 times on the drive and whenever he wakes up in his car seat he is a mad little guy so we have to stop to calm him down (& feed him but mostly reassure him we haven’t decided to permanently leave him in what he appears to consider a miniature car seat torture chamber). So our drives with him have taken more like 12 instead of our usual 9 1/2-10. But we would still rather drive through the night clear of traffic & with mostly sleeping kids.
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Yes- on my phone and I guess I have very fat thumbs😀. So, if I cannot sit on the ground (physically I cannot) I should just forget about a dining package? I lasted 3 minutes last weekend on the grass for HEA dessert party. My son had to help me up and it took me 30 minutes to recover.
If River Belle offers their premium option again next year that would work, otherwise I’d plan to use a FP.
Thanks! Wow- my pop up box just told me to stop replying to you! I am bookmarking this info!
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For the WOC dining package, we are booked for Wine Country Trattoria for lunch on a Friday in October (Halloween party at DL that night). I mostly booked it so that we don’t need to wait for WOC, plus we will enjoy a nice lunch. Any thoughts on how much in advance we should show up for WOC if we were to drop the reservation?
The viewing section opens one hour before the show starts, but lots of people start queuing before that. I would recommend showing up one hour before WOC starts. However, WOC lunch at Trattoria is one of my favorite!
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You will need to show up early ( at least one hour before the show) whether you keep the dining package reservation or not. I would only keep the dining package if you are really excited about eating at the restaurant.
If you are looking for a splurge & a truly VIP preferred option for WOC then look into the Dessert Party. Spendy but it’s the only area where you get a seat & it’s a great view, great offering of dessert & some drinks (limit 2 alcoholic).
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We did the lunch at Carthay Circle and it was awesome. As an added bonus they let our kids order off the kids menu even though they are 11 and 14 which saved us quite a bit of cash. Definitely go for the dining package it was great to have a break mid day. We did a late lunch at 2:30