Do you think the fantasmic dining package is worth the extra cost (for a family of 5!). Fantasmic IS a must do for our family 
In a prior trip (when we had the dining package) we were able to snag this. However, now with no dining plans I wonder if it is worth the added cost. I know wait times are likely long now since the show has just returned, however we are not going until the end of March. Hopefully things will calm down by then!
COME BACK DINING PLAN!!!
Thanks for your help!
I think if you were planning on a TS meal in HS anyway it’s not that much of an upcharge for a must do for your family.
I think if you got there 30-40 mins early you may be fine. But if you would like to eat at any of the TS included, it’s not that bad of a deal.
If you do the math it works out to be about $10 more per person. You can decide if your time is worth that.
Is it worth it? That’s a personal call. But it is a big amphitheater. Cost is a real issue. We are going to try to get a dining package to save time.
We haven’t seen Fantasmic in a very long time at WDW. The last time we saw Fantasmic, we stood in line 1+ hour before they let us into the amphitheater and it was an hour before the show started. So, we “wasted” more than 2 hours waiting! For our February trip for just DH and myself, we only have a day at HS and there is so much to do. We debated the package for awhile because of FOMO and cost. But I think we can show up 30-40 minutes before the show start vs waiting more than 2 hours before the show starts.
We are planning to eat at Hollywood Brown Derby. We were planning to order a Cobb Salad and Braised Short Rib to share, which is about as much food as we can eat. This will be about $63 for both of us before tax and tip. If we did the Fantasmic Dining, it will be $73 per person, more than 2x the cost and ordering way more food than we would typically order. We wonder how we would eat it all!
We probably going to do the Sci-Fi Dining Package instead. It will still be more than 2x the cost compared to a la carte (Salad and Burger) but it will be $49/person vs $73/person.
This…
Ya gotta eat anyway…
We have an Oga’s reservation at 7:45 so it would be cutting it close to get to Fantasmic more than 30minutes early. So I booked the package at Mama Melrose. If I can get a different Oga’s time I will probably cancel the dining package.
I think it would be more than that for our family. Looking at the SciFi prices (which is where we want to go) it is $49 per adult and $22 per child. We have a 10 year old (by 2 months at the time of the trip LOL!) and a 8 year old. So this would cost us $169 for the package.
I know the meals are huge and we would likely order two kids meals orders of chicken fingers and 2 adult hamburgers or something like that. Plus drinks. So we would be looking at $70 ish dollar…plus a bit more if we get a drink other than water. That is almost 100$ more for the package. Additionally, we are from Canada so that is like 130$ Canadian more which is quite substantial in my option! However, time is money as well. Definitely something to think about.
I suppose it depends if you would actually order an appetizer/desert like comes with the package. We likely would not as we like to ty other snacks and treats around the park. So this makes the cost difference more when comparing for sure.
Pre- shut down we always booked the dinning package at Mama Melrose for the latest lunch or earliest dinner seating we could get…
Snacking all morning big meal & usually much needed rest time in a/c late afternoon…
By the time the show was starting we’d be snacking again…
Not for everyone I am sure but it works for us…
I’ve only seen Fantastic twice, as an adult
Both times we ate QS on Sunset around 6pm, hit the shops and grabbed ice cream to get in line 40 mins before the show and both time got seats. I don’t know how it is lately but I suspect it will be busier than I’ve experienced it. My problem with the packages is TS for lunch isn’t a good deal for us. And with the timing of Fantasmic, you have to eat early dinner. So if you book it, get an early dinner time and just do light lunch food or even split meals.