So you want to see Disneyland’s newly re-imagined Fantasmic! But you don’t want to fight the crowds or have to find a spot several hours early. A Fantasmic! dining package is the perfect option for you.
There are 3 dining packages which provide access to Disneyland’s newly re-worked Fantasmic!
Blue Bayou offers a 3 course menu for $65 for adults and $25 for children.
This dining begins at 4:30 pm and you are able to have the option to upgrade to a higher package that offers the Disneyland Main Street Electrical Parade reserved seating and a seat cushion for Fantasmic! However, I had friends eat at Blue Bayou with the package on Monday, July 19 and they were able to get the cushion at no further charge.
River Belle Terrace has a few options beginning at 4 pm. I booked the regular dining package here. It cost $45 for adults and $25 for children.
You get to choose a non-alcoholic drink, an appetizer, an entree and a dessert. Everyone in my party really enjoyed the food and thought it was a good deal for all the food and the quality of that food.
You can also book a premium 8 pm River Belle package, which costs an additional $15. These premium packages cannot be booked online, you need to call.
We were seated on the terrace for our meal at 5:30 pm. Our waiter warned as at the start that we would have to be out of the area at 7 pm so they could start to seat people with the premium package.
With the premium package you get a table to watch the show on the River Belle’s terrace. I did not do the premium package, but I spoke with my waiter on how it would work. He said that all the umbrellas would be removed from the tables but all tables will be in use. This includes our table, which was behind two other rows of tables against the wall of the restaurant.
I am 5’3, and I tried to gauge the view from my seat at our table. I believe you’ll be able to see everything above the water line. There is a walkway right next to the terrace that will be kept clear of people watching the show, but people will still be walking by. From my table, I would not have been able to see over anyone walking and I would have missed any effects that were down on the water, like the princess and prince floats.
We were also able to choose from the first 2 showings of Fantasmic! We chose the second viewing because we wanted to know that people would not be lining up any earlier than the end of the first show. This may have been a mistake, as you get to remain in the area and watch the fireworks with the water projections if you have a package for the first showing of Fantasmic!
Hungry Bear also offers a grab and go Fantasmic! dining package. Reservations to pick up your food are from 3-8 pm. It is $29.99 per adult and $19.99 for children.
The Blue Bayou and River Belle packages are in the same section. We had passes for the second showing so we arrived at the dining packages sign near the Haunted Mansion as the fireworks were beginning. We had to wait for those to end and then another 10 minutes or so for the section to clear out entirely. We were then let in and had no issue finding 8 spots right at the rail. We all settled in, by about 10 minutes before the show there was one row of people behind us, but we were a bit off to the side. Closer to the center (directly across from the little building on Tom Sawyer’s island) there were about 4 rows of people.
At about 10 minutes until showtime cast members dropped a rope to the left of where we were and let some more people enter our section. This is just a guess, but I believe those may have been the Hungry Bear package people.
Everyone stayed seated during the entire performance. I liked our seats, I am short so I usually have to worry about having tall people stand in front of me. The railing obstructed my view a bit, but if you don’t want the railing to block your view, sit about 3 rows back or so. The ground gently slopes up so you have a sort of stadium seating view. There ended up being plenty of room in the reserved package section.
I’d very much recommend a dining package if you want to see the new Fantasmic! These shows will be very crowded during the next several months. Be sure to make your reservation online or over the phone 60 days in advance!
