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Disney Dining Review Fantasmic VIP Dining Package

Disney Dining Review Fantasmic VIP Dining Package

Fantasmic! is the nightly show that culminates an exciting day of fun at Disney Hollywood Studios.  The characters, storyline, lights and water features make this one of, if not THE, best evening show on Walt Disney World property.  My family and I make a point to watch this show at least once per trip.  The only thing that we can think of to make this show better is to add food, and that is where the Fantasmic! Dining Package steps in.

 

The Fantasmic! Dining Package allows a guest to combine a delicious meal at one of Disney Hollywood Studios full-service restaurants with reserved entrance and seating for one of that night’s Fantasmic! performances (on nights where there is an early and a late showing).  The reserved seating is located in the front and center of the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater.  This is a change from the previous years where the seating was down and to the right (if you are looking down to the stage from the top of the bleachers).  Not only does opting for the dining package allow you to forgo the upwards of a ninety minute wait to enter the theater, but the dining package gives you and your family an unobstructed view of the story that is about to unfold before you.

One cannot be fully prepared to enjoy Fantasmic! on an empty stomach.  The Fantasmic! Dining Package allows you to select a dinner option from one of three Disney Hollywood Studios restaurants.  Guests can choose from dining at Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano, the Hollywood Brown Derby, or the buffet at Hollywood & Vine.  If you are utilizing the Disney Dining Plan while visiting Walt Disney World, the Fantasmic! Dining Package is one table service credit per person if eating at Mama Melrose’s or Hollywood & Vine and two table service credits if dining at the Hollywood Brown Derby.  Otherwise, the cost is between $35.99 to $56.99 for adults and $12.99 to $19.99 for children.

Should you forgo the buffet option, your dining package will include one entrée, one dessert, one non-alcoholic beverage, and one reserved seating voucher per person.  Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano is located in the Streets of America section of Disney Hollywood Studios near Muppet Vision 3D.  As the name suggests, Mama Melrose’s is an Italian restaurant that is so warm and inviting it is like walking into my grandmother’s house.  The specialty dishes include flatbreads, chicken parmesan, and tiramisu, all Italian favorites.

The Hollywood Brown Derby is located steps away from the entrance to Disney Hollywood Studios between the Hollywood Boulevard and the Animation Courtyard sections of the park.  The Hollywood Brown Derby is a recreation of the famous Los Angeles landmark of the same name.  Like its inspiration, Disney Hollywood Studio’s version of the Hollywood Brown Derby is famous for its Cobb salad.  In addition, leaving the restaurant without trying the world famous grapefruit cake for dessert is borderline Disney treason.

For those of you who like to make sure they get their money’s worth when dining out, then the Hollywood and Vine buffet might be a better option for your Fantasmic! Dining Package.  Selecting this option affords each guest one buffet, one non-alcoholic beverage and one reserved seating voucher per person.

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Located in the Echo Lake area of Disney Hollywood Studios, Hollywood and Vine is a typical Walt Disney World buffet experience.  With several salads, soups, entrées, and sides from which to choose, there is certainly something for everyone in your party.  The décor mirrors the boulevard outside and invokes an art deco vibe of yesteryear’s Hollywood elite.  While the food is delicious, the centerpiece of the Hollywood and Vine buffet is the giant chocolate fountain.  Here, chefs will dip for you an endless assortment of fruit, cookies, marshmallows, and other sweet treats.

As usual, I cannot suggest a meal without also suggesting a pairing of a glass of wine, beer or a cocktail.  At Mama Melrose’s be sure to have a glass of imported chianti or a Bellini cocktail (peach and Prosecco – a heavenly combination), both Italian specialties.  The Hollywood Brown Derby serves up a mean cocktail, – the Hollywood is my favorite – or you could choose a champagne flight to make you really feel like you have “made it” in Hollywood.  Finally, before heading into your buffet at Hollywood and Vine, I highly suggest stopping in to the Tune-In Lounge to check out the latest feature – Dad’s Electric Lemonade.  It will certainly shock you!

Overall, the Fantasmic! Dining Package is well worth the cost – be it out of pocket or Disney Dining credits.  Regardless of which restaurant you choose, you are sure to have a wonderful dining experience following by a night of outstanding Walt Disney World entertainment.

About Angela Spece

An attorney by trade, Angela has a passion for all things Walt Disney World. She took her first steps into the Magic Kingdom in the fifth grade and has been a lifelong fan of Walt Disney World ever since. While she spends her days writing briefs and memos, in her spare time she enjoys writing about and sharing her Walt Disney World experiences with her family and friends in an effort to help them enjoy their time in Walt Disney World as much as she does. Angela and her husband, Gabe, recently discovered all of the amazing “adult” drinking and eating opportunities that can be found in Walt Disney World, and have made it their own personal goal to visit all of the pubs and lounges on property. When Angela is not daydreaming about or planning her family’s next trip to Walt Disney World, she enjoys snow skiing, spending time with her husband, fixing up their new home, and taking their black lab, Pearl, for a long walk each day!