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The Fantasmic! Dining Package (Plus How it Works with the Disney Dining Plan)

At some point in your Disney World vacation, you’ll likely plan to visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s the park where you can live your adventure in Galaxy’s Edge (Star Wars Land) or shrink to the size of a toy in Andy’s backyard (Toy Story Land). But as a whole, this is the park you want to visit for entertainment offerings. One of those entertainment offerings is Fantasmic!, a stage show starring Mickey Mouse that features larger-than-life effects, incredible stunts, dancing water, and a few fireworks. You don’t want to miss it!

That said, like all popular nighttime performances, you’re going to have to deal with crowds. Thankfully, the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater can seat approximately 6900 guests with additional standing room for about 3000 guests. While 10,000 guests might seem like a large number, there are times when guests are turned away or are forced to sit or stand in the overflow area near the concession stands. It’s not where you want to end up, trust me.

To avoid this circumstance altogether, you have one option–purchase a Fantasmic! Dining Package. You’ll get guaranteed premium seating to Fantasmic! and have the opportunity to enjoy a meal at one of the park’s table service restaurants. It’s a win-win for anyone who plans to dine at one of these restaurants. Below, we’ll discuss how the Fantasmic! dining package works, how it works with the Disney Dining Plan, and a few instances when you might not want to use it.

the princess barges in Fantasmic! with Belle, Beast, Prince Eric, and Ariel

What You Get with the Fantasmic! Dining Package

The following items are included with the Fantasmic! dining package:

  • An entrée and dessert at select full-service restaurants or one (1) full buffet (where applicable), along with a nonalcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for Guests 21 and older)
  • One voucher for guaranteed seating at Fantasmic! in a reserved area

Restaurant Options with Prices

The following restaurants participate in the dining package. We’ve listed the prices below but note that they are subject to change. You can always check the exact prices here on Disney’s site to confirm. We’ve also provided links to each restaurant’s menu so you see which restaurant interests you most.

50’s Prime Time Café

Hollywood & Vine

Hollywood and Vine is a character meal. Guests can book breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s important to note that the character breakfast is completely different (food and characters) from the lunch and dinner offering. You can read more about the differences in our character dining guide.

  • Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner
  • Breakfast Price: $65.00 for Adults (Ages 10 and up)
  • Breakfast Price: $39.00 for Children (Ages 3-9)
  • Lunch and Dinner Price: $81.00 (Ages 10 and up)
  • Lunch and Dinner Price: $49.00 (Ages 3-9)
  • Preview Menu on Disney’s Site

Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano (Closing Permanently on May 10, 2025)

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant

The Hollywood Brown Derby

*Prices do not include a gratuity or taxes.

Resorts Gal Favorites: Based on food and experience, we would pick Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater for burgers and onion rings. However, the Hollywood Brown Derby is one of our favorite restaurants at Disney World. If we were going to splurge on a meal this would be our choice. If you decide to dine at the Brown Derby, you will want to allow for plenty of time to enjoy the meal. (See our signature dining guide for more details.)

Making Reservations

Per Disney, guests with valid Disney Resort Hotel reservations can make reservations for the entire length of their stay (up to a 10-night stay) up to 60 days in advance for the entire length of your stay. While all other guests can make reservations up to 60 days in advance (day-by-day). Reservations become available at 6:00 a.m. (Eastern) on the day your booking window begins.

How it All Works

If you’re planning to take advantage of the dining package, you’ll want to know a few things.

Fantasmic! is offered most nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. But because it’s held outdoors, it’s subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather. Disney also notes that the showtimes are subject to change. If you book a dining package, you will still need to show up for your dining reservation. Disney makes it pretty clear on their website that nothing is offered if a performance is cancelled. If you have an issue, you can visit Guest Relations (near the front of the park) to talk with a cast member.

Seating for Fantasmic! begins 90 minutes before the performance. That alone should tell you how crowded it can get. If we’re not doing the dining package, we like to grab a bite to eat and take it to the theater. I like to pick up a Ronto Wrap and a bottled soda to enjoy. The theater has concession stands with items like popcorn and pretzels so you’re not going to starve if you don’t eat beforehand. But if you’ve already had your fill of novelty snacks, you might prefer to bring something more substantial with you to the theater. You might also do this if you elect to do the dining package earlier in the day.

While seating begins 90 minutes before the performance, you aren’t required to arrive that early. However, guests who purchase the Fantasmic! dining package must arrive to be seated at least 25 minutes before the performance begins. So if the show starts at 8:30 p.m., you’ll need to be at the theater no later than 8:05 p.m. There is a separate entrance for guests with reserved seating. It’s near the Theater of the Stars where Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage is held. (A cast member will provide you with a voucher to enter the theater at your meal.)

A middle section of the amphitheater is roped off for guests who purchase the dining package. So while you will receive guaranteed seating, the section is still first-come, first-serve as far as placement goes. Therefore, if you want to be close to the front, you’ll want to arrive early. If you’ve never been to Fantasmic! know that some water projections are part of the show. Those who sit on the first couple of rows will likely feel a mist of water at various points throughout the performance. If it’s breezy, the spray will be stronger. If it’s chilly, you won’t want to feel it at all. For us, the sweet spot is around row four or five, which tend to be the most popular spots.

Fantasmic! lasts approximately 29 minutes. At the end of the performance, we always stay in our seats for about 10 minutes and let the theater clear. You do not need to be in a rush to leave the park even if it’s already closed.

How the Dining Package Works with the Disney Dining Plan

If the Disney Dining Plan is part of your vacation package, you can use it with the Fantasmic! Dining Package. You’ll need to use 1-2 table service credits, depending on where you dine. The following restaurants require 1 table service credit per person:

  • 50’s Prime Time Café
  • Hollywood & Vine
  • Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano (Closing May 10, 2025)
  • Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant

The following restaurant requires 2 table service credits per person because it’s signature dining:

  • The Hollywood Brown Derby

You can learn more about the dining plan in our guide: Understanding the Disney Dining Plan.

Is It Worth It?

The Fantasmic! dining package is worth it if you are excited about seeing the performance and plan to enjoy a meal at any of the qualifying restaurants. To me, it’s a no brainer to get reserved seating and not have to wait an hour and a half ahead of time.

We’re at Disney often and sometimes decide to see Fantasmic! last minute. In these instances, it’s almost always an epic fail where we get terrible seats and end up leaving. It’s just not worth it and the chances of getting good seats last minute are few and far between. Of course, I’ve seen Fantasmic! many times so it’s not a big deal. But if this is a rare visit for your family, the dining package is a fair convenience.

If you’re still on the fence, use the menu links above to add what you would normally spend versus what comes with the dining package. As far as pricing, if you wouldn’t normally order a dessert or upgraded beverage, you probably won’t see the value monetarily. We rarely order dessert or drinks, so we would look at the entire package as a special treat. Ultimately, you’ll have to decide if it works with your budget or if you would be better off to get to Fantasmic! early.

When Not to Use the Dining Package

If we had no plans to dine at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, we wouldn’t consider the dining package. Again, you can purchase snacks or bring food from one of the quick services into the theater with you. You’ll just want to arrive early enough to get a decent seat.

We also wouldn’t use the dining package on evenings when Fantasmic! is offered twice. If you can stay out late enough, you are so much better off to go to the second performance. These are the evenings when we can arrive 15-30 minutes before the last show and get decent seats. (The first show will be packed on these evenings.)

Final Thoughts

Overall, Fantasmic! requires a reasonable time investment on most evenings. While the dining package isn’t for everyone, it’s a win if you don’t mind paying a little extra for convenience. I don’t know about you but we always enjoy the little things. For us, a dining packages is a small luxury that makes things simple. For more on Fantasmic!, the article below shares photos of the characters you can expect to see.

Are you considering the Disney Dining Plan?

Make sure to check out our guide to understanding the Disney Dining Plan and sign up below to get a free copy of the Resorts Gal Restaurant Finder.

In the Comments

What do you think of the Fantasmic Dining Package? Is it worth it to you? Let us know your experience or questions in the comments below.

Amber

Author

Hi, I'm Amber the owner of Resorts Gal. We have stayed at every single Disney Resort Hotel. Our philosophy? We believe you can have an incredible time at the resorts without ever setting foot in a theme park. We visit the resorts and parks regularly and would love for you to follow along!

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