Another question about available times for Fantasmic Dinner Pkg

[cruisnfamily]

We've booked H&V for the FDP and the latest available time was 4:30 at 90 days out so I took it. I called today(we're now about 49 days out) and tried to get a later time with no luck. I recall others saying later times open up as it gets closer but the CM thought I was nuts and said that 4:30 is always the latest available for the FDP.

So, am I going crazy or have some of you gotten later times as the date got closer?

Thanks!

 

[ugadog99]

I'm in the same situation. Just keep trying. Later times will more than likely open up. For our trip, Fantasmic is at 10:00. I just know they will be serving dinner after 4:30!

 

[JoshMom5]

We have a seating at 4:30 also that I got 90 days out. I called 2 nights ago to check on a later seating and the CM told me to keep trying "periodically" as sometimes they will open up later seatings.

 

[wdwobsessed]

I really think it's a hit or miss type of thing with the later times. I have heard a few times of people getting them for later but for the most part I hear those 4:00 - 4:30 times (booooo). It's my understanding that the package is offered as an incentive to fill the less popular early time slots. Any time I have tried to book it we have never been offered anything that didn't start in a "4". I have a 4:20 right now in May and will try to get something later if I can but I know that there is a very good chance that 4:20 will be when we are eating! Maybe if they fill up all the early ones they open later ones? I dunno ... who knows. Let's keep our fingers crossed for each other OK?

As a side note I don't trust much of anything they say at WDW Dine. I have gotten wrong information from them many a time. Does not hurt to try to get a later time I figure 'cause who knows?!
She's probably right that they don't normally offer anything after 4:30 but I know of some instances where they have on occasion.

WDWO

 

[firemist]

there are other times other then 4:30? how late can you get?

 

[Toots]

I called last week and reserved the package with dinner @ Mama Melrose on 5/4/04 for 6:20. This seems more reasonable than 4:00, but the show is @ 8:30 so I'm wondering if this will allow enough time. I used a toll free number and booked 5 PS for w/o 5/2 with no problem.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I've never heard of a PS for the Package past 4:30 but they may change things based on availability. I'd keep checking but Toots is the first person I've heard of getting the package past 4:30. It could all depend on the crowd level and certainly on whether there are two showings of Fantasmic.

I strongly doubt they would open later times when there is only one Fantasmic. When they had a problem seating us last trip at the BD, the hostess was getting nervous at 4:45 we wouldn't make the 9pm show. I can't imagine (except for V&A) that it would take that long for us to eat dinner but that's what the CM said. They don't want people mad if for some reason they don't make the show.

PS I've also heard that if it rains they will give you a FP for the next night showing. I know that doesn't always happen because we tried.

 

[JKanownik]

I was told by a CM once that they only open the Fantasmic package to early dinners. They do it because it is when people wouldn't normally make a PS. Of course the next time I made a Fantasmic PS I got a later time, so who knows.

I think that once it gets closer to the date if they have a lot of PS's open for later in the evening they allow them to be used for Fantasmic packages to try to fill them up. There's nothing you can do besides keep calling and checking. If all else fails you should try stopping by the customer service booth the day you go to the park.

-DH

 

[Halle]

I called today for a Fantasmic PS in July. I was told 4 - 4:30 because they want to fill the restaurant before the majority of people want to eat. He told me that if it rained I would be given a pass for the following evening. I had never heard of that before and wondered if the CM gave me correct info?

 

[georgina]

Things may have changed since last summer, but we did the Fantasmic package last July. When I first called, I was given the 4:30 PS at Mama Melrose's. Later I called back and got it for 5:30. The situation was similar for non-Fantasmic package dinner ressies also, I was given early times, and was able to get later times when I called back after a month or so.

 

[Tedmom]

We were originally given a 4:20 PS for Mama Melrose's for the last week of April when I originally called at the time I booked our reservation about a month ago. I called last week and was able to get it moved later to 6:00. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the Fanstasmic Dining PS's.

 

[Toots]

I changed times on our ps today and was given a new confirmation nbr for the new time, but was not given anything to confirm the cancellation. Since Fantasmic has a cancellation policy I was expecting something more official but was told to just use the old confirmation number. It this typical?

 

[GoofeeToo]

We asked the last time we were there in October and were told there are never any FDP seatings after 4:30. Sure enough, by the time we ate a leisurely meal with a couple of glasses of wine it was time to head for Fantasmic. I would guess that time is adjusted according to the season of the year and start time of the show, but we are never at WDW when Fantasmic starts later than 7:00 P.M.

 

[BrerMama]

I think that the policy of giving a pass for another night in the event of rain is a fairly new policy. I've only read about it in the past few months and have yet to hear of anyone who has successfully used it. I hope it is in effect, though, because I'd hate to spend that much $$ and not see the show without waiting.

 

[Cinderella37]

We've always had a 6:00 PS with the Fantasmic Package in July. I have no idea what is going on with the PS times. Let's just say I'm thrilled that the itinerary planners take care of this for me. Good luck to all of you!

 

[Vavasmon]

We had a 5 pm seating for Fantasmic at 7:30 about a week ago. We had a wonderful dinner at the Brown Derby. We the walked around for a few minutes and entered the show at about 6:45. I was told by a CM on the 407-dine line that the package is always for the first show only and the latest time in 2 1/2 hours before the show (but who really knows??)

I would want at least 2 hours to ensure I made it (you need to be there 30 minutes before the show)

 

[newmousecateer]

Just got off the phone with a wonderful CM. We had 4:20 reservations for dinner in May....Fantasmic doesn't start till 9:00!!

Just got my ressies changed to 6:50.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Originally posted by newmousecateer
Just got off the phone with a wonderful CM. We had 4:20 reservations for dinner in May....Fantasmic doesn't start till 9:00!!

Just got my ressies changed to 6:50.

Yeah! That's the info I'm looking for! What week in May? We're going the week before Memorial Day.

 

[newmousecateer]

cruisnfamily, we will be arriving May 8th.

 

[cruisnfamily]

I called back today for Fri 5/28 to try and get a later FDP at HW&V than what I have....not only are there not any for later, the CM said they have NO availability at all for that night. Guess we'll just keep trying and hope for the best.