Plaza Inn Parade viewing dining package

[jillyh]

I have this booked for our Family in a couple of weeks, but am still wondering if it's worth it. I've only been able to find one review online. There is an old discussion on this forum from 2018, but sounds like the viewing area has changed.

Anyone done this and have some feedback?

 

[CO2CA]

I don't know much about it, but I wouldn't recommend it. Yes, you get reserved seating but you can also find pretty good front-row curb seating with only 45 minutes to an hour of waiting. To me, it just doesn't seem worth it. You don't get as much bang for your buck as the Fantasmic packages, IMO.

 

[jillyh]

Well - the only reason I would do it is to avoid the 45 minutes of waiting. When you consider money spent on a Disney vacation time is pretty valuable. I was planning on going on our Monday as it would be the most crowded day, but wondering if we went to the parade on Tuesday if we would be able to walk up shortly before parade and find a decent spot.

 

[CO2CA]

You could walk up shortly before it started, only it would be standing. Most people on the curb stake out and wait 45m-hour even on non-peak days (and generally aren't too keen on people squeezing in last minute lol), but generally the walk ups are able to go into the second or third standing-only position down Main Street.

When we're waiting, we generally grab a snack and use that time as our "down-time" from going rope drop through noon throughout the park. However, if you'd rather have seating with only 20 or so minutes of waiting (you do have to get to the reserved areas early if you want better seats) and don't mind the price tag of it, it may be worth it to do the dining package. Just have to weigh the pros and cons of it. A lot of people don't find the Fantasmic dining packages worth it, but we do. Same thing.

 

[jillyh]

Thanks CO2CA. We don't mind standing, but will have 2 5 year olds. As I understand it - the reserved area is standing only. I was really hoping to get the perspective from someone who's done it on if the viewing area is good and if we'd need to get to it early for a decent spot.

 

[amyg1975]

Thanks CO2CA. We don't mind standing, but will have 2 5 year olds. As I understand it - the reserved area is standing only. I was really hoping to get the perspective from someone who's done it on if the viewing area is good and if we'd need to get to it early for a decent spot.

We did it last June and it was great. It was myself, my mom, and my 6-year-old. My daughter likes to sit in front, so we claimed the curb (sitting is allowed at the curb). My mom was able to sit in the shade on a bench in the reserved area. If my mom wasn't there, we would not have done the package probably, but it was a nice experience. Once the parade starts, it gets more crowded as they are no longer guarding it from people who should not be in the reserved area.

 

[CO2CA]

As I understand it - the reserved area is standing only.

We did it last June and it was great. It was myself, my mom, and my 6-year-old. My daughter likes to sit in front, so we claimed the curb (sitting is allowed at the curb). My mom was able to sit in the shade on a bench in the reserved area. If my mom wasn't there, we would not have done the package probably, but it was a nice experience. Once the parade starts, it gets more crowded as they are no longer guarding it from people who should not be in the reserved area.

That's shocking they don't have seating in the reserved area! I guess I was thinking of the Christmas Fantasy Parade reserved viewing or the Halloween parade reserved viewing. Seems like for a premium price you at least deserve a chair or ability to remain seated! Grrr...


*sorry, my own off-topic vent lol

 

[kpd6901]

We have never been to Southern California and are visiting June 11 thru 16 (with one day dedicated to off-site things including a tour of Animation Studios in Burbank) from Pennsylvania. We just snagged our Galaxy's Edge reservations, but when we first booked and planned our trip, the assumption was that SWGE wasn't even going to be open yet. So now, while we are excited, it also now has a 4-hour block of time dedicated to something that we were not originally planning for. So, we are now thinking about this as a possible time-saving venture for our family of 5 without needing to stake out our parade spot an hour or more in advance.

Anybody know where the reserved viewing spot is? Trying to see which area of the park we should make sure we are in at which time.

Thanks!

 

[amyg1975]

We have never been to Southern California and are visiting June 11 thru 16 (with one day dedicated to off-site things including a tour of Animation Studios in Burbank) from Pennsylvania. We just snagged our Galaxy's Edge reservations, but when we first booked and planned our trip, the assumption was that SWGE wasn't even going to be open yet. So now, while we are excited, it also now has a 4-hour block of time dedicated to something that we were not originally planning for. So, we are now thinking about this as a possible time-saving venture for our family of 5 without needing to stake out our parade spot an hour or more in advance.

Anybody know where the reserved viewing spot is? Trying to see which area of the park we should make sure we are in at which time.

Thanks!

On Main Street near Jolly Holiday.

 

[kpd6901]

Ok. So, can someone ease clarify. Are there seats or is the reserved area standing only....or is it a matter of getting into the reserved area early enough to claim from limited number of seats and trying to save time by not waiting would be moot because at that point you would still be standing anyway???
Thoughts?

 

[jillyh]

When you make the reservation it says - standing only. However, I have read more than one account that says there is a bench in the reserved area.

 

[amyg1975]

When we were there last June, there were at least 2 benches. With people standing, sitting on the bench will make it hard to see. We sat on the curb.

 

[tarheelalum]

That use to be free. You just showed up and waited. The nickle and dime mentality just continues. At this rate they will have pay toilets in the future.

 

[dieumeye]

I have not done the Plaza Inn dining package, but I did watch the parade this past weekend.

In the hub there is a large area roped off with “reserved” signs and it is filled with a bunch of benches. So many benches it doesn’t even look like there would be room to stand. Not sure if that’s for this package, but a large reserved area with seating does exist.

The hub is also circled with open benches, but those seem to get taken up fast.

Last Saturday I found some great unexpected seating: I went to the train station and up the stairs to a semi-roped off area with benches looking directly down the middle of Main Street. The CM said it’s sometimes reserved, but often open. 15 minutes before the parade there was no one else sitting there, and even once the parade started the area was only half full. This was for the 6pm parade on a Saturday. You’re not up close & personal at street level, but the parade passes right in front of you and the view is awesome. Definitely felt like something that would be considered premium viewing!

 

[rpiff]

My husband and I did the Plaza Inn dining package on our last visit together in September 2018. We did it because my bad back prefers sitting in an actual chair at that point of a long day of walking.

I would not do this again, except for the pleasure of being seated at a table during the fireworks. The view was, to put it simply, quite awful; we would have done better to find our own spots along the regular of Fastpass viewing areas. The dining packages elsewhere (Blue Bayou or Hungry Bear) got much better views. The view was blocked by front-row tables, plus the crowds in between us and the water. I'm comparing this to the old Dessert Viewing in a balcony at New Orleans Square, where the view and seating was superb, and the World of Color Dessert Party, where everything is perfect plus champagne

 

[avalon451]

My husband and I did the Plaza Inn dining package on our last visit together in September 2018. We did it because my bad back prefers sitting in an actual chair at that point of a long day of walking.

I would not do this again, except for the pleasure of being seated at a table during the fireworks. The view was, to put it simply, quite awful; we would have done better to find our own spots along the regular of Fastpass viewing areas. The dining packages elsewhere (Blue Bayou or Hungry Bear) got much better views. The view was blocked by front-row tables, plus the crowds in between us and the water. I'm comparing this to the old Dessert Viewing in a balcony at New Orleans Square, where the view and seating was superb, and the World of Color Dessert Party, where everything is perfect plus champagne

I think you might be confusing River Belle Fantasmic dining with Plaza Inn parade reserved seating, that the OP was asking about? The parade viewing area is a reserved area of the hub, where you go after you have eaten at Plaza Inn. Also no FP viewing area for parades. But I do remember hearing about the Fantasmic balcony dessert party years ago, before our first trip in ‘08, before they converted that apartment to the Dream Suite. Then for awhile they did a seated dessert party waterside. Now that’s all BB, RBT and HB dining packages, where you dine first and then get a pass for the reserved seating area. But that’s all F!, not the parade.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

My husband and I did the Plaza Inn dining package on our last visit together in September 2018. We did it because my bad back prefers sitting in an actual chair at that point of a long day of walking.

I would not do this again, except for the pleasure of being seated at a table during the fireworks. The view was, to put it simply, quite awful; we would have done better to find our own spots along the regular of Fastpass viewing areas. The dining packages elsewhere (Blue Bayou or Hungry Bear) got much better views. The view was blocked by front-row tables, plus the crowds in between us and the water. I'm comparing this to the old Dessert Viewing in a balcony at New Orleans Square, where the view and seating was superb, and the World of Color Dessert Party, where everything is perfect plus champagne

As mentioned by a PP, this post is about the parade, not Fantasmic, and it’s a different restaurant. Your RBT premium “seating” experience is valuable over on the Fantasmic thread, though! People ask about it a lot.

As far as the OP and others considering the Plaza Inn parade package, I wouldn’t do it. Depending how many people signed up, you’ll end up a couple of rows back unless you’re there early... and there’s other spots to go if you’re getting there that early.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

In the hub there is a large area roped off with “reserved” signs and it is filled with a bunch of benches. So many benches it doesn’t even look like there would be room to stand. Not sure if that’s for this package, but a large reserved area with seating does exist.

That’s the VIP area.

 

[jillyh]

thanks everyone! I've decided to cancel our package reservations. I think it will be more relaxed to try and find our own spot rather than trying to get back into DL post nap in time for a 3:30 meal.