Fantasmic Dining Packages at Disney World: Pricing, Restaurants & Recommendations
Fantasmic dining packages are now available for select dates in 2024 at Walt Disney World for breakfast, lunch & dinner, offering guaranteed seating in a reserved seating area for the nighttime spectacular at Hollywood Studios. Here’s a full rundown of the different participating restaurants and meal pricing, plus our commentary on whether the Fantasmic dining packages are worth it.
For those unfamiliar with it, Fantasmic is a nighttime spectacular performed nightly in the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Another version is also shown along the Rivers of America at Disneyland; the two are similar but sufficiently different that both are worth seeing. While Fantasmic includes pyro among its elements, it is not a conventional fireworks show. Instead, it’s more like a stage show at night, at an epic scale with wow-inducing wizardry, visuals, and performers.
Fantasmic dining packages are available for select restaurants at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We’ve spot-checked My Disney Experience for Fantasmic Dining Packages in 2024, and have found availability for most restaurants. Here’s everything we know about the Fantasmic dining packages at Disney’s Hollywood Studios…
For starters, if you can’t find anything for your desired dates, try refreshing or adjusting your parameters in the My Disney Experience app. There are options, they just don’t always appear at first. If you’re not having success, try some techniques from our Top 10 Tips for Hard to Book Advance Dining Reservations at Walt Disney World (numbers 7-10, in particular).
While not relevant to booking at this point, tip #2 is also worth mentioning. We have been seeing same-day availability for Fantasmic Dining Packages throughout the last year. In all likelihood, this is because when ADRs for DHS restaurants are cancelled, they become eligible to be “converted” into Fantasmic Dining Packages. (The seating section for the dining packages is huge–far bigger than is needed for the current supply of Fantasmic Dining Package ADRs.)
If you haven’t yet decided whether the Fantasmic Dining Package is right for you, that’s the first thing to do. For what it’s worth, we highly recommend booking the cheapest Fantasmic Dining Package and guaranteeing yourself a great seat that way!
Alternatively, you can consult our Viewing Guide for Fantasmic at Walt Disney World for all of our tips to get the best seats without paying extra for the package.
One other quick notes before we delve into the details of the Fantasmic Dining Packages. If you’re scheduled to do Disney’s Hollywood Studios on a date when there are two showings of Fantasmic, you probably do not need to buy the dining package. Exceptions to this are peak holiday dates.
Sarah and I have done Fantasmic multiple times now, and we’ve managed to see the second show from spectacular seats simply by showing up ~10 minutes in advance. There’s a good chance Walt Disney World will drop the second showings at some point, but for now, they are a fantastic way to see Fantasmic without paying extra for the dining package!
On another note, if you want a Fantasmic dining package, you need to book that specifically. You cannot simply book an Advance Dining Reservation (ADR) right now for one of the participating restaurants and add the dining package upon arrival. (That might end up being possible, but it’s not typically how this works.)
You need to wait and book the dedicated dining package. You’ll know you have the right thing because it’ll be listed as “Fantasmic Dining Package” in the My Disney Experience app, on disneyworld.com, and on your confirmed ADR.
Here’s what’s included in each Fantasmic! Dining Package at Walt Disney World:
- An entrée and appetizer or dessert at select full-service restaurants or one (1) full buffet (where applicable), along with a non-alcoholic beverage
- One voucher for guaranteed seating at Fantasmic! in a reserved area
Participating restaurants at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and dining package prices, which exclude tax and gratuity:
Adults (ages 10 & up) |
Kids (Ages 9 & Under) |
|
50’s Prime Time Cafe Classic American comfort food, ’50s kitsch and a good old-fashioned family gathering take you back to a bygone era. |
$51.00 | $22.00 |
Hollywood & Vine Celebrate breakfast with Disney Junior Stars or enjoy lunch and dinner with Minnie and friends at seasonal dining parties. |
Breakfast: $54.00 Lunch & Dinner: $71.00 |
Breakfast: $36.00 Lunch & Dinner: $47.00 |
Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano Mangia in the backlot of Disney’s Hollywood Studios at this casual but colorful Italian eatery with a California twist. |
$54.00 | $22.00 |
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant Do dinner and a show ’50s-style at our drive-in “theater,” featuring all-American cuisine and sci-fi movie clips. |
$49.00 | $22.00 |
The Hollywood Brown Derby Step into the Golden Age of Hollywood at this warm, wood-paneled restaurant serving contemporary American cuisine. |
$73.00 | $29.00 |
All listed package prices do not include alcohol or park admission. Alcohol will only be served to Guests 21 and older.
Know Before You Go
Here’s important information from Walt Disney World about reserved seating, scheduling, and more for the Fantasmic dining packages at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
- Both a theme park reservation and valid theme park admission are required. Disney’s Hollywood Studios admission is not included in the price of the dining package.
- Advance Dining Reservations are highly recommended.
- You can pick up your seating voucher for Fantasmic! at the time of your meal.
- Seating at Hollywood Hills Amphitheater begins 90 minutes prior to show time. You must arrive at least 25 minutes prior to show time to be seated in the reserved section. Check your My Disney Experience app for showtimes.
- Your seats are not assigned. Rather, you will choose your seats within the reserved section on a first-come, first-served basis.
- The entrance for dining packages is located on Sunset Boulevard next to Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage.
- The Fantasmic! Dining Package is available on all Fantasmic! show days.
- Please note that your dining experience will still take place, even in the event that your entertainment experience is cancelled.
It’s nice to see a larger slate of eligible restaurants for the Fantasmic dining packages at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. As far as recommendations go, our preliminary one is anywhere but Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano!
Seriously, we really like all of these restaurants except Mama Melrose, and all for different reasons. Hollywood Brown Derby is one of the few in-park Signature Restaurants, and it’s generally really good. (Our last meal there was only so-so, but I still recommend it. Sarah does not.)
We also really love both 50’s Prime Time Cafe and Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater. I’ve said for years that you should disregard the negative reviews, as the experience at both restaurants is the star of the show. Personally, I think both serve pretty good food, too.
I’m inclined to pick Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater over 50’s Prime Time Cafe, but other Walt Disney World fans favor 50’s. I can’t fault them for the preference–you really can’t go wrong, either way. Both are among the pinnacle of themed dining at Walt Disney World and are well-worth experiencing at least once. (We’ve done both many, many more times than that!)
With that said, our personal top pick–and the restaurant we will be attempting to book–during the Christmas season is Hollywood & Dine. While we cringe a bit at that $71 price for adults, we absolutely love Minnie’s Holiday Dine, and this is the first time in 3 years that we’ll be able to do the normal experience there, so we were planning on doing it, regardless. Now, two birds with one stone!
Hollywood & Dine is another restaurant that gets mixed reviews, with some Walt Disney World fans ardently opposed to it. To be sure, this is not the height of haute cuisine at Walt Disney World. It’s a character buffet. The food is familiar and comforting, and in no way whatsoever envelope-pushing, but generally good. We are big fans. (Overall, I think the table service ‘scene’ at Disney’s Hollywood Studios doesn’t get nearly enough credit. It’s no World Showcase, but almost everything offers something worthwhile.)
As for whether the Fantasmic dining packages are worth the money is a matter of how much a good spot for the nighttime spectacular matters to you. We’ve done versions of these a few times over the years, but always as part of the Disney Dining Plan. That is still temporarily suspended (see When Will the Disney Dining Plan Return at Walt Disney World? for more on when we’re expecting it to return), so obviously it’s not possible to get the Fantasmic dining package for “free” with the DDP right now.
If you asked me pre-closure whether the Fantasmic dining package was worth the out-of-pocket cost, my answer would’ve been a quick and unequivocal “no.” I would’ve simply recommended catching the second show, or hedging your bets with a FastPass+ selection if Fantasmic was really important and you didn’t want to wait or risk it.
It’s very difficult to offer that same forward-looking assessment for the Fantasmic Dining Packages. To the contrary, we purchased Fantasmic Dining Packages for the nighttime spectacular’s return. I’m not sure whether they’ll always be necessary, but I’m also not certain they won’t.
What I am relatively certain of is that Fantasmic dining packages will fill up fast–just as quickly as Candlelight Processional dining packages did last month. The nighttime spectacular is beloved, there’s a ton of pent-up demand, and desire to see the reimagined version of Fantasmic.
While the previous version of Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios had plenty of fans, it didn’t have the same diehard following as the Disneyland incarnation. We went a year or more without seeing it on multiple occasions, which is not something I can say about the one shown along the Rivers of America at Disneyland.
We aren’t alone in that. And now, we are counting down the days until Fantasmic’s return, anxiously awaiting the reimagined nighttime spectacular and its new Disney Heroes segment. Among diehard Walt Disney World fans, we aren’t alone in that, either.
Even pre-closure, there were times when people lined up 2 hours in advance for Fantasmic. Granted, this was not most guests–and it was usually possible to get a seat within an hour of showtime–but the point is that Fantasmic has always been popular with first-timers and infrequent visitors.
Now, added to that mix will be more Walt Disney World regulars who might’ve skipped it before. Fantasmic will probably have even more interest among casual guests, as it’ll be hyped up by Disney in marketing materials. Animal Kingdom doesn’t have a nighttime spectacular, and people will Park Hop from there to one of the other three parks.
There’s also the fact that Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will displace thousands of people per evening it’s held, disproportionately causing crowding at EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. That’ll lead to even more demand for Fantasmic during the first two months it’s back.
Then there’s the simple fact that the first full month of Fantasmic dining packages will likely be the busiest stretch of the year at Walt Disney World. Suffice to say, the stars are aligned for Fantasmic to draw absolutely colossal crowds and long lines in this holiday season.
This is despite the fact that the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater seats 6,900 guests with additional standing room for about 3,000 guests. That’s a massive number, and one that’ll allow a good percentage of all guests in Disney’s Hollywood Studios to see Fantasmic–especially if it has two nightly performances this holiday season, as expected.
It’s still a near-certainty that demand will exceed capacity. That would be true whether Fantasmic offers 1, 2, or 3 nightly showings. The combination of crowds, pent-up demand, and lack of alternatives during the holiday season all but guarantees it.
Accordingly, it’s our view that Fantasmic dining packages are worth it, at least in the near-term. The unfortunate reality is that we probably won’t know whether Fantasmic will offer a Lightning Lane until sometime later in 2024. While I think it’s likely, I also wouldn’t bet the farm on it.
Without a doubt, standby will be a viable option for Fantasmic. Simply by virtue of available restaurant capacity v. Hollywood Hills Amphitheater seating area capacity, that much should be obvious. (Our guess is that <10% of the venue can conceivably be taken up by dining packages in the near-term.) So, if one of the Fantasmic dining packages is not in your budget, it’s not a huge deal–you’ll still be able to see the show so long as you line up early (or, hopefully, purchase Genie+ and book a Lightning Lane for it).
Conversely, that same capacity constraint means that Fantasmic dining packages are going to be exceedingly difficult to score. There are going to be a ton of people competing for comparatively few tables. So don’t fret if you miss out. While we’d recommend attempting to book a Fantasmic dining package–and will be doing so ourselves–it’s not the end of the world if you get shut out. The odds are not in your favor. Even without a dining package or Lightning Lane, it will be possible to see Fantasmic…it’ll just be chaotic!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Will you be booking a Fantasmic dining package? Is it worth the surcharge to guarantee that you’ll have a spot in the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater to see the nighttime spectacular? Have you done any of these dining packages in the past? Was it worth the money? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I’ve got a stay coming up in early(ish) January and…as far as I can tell, there’s no way to book a Fantasmic package after December 31st. You can open up the res window, select a restaurant and a number of guests…and then it just errors out when you go to pick a time. It’s like this for every date in January but not any of the dates in December. Does anyone know…do they release these all at once on a particular day?
Did you get an answer to this? Trying to book for January as well and I am getting the same result.
Also wondering what happened with this! Trying to book for MLK weekend and it’s not allowing me to even attempt to select a time
Abbey,
You might call D. dining for help.
I got a dining package for 12/19 and it says it is for Fantasmic 1st show. Does that mean that they will likely keep the 2 shows per night through the holidays?
No, it means they are leaving the door open to add a second show if demand requires and then your reservation will move to the new first shows time.
Hello! I booked Brown Derby! The package is ABSOLUTELY worth it for me. Standing in a long line is painful and just not possible. My question is where is the seating? A map on your post would be great. On the Dis there are conflicting
maps. One showing off to the side and another front and center
Update: I was eventually able to get breakfast at H&V with Fantasmic seating. That appeared to be the only option left on my date. Initially I was going on the app, searching for Fantasmic dinner packages, and then hitting reserve dining. It was showing me lots of times and restaurants, but when I selected one, it just kept spinning. Finally I exited the app and came back through the main Check Dining Availability option, entered number, selected my date, and the scrolled to Fantasmic Dining Packages, and was able to select one after signing in.
I’m on now and it offers me a variety of times at lunch and dinner for all restaurants but when I select one it just circles and circles and circles. I’ve exited and come back in, tried different times, ahhh!
Hi Tom and Sarah,
I thought you’d find it interesting that it’s day of booking 10/26/22 and using my phone, at 5:15am EST, I was just able to book a Fantasmic dining package for 12/22/22. I got a 4:55pm dinner at 50’s Primetime. It’s definitely the dining package, not just a regular ADR, per my confirmation. I got on a little early to click around and see what things looked like since the website was unchanged as of last night. After going to dining options in HS and clicking through the Fantasmic Dining Package section and seeing nothing changed there yet, I used the Reserve Dining feature, entered number of guests as 2, looked at 12/22, filtered to HS, and that’s where I saw the Fantasmic Dining Package option (it was not there last night). I clicked on it and there was only the one option of 50’s Primetime at 4:55pm. I already had 50’s booked on this same day at 5:30pm, so I clicked on the Fantasmic Dining Package for 50’s Primetime at 4:55pm to see what would happen. MDE allowed me to replace my regular ADR for the dining package. I was shocked and pleasantly surprised. I didn’t expect to be able to book a dining package this morning because I know what 6:00am EST is going to be like and most people attempting to book will not have success. In the past, I’ve been able to book ADRs a time or two by 5:45am-5:50am, but never at 5:15am and never a dining package. I may have just benefited from a glitch, but I’ll take it!
I did much the same thing except for Hollywood and Vine. Thank you, Tom, for your excellent advice to get up at 5 am and be ready.
Why do you not like Mama Melrose?
Since I can’t add a Fantasmic! dining package to the existing reservation I have in December for Hollywood & Vine, do you suggest I cancel that reservation now and start over on October 26, or should I keep it and modify it on the 26th? Time will be of the essence.
Any mention of the Fantasmic Dessert Party
is this also part of the 60 day prior to trip rule?
It was for candlelight processional so I assume so
Are these reservations part of the 60 days prior rule? We can’t get dining reservations until after that Oct 26th date for our trip !
yes, the 60 day rule should apply so on Oct 26, only dates through Christmas Day will be available.
It’s actually the other way around for us: I haven’t been able to get an ADR for Hollywood and Dine, and trying to get a package at least gives me a date when I can log and go for it, instead of trying everyday like a maniac! And well, if I can save one hour at the end of my day and have both dinner and the show guaranteed before I leave, it’s a plus. To me it’s worth more than Genie + because I don’t have to care about it while I’m on holidays…
what time on oct 26 will fantasmic dining drop?
It varies.
Officially, it should be 6 am EST. In practice, dining package drops have been earlier and inconsistent. I’m planning to be up by 5 am.
I personally would lean more towards 50’s Prime Time over Sci-Fi from a purely financial perspective. The package difference is $2 (which is…what?) and the portion sizes last time we went to 50’s Prime Time were MASSIVE. In the end it comes down to personal preference of course–some people would rather have a sandwich or burger over a plate of fries chicken or meatloaf.
For that price, will it be a set (read “limited”) menu to choose from or is it the regular menu? I’m asking specifically about The Brown Derby. Thanks!
It should be the regular menu.
Are there any dates up yet for the Minnie’s holiday dine end date? I know the holiday season stars Nov 11 and continues to the first week of January, so does that mean the Holiday dine will end the first week of January? Or will it end on the 25th??
the only date I’ve seen for holiday and dine is the start: Nov 8 (it’s Halloween until Nov 7). there’s no end date, but the next version is “silver screen dine.” keep in mind that breakfast features Disney Junior characters instead of minnie’s party (you didn’t ask and probably already knew that; I just like to be thorough). as to your question, my uneducated guess is they will keep holiday and dine through the first week of January. either way, they all feature the characters, just in different outfits, so silver screen could be fun, too!
… and delicious! The food for every Minnie Dine for Every Holiday is much better than the pre-Minnie Dine Hollywood and Vine, which is why I used to be “opposed to it” for a good while. I used to wonder why, but there’s no reason to wonder if every day is a Holiday.
Have some reservation on the week of December 19th on Hollywood studios in different days (Sci-fi and Hollywood) those reservations will guarantee the “Fantasmic package” or I need to change?
The Fantasmic Dining Package is a separate reservation. You can’t add it to existing reservations.
just spoke to cast nember, existing bookings cannot be amended. she said you have to make new booking then cancel old one
I already have reservations at Hollywood Brown Derby. Can I just call and add Fanrasmic to that reservation?
No. It is a separate reservation.
Do you know if we have reservation at 50″s café on November 24th cab you add the Fantasmic to that reservation.
No, it is a separate reservation.
nice to see the improved restaurant lineup. we never did the package because of the lack of choices in the past.
It was also rough when it was dinner only; sometimes we’d be running from our meal to get in place.