Fantasmic Dinner Package or Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater????

I would say do the fantasmic dinner. Mama Melrose is a pretty good place, and everything ive read and heard is to avoid the sci-fi. Guess the food isnt all that great, but they love the atmosphere. So I would say Fantasmic.

I recommend the Fantasmic Dinner Package. The entrance to the theater is separate from the regular entrance. It was nice not having to wait as long. I was there in November and we just walked right up to the entrance with no waiting.

I also like the Sci-Fi. If you haven't been to Fantasmic, I say the package is the way to go.

Well since you're going in October, it shouldn't be too extremely crowded, so you wont have to go absolutely crazy trying to get seats for Fantasmic if you don't get the dinner package, but you will have to line up. So keep that in mind if you choose Sci-Fi with your reservation time.

I think Sci-Fi is a must do once, but I really enjoy Mama Melrose. I think either choice would be good, but I usually say if Fantasmic is crowded enough that I need the dinner package, I might want to skip it anyway.

October you could very well sneak in without it. So I think either one is a good choice, but if you have your heart set on Sci-Fi, go for it and you can probably get the best of both worlds.

We've been to Sci-Fi alot. The food is good, not 5 star, but very good. Alot of people complain about the seating. It's only been the 2 of us, so we never had a problem. If you want roomy seating, get a saucer table in the back. Its is dark, its supposed to be a drive in!

As for the dinner package, we only did that once.

If you havn't experienced Fantasmic and don't want to stand in a line for up to 2 hours to get a good seat fro the show, I'd say take the package. You still have to get to the entrance early, but not as early as those in the stand by line The seating isn't front and centre for the package dining, I think it's just off to the right, but I've heard it's still a good view.

There is really not a bad seat at all anywhere for Fantasmic, you just may not be sitting dead center.

Well, we've done both the Dinner package and no package, and I don't really think there's much of a difference either way. Here are some tips from our experiences:

1. When we booked the Fantasmic package with Mama Melrose's, they did make our dining reservation a bit earlier than we would have liked. They told us they required the early reservation to ensure enough time to eat. But I just remember thinking "Wow, I have never taken THAT long to eat". So I'd suggest finding out what times they are booking the package and see if that works for you and the family. For some it may be no big deal; for others it may be.

2. With the package, the special seating is off to the right side of the stadium. To be honest, as mrhub states, I don't think there is a bad seat, really. Were these any better or worse than seats we've gotten without the package? No.

3. We've never had a problem getting seats without the package. My maximum arrival time before the show is an hour -that's all the patience I have. I think with the package we got there about 40-45 minutes before the show. Without, we usually get there an hour before.

Of course, there are only 2 adults in our party, and it's not that hard to find room for 2. And at some point, they usually ask everyone to stand up and move in closer to the center to free up more seating. With your party, it might be a little more challenging.

Also keep in mind the length of time for keeping the younger ones entertained while you wait. They do have some pre-show entertainment, but I hate waiting anyhow, and would be bored as a kid if I had to wait an hour or more. That might be reason enough to book the package. I think time of year plays a factor as well. We usually go during moderate crowd level times, end of April or mid-late September, so it's not as packed. October is probably not a hugely heavy time either, but I can't recall if they limit the # of showings during that time of the year either. If they do, there will be more of a crowd trying to get to each show.

For us, the food has been spotty at Mama Melroses. It was our favorite place the first few times we went, but lately it's been hit and miss. It's not bad, just hasn't seemed to be the same lately as we remembered. The Sci Fi is ok as well, but it has the added bonus of just being a fun and unusual place to go. I thought the apple crumble dessert was to die for.

This year, when we go in April, I booked an ADR for Sci Fi because I really think I want to try that All American Picnic Burger! And then we will hit up Fantasmic that evening. I don't anticipate any problems going this route.

Good point Jeff. Our ADR for the dinner package at The Brown Derby in November was for 2:45 which was fine for us.

Keep in mind that if there are two shows for the day you are planning. the package will be for the earlier of the two shows.

I've done the package and I've done Fantasmic without it. I think during October..as long as it isn't Columbus Day Weekend...you will probably be okay without it. We ate at Mama's with our package and just thought it was OK. Sci-Fi is fun but the food isn't awesome. My favorite place is 50's Prime Time. Yum..that chicken is delicious!

Why don't you lunch at Sci-Fi and then do the dinner package?

The fun of the Sci-Fi is sitting in the 'cars' and eating.. it's not the food. If you are a bigger person, like me.. I am a bear of a guy, the cars can be a tight fit. I have not eaten at Mamma Melrose, so I can't comment on that.

You don't need the package. Just get to fantasmic at least 45 minutes before it starts. I think Mama Melrose is one of the worst TS restaurants in Disney, so I would go to Sci-Fi (it's more fun anyway) and leave yourself enough time to get to Fantasmic early. And have a couple of drinks in Sci Fi and relax. Get liquored up. That's the way I would play it.

Since this thread asked advice for an October 2012 trip, I would love to know what you finally decided to do and how it worked out.

It's been my experience that getting Fantasmic seats is no problem if you travel at the slower times of the year. We were at WDW last October and literally walked into Fantasmic maybe 10 or 15 minutes before the show started (second show of the evening). We had no problem at all getting seats on the left side, three or four sections from the left edge of the seating area and pretty close but not too close to the front.

that's weird. I replied because it was listed in teh active threads- but the post before mine is Feb 2012???

That's because there was a spammer that posted before you Colonel they got deleted!