Dining packages for MSEP?

More info from my friend that went Saturday: She did say it was crowded in the area, but they were able to still see very well. She told me to get there 30 minutes early. She also said although it was pricey for a group of 5 (she paid for everyone to get her AP discount), it was nice to not have to wait forever. Plus they got to see the fireworks.
 
The website states:
Amidst the restaurant’s lavish Victorian setting, sink your teeth into a delectable menu of fried chicken breast, pulled pork, macaroni and cheese, baked beans, corn cobette, watermelon and corn bread served with a New York cheesecake. Our kid’s meal includes chicken tenders, macaroni and cheese, watermelon, corn cobette and corn bread served with New York cheesecake. Vegetarian options are available upon request.

We were able to substitute the mashed potatoes for the sides, but not sure if other entrees would be available. We did get beverages with the meal. :)

Thanks. When I looked the page only said "one lunch entree."
 
Would like some more feedback about crowd after parade, we will be there labor day weekend. Parade @8:40, followed by fireworks, plan to stay in park til close (midnight)
 
I'm in the reserved area right now waiting for the parade. It is directly across from the Main St. Railroad Station in the flagpole courtyard. It is not crowded right now with curbside spots still open at 8:30pm, but it is a Wednesday night. Main St. looks very crowded though.
 


I'm in the reserved area right now waiting for the parade. It is directly across from the Main St. Railroad Station in the flagpole courtyard. It is not crowded right now with curbside spots still open at 8:30pm, but it is a Wednesday night. Main St. looks very crowded though.

Do you think it was worth buying the package?
 
Do you think it was worth buying the package?
I thought the view was great and it was so nice not to stress about getting a good spot for the parade. It was also so quick and easy to get a good fireworks view on Main St. from the reserved location. That combo alone was a good value.

The food was a really large portion for me too. I had it for lunch and dinner, so I was glad I took it to go. It was really easy to pick it up. There's a dedicated register for dining packages, and a dedicated area to the right of all the food service spots to pick up your meal. Much faster than all the other times I've visited Plaza Inn during the lunch rush.
 
Oh and if anyone is running late and purchased a dining package, the parade is coming from IASW and doesn't arrive at the reserved location until 8:55p, so there's a bit of a time buffer there. Not sure if the area will still be uncrowded on busy nights, but you won't miss anything if you're a little late.
 


I thought the view was great and it was so nice not to stress about getting a good spot for the parade. It was also so quick and easy to get a good fireworks view on Main St. from the reserved location. That combo alone was a good value.
This is what I am excited about. For a regular parade, I would normally skip on doing a dining package. But since this one is so popular, I think that it can be worth it. I feel like as I go to DL more, I am starting to see the value in a lot of the dining packages. Yes they are expensive, but sometimes you have to pay to save time (and your sanity, lol).
 
Just wondering if someone can confirm what parade do you get the viewing area for? The 845 one or 1045???
On the site it says
Reservations made between 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM will receive a voucher for the day’s second performance of Mickey's Soundsational Parade
 
Just wondering if someone can confirm what parade do you get the viewing area for? The 845 one or 1045???
On the site it says
Reservations made between 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM will receive a voucher for the day’s second performance of Mickey's Soundsational Parade
All packages are for the 1st parade.
 
Just an update after today - it was much more crowded Thurs. night than Wed. I did not venture through the crowds on Wed since I reported directly to the reserved location after coming from DCA.

Today, people were having a hard time finding somewhere to watch the parade since many of the roped off areas were full. I was headed to ride IASW, and it seems the people who were familiar with the park ended up heading that way with me. I felt bad for many of the people that were there for the first time, because they were closing off the castle for fireworks prior to the parade, and directing people to Frontierland, but people were then just following the cast members directing people around the Fantasmic crowd.

I never had the fortune to watch Paint the Night at DL, but the directions from cast members were very confusing for those trying to find a place to watch the parade.

I also left right before the 10:45pm parade, and it was more crowded than Wednesday. Not full by any means, but Main St was at least 3 ppl deep compared to plenty of room on Wed night's 10:45pm show.
 
This is what I am excited about. For a regular parade, I would normally skip on doing a dining package. But since this one is so popular, I think that it can be worth it. I feel like as I go to DL more, I am starting to see the value in a lot of the dining packages. Yes they are expensive, but sometimes you have to pay to save time (and your sanity, lol).
So true. I actually reserved the package, and was going to cancel it if I saw open parade spots available on my first night, but I forgot to cancel it. I'm so glad I ended up doing it. If I hadn't, I may have just skipped the parade if it ended up being too much trouble to find a spot. This parade was totally worth seeing. It was my first time and it was amazing!
 
We did the dining package tonight and it was so disappointing. We had done the BB package a couple of years ago and were excited to see MSEP parade again.

We had 1:00 lunch reservations. It was a little confusing when we arrived as we went to the counter that was marked "Dining Package" and were asked if we'd already paid. We hadn't and were directed to the register and told to come back. No problem, just a minor confusion.

There are absolutely no substitutions on the food. I didn't want the beans and asked if they could be left off my plate. No, still got them. Ok, not a big deal, just won't eat it. The chicken was by far the best part of the meal.

We got to the viewing area at 8:20. It was so crowded, the seating area was full. They couldn't fit anyone else in the ropes. The CM said a lead had been called to offer a solution. He came over, but all he did was move the rope farther back so that we were technically in the dining section. This was the biggest disappointment as we couldn't see much from where we were standing.

Long story short, we left the viewing area and went up on the train station and had a perfect view. We did go to City Hall to let Disney know it was a huge letdown. It's not our first dining package and won't be our last, but this one was pretty bad.
 
We did the dining package tonight and it was so disappointing. We had done the BB package a couple of years ago and were excited to see MSEP parade again.

We had 1:00 lunch reservations. It was a little confusing when we arrived as we went to the counter that was marked "Dining Package" and were asked if we'd already paid. We hadn't and were directed to the register and told to come back. No problem, just a minor confusion.

There are absolutely no substitutions on the food. I didn't want the beans and asked if they could be left off my plate. No, still got them. Ok, not a big deal, just won't eat it. The chicken was by far the best part of the meal.

We got to the viewing area at 8:20. It was so crowded, the seating area was full. They couldn't fit anyone else in the ropes. The CM said a lead had been called to offer a solution. He came over, but all he did was move the rope farther back so that we were technically in the dining section. This was the biggest disappointment as we couldn't see much from where we were standing.

Long story short, we left the viewing area and went up on the train station and had a perfect view. We did go to City Hall to let Disney know it was a huge letdown. It's not our first dining package and won't be our last, but this one was pretty bad.

Thanks for the review. I really wanted to do the MSEP, but the lunch times they are offering are just too late for us, and I’m having a hard time making it work with our plans. I’ve been thinking of just not doing it, and your review makes me feel better. I think with 10 potential parades for us, at some point we can find a good view without the package.

Sometimes I think Disney just throws these packages together without really thinking through the logistics of it all.
 
We did the dining package tonight and it was so disappointing. We had done the BB package a couple of years ago and were excited to see MSEP parade again.

We had 1:00 lunch reservations. It was a little confusing when we arrived as we went to the counter that was marked "Dining Package" and were asked if we'd already paid. We hadn't and were directed to the register and told to come back. No problem, just a minor confusion.

There are absolutely no substitutions on the food. I didn't want the beans and asked if they could be left off my plate. No, still got them. Ok, not a big deal, just won't eat it. The chicken was by far the best part of the meal.

We got to the viewing area at 8:20. It was so crowded, the seating area was full. They couldn't fit anyone else in the ropes. The CM said a lead had been called to offer a solution. He came over, but all he did was move the rope farther back so that we were technically in the dining section. This was the biggest disappointment as we couldn't see much from where we were standing.

Long story short, we left the viewing area and went up on the train station and had a perfect view. We did go to City Hall to let Disney know it was a huge letdown. It's not our first dining package and won't be our last, but this one was pretty bad.

Wow, I'm so sorry that happened to you. I would have been disappointed and upset, too.

It's odd that they weren't allowing you to substitute anything. I also didn't want the beans, and they gave me a couple of things to choose from as a substitute. I can't remember what they were, but I opted for mashed potatoes instead. They even offered to substitute the ribs if I would have rather had just chicken, but I chose to try the ribs.

The lack of space and their solution was just ridiculous. You definitely did not receive what you paid for. I hope Disney does something to make it right for your family.
 
We did the dining package tonight and it was so disappointing. We had done the BB package a couple of years ago and were excited to see MSEP parade again.

We had 1:00 lunch reservations. It was a little confusing when we arrived as we went to the counter that was marked "Dining Package" and were asked if we'd already paid. We hadn't and were directed to the register and told to come back. No problem, just a minor confusion.

There are absolutely no substitutions on the food. I didn't want the beans and asked if they could be left off my plate. No, still got them. Ok, not a big deal, just won't eat it. The chicken was by far the best part of the meal.

We got to the viewing area at 8:20. It was so crowded, the seating area was full. They couldn't fit anyone else in the ropes. The CM said a lead had been called to offer a solution. He came over, but all he did was move the rope farther back so that we were technically in the dining section. This was the biggest disappointment as we couldn't see much from where we were standing.

Long story short, we left the viewing area and went up on the train station and had a perfect view. We did go to City Hall to let Disney know it was a huge letdown. It's not our first dining package and won't be our last, but this one was pretty bad.
That doesn't sound good! I'm going tomorrow and will report back of any changes of snafus. This will be my first time doing a dining package for a parade. I think I'll get there around 8:15. I'm bringing a seat cushion (thanks BB) to sit
 
Very disappointed to hear about the viewing area situation. Hoping Disney gets that message and does something to address it before our trip next month. The only reason we are purchasing the package is for the viewing area.
 
Very disappointed to hear about the viewing area situation. Hoping Disney gets that message and does something to address it before our trip next month. The only reason we are purchasing the package is for the viewing area.
I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that the packages are only for the first parade? If they split it between both it could spread the crowds...
 
Here now sitting on the curb waiting for the parade to begin. They started letting people check in a few minutes before 8. They didn’t collect our return stubs that were given to us. But they had us wear the lanyards.
Plaza Inn: check in was smooth and quick. CM’s were directing people to the dining package line if they had one and those without them, directing them to the regular food area. It took forever to get the food though. I was also very hungry and hadn’t eaten all day, so it felt like forever lol. The line was backed up in the restaurant for the dining package food. Not sure why since we are all getting the same foods? Since check in was so swift, the line would get longer and longer. I was going to ask to swap food, but forgot so I didn’t eat the baked beans.
Food: yes, this was a big meal! Very satisfying though. I enjoyed the chicken as always, but the pork was yummy!!! I paid extra for the colorful electrical parade cake, and I’m glad I did! It was delicious! I didn’t care for the cheesecake. You can taste the artificial flavoring and it gave me a migraine :(
 

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I liked the viewing section. It did look crowded behind me though. I thankfully got a curb side spot so I was able to sit the whole time. I checked in early because I was tired and wanted to sit down. It didn’t feel like a long wait before the parade. Overall I had a good time and don’t regret doing the package. But since I’m not a big parade person, and don’t mind hopping into a spot last minute, I don’t think I would do a dining package for another parade. I did it for this one since it is so popular and getting a good spot requires too much waiting. The picture below shows the viewpoint from the curb A5C3DC4B-93A0-4538-877E-D19C1913BA8C.jpeg
 

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