Recent reviews of Fantastmic Riverbelle Terrace, upgraded dining package option?

[shannon006]

I can't seem to find any recent experiences of the Riverbelle Terrace Fantastmic dining package with the upgraded dining option of sitting on the terrace during Fantasmic. Has anyone been recently?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Any reviews that I've read haven't changed from the beginning until now. If you need to have a chair, this is your only dining package option for F! The view isn't as good compared to the other F! dining packages (which are right up at the water, unobstructed, centered viewing), but the other packages have ground seating. So that's the trade off: better viewing or seating in a chair. Personally, I find the view on the RBT patio to be too far away and too obstructed/potentially obstructed (e.g pedestrians and shoulder kids and possibly other guests on the patio) for the price tag. But, to be fair, I can still sit on the ground, so the other packages are still an option for me.

 

[Sunclytie]

We're going to be doing this package this weekend with a family member who needs a chair, so I'll report back next week.

 

[Geemo]

I can't seem to find any recent experiences of the Riverbelle Terrace Fantastmic dining package with the upgraded dining option of sitting on the terrace during Fantasmic. Has anyone been recently?

We use to grab a table there before the dining packages.

Very few tables have a nice view. I would be afraid of being seated in a bad viewing zone.

 

[edhmom]

We did it last January and it was amazing. My whole family absolutely loved it and said it was a highlight of the trip. It was my husband and myself, 78 year old MIL, 18 DD and 16 DS...even the 16 year old boy said it was amazing.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

We use to grab a table there before the dining packages.

Very few tables have a nice view. I would be afraid of being seated in a bad viewing zone.

This is our feeling, too. If we are going to pay top dollar for a F! dining package, we would like a top dollar view to match -- which means right up at the railing, up by the water, with no one (pedestrians, CMs with flashlights, shoulder kids, other guests at tables in front of me, etc.) blocking my view. We can get tables next to the RBT patio (the Stage Door Cafe tables) for free. The view is still mediocre-to-poor, but at least we won't be charged a high price tag for it.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

This is my view from our 2nd row table. The walkway in front of RBT was kept pretty clear so people walking by wasn't really an issue, but note the guests seated in front of us, the kids on shoulders, the large tree on the right, and the pole located in the restaurant, all of which partially blocked the view. I could have gotten up and stood in the back of the restaurant to get rid of the view of the pole, but overall it just wasn't a great view. You can see that the waterline where some of the projections happen is really not visible at all. Even the view of the guests in the front row would be partially blocked from the guests standing watching the show on the other side of the walkway.

View attachment 343247

I've watched the show from a "stand by" spot (ie, grabbing a spot where I could) in the past in front of HM ... this was a better view than that was, but the other dining packages definitely have better views than RBT IMO.

This is the view I am referring to -- and note that the photo was taken from only the second row -- I don't even want to think about the view from the last row. There are a very limited number of front row tables on the RBT patio. Any tables further back have somewhat/very obstructed viewing, depending on how many rows back your table is located. If you end up in the last row of tables, you still pay the same price as the people in the front row of tables. The view in this photo is not "premium" in my opinion and is not worth the price tag. The view from the HB section is far better than this, even though it does not come with a chair. But if a chair is absolutely necessary, then this package is the only option offered right now. But if you have the time to hold a table, I would try to get a front row table on the Stage Door Cafe side of the patio, as close to the RBT patio as possible. That, at least, will be free.

 

[AndrewC]

Did this with my friend in October (it was my second year in a row of doing this package). To me it's the only way to go, BUT, I run myself ragged all day long. My day is normally in the park from about 9am till close with a table serve lunch and some dinner table serve or dining package. In this case, sitting down for an hour, having a good meal (not great, but it's pretty good), and dessert WHILE watching a show is so worth it to me. Yes I could stand in line and crowd in 30 minutes before the show, but after standing for 8+ hours that sounds like the worst thing in the world for me. I also like that this is far enough way that I won't get the spray from water blowing back at me, which might be a factor you need to think of at night from Oct-March time frame.

(I should note, the whole thing brought my friend to tears she loved it so much. I asked her if she would have rather we got dinner somewhere else and just got a closer viewing area standing and she said she enjoyed the relaxed dinner and being away from the crowd for a bit)

I would say that picture is a little misleading, that looks more like almost from table height and pictures just seem to compress your field of view a little by the nature of them. The water "fan" screens also don't seem to be full size in that picture. I would say I was able to see about 80% of everything. Anything on the island I had no trouble seeing, anything on boats moving along the river I had no issue seeing, and almost all the video projections on the big water screens I could see, maybe just a little of the bottom cut off or at times couldn't see part of the screen. I think if you're two or three rows back behind people you're view would be just as bad, if not worse depending on how tall people in front of you were.

I'll take the coffee, dessert, and sitting down any day. Obviously it would be awesome if this area switched to high top style tables (like the WOC dessert party uses), but I'm so glad they at least offer this package.

Do you plan to be all over the parks all day long, or will you be heading back from a couple hour break in a hotel and dinner just to come in and see the show and fireworks?

 

[GoingSince1990]

We did it in the summer and thanks to me booking it exactly 60 days out we had one of the closest tables (tables are preassigned based upon how early you book). I found the pedestrian traffic a bit distracting, and the view is good but not perfect, but I really like having a chair. For what it's worth I asked my family if they preferred the Blue Bayou seating (on the ground, next to the railing) or the Riverbelle Terrace seating and they all said Riverbelle. (What I really miss is the dessert box VIP seating that they used to have a few years ago, with chairs and a perfect view).

 

[MonocularVision]

I miss the original dessert buffet party that was $30 (or $35?) and you sat on a second floor terrace in New Orleans Square.

 

[GoingSince1990]

I miss the original dessert buffet party that was $30 (or $35?) and you sat on a second floor terrace in New Orleans Square.

Yes, we did that in 2006. I think that space is now used by Club 33.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I miss the original dessert buffet party that was $30 (or $35?) and you sat on a second floor terrace in New Orleans Square.

Yes, we did that package and the package when it was offered on the balcony of what is now the Dream Suite. There is no way this current package compares to those two! And, to address a concern from a pp, we've never had any trouble with water spray and we sit up at the railing by the water every time.

 

[Elle23]

We did the package in September. It was a one and done for us. To me, it wasn’t worth the cost.

We were fortunate to get one of the good seats up next to the rail. But the constant steam of people walking right in front of us was so distracting it was maddening. It never stopped the whole show.

The food was honestly terrible. Thankfully we had eaten a late lunch and weren’t very hungry.

The view was good and it was nice to have a seat. If having a seat is a must, I would recommend it. Otherwise, I think I would go with one of the other dining packages where you sit up closer.

 

[Sunclytie]

I just did this Fantasmic dinner package this last weekend. We were lucky enough to get a table right at the railing so our view was pretty good. It is true that people walk in front of you but I can't say that it ruined my enjoyment of the show because the view is elevated. Also, it was more comfortable than sitting on the cold ground, especially on a chilly night. There were a bunch of groups that had warm blankets and they looked very cozy. Two members of our group, who had never seen Fantasmic before, absolutely adored the experience. Plus they are in no hurry for you to leave, you can sit there and watch the fireworks or whatever for as long as you like.

However, it was fearsomely expensive, and I don't really love River Belle Terrace food. The food was not that good (grain of salt - I'm pregnant and don't really feel like eating anything but strawberries and pickles). The food was better at the Blue Bayou, and with the cushions, the sitting on the ground experience was ok, and we got a front row seat at Fantasmic.

As always, it's a choice of what you want. If a chair is really important to you, and you don't mind paying dearly for the privilege, the River Belle Package is a good experience. If you want the absolute best view (and better food) go for the Blue Bayou package. Personally, I wouldn't downgrade further than those two packages, because I tried sitting on the ground for an hour without a cushion, and I'm just too old and too stiff for that. ;-) YMMV though.

 

[PatMcDuck]

We did it on August, we did get a table at the railing. We enjoyed it, some of the group needed seats for various age related complaints, lol. We tried to ignore the people streaming by and the CMs making people move who constantly tried to stand still in front of us. We actually got involved watching some of the CMs and their flirting drama haha (before show started), we even named them Clark (he wore Clark Kent glasses) and Lois. The food was forgettable, so not great, but not terrible.

Hands DOWN, a MUCH more enjoyable experience the the World of Color dessert party. Better view, tasty desserts, 2 drinks included.

 

[GoingSince1990]

Hands DOWN, a MUCH more enjoyable experience the the World of Color dessert party. Better view, tasty desserts, 2 drinks included.

I’m surprised that you say that, as I love the WoC dessert party, which has what I think is a perfect view of the show while you are comfortably seated. Riverbelle to me is definitely a compromised (but reasonably good) view, in exchange for the only way to have a seat.

 

[Elle23]

We tried to stay at our table and watch the fireworks, but they were completely obscured by trees! That was a big fail.

I’m not sure if that’s always the case, but wanted to throw that out there in case anyone was planning to do that.

 

[Susie63]

We got three rows back despite the fact that I called as soon as the phone lines opened at the 60 day mark. Total waste of money for us

 

[cmpeter]

We also called on the 60 day mark and got a third row table. I don’t believe when you call has any impact on seat assignments. I did not think it was worth it. We had to stand to really see and the view was obstructed and the food blah. I prefer BB for a better view. However, we went with family who couldn’t deal with sitting on the ground, so it was nice from that perspective. I wouldn’t do it again.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

We got three rows back despite the fact that I called as soon as the phone lines opened at the 60 day mark. Total waste of money for us

We also called on the 60 day mark and got a third row table. I don’t believe when you call has any impact on seat assignments. I did not think it was worth it. We had to stand to really see and the view was obstructed and the food blah. I prefer BB for a better view. However, we went with family who couldn’t deal with sitting on the ground, so it was nice from that perspective. I wouldn’t do it again.

These are perfect examples of why, if having chairs is absolutely necessary to view F!, I would work with my group to save a table in the front row on the Stage Door Cafe patio. Yes, it will take a long time to hold a prime table. (So have people in the group take turns.) But at least it won't be a total waste of a lot of money and you will know that you will have a front row table.