Candlelight Dinner Package - long lines?

[AngiTN]

We were in Epcot twice over our trip (just returned home on Friday!) and we don't get the CP appeal and paying that much $$ plus standing in line for that long. It's a lot of money burning to stand in a line for hours. We sat in America during one of the shows and we were able to hear everything perfectly and we walked by and were able to see everything too. JMO though.

Evidently. Many other folks here have reported trying to listen from outside the theater and said you couldn't hear enough to make it worth sticking around for.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Does anyone know how wheelchairs with dining package go in or where they sit? Can my family of 5 addt. members sit with me?

When you get into the wheelchair line they will ask you transfer or non transfer. I prefer not to transfer. I was told there are only 16 non transfer wheelchair spots. Some, maybe 2 or 3 of them do have a pole obstructing your view. We got one of those once. Our party has only been either myself and dh, or myself, dh and 1 adult son. I usually get in line no later than 50 min. before since those seats are limited.

We have the pkg. for friday 12/16 for the 8:15 show so we will see how it goes. Once I was the 2nd or 3rd in line.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Does anyone know how wheelchairs with dining package go in or where they sit? Can my family of 5 addt. members sit with me?

Those that are transferring are supposed to be in the regular line. I had a cast member direct me into the shorter handicap line and was then told that I was supposed to be in the other line.

One cast member wanted us to move. But we had already been in line for a while and the regular line had gotten a lot longer.

We told her that we weren't moving and at the same time another cast member came by and told us not to move.

 

[pmaurer74]

can we have a stroller while waiting in line and then have someone take it to stroller parking when they starting the seating?

 

[dsanner106]

Yes the lines are that long and they are blocking off about half of the seating in the arena. If you want a good seat, show up at least 45 mins early for the reserved line. Getting in the standard line at that time will get you a seat about 3/4 s of the way back in my experience. Is the dinner package worth moving up 15 rows or so? that is the real question. If you are there for the music and experience, no. If you really need to see the celebrity narrator, maybe.

 

[newdeal]

I would guess with lines that long the show fills up. At least with the dining package you know that you are getting in. I am sure they turn away people from the standby line

 

[denise5374]

I was at CP on Saturday. We had the dining package and got in line for the 6:45 show about an hour before the show started and we were pretty far back in the line. We had decent seats I thought, I was there more for the music although I could see the narrator. I saw people in the Standby line (probably about 50 or so) when I walked by a little before 3pm for the 5pm show.



I saw people in the Standby line (probably about 50 or so) when I walked by a little before 3pm for the 5pm show.

 

[Lisa F]

I figure if I am going to need to be in line early no matter what, why pay so much?

I know I will be there personally, just because I need the sign language interpreter, and there is limited room for that. But since I need to be in a specific section, I am worried about showing up too late. I was thinking the dinner package would help with that, but this year I have been allowed into the seating from stand-by when there was still a huge line coming in. In the past most of the dinner package was seated (at least those in line when it opened) before they allowed any stand-by in.

I know I would be there early no matter what, but I was wondering what my family (who will arrive separately) should do.

I really want to see Ming-Na Wen, but I know I will see her either way. I was just wondering whether it was worth the money to get the DP.

They keep a section open right by the interpreter. I ended up sitting there with the CP because they opened it up rather late. We showed up a half hour before and had no problem getting a seat and did not wait on any line but it was not prime front and center or anything. BTW I went to the CP several times 10-15 years ago when I used to travel in early december and we never lined up super early and never got a primo seat but we always got a decent seat without having to line up hours in advance, which was the point to me. I think if you want the best of the best you are going to have to get there early even if you are doing a premium thing.

 

[yulilin3]

I saw people in the Standby line (probably about 50 or so) when I walked by a little before 3pm for the 5pm show

Standby line hasn't been bad this year, at least not when MK doesn't have a MVNCP. I've done 2 CP both on Wednesday, NPH and Anthony Mackie and got in line around 2pm and was about 8th in line, each show is yakking around 200 standby people. Of course this will change once the parties end and the real holiday madness begins

 

[jimbostacks]

I am going to the 5PM show on Dec 28th..... Dining package at lunch in Germany.... 45 mins early seems crazy, but I cannot get in line any earlier without losing my mind. I am assuming the 5PM shows are the least crowded? thanks

 

[yulilin3]

I am going to the 5PM show on Dec 28th..... Dining package at lunch in Germany.... 45 mins early seems crazy, but I cannot get in line any earlier without losing my mind. I am assuming the 5PM shows are the least crowded? thanks

all the shows are crowded, filled to capacity each and every night, no matter who the narrator is.
Like I said above, I have done standby twice this year and I'm sad when I see someone coming from the dinning package line and the only seat they can find is behind a tree

 

[MTstitch]

Actually, you have the best advantage. There is a separate line on the dining package side for scooters and wheelchairs. You get into the theater first. There are limited spots for wheelchairs; so, you still want to get there early.

Thank you for this. My Aunt will be with us and in a wheelchair and was wondering how that would work.

 

[Ciao Mickey]

Does anyone know how wheelchairs with dining package go in or where they sit? Can my family of 5 addt. members sit with me?

Last time we were there with my mother who was in a chair they only allowed 2 from our party to sit with her. The rest had to sit elsewhere.

 

[seshat0120]

We did the 8:15 show on December 8 with Anthony Mackie. We got in line a bit before 7:00. We sat dead center in the first row of the second section. We could have sat further to the front and towards the center if we'd wanted to. I liked the idea of the walkway in front of us so we didn't really have to struggle to see over heads.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Another note for those in wheel chairs. If you don't or can't transfer, you have a separate, shorter line. If you do transfer, you get into the regular line and sit in whichever seat is available.

 

[yulilin3]

We did the 8:15 show on December 8 with Anthony Mackie. We got in line a bit before 7:00. We sat dead center in the first row of the second section. We could have sat further to the front and towards the center if we'd wanted to. I liked the idea of the walkway in front of us so we didn't really have to struggle to see over heads.

In my opinion the very best spot.

 

[AnnaKat]

Wow this is really disappointing. Do they tell you when you need to be in line by with the package? I don't want to pay for a package only to stand in line 1 hour. The point of the package was a good seat without having to stand in a long line. At this point I may cancel.

BE grateful that last year they started allowing Dining Pkg Guests in earlier than merely 15 minutes before!

A Standby Couple complained to Guest Relations that they were seated as Stand Bys, but that Dinner Pkg Guests were STILL being ushered in during the 1st 15 Minutes of the Concert!
Yes! THAT would be the Guests down by Morocco!

NOW they learned to start seating earlier,

BUT a good seat requires getting into line EVEN @ 3:15 pm for the 5:00 pm Show!


We saw a Family CAMPED OUT @ 11:15 a.m. FOR the 5:00 pm Show!!!
The were lying on blankets with huge umbrellas for Privacy!!

SO Standby could be a 5 -Hour Wait;
Dining Pkg could be a 2-Hour Wait!!

 

[AnnaKat]

They keep a section open right by the interpreter. I ended up sitting there with the CP because they opened it up rather late. We showed up a half hour before and had no problem getting a seat and did not wait on any line but it was not prime front and center or anything. BTW I went to the CP several times 10-15 years ago when I used to travel in early december and we never lined up super early and never got a primo seat but we always got a decent seat without having to line up hours in advance, which was the point to me. I think if you want the best of the best you are going to have to get there early even if you are doing a premium thing.

That section is Reserved for VIPs( great seats BTW), so you were just fortunate that that Performance was short on VIPs

 

[KPeveler]

They do keep two rows open for only the guests needing the sign language interpreter. They are not for VIPs, although the same rows more toward the middle are. They are the second and third row all the way to the right. Not a perfect view of the stage, but since I need the interpreter, the view is awesome for me. If there is extra room in those two rows in the last 2-3 minutes before the show starts, then they will sit other guests there, but those rows stay open for Deaf and Hard of Hearing guests, whether from the dinner package or stand-by line.

For two of the shows I have seen this year, it was mostly full and there was room for one or two people (including me) from the stand-by line. For one show, there was almost no one there except me, so they sat other dinner package guests there.

What I have learned here is that between the fact I need the interpreter and the fact my husband is in a wheelchair and cannot, under any circumstance, transfer, I will be in line at least 90 minutes early for the night I have a dinner package.

For the record, I only show up 2 hours early in stand-by for the 5PM show, and I have always gotten in.

 

[MagicalMawMaw]

I did the candlelight package for my first time tonight.
I had a 4 pm supper for the 6:45 pm candlelight.
After I ate , I had a soaring FP + at 5:35 pm . So I checked in at soaring at 5:35 & rode soaring. Then I very fast walked all the way to the candlelight processional.
This put me there only about 20 min before it began. I still had a decent seat & was happy to have a short wait. I could see well & hear well & I had a good view of the sign language interpreter. ( so wish I knew sign language as I sure need it)