Candlelight Dinner Package - long lines?

[yulilin3]

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.

were you and your husband at the CP show with NPH on Wed 30th? I was talking to a couple that fits your description

 

[kevind2112]

I don't believe chaperones get reserved seats, I know choir directors do

This is correct. Both of our daughters have sang with the Processional in the past, one just last year. The chaperones either need to get a dining reservation or take their chance at stand by just like everyone else.

We stood in line for over an hour for each, and had decent seats. This year neither daughter is with the Processional, but we have a dining reservation on Christmas Day for the 6:30 show. I won't wait over an hour for this one, as we've seen it twice in the past. We don't mind sitting further back, we just want a guaranteed seat!

 

[yulilin3]

This is correct. Both of our daughters have sang with the Processional in the past, one just last year. The chaperones either need to get a dining reservation or take their chance at stand by just like everyone else.

We stood in line for over an hour for each, and had decent seats. This year neither daughter is with the Processional, but we have a dining reservation on Christmas Day for the 6:30 show. I won't wait over an hour for this one, as we've seen it twice in the past. We don't mind sitting further back, we just want a guaranteed seat!

thanks for the confirmation. My kids have done CP for the past 8 years, I have never chaperoned but know parents that have and they have to do the standby line.

 

[seshat0120]

In my opinion the very best spot.

I'd agree. I loved that I could see the whole stage and didn't have to really look over anyone's heads. I think I got some pretty good pictures.(haven't looked at all the pictures I took during the week) as well as a few short video segments (the Hallelujah chorus and a few others)...not that the video could ever compare to the real thing.

 

[PeasandCarrots]

I'd like to thank everyone on this thread - you saved me money and frustration. I'm sorry but if you have the dining package you should have a guaranteed good seat - as in the front half or whatever should be reserved, not a side. And you should not have to get there an hour or more before to get one of those seats. I canceled our dining package. Yes we'll still have to eat but even if we do TS, it will be far cheaper because we never eat an app, entree & desert in one sitting. I'll try standing in the back and if I can't hear well no biggie - I didn't pay extra to stand there. ;-)

 

[outlander]

I'd like to thank everyone on this thread - you saved me money and frustration. I'm sorry but if you have the dining package you should have a guaranteed good seat - as in the front half or whatever should be reserved, not a side. And you should not have to get there an hour or more before to get one of those seats. I canceled our dining package. Yes we'll still have to eat but even if we do TS, it will be far cheaper because we never eat an app, entree & desert in one sitting. I'll try standing in the back and if I can't hear well no biggie - I didn't pay extra to stand there. ;-)

Same!

I was looking forward to seeing Ming Na Wen but it just doesn't seem worth it at this point. We canceled.

 

[Rajah]

We were there the 13th. Got to the line around 7:45... yup, Morocco. This wasn't as big a problem for us, since we needed the accessible seating, but there wasn't much of that left, either.

 

[FeralCatRogue]

For my trip on christmas last year I had to line up over 45 minutes early because we walked by and the line was already insanely long.

 

[drea21]

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

We were able to have our stroller in line up until the point that we got to japan. When we got in line they told us to keep the stroller until Japan, then have one person park it and rejoin the group. By they time we got to Japan we were moving into the theater so this worked well for us. Not sure what you do if you're early enough to be ahead of that point.

 

[Nancyg56]

I just called WDW to ask when I needed to arrive for the show with the dining package and she told me 45 minutes to 1 hour before. I'm not sure I want to wait that long after paying for the package, seems kind of pointless. Sure the food isn't that bad of a deal but it's way more food than I can eat in one sitting (app, entree, dessert). Undecided now but at least I can cancel up to 2 days before.

To me this is them over-selling the dining package. We did the dining package years ago for NPH (which is arguably the most popular of the narrators) and walked up probably 20 minutes before the show and got a great seat.

I think it all depends on how you look at it. I dont mind the queue, but if you do the package, the entire experience is a time commitment. I think we were in the queue about 45 to 60 miniutes ahead, and had great seats.

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.

My friend was using a scooter last week, and was able to transfer. When we exited all of the scooters and wheel chairs were turned around, headed for the exit. We thought that this was such a nice courtesy.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Well this was our experience from last week
12/12 just walked by...the standby line at 3:30 pm was 25 people, 3 were in wheelchairs/scooters and I didnt know if they were transfer or non transfer

12/16 we had the package for the 8:15 show. We were on line at 7:05 for the 8:15 show and were the 2nd non transfer. The cm said - oh you have done this before. I said yes. We did breakfast at the Captains Grille. I like this option because I think the cp packages are so expensive to begin with.
The regular package line was already back by Japan.
The rows were 3 to 4 deep standing at the back for the 6:15 show, just to listen.
Our waiting a long while paid off. It was just dh and I and we got put right on the aisle with the wheelchair with a perfect view of the conductor and stage.
People kept complaining that they were not allowed into the roped off front area. The cm had to keep explaining it was for disney vip's and to the front right was hearing impaired area because the sign language interpreter was there. One girl complained that she didnt know you had to line up so early etc.

 

[DisneyFan119]

We were at the 5pm show on Monday 12/12. We had a dining package.

Around 3pm we saw people in the standby line. I asked a cast member if we needed to get in the dining package line by a certain time and when they let standby people in. Long story short, she assured me that with the dining package we are guaranteed a seat, even if we arrive after the show starts. There are separate seating sections.

I didn't want to stand in line at all (I just find it a waste of time!), and we didn't care about getting an excellent seat. So we saw Voices of Liberty at 4:15 and when we came out (probably around 4:30), they were letting the package line in. We moseyed over and got a seat pretty far back, but could see the whole stage and trumpeters on the sides without turning our heads back and forth.

It definitely wasn't a full house. We had plenty of room to spread out. We could have sat A LOT closer (in front of the trees) but didn't want to be further right or left.

Maybe it was a combination of a less busy day plus less "popular" narrator (Robby Benson, who did a good job), but we didn't wait in line at all and still had a wonderful experience! We also had a delicious meal on top of it (Tutto Italia). I would definitely do the dining package again, simply because it guarantees you a seat...maybe not a GOOD seat. But a seat.

(Bonus: one of my favorite parts was during Robby's introduction when he switched to his Beast voice and said, "Belle, are you happy?" Chills! Very cool.)

Also, seeing the processional live does not compare to a recorded version. The sound (OH the sound!)...beautiful!

 

[Nancyg56]

We were at the 5pm show on Monday 12/12. We had a dining package.

Around 3pm we saw people in the standby line. I asked a cast member if we needed to get in the dining package line by a certain time and when they let standby people in. Long story short, she assured me that with the dining package we are guaranteed a seat, even if we arrive after the show starts. There are separate seating sections.

I didn't want to stand in line at all (I just find it a waste of time!), and we didn't care about getting an excellent seat. So we saw Voices of Liberty at 4:15 and when we came out (probably around 4:30), they were letting the package line in. We moseyed over and got a seat pretty far back, but could see the whole stage and trumpeters on the sides without turning our heads back and forth.

It definitely wasn't a full house. We had plenty of room to spread out. We could have sat A LOT closer (in front of the trees) but didn't want to be further right or left.

Maybe it was a combination of a less busy day plus less "popular" narrator (Robby Benson, who did a good job), but we didn't wait in line at all and still had a wonderful experience! We also had a delicious meal on top of it (Tutto Italia). I would definitely do the dining package again, simply because it guarantees you a seat...maybe not a GOOD seat. But a seat.

(Bonus: one of my favorite parts was during Robby's introduction when he switched to his Beast voice and said, "Belle, are you happy?" Chills! Very cool.)

Also, seeing the processional live does not compare to a recorded version. The sound (OH the sound!)...beautiful!

I enjoyed his performance....GET OUUUUUUTTTTTT!!!! LOL!!!!