Candlelight Dinner Package - long lines?

[KPeveler]

I am a local who has been in the parks a lot recently, and I have noticed that the Dinner Package line for Candlelight Processional has been insanely long this year. Most nights, the Dinner Package line has stretched back past Morocco. There have even been times that the DP line is longer than the stand-by line!

I have been to a couple shows in the stand-by line this year, including to see Neil Patrick Harris and Edward James Olmos, the two most popular narrators. Going to the first show, I have had no problems getting in with the stand-by line if I show up a couple hours early.

People are also showing up 2+ hours early for the dinner package line.

I have heard experiences in the parks of people who have ended up sitting in the back of the theatre even if they have a dinner package, just because there are so many people with the reservations.

Does anyone here have any experiences like this? My family has a reservation for the DP for Ming-Na Wen, and before my family drops $40+ per person for a breakfast, I wanted to know if people are discovering the dinner package line is just as bad as the stand-by line. I don't mind paying, but only if it is actually worth it, and we get to be in the front section.

I don't have a problem showing up an hour or so before show-time, but I am not paying that much to end up in the back with stand-by, or needing to show up 3 hours early for a dinner package line.

TIA

 

[WDmommyof4]

I don't know, but if others confirm in this thread that this is true, I am skipping the package. I was going to buy it as our one splurge, but I travel solo with four boys and am 5 months pregnant. There is no way they are going to be up for standing hours in a line especially when we only usually do CS and this would be a big money splurge for us with the package. Can't see spending that much money to still have to stand in a line that is hours long.

 

[FeaturePresentation]

We did the DP on 12/2. We lined up around 7:45pm for the 8:15pm show and we were indeed at the far end of Morraco.

We wound up sitting in the middle-left section. It wasn't a bad seat (although I'd love to know why there are so many trees trying to block your view), but you'd have to line up much earlier to get a closer view.

 

[PeasandCarrots]

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.

 

[piccolopat]

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.

The package only guarantees you a seat. It never guaranteed you a good seat. If you don't want to wait in line and come at the last minute, you'll get a seat but it won'tbe ideal. Personally, I wouldn't wait. Once the choir is on stage, they don't move. The narrator is at a podium so not much going on there either. I go primarily to listen to the music and can do that in the worst seat with my eyes closed. It really depends on what you want to get out of the show.

 

[loves to dive]

Am I right in assuming you can just stand in the back like you can for the regular concerts? I'm not thrilled with either of the presenters while I'm there and wouldn't want to spend any time in line but might like hearing the music.

 

[FeaturePresentation]

The package only guarantees you a seat. It never guaranteed you a good seat. If you don't want to wait in line and come at the last minute, you'll get a seat but it won'tbe ideal. Personally, I wouldn't wait. Once the choir is on stage, they don't move. The narrator is at a podium so not much going on there either. I go primarily to listen to the music and can do that in the worst seat with my eyes closed. It really depends on what you want to get out of the show.

Yep, pretty much this. If you're there to get a good look at the celebrity, line up early. If you're there for the music, it doesn't matter that much.

 

[yulilin3]

Am I right in assuming you can just stand in the back like you can for the regular concerts? I'm not thrilled with either of the presenters while I'm there and wouldn't want to spend any time in line but might like hearing the music.

Do you mean inside the theater in the back outside in the back ?

 

[loves to dive]

Do you mean inside the theater in the back outside in the back ?

In the back outside in the back. Like standing behind the last benches or even outside the little rope fence.

 

[yulilin3]

In the back outside in the back. Like standing behind the last benches or even outside the little rope fence.

You can stand outside the roped, theater area , not inside behind the last benches

 

[WDmommyof4]

Am I right in assuming you can just stand in the back like you can for the regular concerts? I'm not thrilled with either of the presenters while I'm there and wouldn't want to spend any time in line but might like hearing the music.

We tried standing across the walkway and listening the last time we went and it was impossible to hear anything but the loudest parts of a song because of all the talking. We moved up closer to stand in the back behind the seats and behind the ropes where we were allowed too and still, could not make out much of anything, so we moved on. You are allowed to stand there, but I am not sure you will get much out of the experience.

 

[winterwhite]

We didn't do the package this year and the lines have been crazy log. Many times I have heard the CMs at the processional information booth saying "yes, everyone in that line has badges like you"

 

[yulilin3]

I've done 2 cp this season, one with nph and the other with Anthony Mackie, using standby line, got in line at 2pm both days and was about 8th in line.
Each show is taking about 200 standby

 

[KPeveler]

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.

 

[monorailrabbit]

Well this is a little discouraging... we have dinner at San Angel for the package at 5, the FP+ for FEA at 6:10-7:10. I wasn't worried about getting Frozen done in between dinner and the show... now I'm kind of worried about it. Too late at this point to change our plans, so I'll hope we just get lucky.

 

[AngiTN]

I noticed during our trip, the first day of NPH, that folks were in the dining package line at about 2:00, for the 5:00 show. I was shocked that anyone would spend that long in line for this. Like stopped with my mouth hanging open shocked. The stand by folks had been there since noon but never imagined the DP folks would wait that long too.

We aren't fans of the CP so we've only done it once, when we got in as part of a tour we did. I assume doing a DP is like getting a FP, it guarantees you will get in and only after the DP folks are seated do they fill in the rest with stand by. How late can you arrive with your DP and still get in? Is there a point where you are out of luck?

 

[lovedisneycruise]

We did the CP package last year mid December for the first time after having done standby for decades and I will not be doing it again. I was terribly disappointed with the line which stretched past Morocco an hour before the show. (They seated everyone right before it started and I assumed you would be let in with the ticket and seated as you arrived like with any theater.) I will NOT stand in line 2 hours for anything – that's just my choice – and I assumed with the tickets you would be seated upon arrival ( within reason between shows) and not have to wait. It was worse than standby in my opinion except it stretched on the opposite side. We ended up with the same or worse seats than we had previously with standby.
My assumption with all of this is that if you want the "good, front" seats you need to be in line 2 or 3 hours early – which in my opinion is not worth my time. (Although I'm sure soon enough there will be a PREMIUM CP package where you pay even more to guarantee a better seat – I'm actually surprised this hasn't occurred yet )

 

[jimbostacks]

HMM lots to think about. We have DP for 5PM christmas week...December 28th. I am not planning on doing the early line thing....maybe 30-45 mins before. I ues with the badge, I do get a seat...just more in the back or in front of a tree......... I am assuming all of the dining package folks are let in before stand by?

 

[MaleficentRN]

I'd be hard pressed to to the DP again. Two years ago I got it for the 5 pm show with Whoopie Goldberg. Got in line more than an hour before showtime and I was far from the first person there. Then line did go back toward Morocco, not quite. I ended up with a decent seat in the third row far right. It was standing room only. There were these reserved seats near me that remained empty that I thought was wasteful considering they had great view and people had to stand.

 

[*I'msoooBelle*]

I am a local who has been in the parks a lot recently, and I have noticed that the Dinner Package line for Candlelight Processional has been insanely long this year. Most nights, the Dinner Package line has stretched back past Morocco. There have even been times that the DP line is longer than the stand-by line!

I have been to a couple shows in the stand-by line this year, including to see Neil Patrick Harris and Edward James Olmos, the two most popular narrators. Going to the first show, I have had no problems getting in with the stand-by line if I show up a couple hours early.

People are also showing up 2+ hours early for the dinner package line.

I have heard experiences in the parks of people who have ended up sitting in the back of the theatre even if they have a dinner package, just because there are so many people with the reservations.

Does anyone here have any experiences like this? My family has a reservation for the DP for Ming-Na Wen, and before my family drops $40+ per person for a breakfast, I wanted to know if people are discovering the dinner package line is just as bad as the stand-by line. I don't mind paying, but only if it is actually worth it, and we get to be in the front section.

I don't have a problem showing up an hour or so before show-time, but I am not paying that much to end up in the back with stand-by, or needing to show up 3 hours early for a dinner package line.

TIA

Unfortunately this has been my exact experience. I thought the dinner package would guarantee a good seat for the show and that was not the case. We got seats all the way in the back and it looked to me that stand by who were entering from the other end had a better choice of seating. We are not going to pay for a dinner package again.