Sonoma Terrace Paint the Night Reception

Image: HarshLight, Flickr (license)

Price (per adult): $79

Additional perks: Reserved seating in an exclusive viewing area for Paint the Night

If you don’t have the time or the appetite to enjoy one of the Paint the Night dining packages, you might want to consider getting a few appetizers and a drink at Sonoma Terrace, where guests are promised a unique view of the parade, as well as a charcuterie tray, boxed truffles, and beverage of their choice. Guests can enjoy the terrace a full hour before the parade begins and will be given a voucher for reserved seating.

Is Sonoma Terrace worth the hype? The quality of the viewing area will help balance out the steep $80 fee for a cheese plate and a handful of chocolates—then again, maybe not.

Fantasmic! Dining Packages

Image: Loren Javier, Flickr (license)

Price (per adult): $30-69

Additional perks: A reserved viewing/seating voucher for Fantasmic!

As with Paint the Night dining packages, there are a variety of affordable (and not-so-affordable) options available to guests here. The priciest dinner tops out at $69 for three courses at Blue Bayou, including dishes like New Orleans gumbo, Louisiana popcorn rice, and vanilla bean crème brûlèe, among other treats. River Belle Terrace also has a three-course meal for $45 per person, with offerings that range from pork spare ribs and fried chicken sandwiches to BBQ tofu and butterscotch pudding. The cheapest option by far, however, is the $30 pre-packaged dinners at Hungry Bear, where guests can choose from a vegetarian frittata, blackberry BBQ pork, BBQ chicken, or salt-roasted salmon. All three restaurants offer preferred seating for the show that is unobtainable by using MaxPass or standby viewing locations.

Is a Fantasmic! dining package worth the hype? Yes. You don’t need to splurge on the top-tier package to make this deal work for you, however. Even the $30 Hungry Bear pre-packaged meals are filling, delicious, and well-packaged for a meal on the go (of course, there’s nothing to stop you from enjoying it at the Hungry Bear Restaurant, either). Unlike Disneyland’s parades and stage shows, many of the viewing locations for Fantasmic! are partially obscured by trees and other objects, making it nearly impossible to secure a good spot with a regular FASTPASS or by showing up early to the standby sections. With a dining package, you’re guaranteed a spot that’s front and center to the show.

Tomorrowland Skyline Lounge

Image: Disney

Price (per adult): $45 ($50 beginning May 9, 2018)

Additional perks: Exclusive viewing area for fireworks

The “Sonoma Terrace” of Disneyland, Tomorrowland Skyline Lounge claims one of the best—that is, the most secluded—viewing locations for the fireworks. For just around $50, guests receive two hours of access to the lounge, a box of snacks (cream-filled sponge cakes, cherry pies, assorted cheeses, olives, and bacon), and a variety of non-alcoholic beverages.

Here, of course, the main draw is the (mostly) private, (mostly) unobstructed view of the fireworks. It’s worth noting that because the lounge is located in Tomorrowland, guests will be unable to get a clear view of the castle or its projections—and watching the fireworks is never 100% guaranteed, as the show may be canceled some nights due to inclement weather. The trade-off, then, is getting to watch the show without dealing with the insane crowds that gather along Main Street, U.S.A. and the Hub.

Is Tomorrowland Skyline Lounge worth the hype? The lounge itself is relaxing and the food is tasty, if fairly limited (again, think ‘snack box’ rather than a full meal). Given how steep the cost of admission is, however, this particularly experience might be best reserved for the park’s busiest days during the summer and holidays.

Which exclusive dining experience are you dying to try? Let us know in the comments below!