Disneylands Blue Bayou Fantasmic Dining Package Review
While at Disneyland this past August, we booked the Fantasmic Dining Package, which included reserved seating for the Fantasmic Show and meals (appetizer, entrée, dessert, and a beverage) for our whole family at the Blue Bayou Restaurant in Port Orleans Square. Continue reading our Disneyland’s Blue Bayou Fantasmic Dining Package Review!
How was the experience?
Let’s just say that the Blue Bayou Dining Experience wasn’t the best meal that we’ve ever had and for more than one reason. Let me start off with the positive attributes. Let me start off by saying, the ambiance of the restaurant is beautiful. The restaurant’s setting is like you are on a patio, on the Bayou, overlooking the waters during the night. There is a slight hint of light throughout the restaurant, like the light that the beautiful moon can give off. The room is so dark that each table is also donned with candlelights so that you can see what you are eating and of course, the menu, to know what to order.
The restaurant’s water view is inside the famous “Pirates of the Caribbean Attraction” and the restaurant acts as a live backdrop as guests start off on the ride, through the smooth sailing waters of the Bayou. The attraction is so silent during this part, that it’s like the boat is floating across glass.
Back the Restaurant and the Food
The menu that we could order for this package was a prix fixe menu with several choices for appetizers, entrees, and desserts for both adults and children. For appetizers, I got a salad that was covered with feta cheese and dried cranberries with a house-made ranch. My husband’s appetizer was the red beans and rice soup. Both of our appetizers were very good. The kids ended up picking the vegetables and ranch, which came prepared in a cute little cup to eat out of.
For entrees, we both ended up electing the Ribeye with mashed potatoes and broccolini. My steak was okay- it was not the best steak I’ve had on Disney property by far. Maybe it was cooked a little too much, but the veggies and mash were good. My husband really enjoyed his food. The kids ended up getting macaroni and cheese and the other had a pasta dish. Unfortunately, our 3-year-old had fallen asleep before the restaurant, in the stroller, and was a bear when we were trying to wake her up. My 9-year-old also had been feeling sick that day, so I ended up not eating at the table, and kept excusing herself outside to get some fresh air. (There were other personal issues with her that just made the meal very difficult to get through).
Our desserts were very good and unique. I had the crème Brule and my husband had “The Maleficent” which was a pudding type dish on top of a bowl of cotton candy, served on a light-up dish on the plate. It was beautiful to look at and was Instagram worthy! My kids both ended up with a chocolate brownie, covered in chocolate ganache with sprinkles. Due to how both of the kids were acting, we ended up taking all their food to go and they ate it about an hour or so later at the outdoor seating area near the Mint Julep (which we will cover another day).
So, the food was okay in some respects and could have been better in others. Our server didn’t really add to the experience, as our reservation was at 3 pm, and it must have been during a shift change because it seemed like he couldn’t wait to get off work. When we had the check at the end and he gave us back our card, he asked: “Is your card out of the check holder, they are sending me home and I need to take it.” I understand shift change, as my husband and I have both been in food service, but this could have been a better experience had our server acted at all interested in serving us. We were so frustrated with barely being able to enjoy our experience because of the issues going on with our kids, that we just wanted to leave, so we did not end up speaking to the manager or anything. Had we just been sitting there, all trying to enjoy our food, then I probably would have said something.
Disneyland’s Blue Bayou Fantasmic Dining Package Review – Worth it?
So, based on the price – $64 per adult, and $29 per kid (for lunch prices), I would say that it was a bit much for the quality of food and service that we received. The good news is that we bought our entire vacation package through Costco, and with that came a $150 gift card that covered most of this meal.
The package came with reserved seating for Fantasmic, where we were also given cushioned seats to sit on. (Picture seats that you might get at a football game to sit on (with no back)). The reserved area was a large roped-off area right in front of the water, where you could sit down on your cushioned seat, among all other guests who booked the same package. The view was awesome. It was right front and center, with no one blocking our view at all. For the water that is spraying throughout the show, we ended up feeling the mist as we were so close. The show itself was just okay. The same-named show is at Disney World’s Hollywood Studios in Florida, and I much prefer that show over this one in California. It was good to see once, but If someone offered it to me again, I’d move on to something different.
Disneyland’s Blue Bayou Fantasmic Dining Package Review – Final Thoughts
So, was the package worth it? If our experience was better during our meal – the food was better, the service was better, and our kids were awake and happy, then maybe it would have been. Based on the price and the show just being “meh,” I would recommend possibly doing something else with your money.
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