Dining Review: River Belle Terrace Restaurant Fantasmic! Dining Package PLUS Upgrade Option
The River Belle Terrace Fantasmic! dining package includes a pre-fix course at the popular River Belle Terrace restaurant along with reserved viewing for Fantasmic! at Disneyland. This dining package also includes the potential to upgrade to a seated table for viewing during the performance. Our dining review covers both the standard River Belle Terrace dining package and the River Belle Terrace Fantasmic! upgrade option!
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What are the River Belle Terrace Fantasmic! Dining Packages?
The River Belle Terrace Restaurant is located directly across from the Rivers of America and has two great options when it comes to Fantasmic! Dining Packages. For the first option, guests can enjoy lunch or dinner at the River Belle Terrace and choose seating either inside the restaurant or outside on the patio. There is limited seating inside, so arrive early if you choose this seating option. Each three-course meal includes a starter, entree, and dessert.
With each dining package, guests are provided a voucher for a designated performance of Fantasmic! that night. The viewing location (separate from the restaurant location) is located right in front of the Fantasmic! stage off centered where guests will be seated on a first-come, first serve basis within that area. Cost for the dining package for both lunch and dinner is $50 per adult; $30 per child (ages 3 to 9). Tax and gratuity is not included. Lunch begins daily at 1pm and dinner starts at 4pm.
If you are interested in a more elaborate dining experience than upgrade to the 7:15PM seating at the River Belle Terrace Restaurant for this special Fantasmic! Dining Package. There is no other viewing location available that allows guests the pleasure of enjoying a nice dinner and guaranteed spot to watch a front-row viewing of Fantasmic! Every seat on this patio has prime viewing of Fantasmic! but the ideal option would be to get a table right against the edge of the patio along the railing for the best view.
As with all Fantasmic! Dining Packages, you have the option to book 60 days in advance. Although Disneyland’s website states that guests are able to upgrade to the 7:15PM Fantasmic! Dining Package at the restaurant, chances are the package will be sold out due to its popularity. This dining option is extremely popular and very hard to get a reservation for!
Each three-course meal (your choice of a starter, entree, and dessert) costs $50 each, plus the $25 per adult and $15 per child (ages 3 to 9) for the reserved viewing. Gratuity and tax not included.
River Belle Terrace Standard Dining Package Review
We experienced the River Belle Terrace standard Fantasmic! dining package October 2022 during one of the most busiest weeks of the Halloween season!
If you want to experience the standard River Belle Terrace Fantasmic! package you need to book a regular River Belle Terrace dining package and then tell your server you would like to add on Fantasmic! viewing. Because of this I would recommend booking a lunch reservation to ensure that you get a spot for the show you prefer. You will have the option of either the first or second showing of Fantasmic! if they are running both shows on the day you’re dining.
We opted for the second showing during our stay because I had ambitious plans to watch the fireworks by Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and navigate our way quickly to the Fantasmic! viewing area to view the show at 10:30PM.
I made our lunch reservation for noon so I wouldn’t have to worry about the likelihood for our dining package being sold out for the day. When we arrived at the restaurant we were seated right away and even given our preference of indoor seating without an issue.
The interior of the River Belle Terrace has beautiful, Southern flair. On the day of our visit it was a bit cloudy and overcast so I preferred indoor dining but if you visit on a nice day you may want to dine on the outdoor patio and enjoy the ambiance of Frontierland.
The pre-fix menu for the Fantasmic! dining package
Warm pimento cheese dip with biscuits/veggies
Our waiter allowed us both to substitute our appetizer from one on the main menu which was great. River Belle Terrace was amazingly easy going about substitutions and accommodations which makes this restaurant a great choice for any with specific diets or kids that are picky eaters!
Pimento mac and cheese skillet with no brisket
We were also able to request our mac and cheese skillet without brisket since my son and I are both vegetarians. This again was smooth sailing, was not an issue at all for the kitchen to do. Accommodations like these are not always easy at Disneyland restaurants, especially with pre-fix menus, so I was thrilled with how easy this was.
Seasonal pumpkin spice monkey bread
Hands down, the pumpkin spice monkey bread was the winning dessert. We ended up both sharing this one and wishing we both had ordered it!
Cookies and cream cheesecake
The cookies and cream cheesecake was good but was extremely rich. Tasted more like thick chocolate than a cookies and cream flavor. Great for chocolate lovers.
The cost for two people plus our Fantasmic! viewing area vouchers.
Overall, the food at River Belle Terrace was excellent and might just be my new favorite dining spot at Disneyland. The ambiance was great, the service was fast and I appreciated how accommodating they were to vegetarians. Since this isn’t always the case lately at Disneyland, this was a huge plus for my family.
Fantasmic! Viewing Area River Belle Terrace Standard Dining Package
The viewing area for the River Belle Terrace dining package is located right next to the viewing area for the Blue Bayou dining package so it’s just slightly off center but still makes it the second best viewing area out of all three dining packages including the Hungry Bear dining package.
We experienced the second showing of Fantasmic! at 10:30PM because I preferred to watch the fireworks (during our visit they were the Halloween Screams show) by Sleeping Beauty’s Castle to see the effects incorporated into the castle viewing area. This made for a bit of a mad dash to our Fantasmic! viewing spot but this actually worked out quite well. By the time we made it over to the viewing area around 10PM- you enter near Harbour Galley- the cast members weren’t letting guests into the sections yet.
We were able to get a front row seat with minimal waiting time which leads me to prefer that second viewing option for dining packages as it really allows you to show up right before show time and still get prime viewing.
River Belle Terrace Upgraded Seating Fantasmic! Dining Review
Editors Note: The River Belle Terrace Fantasmic! premium view was written by Kim Schultz.
Located on the corner of Frontierland and New Orleans Square, this classic table-service restaurant offers guests the comfort of meals that are savory enough to feel like they are home-cooked. For the Fantasmic! Dining Package Upgrade Option, dining is restricted to the outside patio under the dark night sky. But don’t fret; the patio is illuminated by the light of lamps dotted around the outer edge of the patio.
Fantasmic! Dining Package Upgrade Review
My family and I were relieved (and a bit surprised) when we arrived 15 minutes early to our dining reservations. Cast Members checked us in and within 5 minutes we were being seated and served our drinks. Our table was located against the far back of the patio and we felt welcomed by the reserved signage with our last name displayed on the table. Each place setting was set up with lanyards, light up Mickey figurines, straws, and menus. Our attentive waiter took our three-course meal options as soon as we were ready.
The Fantasmic! Dining Package Menu for River Belle Terrace
The Menu
This menu may have changed for the upgraded package since this review experience!
For starters, guests have a choice of a house salad or corn chowder. My two daughters and myself chose the corn chowder. The creamy blend of corn and potatoes garnished with crunchy bacon bits was a delicious starter to what was to come. My husband ordered the house salad which was a delicious blend of arugula, apple, Gorgonzola, dried cranberries, candied pecans, and apple vinaigrette.
My family and I ordered four different meals: Oven-Roasted Half Chicken with BBQ sauce, baked beans, and roasted carrots; Pulled Pork Sandwich with BBQ sauce, seasoned tator bites, and baked beans; Beef Brisket Sandwich with smoked provolone, fried onions served on a toasted hoagie roll with house sauce, seasoned tator bites, and baked beans; Mac and cheese with tator bites. All meals are served with their signature baked beans and guests have a choice of coleslaw, seasoned tator bites, or seasonal vegetables.
Beef Brisket Sandwich
I ordered the beef brisket sandwich and was pleasantly surprised! The soft hoagie roll is filled with a generous helping of tender brisket that melts in your mouth with every bite. And the garnishes – the smoked provolone cheese, a light portion of fried onions, and a mild and savory steak sauce just add to all the wonderful flavors. The only downside to this sandwich that I found because I truly loved it, was how greasy it was.
Half Chicken
My husband ordered the half chicken and had good things to say about it. Although it technically was not a half chicken, the portion size was plentiful. The roasted chicken was cooked to perfection and melted off the bone. The seasoning and light BBQ sauce crisped the crunchy skin yet left the white meat tender.
Pulled Pork Sandwich
My oldest daughter ordered the pulled pork sandwich and loved it! The blend of savory BBQ sauce and seasoned pulled pork garnished with a nice helping of coleslaw on a crisp ciabatta roll was “absolutely delicious!”
Mac and Cheese
My youngest daughter got the adult-size mac and cheese and thought it was super cheesy!
With three out of four meals my family ordered, we got the seasoned tater bites, which are just your basic tater tots. However, the seasoning on these tots was an excellent addition to their taste. My youngest daughter is a very picky eater; however, she devoured these special tots!
Baked beans were also served with each of our meals and this small side was served in a small cup and had a mixture of beans swimming in a dark, rich and creamy sauce. Delicious addition to all dishes served here!
Maleficent Dragon Dessert
For dessert, guests have the option of two delectable desserts: Maleficent Dragon (which consists of a crunchy milk chocolate base and a dark chocolate-blackberry ganache center with caramel mousse and orange-vanilla sauce) or a seasonal parfait (which is a salt caramel parfait layered with sugar cookies, garnished with Chantilly cream, chocolate pearls, and chocolate twigs).
My family each indulged on the Maleficent Dragon dessert and that did not disappoint! The presentation was befitting to the spectacular Fantasmic! show! The rich explosion of flavors of the blackberry and chocolate ganache and caramel mousse tasted like a dream. Also hidden in this flavor-packed dessert was the hint of cayenne pepper that tickled our throats as if we were blowing fire like Maleficent herself.
Our view from the patio of Fantasmic!
Viewing Fantasmic! from the River Belle Terrace Patio
Our view of the show was good. We were able to clearly see Mickey on the stage directly in front of us. It was a bit tough to catch the scenes playing against the sprays of water from where we were seated, but not bad enough to feel any different of our experience.
Our view from the patio of Fantasmic!
Stay Seated for the Fireworks Show After Fantasmic!
An additional bonus to this experience was our view of the Disneyland fireworks show. We were allowed to stay seated and watch the fireworks from our seats. The view was a bit obstructed by trees, but nonetheless spectacular!
Our view from the patio of the fireworks.
River Belle Terrace Restaurant Fantasmic! Dining Package with the Seated Dining Upgrade: Is it Worth it?
Is spending the extra money on this upgrade worth it? Well, it depends.
For guests who have already seen this fabulous show and are looking for a more intimate experience, then I say this package is definitely worth the money! My family and I have seen Fantasmic! numerous times and we wanted a different experience. This dining package allowed my family the pleasure of knowing we had a guaranteed spot to thoroughly enjoy the Fantasmic! show – away from the clutter and away from the crowds. Having a chair to sit on was a much better alternative than sitting on the hard ground. As I have noted above, the viewing is not as good as it would have been if we would have got the River Belle Terrace dining package seating right in front of the stage.
For guests who have never seen Fantasmic!, I say go for the dining package minus the 7:15PM upgrade to see the show better. Check out our Dining Review: The Blue Bayou Fantasmic! Dining Package to see how this experience compares to the River Belle Terrace Restaurant Fantasmic! Dining Package with the upgrade.
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Hi! I’m planning a first ever trip to Disneyland for my daughter’s birthday & have made a reservation for the River Belle Premium Fantasmic Dining package. Do you know if the premium dining option is “the River Belle Terrace dining package seating right in front of the stage?” Thanks!
There is no seated option near the stage at a table/chairs unless you are part of a VIP tour. The only dining package with a seated option is this upgrade option mentioned in our review which offers seating on the River Belle Terrace restaurant patio. If you’re looking to be closer, the regular dining packages for Fantasmic! seat you right on the ground up by the front of Rivers of America.
What is the children’s menu for the upgraded River Belle Terrace Fantasmic package?
Starter is a kids veggie tray with cucumbers, celery an carrots with ranch dressing.
Main entrees: oven roasted chicken or fish with seasoned vegetables and fruit, milk or water. Or pork ribs or Mac n cheese.
I have a special needs child with difficulty around crowds… does this restaurant have a nice bathroom she can “hide” in if needed?
The bathrooms are nice but can get busy during crowded meal times.
The site to make your reservation is very hard to find. Can someone help me to the right spot?
You can find the reservation links all on Disneyland’s website here!
The phone number to get the premium package doesn’t work and everyday is unavailable. How do you book the premium package?
Dining becomes available 60 days prior to your park date and post to the Disneyland website by 6AM PT. To have the best chance of securing the dining packages, the premium package is especially popular, you will need to be ready to book your day the day dining opens up. There’s also other options (Hungry Bear is one we recently enjoyed!) too for Fantasmic! viewing.
Yep! This is what I’m encountering as well. I’ve yet to see a premium package reservation available online and the phone number doesn’t work. Incredibly frustrating!
Hi Jacqui,
Another option is signing up for the reservation watching services. Check them out here (paid) and here (has free option). These scrape the Disney website and notify you when reservations are available.
Gavin
I noticed on the Disney website it’s says petite steak and scallops. I don’t see this listed as an option. Is that new, or false advertising? Lol
Likely a new option! Disney menus will always be the most up to date based on their availability.
Thank you so much for [actually] having an updated post on this experience. My family hasn’t taken the time to view the show in a few years even prior to the pandemic because of the round-up to get into those viewing areas. I love this idea of sitting for dinner and staying put! I appreciate all the details you’ve given! We’re doing it!
The River Belle does not have a bathroom. I was instructed to go down the street to the public bathroom. My family choose the regular dinner and show package. It was $50 per person. The food was good. Than you get a voucher to go down to the river in a roped off section, and sit on the floor to see the fantasmic show. The view is amazing and the show alone is worth the $50. The show is amazing. And you stay there after the show for the fireworks. Amazing.