When planning our latest trip to the World, I stumbled across something I hadn’t heard of before, the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade Dining Package at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant in the Magic Kingdom. The price was a little more than I’d normally pay for lunch, but since we had just upgraded our free Disney Dining Plan, I thought “Why not?” and went ahead and booked it. What a great decision!
Our August trip was the first one that we had ever used the Disney Dining Plan. I’m still not convinced that it’s really worth it for the two of us. However, if you plan your trip right, you can really maximize the benefits of the plan. The Festival of Fantasy Parade Package is one way to do that.
We had taken off from Pittsburgh at an insanely early 5:17 a.m., and our connecting flight from Charlotte landed in Orlando at 9:09 a.m. Because Magical Express delivers your checked bags to the hotel for you, we were able to walk directly (well, almost–add in a restroom stop for me and a smoke break for you-know-who) to the Magical Express pick-up location by 9:30 a.m. A short while later, we were checking in to the Animal Kingdom Lodge where, miracles of miracles, our room was actually ready. I had already left our carry-on with Bell Services, never expecting to get a room at 10:15 a.m.
Arrival at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant
After checking out our room, we headed straight to the Magic Kingdom. Arriving around noon, we were a little early for our 12:45 reservation. However, they were able to seat us right away in the glass atrium.
Lady and the Tramp has always been one of my favorite Disney movies, so I was captivated by the decor. The focal point inside is a fountain with the title characters in the main dining room. I loved the little touches, such as the framed scenes from the movie hanging on the walls, the “stained glass” Lady and the Tramp details in the windows, and the film playing in the waiting area. They even had Lady’s likeness on the women’s restroom door and Tramp’s on the men’s.
Our Meal
Our waiter, Guido from Rome, was very knowledgeable about the menu. The price for the package is $54 for adults and $19 for children ages 3-9 and includes an appetizer, entrée, dessert, and nonalcoholic drink, along with the voucher for the VIP viewing area. However, I was able to have the peach Bellini wine cocktail for no additional cost, possibly because the dining plans now include this.
Guido brought our drinks and fresh focaccia bread to the table. Dennis decided on the calamari for his appetizer, while I had the Caesar salad. While we were eating our appetizers, Dennis had fun watching as Pluto and Chip and Dale mingled with the guests outside in the square. The Move It, Shake It, Dance, and Play It! Street Party Parade went up Main Street and came back down, all within view of our window.
For my entrée, I ordered the ravioli with jumbo grilled shrimp. It was excellent! I’m not usually a fan of cooked spinach, but this was delicious. Dennis had the chicken fettuccine Alfredo with cheesecake for dessert. I couldn’t decide between the raspberry sorbet or gelato as my dessert. Guido said he’d bring a scoop of each, and he did. Both were excellent.
So, How Did We Do?
The dining plan is usually more of a convenience than a bargain, and this time was no exception. My meal included the $9 cocktail, the $11 salad, $30 ravioli and shrimp, and $7 dessert for a total of $57. Dennis’s meal consisted of the $4 soft drink, $16 calamari, $22 chicken fettuccine Alfredo, and $8.50 cheesecake for a total of $50.50 The price of the package without the dining plan was $54. So, yes, technically, we spent an extra 50 cents and got a prime viewing area for the parade. However, we probably would never have eaten that much in the middle of the day without the dining plan or package.
If you do have the dining plan, this is a great use of a one-credit meal. The Disney Dining Plan is $75.50 a person, and this one meal was over $50 for each person. You’d still have your two snacks and one quick service meal to get to the magic break-even number. Since we had the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan, we were entitled to three meals and two snacks each day for our $116. 25. If we’d eaten this meal three times, we would definitely have made out.
And the Parade?
It’s no secret. I love the parades at the Magic Kingdom. We usually watch from Liberty Square or Frontierland to avoid the crowds of Main Street U.S.A. However, there was something special about watching the parade with the castle in the background.
The VIP viewing area was right in front of the flagpole by the Roy and Minnie statue. We were asked to arrive half an hour before parade time, but were able to come in and out. The vouchers were not collected until right before the parade actually began. The only negative to this viewing area is that it is in the direct sun.
The parade started with the official Walt Disney World Band, followed by the Grand Marshall’s car a little later. Then, it was time for the floats and characters. The music, art, and dance in this parade is spectacular!
The Verdict
We would definitely splurge and do the Festival of Fantasy Parade Viewing Package again. There’s just something magical about watching the parade on Main Street U. S. A.
Do you like the idea of a prime viewing spot, but are thinking more about the Happily Ever After night-time fireworks? Check out my post about the Tomorrowland Terrace Dessert Party with reserved viewing in the plaza garden.
For information on our favorite value resort, read this post about Pop Century. If you’re looking for something fun to do on a non-park day at Disney, check out Winter Summerland Miniature Golf.
Oh my gosh! Two of my best friends go to Disney EVERY.SINGLE.YEAR! I am going to have to share this post and mention the Festival of Fantasy Package too! Thank you for sharing in such detail ~xoxo, Jess
Thanks for this review. Our family is considering a Disney trip in the next year, so I’m sure I’ll be referring to your site often as I search for all the things!
I’ve only been to Disney once! As an adult no less, back in 2012 and only because my son’s high school band was performing!
ahh i haven’t been to disney in forever but seeing this reminds me of my childhood when my parents would take me a lot! so much fun!
I love everything Disney and I’d love to have a nice dinner there someday
wow this is an awesome experience! I love the dining package and their food are impressive! Thanks for giving us these tips!
I am looking for a quick getaway and what better then food at Disney Dining Plan 😍😋 btw lovely photos 🙂
Great info. I haven’t heard of this option. The food looks amazing and I love Lady and the Tramp. Will have to look into this on our next visit.
The parade and floats are amazing! This will be an incredible experience.
Wow! What a beautiful restaurant and the food looks divine!
Looks like completely fun times together as a family. And such lovely dishes for dinner. Disney is always fun.
You did good on the dining plan. The desert looked tasty-cheesecake and sorbet! Yummy!
As this post clearly shows, a parade viewing package would certainly be a great idea when visiting with crowds of people at a park like this. Well worth it to get a great view and not be squashed on the sidelines. Having something pleasant to eat and rest beforehand is another added bonus for sure.
Wow, I had no idea how much the dining plan is! I visited Disney with my inlaws a couple years ago and they got the dining plan for us… I literally had lobster for dinner for three nights in a row. Haha! It was such a treat! Now that I know the price, I’m glad I opted for what I consider my ‘celebration meal’!
– Sarah from https://happylittletadpole.com/blog/
Amazing! so need to go this year
The food looks delicious, everything that you write about Disney makes me feel as if I were there myself.
So cool. I am bookmarking this post.
Thanks for the great tip because I think we will invest in the package next time we go!
When I go to Disney, I totally take advantage of the offers that make our experience more magical. I adore the parades so the additional cost to have VIP viewing make it worth it. Plus, your meal sounds and looks fantastic. Got to do this on our next visit.
We’ve never done Tony’s but this review makes me want to do it. It might be one that I would reserve for an adult only trip. Not so sure I’d do this one with my kiddos.
The parade sounds cool.
My daughter would love to go! Anna and Elsa are definitely her favorite Disney characters!
How much fun and what a great idea with this package! We are about to start planning our first trip to Disney (yay!), and it seems so overwhelming. I love guides like this that give you honest insight on what to expect. Writing this one down 😉
I have never been to Disney anything and would love to go and take my kids. At least they would go as children even though I didn’t get to when I was little but I suppose making them happy would make me happy too and I see that you don’t even need little ones to enjoy yourselves. Looks like a fun adventure for sure!
Great post. Food described well. Made me experience the parade and the visit to the Lady and the Tramp restaurant with you. I would love to go there.
My favorite part was parade costumes, they looked so cool.
l loved the flouts because they looked cool
first of all the cheesecake looks so good!!! looks like fun. The Anna and Elsa flote was cool in my opinion.
i went to disney i think two summers ago
I thought the parade was a fun and cool thing to do with family
i liked the decorations and how pretty the meals were
The food, looked really good.
My favorite part about your trip to the festival fantasy was your food because it is before lunch and i am so hungry and I as like the parade the pictures were awesome.
my favorite part in this whole thing is was probley… the food because it sounded amazing!
I liked the food and the parade. :]
I would love to go there someday! I love parades also. I love the way you describe what happened during the whole trip.
this seems like such a fun place!! Although it seems a little pricey, but i guess it would be worth it
I think that going to a lady and the tramp themed restaurant is just so amazing. It wasn’t just the decor that decor that made this place seem amazing it also was the spectacular food as well.
The food looks amazing, and the parade looks really big and beautiful. I wish I could of seen it when I last went to Disney.
the best part of Cinderella castle
I think the best part of the parade was Elsa and Anna!!
The parade looked like it would be fun to watch and the be at
My favorite part of this is when you and your family went to the lady and the tramp restaurant. I used to love that movie as well and the food looked and sounded amazing.
Were you able to purchase cheap tix from the northeast to Florida?
Airfare has been high lately. Luckily, we only need two tickets.
the food looked really good i would have got the stake to but i think it was a lot of money for two people
Oh my goodness! It looks amazing! I had no idea that there was so much to do. I can’t wait to take my children when they are a bit older.
This place looks so fun!
I love seeing all the disney photos from your trip! It’s been so long, but we’re planning to go to Harry Potter World in October!
We’d like to go to Universal. I haven’t been there since 2002. Maybe next year… when our Disney passes expire lol.
It was interesting to read your post and review. It is a bit of an eye opener for me as I am not a Disney world fan. My kids hate me for it and had to do with being invited by others to take them. A bit of a bad mum, I suppose. It is nice to see other people loving it and having a good time.
Fun! Looks like an amazing time. Wish I was there right now. Eating and eating the parade seems so fun. Thanks for the review. Love it! ❤️
It looks like you had a wonderful time! I’m hoping someday when my two kids are a little older we will visit Disney World.