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Disneyland offered the first such program years ago with its Fantasmic Dinners. You could purchase a fried chicken meal at the nearby River Belle Terrace, already packaged to go, and take it to the Rivers of America to eat while waiting for the Fantasmic show to begin. Later, the park introduced reserved seating for Fantasmic on the Disney Gallery balcony, charging visitors $20 to see the show from the most perfect vantage point imaginable, while munching on delectable desserts from an incredible buffet. For more on the history of the dessert balcony offering, check out Kevin Yee's firsthand account of working the event.

Well, the fried chicken dinners went the way of the dodo bird, and the dessert balcony is now a steep $42 per person. Yet the Disneyland Resort is willing to try again, this time with a host of new offerings.

The first initiative centered around Fantasmic! once again. With the dessert balcony selling out for both shows every night, the park realized they were turning customers -- and their wallets -- away. In response, they added a new premium seating area near the Rivers of America. Rather than placing this seating on the Tom Sawyer Island raft dock, as had been rumored, a spot was selected right under Tower C. If you are familiar with the area, this is the large light tower nearest the Haunted Mansion.

At the new Rivers of America premium seating area, your dessert comes packed in a souvenir box.

Instead of the dessert buffet, visitors pay $41 for a souvenir box filled with assorted dessert items, and a choice of beverages including coffee and soft drinks, as well as hot chocolate from the nearby French Market. Our box contained a chocolate truffle, a chewy nut confection, a fruit tart pastry, two chocolate- covered strawberries, and assorted cookies. For $30, children get a chocolate brownie sundae in a keepsake bowl shaped like a Mickey Mouse head.

Although the new Rivers of America premium seating area can seat 100, the area feels crowded in with just 25 people.

The viewing area is designed to hold up to 100 people, although there were only about 25 people on the night we attended. Seating was arranged in two rows, with the front row reserved for small children. Unfortunately, the chairs were arranged very close together even with so few people there. As you can see above, the fence in front of the viewing area is constructed with large cement blocks and light fixtures. These block your view of the show, and were not taken into consideration when the chairs were arranged. Guest Control cast members, with their yellow flashlights, pass back and forth during the show. In addition, the area is right between two of the giant water screens, and you don't get a clear view of either one.

This is the least- obstructed shot from the show that night -- and you can still see the light poles against the pirate ship.

Once the show started, a man sitting a few chairs away from us decided that his view was too obstructed, and moved into the previously empty front row, thereby blocking the view for those of us in the second row. Most of my photos of the show from that evening have either a light pole or that gentleman's head in them. I would not want to be in the third or fourth row of a sold- out show.

I can think of so many ways to make this seating more enjoyable. For starters, I would drop the price to $25. I would then move the venue down to the Tom Sawyer's Island dock, which would afford an unobstructed view of the show, including a direct view of the third water screen. I would even consider bringing in small tables for the customers to sit at, which would make eating so much easier. We had great difficulty trying to balance our box, its contents, and a beverage all on our lap.

Whether these seating options are worth the money depends on your priorities. It might be something to experience if you want to see the first showing of Fantasmic from a good viewing area without wasting two to three hours saving a seat, want to splurge on a special treat for a loved one, or are just really, really fond of chocolate- covered strawberries. Now that I have experienced both the balcony and the priority viewing, I prefer to sit on the balcony. It's absolutely the nicest of the two options.

The first of three parade route seating areas

Across the way, Disney's California Adventure is offering three different ways to experience Disney's Electrical Parade. For $41, you get a dessert box like the one offered at Fantasmic!, your choice of cold beverage, and a front row seat for the parade. Again, kids receive a chocolate brownie sundae and beverage. The three different viewing areas are filled in the order you buy your tickets, so you cannot choose the location you want to sit in. The only exception to this is for visitors using wheelchairs. The first viewing area, nearest the gate where the parade comes on stage, is the only area accessible to people using wheelchairs.

The second and third viewing areas of Disney's Electrical Parade at Disney's California Adventure park are in grass planters along the parade route.

Is this worth the price? Unless you absolutely refuse to wait an hour to see the parade, I would have to say no. Even last week, with the parade having just returned to Anaheim, and with thousands of additional visitors in the park, it was possible to get decent seats right up until the parade started. If you were willing to wait 30 to 60 minutes you could get great, front row seats.

Great seats are still available in the premium seating areas only 45 minutes before the Electrical Parade.

The photo shows the second priority viewing area 45 minutes before the parade started on Saturday night, July 7. Even that close to start time, you could still get seats on the wall.

For many people, a special part of the parade is the interaction with the characters and floats, of having the turtles and snails spin right up to them, or watching the White Rabbit shake a child's hand. People sitting in the second or third viewing area are completely removed from the parade route, and cut off from this interaction. I would be much more inclined to pay for this viewing area if I knew I would be in the first area, or if all three areas were located right along the edge of the parade route.

Seating on the Golden Vine patio.

If you prefer a full meal to a dessert box, the Golden Vine Winery is offering the "Country Family Picnic." For $41, an adult can enjoy a selection of meats and cheeses, marinated olives, crostini, bread and sweets, as well as a glass of Mondavi wine in a souvenir winery glass. Kids meals are $30, and include a turkey or peanut butter and jelly sandwich, veggie sticks and dip, a cookie and a surprise gift.

Visitors sitting in the front row have a good view, but those further back are at a disadvantage.

Unfortunately, the seating area at the Golden Vine Winery is less than optimal for viewing the parade. There are two clusters of tables set up on the winery patio; one on either side of the entrance stairs. Again, customers are far removed from the parade route as well as any character interaction. While people sitting along the wall have a decent view of the parade, those sitting further back are at a real disadvantage.

I would offer the same dinner, but rope off a viewing area along the parade route. Right before the parade begins, allow customers to move down to those seats to enjoy the parade.

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The view from the Golden Vine Terrace. Still a few light poles, but much less expensive.

Maybe you would like to enjoy a glass of wine to go with the parade, but you do not need to be right on the parade route? I would suggest taking that same $41 and enjoying a meal at the Golden Vine Terrace. This second- story patio offers an good view of the parade, with just a few light poles in he way, along with a full menu and wine list.

On the night we visited, the staff had purposely not seated anyone at the two tables nearest the balcony wall. This allowed the other diners to stand along the wall and watch the parade. Funny thing is, a few light poles don't bother me when I'm not paying $40 for the view. I'm not quite so fussy when I am paying for a meal, with the view just being a perk.

8 p.m. on Saturday night, and not a lot to choose from.

If you would like a less formal meal, but a platter of meats, cheese and olives sounds good, head for the Wine Country Market before the parade. There you can select from a variety of deli offerings, sandwiches, prepared salads, chips and veggies, all packaged to go. Since the parade began last week, the market has nearly sold out of food each night. Be sure to stop by early for the best selection. As you can see above, the cases empty out quickly these days.

For just $5, the kid's Parade Picnic is the best deal in the park.

What if you do not want to spend $40 on dinner, or did not budget $30 for your child to have dessert? Don't worry -- I've saved the best for last. DCA is offering a Parade Picnic to carry off and enjoy while you wait for the parade. While adult meals are $12, at just $5, I believe the kids' meal is the meal bargain in the park.

Each picnic meal comes with a sandwich -- peppered turkey or roast beef for adults, peanut butter and jelly for kids -- along with a bag of chips, a bottle of soda or water, and a decorated cookie. The kids' meal also comes with a sheet of stickers from the parade.

Pick up your picnic here, and dinner is served!

To purchase a Parade Picnic meal, you must place your order before 4 p.m. at one of the information tables, which are by Bakersfield Bakery, Taste Pilot's Grill and in the Pacific Wharf food court. Once you place your order, you get a receipt, and are directed to pick up your meals from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at a cart in the Bountiful Valley Farm area.

You select a cold drink and bag of chips for each meal when you pick up your picnic. The sandwiches and cookie are packed in a little molded plastic basket, and the whole meal is presented in a red and white gingham handle bag. If presentation is everything, this little picnic has it made.

Update 7/23/01 - The picnic baskets discussed above have been discontinued. We'll update again if any other dining options in this column change.

Our favorite spot, on the bridge across from Mondavi

Once you have your dinner, you need to find a location in which to watch the parade. As with Disneyland, the further into the park you go, the better your chances of getting a great seat. We have learned from our experience this past week that the worst crowds are right around the Sun Plaza.

Go instead to the Pacific Wharf area, where you will find lots of seating along the bridge in front of Mondavi. This bridge- like area is especially nice, because the seating area is only deep enough to hold two fairly friendly people. If you'd rather see the twinkling lights of the parade against the twinkling lights of Paradise Pier, grab a seat in front of Golden Dreams. Here, during the second performances especially, the crowds tend to be only one deep and you can really stretch out.

Diners with most special dietary needs can enjoy these meals, too. With advance notice, dessert boxes can be modified to remove items containing nuts, chocolate, or other items you may be allergic to. Mondavi can replace your wine with the soda of your choice, and you still get to keep the glass!

According to the manager at Mondavi, the "Country Family Picnic" can be modified for vegetarians to replace the meats and / or cheese for additional cheese, fruits or vegetables. If you wish to order a vegetarian Parade Picnic sandwich, let the cast member know when you place your order. You can also ask to replace the sandwich with a salad or fruit bowl.

Note that many of the CMs do not know that alternative selections are available for the picnic. If you run into any trouble, ask to speak to a manager.

If you have ever tried to get tickets for balcony seating for Fantasmic! you know that it was a very difficult process of having to be at the park before dawn to wait in line for the reservations window to open. Since the balcony only holds about 20 people per show, you hoped that the person in front of you was not planning to bring the whole neighborhood.

After all these years however, Disneyland has finally made it easier for you to obtain reserved balcony seating for Fantasmic! as well as other premium viewing experiences. Guests can now call (714) 781-4400, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., seven days a week, and make reservations up to 30 days in advance for the following: Fantasmic! Balcony; Fantasmic! Premium Viewing; Electrical Parade Premium Viewing at Mondavi; and the Electrical Parade Route Premium Viewing.

Same- day reservations are still be available at the Guest Relations window, Group Sales Will Call window, DCA's Guest Relations lobby, of Disneyland's City Hall. But do note they will not inform visitors who come early if all the seats have been sold, in particular for the Fantasmic Dessert Balcony, calling in advance is the best way to go here.

Story and photos by Adrienne Vincent- Phoenix

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