Hi Andrew!
Welcome to planDisney! The Disney After Hours events are a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the parks with lighter crowds. I think you're going to love the
Disney After Hours at Disney's Hollywood Studios where you can battle against the First Order in
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, explore Andy's backyard at
Toy Story Land, and enjoy an assortment of yummy snacks - all included with the cost of your ticket!
Andrew, you're also considering one of my favorite dining packages at Walt Disney World Resort - the
Fantasmic! Dining Package! I love knowing that not only will I get to enjoy a great meal, but I will also have guaranteed VIP seating for
Fantasmic! Park guests can start lining up very early for this popular show, so having this voucher means that my family and I can enjoy more time exploring the park and less time waiting in lines. However, the timing of your desired plan may be tricky, unless you also have a regular theme park admission that day for
Disney's Hollywood Studios too. While we won't know for sure about park hours, entertainment schedules, and available reservation times for the dining package (typically those will be available about 60 days before your arrival), my own experience is that you will likely find dining package reservations for
The Hollywood Brown Derby available around lunchtime and for the early dinner times. Since you can't enter the park until 7:00 PM at the earliest with your After Hours ticket, I'm not sure if you'll be able to find any available dining package times that late in the evening.
Andrew, while this may not be the answer you were hoping for, I hope you have another day to visit Hollywood Studios and could use the dining package then to view Fantasmic! If that's possible with your plans, I'd encourage you to skip Fantasmic! on your After Hours night and spend more time enjoying your early access to the rides before the party even gets started. Many people in the park will be heading to see Fantasmic! so you may be able to find lower wait times for popular rides and attractions.
If this is your only visit to Hollywood Studios on your trip, then I would recommend grabbing a bite to eat from
Fairfax Fare (they have some great waffle bowls filled with a variety of savory selections) and plan to arrive at the theater at least an hour before the show. Since it's an open-air setting, you're welcome to bring your food in and the early arrival should still give you plenty of time to find a seat. Seating opens 90 minutes before the show and the earlier you arrive, the better seat selection you'll have!
Andrew, Fantasmic! is a must-do for me on each trip and I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I do! If you have any other vacation planning questions, please stop by again to see me or any of my panelist pals here at planDisney - we're all ears!
Cheers,
Kristi