Hi, Jerilyn!
You are going to love the entire experience!
First of all, the
Fantasmic! Dinner Package is such a wonderful idea, as it enables Guests to enjoy a delicious meal at one of the participating Disney's Hollywood Studios restaurants
as well as VIP seating for the unforgettable show Fantasmic! What a wonderful perk!
Moreover,
The Hollywood Brown Derby is a Guest favorite, from their famous Brown Derby Cobb Salad right on through too many entrees to mention and onto their spectacular desserts. (Their Grapefruit Cake alone has made Guests book a meal at this beautiful, relaxing location...it's that good.)
Once you are finished with your meal, your server will tell you about when to head to the special VIP entrance of Fantasmic!, which is usually about 45 minutes prior to showtime. Be prepared to be wowed.
Regarding that little-known perk of using the Disney Dining Plan (not Deluxe, just the straight-up Dining Plan), Guests who use their DP to "pay for" a Fantasmic! Dinner Package at Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano are
currently offered an appetizer per person. This is a huge perk in that the regular Dining Plan does not include appetizers (your Deluxe DP does), which means that these Guests are enjoying an appetizer per person simply because they combined a Fantasmic! Dinner Package with a DP reservation at Mama Melrose's.
You, however, don't need to concern yourselves with that small detail, Jerilyn, as you've booked yourselves the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan! At Table Service locations, you'll get to enjoy appetizers with each lunch or dinner. Well done!
Have a wonderful trip, Jerilyn! Be sure to send more questions as you think of them; we love to help!