5pm Ohana ADR - Question about timing

[dawolfe27]

Hello everyone! We are planning our first WDW trip in January 2012. I have read many, many posts in order to carefully pick our ADR's for the week. We are excited to eat at O'hana one night (after reading so many good reviews) and I had hoped we might have time after dinner to make it over to the MK for the 7pm parade and 8pm fireworks, followed by 8-11pm EMH. Is this timing way off? Having never been before I don't really know what is realistic. Oh, and we have three kids under 8, if that will make any difference. Thanks!

 

[Nadjalu]

Hello and welcome!!

Yes your timing is a bit off. While the Poly is very close to MK, Ohana is slow, even at start time. You should be seated on time, but usually that meal takes a good hour and a half. So that would leave you with a 1/2 hour to get back to MK and get your spot for the parade.
By then all of Main St. will be packed, no way for the little ones to see the parade from 6-7 people deep in the crowd.

So unfortunately you will have to decide which is more important that night. Is there another night for the parade?
Because it would be enough time to get back for Wishes, just not the parade too.

Have a safe and happy trip!!

 

[OhThePain]

I'm going to have to agree with Nadjalu. 'Ohana is probably the worst restaurant to go to when you are trying to time something for after your meal. If that is your only night to see the parade, you might be better off at either one of the restaurants in MK or one of the other restaurants on the monorail loop.

 

[brown1442]

We've done this twice in the past and been fine but we made it over to MK with barely 5 minutes to spare. Its definitely close!!!

 

[dawolfe27]

We are going in late January...does that make a difference? What are some better choices for a TS meal that evening? We would like to eat, get to MK in time for parade and then fireworks. One of those nights is an EMH night from 8-11pm. Are evening EHM really crowded in January?

 

[OhThePain]

We are going in late January...does that make a difference? What are some better choices for a TS meal that evening? We would like to eat, get to MK in time for parade and then fireworks. One of those nights is an EMH night from 8-11pm. Are evening EHM really crowded in January?

Time of year wouldn't matter when it comes to 'Ohana. The place is always crowded and always unorganized and slow. You have to figure no matter what time of year it's going to take you close to 90 mins for the meal which would give you half an hour to get to MK and find a spot for the parade, but 30 mins before the parade your not going to have much time to get to a spot that isn't pushing or shuving in front of people who have been waiting in that spot for a while.

You can get an ADR for any restaurant in MK (we don't like CP or Tony's but LTT and The Plaza are good choices). I would stay away from character meals since you won't have much time but places like The Wave at CR, Kona at the Poly or Grand Floridian Cafe at GF would also be quicker meals than 'Ohana.

I wouldn't say EMH are really crowded, but it won't be empty since the parks don't stay open as long that time of year.

 

[Nadjalu]

If you are still looking to do the parade with a adr at 5pm, I would suggest Crystal Palace, Tony's or Liberty Tree Tavern. All are in MK and can be done by time to get in your spot to view the parade.
CP is one of our favorites, of course not as good as Ohana, but still very good.

If you can eat a bit earlier you could try Whispering Canyon at WL, The Wave at the CR, or even 1900 Park Fare at GF. But these you need to add travel time, so the 5pm slot is still pushing it.

I agree, Jan doesn't make a difference with Ohana.

 

[amberg@eastlink.ca]

agree with pp's...i think if i remember from last years they dont seat you till 5:30. and its about 1 1/2-2 hr show by the time youre done and get out of there. that puts you at 730 and you still need to walk from the beach at luau cove to the monorail and then try to fight the already sitting crowds on main street.

what about just sitting on the beach and watching the fire works from the poly? i dont think you'll hear the music but atleast the kids will get to see the fireworks, and youre not racing and fighting crowds. then you could hop the monorail for emh's.

crystal palace with winnie and friends is a great buffet, i love it cus of winnie and my kids like the little parade around the restuarant. liberty tree tavern is also good, well hubby and i enjoy the turkey, but my kids refuse to eat turkey so until mine are older i wont go back. but both are good choices and close to main street making it easier for you to get back to for a seat.

 

[Snurk71]

You should be seated on time

Not in our experience. I hate the first seating of the night at O'hana - it's always been a madhouse at the check-in desk and taken a while to get seated (20+ minutes at times).

I've heard they changed things to make it more efficient, but that's been our experience at opening more than once.