Ack! Disney is messing up my planning! Need help with California Grill and Wishes!

[MedCruise07]

Not very happy right now. At exactly 180 days, I made all of our very carefully thought-out dining plans. Now I just checked the disneyworld site and I see that Disney has changed the hours for MK on December 22, including moving Wishes from 8 to 9. Well, I have an ADR at the California Grill for 5:50. I was hoping that we could eat and then watch the show. Now, if we want to do that, we will be there for more than three hours! And will the restaurant even let us hang out for that long??

I did call to see if I could get a slightly later reservation, but no luck. The earliest I could get is 9:20, and that is just too late for us.

Someone help me figure this out!

 

[kyirish25]

Cali Grill will allow you to re-enter to watch the fireworks with your receipt from earlier in the evening. Not the exact experience as from watching at your table during dessert. But if you had planned to move out onto the viewing deck it would be the same.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

Also keep trying if you want to change the time. ADRs open up all the time.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Besides, not every table has a good view of Wishes. It's very possible you'd have chosen to go out on the balcony anyway. Keep trying for a later time, but as kyirish said, you'll be allowed back upstairs with your receipt.

 

[Skylarr29]

Most people walk out to the viewing deck to watch Wishes.

I would not try and make your meal last 3 hours.

All you have to do is present your receipt from your meal at the check in desk and you will be allowed back up to view Wishes.

 

[MedCruise07]

To those who suggest leaving and coming back: what should we do for that hour or so? If we are seated right at 5:50 and take say, an hour and a half to two hours for dinner, we would be done between 7:30 and 8:00. Wishes starts at 9:00. I don't see us having time to go anywhere and then come back in time to see Wishes. Or am I missing something?

 

[Skylarr29]

To those who suggest leaving and coming back: what should we do for that hour or so? If we are seated right at 5:50 and take say, an hour and a half to two hours for dinner, we would be done between 7:30 and 8:00. Wishes starts at 9:00. I don't see us having time to go anywhere and then come back in time to see Wishes. Or am I missing something?

It has never taken me two hours to eat at Cali Grill (been there about 4 times)... it usually takes us about an hour, eating 3 courses.

What I would do (if you can afford it and/or have the desire to do it) is book a Wishes cruise to pick up from the Contemporary. By the time you eat, wander down to the marina, check in etc. it will be time for the cruise. A much better view of Wishes than atop the Contemporary and no crowds. Cruises can be booked 90 days in advance so i think you still have time.


If not how about taking a monorail ride over to the Grand Floridian and/or Poly resorts to look at the amazing Christmas decorations!

You could check out the gift shops in the resort if that interests you or have a drink in the Outer rim lounge (that would be my pick lol)

 

[ParkPrincess]

You can just walk around the resort and look in their shops. That should take up some time.

 

[MedCruise07]

It has never taken me two hours to eat at Cali Grill (been there about 4 times)... it usually takes us about an hour, eating 3 courses.

What I would do (if you can afford it and/or have the desire to do it) is book a Wishes cruise to pick up from the Contemporary. By the time you eat, wander down to the marina, check in etc. it will be time for the cruise. A much better view of Wishes than atop the Contemporary and no crowds. Cruises can be booked 90 days in advance so i think you still have time.


If not how about taking a monorail ride over to the Grand Floridian and/or Poly resorts to look at the amazing Christmas decorations!

You could check out the gift shops in the resort if that interests you or have a drink in the Outer rim lounge (that would be my pick lol)

With two kids in tow I think the drink thing is a No. And while I think it would be cool to see Wishes I'm not sure it would be cool enough to pay for a special cruise.

I like the idea of taking the monorail to the other resorts if we would have time to get back. Do you really think we (five of us) can eat in an hour? Given that it is Christmas week, I have been thinking that our TS meals will take between one and a half and two hours. I would love to be wrong about that!

 

[Skylarr29]

Your meal might just take 3 hours lol! There is normally only two of us (adults) but we have a few drinks, wine etc. so I think we normally take longer than the average diner. We usually visit in September and that is a whole different ball game than Christmas week. I honestly don't know.

If the restaurant is backed up when you get there and you have to wait for your table a while to begin with you might be right on time for Wishes.

As far as leaving and getting back with children in tow... not sure, depends on how much time you actually have. There is an arcade at the Contemporary that the children might like if you have your heart set on staying for Wishes. You might only have a little bit of time to kill and visiting a gift shop might be enough. I think you should just keep some options in the back of your head and play it by ear depending on how long dinner takes... I think that is the real key to all of it. Will dinner take an hour, two, three, who knows?

 

[Magic2000]

I'd suggest just playing it by ear. If you finish dinner earlier than planned, hop on the monorail and check out the Grand Floridian! Their tree is amazing! Check out the gift shop! If you finish a little later than planned, check out the gift shop and/or arcade at the Contemporary! It may work out perfect for you - if your table isn't ready when yall get there.

Have a great time! We're trying California Grill for the first time in Nov!

 

[allshookup]

I know you said with kids in tow, the drink idea is a no, but as long as they are not running around, they are welcome to sit & have a soda in the lounge at CG & also the Outer Rim. We have a 5:40 dinner in Nov. & Wishes is at 8:00 so if we finish early we will most likely go down to the Outer Rim for a drink, while my kids 13 & 10 hit the arcade.

I know others have suggested the new arcade they just opened across from the gift shops at the Contemporary and I have to agree. My kids loved the WDW stuffed characters they were able to get a couple of weeks ago with their prize tickets & they still have a lot of credits left for future prizes. The prizes IMO were much better than what you usually see at arcades, so it might be worth checking out.

 

[fairestoneofall]

We had ADRs for CG in early August. I tried at one point to make our ressies earlier. The CM told me that they can no longer guarantee you'll be let back upstairs to watch the fireworks if you have an earlier ADR.

Of course, we all know that different CMs will tell you different things. But I just thought I'd put that out there.