ADR Plans and Questions

[VS85]

I'm super excited for this upcoming trip because I'm realizing that all of our ADRs are completely brand new! I have a few questions about some of the restaurants we chose... hoping to get some answers and also some suggestions for your favorite menu items at the places we are visiting:

Arrival day: Check in to the GF in the afternoon, 8:50 reservation at California Grill. I'm hoping to see Wishes (at 10pm I believe) from the balcony area as well. In your experiences, will we have to wait a long time to get seated? I am a little anxious that there won't be tables left when we get there because people will be waiting for Wishes to end. We are planning on finishing dinner and walking to MK to enjoy evening EMH until 2am. I couldn't find an earlier reservation for CG. We are staying CL at the GF... do you think their IPO will be able to find a time that we're not able to? What time would you suggest? Also, how long does dinner take, on average?

Day 2: Will head to Epcot in the later afternoon and stop by the Mexico Pavillion for margaritas and a snack. Probably walk around a little bit (maybe buy some treats from Germany), and work our way around to Spice Road Table in Morocco for a 6:50 reservation. Hopefully finish dinner before 8pm, then make our way to France to grab dessert from the Patisserie and a grey goose slush. We'll stake out a place for Illuminations at 9, and then head back to our resort or find a lounge.

Day 3: Nothing planned. We'll do the GF cafe or something for lunch or head to the pool. In the evening we might go off site for Thai Food.

Day 4: If we decide to get out of bed early enough, maybe hit Animal Kingdom in the morning to do the safari and/or EE. Then head to AKL to check out the resort. We have 2:30 lunch reservations at Saana. There are plenty of times available so we may bump to an earlier time, or cancel altogether and try to do a walk-in. Dinner in the evening at O'Hana at 7:30. Thought we could go a little early to get drinks at Trader Sam's and check out the resort. Considering going to HS to see Fantasmic at 10:30, but don't know if that's doable? We'll take a cab or Uber to get there from the Poly.

Day 5: Nothing planned. Maybe do dinner and a movie or go bowling in DTD.

Day 6: Our last night, so I booked us for a table at Citricos at 7:45. Thought we would finish dinner early enough to head out for a stroll and find a nice spot to see Wishes at 10pm again.

Would love to hear your thoughts! Or suggestions for any places that are a must-do.

 

[figment_jii]

Arrival day: Check in to the GF in the afternoon, 8:50 reservation at California Grill. I'm hoping to see Wishes (at 10pm I believe) from the balcony area as well. In your experiences, will we have to wait a long time to get seated? I am a little anxious that there won't be tables left when we get there because people will be waiting for Wishes to end. We are planning on finishing dinner and walking to MK to enjoy evening EMH until 2am. I couldn't find an earlier reservation for CG. We are staying CL at the GF... do you think their IPO will be able to find a time that we're not able to? What time would you suggest? Also, how long does dinner take, on average?

Given that you aren't requesting/wanting a fireworks viewing (aka window) table, I think you'll be okay with an 8:50 pm reservation. The wait time to be seated can be quite variable, but I would go with 15 minutes or so on average (as long as you aren't making a table request). The average meal takes between 90 minutes and 2 hours, depending on how many courses ordered, how busy it is, etc..

Dinner in the evening at O'Hana at 7:30. Thought we could go a little early to get drinks at Trader Sam's and check out the resort. Considering going to HS to see Fantasmic at 10:30, but don't know if that's doable? We'll take a cab or Uber to get there from the Poly.

This one is harder to say because 'Ohana is know for running behind schedule. Waits of 45 minutes or more are not uncommon later in the evening. If you're seated on time, I think you stand a good chance of getting back to DHS in time for F! (do you have a FP?) because the meal takes between 60 and 75 minutes depending on how fast you eat. If 'Ohana is running late, then I think it'll be tougher, even with a cab.

 

[hskaggs11]

I did Uber twice at Disney, and found it to be fast and very convenient. I love that you can see where your car is on the app's map so you can judge when to go outside to meet it.

I did a Californina Grill ressie around that time last year, and we waited around 15 minutes for a table. We got one on the MK side, and had a decent view of Wishes from our table.

 

[VS85]

Thanks! Glad to hear we shouldn't have a problem getting seated at CG. In terms of Ohana, we'll play it by ear and if we don't make it to Fantasmic, it's not the end of the world. We can always try to see it on another night if we feel like it.

 

[CBMom01]

We waited about 15 minutes for our table at CG. They basically put the restaurant on hold during Wishes so if it's getting close they won't bring your entree out until after the fireworks are over.

 

[Pete S]

On our trip in January California Grill at 850 was our arrival night dinner. We arrived about 10 minutes early and were seated by our reservation time. We were done in time for Wishes without rushing.