Best Time for Wishes Fireworks/California Grill

[emilyyvic]

Hello! I currently have two reservations for California Grill. One is at 6pm and one at 7:40pm, both for Wednesday December 11th. I am wondering what time is the best to keep to see the Wishes fireworks. I have read that a meal at CG can take 3 hours, and with the fireworks starting at 9 I want to make sure that we will either see them from the restaurant window, or finish eating with enough time to make to the balcony or up to the Top of the World Lounge to view them.

With your experience/knowledge of the dining experience at CG, what time is the best to keep to ensure a good viewing of Wishes, and where should I plan to watch Wishes from?

Thank you for your answers

Emily

 

[figment_jii]

The average Signature meal takes about two hours, depending on the number of courses ordered, how busy the restaurant is, etc. I've only been to one Signature meal (out of a dozen or more) that took three hours and a third of that was waiting for the table.

In terms of Wishes, it's a tough call because there aren't many window tables with a good view and you can't request on in advance. Normally, I would look for an ADR around 7:00 pm. With your two ADRs, neither is really in an ideal time for a window table. My guess says that by 7:40 pm, all of the window tables will be taken by guests that won't leave until after Wishes. With a 6:00 pm ADR, my guess is that you'll finish way before Wishes starts (about an hour or so) and you'd have to either drag out your meal and/or basically camp out at the table after your meal ends.

If it were me, I would go with the 7:40 pm ADR and request a window table at check-in. If they're all taken, I would just go with whatever table is available and go out to the balcony to watch the show. If you time it right, you'll probably be between entrees and desserts when the show goes off. The servers know folks go out to the observation deck to watch the show.