Best Way To Do Dinner on a Party Night?

[Kindermouse]

I will be at DLR the first week of october and I have tickets to Mickey's Halloween Party on 10/5 (begins at 6 with a 5 preparty in toon town). I will have 3 kids with me (6,9, and 13) and we are staying across the street.

My question is what do you think is the best way to do dinner on the night of the party to minimize missing out on party time and activities. I would love to have a special dinner before the party but unless we ate very very early we would miss out on the preparty which I was hoping would be a time for my kiddos to get candy and do treat lines so that during the actual party we wouldn't need to waste that much time on trick or treating. We could just pack a few things to munch on, like a bag lunch type foods. What would you do?

 

[mom2rtk]

I would eat in line for the pre-party.

 

[SMD]

I would pack food and let them have some items from the treat trail to supplement.

 

[lindyv321]

We are going to have a late lunch/early dinner on our party night then supplement with snacks if need be. Our party is from 6-11 so I want to get our wrist bands at 3:00, go eat then line up for Toontown assuming there is going to be a pre-party

 

[Abbey1]

Last year, we had reservations at Cafe Orleans for the last hour before the party started (we didn't attend the toon town pre-party). This worked really well for us because those three hours before the party starts tend to be pretty crowded with party-goers as well as regular park guests. We loved sitting outside watching all of the costumes passing by.

For what it's worth, we only spent a total 20-30 minutes of the party trick or treating last year with my 4 year old son, and we still got TONS of candy.

 

[Imdboss]

Last year we went to a 7-12 party night so I made a reservation for 4pm. It worked really well. I believe we just had snacks/light lunch to accommodate the early dinner. Also just an FYI, the treat trail lines are super busy at the start of the party, they get much shorter as the night goes on. You can basically walk through a trail as you are heading to your next destination and barely have to slow down.

 

[Kindermouse]

Last year we went to a 7-12 party night so I made a reservation for 4pm. It worked really well. I believe we just had snacks/light lunch to accommodate the early dinner. Also just an FYI, the treat trail lines are super busy at the start of the party, they get much shorter as the night goes on. You can basically walk through a trail as you are heading to your next destination and barely have to slow down.

Good to know. Its been a few years since I went to a party and at previous parties we actually left right after the fireworks since my son couldn't handle being off his schedule too much but now that he is older i'm hoping to close the place down. My sisters kids stay up late all the time and should not have a problem with it so maybe i'll tell them to do a few treat trails in the beginning and then save the rest for later so they don't have to wait in line.

 

[Imdboss]

Good to know. Its been a few years since I went to a party and at previous parties we actually left right after the fireworks since my son couldn't handle being off his schedule too much but now that he is older i'm hoping to close the place down. My sisters kids stay up late all the time and should not have a problem with it so maybe i'll tell them to do a few treat trails in the beginning and then save the rest for later so they don't have to wait in line.

Another benefit to not filling your treat bag right away is having to carry that around all night!

 

[mom2rtk]

I would do the preparty to meet the characters in costume, but I would not do it for the treat trails. When we did it last year, I was amazed at how long those lines for treats got really fast. Treat lines out in the park later in the evening are short and easy to get through........ so very different from the preparty lines. (We were only there to find the characters).

 

[mom2rtk]

Last year we went to a 7-12 party night so I made a reservation for 4pm. It worked really well. I believe we just had snacks/light lunch to accommodate the early dinner. Also just an FYI, the treat trail lines are super busy at the start of the party, they get much shorter as the night goes on. You can basically walk through a trail as you are heading to your next destination and barely have to slow down.

We did Carnation Café around 3 on a night with a 6 PM party. It was really nice to escape the crowds and fill our stomachs before the evening got started.

 

[Niltiac]

If I were you I would feed everyone a big late lunch/early dinner before the preparty, and then rely on snacks and candy. I went with a group last year and most of us ate a big lunch before we could get in to the party, and weren't hungry again. But if you get partway through the night and the kids are hungry, there are still quick service locations open that won't take too much time. When the two members of our group who had missed lunch got hungry, they hopped into a completely empty Pizza Port and had food with no wait, while the rest of the group went through the treat trail that was set up right outside. Aside from Pizza Port I'm not sure which quick service locations are usually open during parties, but I'm sure someone knows. Maybe in the Halloween superthread?

 

[Kindermouse]

We did Carnation Café around 3 on a night with a 6 PM party. It was really nice to escape the crowds and fill our stomachs before the evening got started.

I just made us an ADR for 2:30 at carnation cafe for our party day! Hopefully that late lunch plus some packed food will get us through the night without hungry cranky kiddos. I'll tell you though my DS13 seems to be hungry nonstop. he may have to visit the corn dog cart anyway

 

[mom2rtk]

I just made us an ADR for 2:30 at carnation cafe for our party day! Hopefully that late lunch plus some packed food will get us through the night without hungry cranky kiddos. I'll tell you though my DS13 seems to be hungry nonstop. he may have to visit the corn dog cart anyway

It was funny. Later that night I started getting hungry and told my daughter "I'm a little hungry. Let's get something......" Then I looked down and saw the bags of popcorn snacks we just got on a treat trail. We just started eating various snacks as we got them going through the lines. It was fun, and silly, and I loved it.

 

[ParkHopper1]

When we used to do the Fantasmic dessert seating and now do the WOC Dessert Party we do a late sit down large lunch then just do a light on the fly dinner. Same would work for the MHP. If you are not entering the park earlier, book something in DTD.

 

[meggles]

Definitely eat a big meal before the party starts! Making a reservation somewhere is a great idea. One year we thought we'd just grab a quick counter service dinner somewhere during the party and so many places were closed!

 

[Meldev]

Planning on attending the same party.
What time do they let you in with party Tix? I'm not sure if we will buy 4 or 5 day Tix.

 

[disneychrista]

Planning on attending the same party.
What time do they let you in with party Tix? I'm not sure if we will buy 4 or 5 day Tix.

3 hours before the start of the party so 3pm on Weekdays & 4pm on weekends. Honestly, I would get the 4 day and do something else in the morning (go to the beach, explore DTD, enjoy your hotel pool, etc) and then go to the parks at 3pm/4pm.

 

[DnA2010]

We popped into the Plaza and then got in line for toon town

 

[Meldev]

We did Carnation Café around 3 on a night with a 6 PM party. It was really nice to escape the crowds and fill our stomachs before the evening got started.

Just made a 3:30 res for party night, looking forward to taking it easy in the morning and early afternoon at the hotel and then heading over and people watching prior to the party fun!

 

[lindyv321]

I would do the preparty to meet the characters in costume, but I would not do it for the treat trails. When we did it last year, I was amazed at how long those lines for treats got really fast. Treat lines out in the park later in the evening are short and easy to get through........ so very different from the preparty lines. (We were only there to find the characters).

What should be done first then rides? Characters??