booking 6pm reservation on party night?

[labdogs42]

Can I book a 6pm Crystal Palace reservation on a MNSSHP night if I don't have a party ticket? Thinking I'd like to end my day with dinner but not sure how this will work. Thoughts?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Probably not. Plan on earlier.

 

[sharonabe]

Can I book a 6pm Crystal Palace reservation on a MNSSHP night if I don't have a party ticket? Thinking I'd like to end my day with dinner but not sure how this will work. Thoughts?

If you are using the regular page for dining reservations and there is a 6:00 available, then you can do that. Make sure you look everywhere for any disclaimer that says you must have a party ticket to be able to USE that reservation.

 

[purple figment]

Go to the regular dining reservation page for the Crystal Palace and choose the date you are interested in. It will list the reservation times that are available that don't require a party ticket. I looked at two party dates in September and it looks like the restaurant closes at 5:55 PM and the last reservation is at 5:30 for those without party tickets.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/magic-kingdom/crystal-palace/

 

[Nancyg56]

This is helpful for me too. we are roughing out our plans and our arrival day is between in park and out. We are not looking to max our time that day, and normally we would not even enter a park, however we are bringing someone who has never been and who has expressed a desire to see the magic kingdom first. Hmmmm.....We are not at all interested in a party. We can either book a few FP for the afternoon, and then try to book the latest meal at Skipper Canteen, have dinner and then head back to the resort, or just hit the MK, let her absorb the whole "finally in Disney" and then either have dinner on the monorail line or just head back to Old Key West and have dinner at Olivia's. I checked Touring Plans and it looks like the anticipated park close is 6 PM and the party starts at 7.

If we choose to dine in the MK that night, I would like our last FP to be the Jingle Cruise, and then off to Skipper canteen. If not then I will save the Jingle Cruise for when it is full on dark. (I love this attraction!)

 

[Kevlar10]

The website shows hours until 6:30 PM for MK restaurants that have released their hours. The Party starts at 7:00 PM. In the past, you have been able to book ADRs until restaurant closing or just prior to closing but there will be a CM checking for wristbands and guiding those without towards the park exit.

 

[ShadeDK]

Out of curiosity, I played around with the CP reservation page for a MNSSHP night. As a PP noted, the Park Hours for MK end at 6pm for party nights and CP's page indicates a 5:55pm closing. The pull-down menu to request times ends at 5:30 pm, but I received a 5:45 reservation option after a search (which indicated that it was looking at times available up to 7pm - although I never received any options later than 5:45).

I also noted that all CP dinner reservations (starting at 3:15pm) include the following language under "Guest Policies" on the confirmation page when completing a reservation:

If applicable, Hard Ticket Event reservations. You are making a reservation during an event which requires the purchase of a separately priced event admission ticket (ex: Mickey's Not-Scary-Halloween Party). Guests with theme park admission must purchase the special event admission ticket in order to enter or remain in the park during the special event. Special event tickets may be purchased at disneyworld.com or by calling 407-WDISNEY.

Take all that for whatever it's worth - both the ability to schedule a reservation up until right before park closes at 6pm, as well as the disclaimer for any dinner reservations on party nights.

 

[labdogs42]

Out of curiosity, I played around with the CP reservation page for a MNSSHP night. As a PP noted, the Park Hours for MK end at 6pm for party nights and CP's page indicates a 5:55pm closing. The pull-down menu to request times ends at 5:30 pm, but I received a 5:45 reservation option after a search (which indicated that it was looking at times available up to 7pm - although I never received any options later than 5:45).

I also noted that all CP dinner reservations (starting at 3:15pm) include the following language under "Guest Policies" on the confirmation page when completing a reservation:

If applicable, Hard Ticket Event reservations. You are making a reservation during an event which requires the purchase of a separately priced event admission ticket (ex: Mickey's Not-Scary-Halloween Party). Guests with theme park admission must purchase the special event admission ticket in order to enter or remain in the park during the special event. Special event tickets may be purchased at disneyworld.com or by calling 407-WDISNEY.

Take all that for whatever it's worth - both the ability to schedule a reservation up until right before park closes at 6pm, as well as the disclaimer for any dinner reservations on party nights.

Huh that's weird wording. And weird that the restaurants aren't even open for party-goers during the party. That seems like a lot of lost revenue for Disney.

 

[labdogs42]

Do we know what time they are "kicking people out" for the parties now? 6pm? I assume if I don't have a party ticket and I dine at 5:30, they just ask me to skedaddle back down Main Street after I eat? (which I'm fine with)

 

[Nancyg56]

Huh that's weird wording. And weird that the restaurants aren't even open for party-goers during the party. That seems like a lot of lost revenue for Disney.

Disney may open times up later, but remember that a lot of people (me) will not pay to have dinenr while a party is going on. When my family attends a party we have a 5PM cutoff for dinner. I am not wasting our party time in a restaurant.

Do we know what time they are "kicking people out" for the parties now? 6pm? I assume if I don't have a party ticket and I dine at 5:30, they just ask me to skedaddle back down Main Street after I eat? (which I'm fine with)

Depending on the time, I have heard that a CM will escort you out. I am also fine with that, if I did not buy a ticket it is because I am not going to the party.

Can I tag another question on? About what time does the sun set in December? If I book a FP for 5 PM or so for Jungle Cruise, will it be dark enough to enjoy the lights? We are leaning towards hitting the MK on our arrival day for a few hours, and want to have dinner at Skipper Canteen, but I am wondering about FP times.

 

[sharonabe]

Can I tag another question on? About what time does the sun set in December? If I book a FP for 5 PM or so for Jungle Cruise, will it be dark enough to enjoy the lights? We are leaning towards hitting the MK on our arrival day for a few hours, and want to have dinner at Skipper Canteen, but I am wondering about FP times.

Sunset is right around 5:30, so if you hit it at the END of the FP period, you should be okay. Seems like they would do the first castle lighting around 6:00-6:15 when we went several years ago, and it was dark enough to do that at that time.

 

[Nancyg56]

Sunset is right around 5:30, so if you hit it at the END of the FP period, you should be okay. Seems like they would do the first castle lighting around 6:00-6:15 when we went several years ago, and it was dark enough to do that at that time.

Thank you @sharonabe! We are trying o rough out the trip and work in a few requests that our Newbie has. WE don't care about seeing the MK first, but Jenna does, so I am trying to manage that without killing us on the arrival day, which starts very early for us, and even earlier for the girls. I honestly don't care much about the attractions that day, however I am never going to waste FP opportunities, so I will book them that day as well. We could arrive at MK around 2 or 3, have FP booked for Pirates, JC and one more for 3, 4 an 5, and still get to dinner at SC before the cutoff.
I am not sure if we could stay for Castle Lighting without a party ticket. Do they waltz you out by 6 or can you see the Castle lighting and be gone before the party? This is the first time I try to manage around a Party, and clearly I am not good at it! Lol!

 

[sturner324]

Sort of off topic, but do they “light the castle” on nonparty nights? I’ll be there for both, so I’m just curious if I would potentially see it twice. Or do they just turn the lights on with no show? Or do they leave the lights off?

I’m going on arrival night to see HEA, and then to the party later in the week.

 

[Nancyg56]

Sort of off topic, but do they “light the castle” on nonparty nights? I’ll be there for both, so I’m just curious if I would potentially see it twice. Or do they just turn the lights on with no show? Or do they leave the lights off?

I’m going on arrival night to see HEA, and then to the party later in the week.

They sure do! One of my favorite attractions during the holiday season is the People Mover after dark. The glimpses of the ice draped castle are lovely!

 

[heath92681]

Thank you @sharonabe! We are trying o rough out the trip and work in a few requests that our Newbie has. WE don't care about seeing the MK first, but Jenna does, so I am trying to manage that without killing us on the arrival day, which starts very early for us, and even earlier for the girls. I honestly don't care much about the attractions that day, however I am never going to waste FP opportunities, so I will book them that day as well. We could arrive at MK around 2 or 3, have FP booked for Pirates, JC and one more for 3, 4 an 5, and still get to dinner at SC before the cutoff.
I am not sure if we could stay for Castle Lighting without a party ticket. Do they waltz you out by 6 or can you see the Castle lighting and be gone before the party? This is the first time I try to manage around a Party, and clearly I am not good at it! Lol!

We were able to stay for the castle lighting at 6pm on party night last November.

 

[sharonabe]

Sort of off topic, but do they “light the castle” on nonparty nights? I’ll be there for both, so I’m just curious if I would potentially see it twice. Or do they just turn the lights on with no show? Or do they leave the lights off?

I’m going on arrival night to see HEA, and then to the party later in the week.

Castle lighting show is every night.

 

[ShadeDK]

Huh that's weird wording. And weird that the restaurants aren't even open for party-goers during the party. That seems like a lot of lost revenue for Disney.

The restaurants should be open, but there will be a separate page to make reservations at the MK restaurants during the party. In the past, I believe there were some issues with reservation times being available from the restaurants’ main page during the party - so there will be a separate page to reserve times after 6 pm where it’s clear that you must have a party ticket (I’ve done BoG during MVMCP - don’t recommend doing dinner during a party but it is an option).

Can I tag another question on? About what time does the sun set in December? If I book a FP for 5 PM or so for Jungle Cruise, will it be dark enough to enjoy the lights? We are leaning towards hitting the MK on our arrival day for a few hours, and want to have dinner at Skipper Canteen, but I am wondering about FP times.

I did a 5:30 CP last year on Dec 21 - while the sun had set, it definitely wasn’t dark at the beginning of the show - more of a bright twilight. Better off waiting until closer to 6-ish. The only problem there is that the FP times should end right around that time as well - maybe an early dinner at SC (not a bad idea with those crowds between 4-6 as party and non-party guests are filling the park) and a FP sometime between 5-6 with a tap-in closer to the end of that?

 

[DisBuckMan]

Do we know what time they are "kicking people out" for the parties now? 6pm? I assume if I don't have a party ticket and I dine at 5:30, they just ask me to skedaddle back down Main Street after I eat? (which I'm fine with)

In general, you will be perp walked by a cast member out of the park...and maybe not down Main Street, either. If there is anything party related going on, you'll be escorted out through a backstage area to the front of the park. Make sure you go to the restroom before you leave the restaurant, because you won't be allowed to stop on the way out.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

In general, you will be perp walked by a cast member out of the park...and maybe not down Main Street, either. If there is anything party related going on, you'll be escorted out through a backstage area to the front of the park. Make sure you go to the restroom before you leave the restaurant, because you won't be allowed to stop on the way out.

"Perp" walked. My imagination is going wild here. Like "Shawshank" style?

 

[DisBuckMan]

"Perp" walked. My imagination is going wild here. Like "Shawshank" style?

Not in shackles...but they do walk you out of the park in the fastest manner possible. No restroom stops, no shopping. If there's a backstage door that prevents you from seeing any of the party, there's a good chance you'll be escorted out that door.

They don't simply tell you that you have to leave the park and point you in the right direction. They actively walk you out.