California Grill question

[barbie1231]

We want to go there for our wedding anniversary. What has been your experience there? Do you recommend it? How is the food? What kind of food?

Is a 9:15 reservation a good time? Thanks so much

Barbie

 

[marie1203]

We love the California Grill. The food is great we got a table by the window perfect to see wishes. You can see their menu online http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningdetail.cfm?Restaurant.ID=105#menu and they also have great sushi.

 

[barbie1231]

We love the California Grill. The food is great we got a table by the window perfect to see wishes. You can see their menu online http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningdetail.cfm?Restaurant.ID=105#menu and they also have great sushi.

thank you. the menu sounds yummy.

 

[momtomatthew]

Check what time they are doing Wishes on the night you are there. You definately want to be in the restaurant (at a window seat) at that time- they dim the lights, pipe in music, and you have a GREAT view of the show!

 

[PoohsFan1]

We are very big fans of Cali Grill (that is the only restaurant my DH requests that we do each trip). We always get the earliest seating, which is 5:30pm, and have always gotten a window seat facing MK....we really enjoy going at this time of night because watching the MK as the sun goes down is pretty, plus you can watch the action at MK (e.g. watch the boats go down Splash, watch the rockets go round and round at Rocket Orbiter...). Then after your dinner, if you have some time to kill, head downstairs and walk around CR or take a ride on the monorail. Then head back to CR about 15 minutes before Wishes and just show your dinner receipt to the check-in desk and they will allow you to go back up. Once up there, grab a drink at the bar and then head outside to watch the fireworks (they pump in the music).

Also, when you make your ADR, make sure you let them know that you are celebrating your anniversary there. My DH and I ate there on our anniversary night this past March. They gave us a window seat with streamers and confetti of Cinderella's coach and the clock tower all over our table. Then we got a very nice anniversary card signed by the waitstaff. Lastly, my DH and I were able to share a piece of chocolate cake that said "Happy Anniversary" on it...very Yummy!!!

 

[scot@dvcstore]

CG is a great choice for any special occasion. Great food as you can see from the menu, amazing view and the fireworks show from MK will make your special day extra special.

 

[waltskids]

While I do like CG, it can be very noisy with all of the families dining there (at least that has been our experience, even later in the evening). It seems to clear out some after Wishes so since you want a ressie at 9:15, you may or may not be ok (not sure what time Wishes is that evening). We won't go there anymore for a quiet/romantic dinner, but that's just us. When we dine alone we prefer a quieter, more adult setting. Last visit we went to Bluezoo which was great and this time we are going to Bistro de Paris above Chefs de France. CG is a great meal though, but if you want quiet it may not be the best choice IMHO.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

We want to go there for our wedding anniversary. What has been your experience there? Do you recommend it? How is the food? What kind of food?

Is a 9:15 reservation a good time? Thanks so much

Barbie

We ate here for our 25th Anniversary and it was AWESOME.
Great food, Great Service , Great Atmosphere and the BEST View of the World.

 

[Pakey]

CG is nice but it isn't a place I'd pick for my anniversary dinner. It's very noisy and "busy" in there. My husband and I prefer a more intimate dining experience.

The views are beautiful though.

 

[jessily]

We love the food at CG and you can't beat the view. It's a very Disney experience. We didn't find it to be very loud or chaotic when we were there (last January), but I have heard many reports that it is. If you're looking for great food and a more quiet atmosphere, I would recommend Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge. We had a fantastic dining experience there. The food was top notch, the service was amazing and we found it to be a quiet, romantic environment. It's also nice to stroll around Animal Kingdom Lodge after dinner and check out the animal viewing areas.

 

[Sleeping Becca]

CG is my fav WDW restaurant. I simply love the food there, the sushi is amazing, and the lobster risotto is heaven on a spoon.

However the restaurant can get loud and busy, nothing horrible it's just not cozy and intimate. Others have mentioned the Bistro and Jiko, those are both quieter choices.

I wouldn't skip CG, give it a try! Anytime is a good time to eat at CG, 9:15 will be fine.

I will second the tip about getting the 5:30 reservation, we always get a window seat, and the sunset is beautiful.

 

[jomommy]

I was thinking about booking this for an arrival night when we may not go into the parks.

Am I correct in understanding that you can eat there for dinner at any time and come back to see the fireworks (on the same night)?

Are there any stairs to the restaurant or just an elevator? is it open? I have an autistic dd that doesn't like elevators, but she CAN do them if we prepare her for them and hold on to her during. Don't worry, she won't make a scene in the restaurant.

Thanks.

 

[PoohsFan1]

Am I correct in understanding that you can eat there for dinner at any time and come back to see the fireworks (on the same night)?

Absolutely....just make sure you have your dinner receipt when you want to go back up (just show the receipt to the 2nd floor check-in desk). As for the elevator question. There is no stairs, and the elevator is enclosed. There is an elevator operator that takes you up and down. Definately give it a try the food and atmosphere is outstanding.

 

[jomommy]

Am I correct in understanding that you can eat there for dinner at any time and come back to see the fireworks (on the same night)?

Absolutely....just make sure you have your dinner receipt when you want to go back up (just show the receipt to the 2nd floor check-in desk). As for the elevator question. There is no stairs, and the elevator is enclosed. There is an elevator operator that takes you up and down. Definately give it a try the food and atmosphere is outstanding.

COOL! Thanks for the reply. And enclosed is always better than open.

 

[MickeyNicki]

We ate there in June, it was our first time dining there and will not be our last...the service is top notch and the view is amazing...but the food, oh the food...it was out of this world incredible!

 

[Sleeping Becca]

I was thinking about booking this for an arrival night when we may not go into the parks.

Am I correct in understanding that you can eat there for dinner at any time and come back to see the fireworks (on the same night)?

Are there any stairs to the restaurant or just an elevator? is it open? I have an autistic dd that doesn't like elevators, but she CAN do them if we prepare her for them and hold on to her during. Don't worry, she won't make a scene in the restaurant.

Thanks.

The firework viewing is outside on the roof on a very wide catwalk, I don't know if that would pose a problem for your autistic child. I just wanted to give you a heads up.

 

[Golf4food]

CG is nice but it isn't a place I'd pick for my anniversary dinner. It's very noisy and "busy" in there. My husband and I prefer a more intimate dining experience.

The views are beautiful though.

What she said. Cali Grill is NOT an intimate dining experience. It is loud and hectic more than anything - very open and visible all around. Good food. Good view. Just not an intimate anniversary dinner location, IMHO.

 

[kirkson]

Do yourself a favor a request a table in the wine room. The main room at CG is an absolute zoo, but if you don't mind skipping the MK view, sit in the wine room, which is completely separated from the main room, and adults only. You will still have amazing views of the WDW property, and nice intimate experience that is impossible in the main room. If you want to see Wished, you can get up and go out on the observation deck and watch from there, which is a much better viewing area than from anyhwere in the dining room anyway. Have a happy anniversary!

 

[jomommy]

The firework viewing is outside on the roof on a very wide catwalk, I don't know if that would pose a problem for your autistic child. I just wanted to give you a heads up.

Thank you so much for the heads up and posting the pictures. Heights don't bother her, it's the movement of the elevators that she has a problem with.

It was very sweet of you to think about that, though. Made my day!

BTW, awesome pictures! I'm sold.

 

[Mich123]

We enjoy CG and it's now a must do on our WDW list! Both times that we've been there, we've had a lengthy wait, even with a ressie, so be prepared, have a drink at the bar and relax. We ordered everything--apps, salads, entrees, desserts--there are so many things to try, we didn't want to miss anything.