California Grill Question?

[eeyore45]

BUMP

Can someone answer this for me?

Never have been, so my guess is... its DISNEY - - - isnt one of their requirements to let magic happen - so, maybe... hey do you like after dinner drinks? ( Truly, if you ask your wait person, I'm sure they will say yes - I dont believe they say no at Disney... )

rifamtrav - Barbara Eden - who??? j/k.... I can only imagine!! Top of the World does sound familiar tho, what does that say about me?? DONT answer!!

 

[DISUNC]

What if you ressie is for 7:30 p.m. and Wishes doesn't start until 9:00 p.m.? Can you stay around and go out on the observation deck after your meal to watch the fireworks? I hope so - this is how I kinda have mine planned.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...thats a tough one!

Will you be there during the FREE FOOD event?? How many people in your party???? How S-l-o-w c-a-n y-o-u e-a-t?

The usually are pretty fast with their service at the CG! Could you change the res's? However, once you are finished I highly doubt they would throw you out!

 

[Uncleromulus]

Not sure what you mean by "stay around" and for how long. That was one of the problems at the CG--folks would continue to sit at their tables after dinner (often as long as an hour!) nursing ice water and waiting for the fireworks. Preventing others from being seated and causing a major backup of people standing in the lobby, etc etc.
If it's a long period of time, I suppose you could try and get a seat at the bar or in the lounge, but often all those seats are gone before fireworks time. Or if it's not that long a time, just walk out to the deck and wait
Also, as I understand things now, once you have eaten at CG, if you show your dinner receipt, you will be let back in the CG to go out on the deck to see the fireworks. So you could leave, stroll around the Contemporary Lobby, and go back.
And as busy as CG often is, the entire time between 7:30 and 9:00 could easily be taken up by all (or most) of your meal, which would then make all of this a non-issue. Most of our meals at CG have approached an hour and a half in length.

 

[Cookie Princess]

This past year the MK changed the time on us (again) of when Wishes was scheduled. The staff at CA Grill told us to just keep our dinner receipt and that we could eat, walk around the restaurant or do whatever we wanted, and then come back up to view Wishes on the balcony. It worked out great as DS (9) and DH played in the huge arcade in the resort for a while after we ate. I wouldn't feel right eating overly slowly and holding up someone else's mealtime. There is also a great bar on the 4th floor if you want to kill some time there.

 

[tinkamom]

I think it will probably take at least 1 1/2 hours for your meal. It may be 15-20 minutes before you get seated, then 5-10 minutes to get and look over the menus and order then maybe 10 minutes before your appy is brought out, another 10 before your entree, 20 mins to eat, then 5 minutes to look over dessert menu and order, 10 minutes for dessert to arrive, and another 15-20 minutes to enjoy dessert and coffee! I think you will be fine.

 

[lacy1101]

Thanks, guys! I certainly don't plan to just linger at our table waiting for the fireworks. I was thinking more along the lines of going on out to the observation deck when we finished eating even if it was another 30 minutes or so before Wishes started. I figured it would take at least an hour for our meal. It sounds like from what you're telling me, though, that we should be timing it about right.

This will be a first for us and I'm really looking forward to it! We will be
at Typhoon Lagoon that day and I plan for us to return to our resort in plenty of time to get cleaned up for a nice dinner (as opposed to touring all day and then going straight to CG). I'm sure DH and I will enjoy the food - I just hope our DS-13 and DD-10 will! Has anyone ever taken kids around that age to CG before? DS is my picky one - usually chicken fingers, fries, etc., although he does like steak and seafood, i.e. crab legs, lobster etc. DD will try different things, i.e. steak, chicken (prepared any way), shrimp, pasta, etc. Any suggestions on what they have that the kids might like?
I appreciate your help!

 

[&ersons]

rifamtrav, our PS was for 9:00 and Wishes was at 10:00. We just took our time ordering and eating the appetizers. I would bet that if you check in 15 minutes early they will let you go up and watch the fireworks either before you are seated or let you sit down and get right back up and go outside.

 

[mickeys#1fan]

The 2nd floor check in doesn't hold you off until exactly your PS time. I don't recall what the window is, but you may have time to enjoy a drink in the lounge and watch Wishes. At one time when we dined there, Wishes started in the middle of the meal. Our server offered to cover our plates while we were on the deck.

I don't think there's any need to move your PS's. If you show up on time, I think you'll have no problem. You'll have a memorable and magical evening!

 

[tinkamom]

My DD11 loves california grill. She usually oders the steak from the kids menu but I think they also have typical kids menu food. Her favorite is dessert-Rice Krispy sushi. (gummy worm type candy wrapped with rice krispy treats to look like sushi) Did you look at the menu at allears?

 

[tinkamom]

http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menu_cgk.htm

Just incase you need it!

 

[sotoalf]

I told my mom that I made reservations here, she was excited and said when she went (YEARS ago) that they had entertainment - singers...

"they came up to our table, and put the microphone under Aunt June and asked what song she wanted, and they said 'HELLO ________" and my aunt june replied "hello" and the whole place lol.. they tried to get her to say "Dolly" 4 or 5 times... and poor Aunt June didnt get the joke, she thought your father had "set her up" What entertainment will they have in October?"

"um - the fireworks?"

Ah, the Top of the World. Lots of us have good memories of this long-gone dinner show.

 

[DISUNC]

Any suggestions on what they have that the kids might like?I appreciate your help!

Like all other dis dining (except for one or two) They are Kid friendly! My nephew is a very fussy eater, but he had their kids pizza (which was HUGE).

The tableclothes are regular white paper, and they give the kids crayons to draw on them. Last year my nephew wanted to take his art work home with him, so I ripped up the paper of the table, when we were leaving....WHICH THEY DO FOR THE NEXT PEOPLE COMING IN...For some strange reason this seemed to bother the waiter!

He actually told me, "You are not aloud to take the artwork home with you"...at first I thought he was kidding...BUT HE WASN'T! Then he said, "just this time I will allow it!"

Whatever! I was taking it anyway!

I thought it was sssssssssssssssssoooooooooooooooooooooo strange!!!! I just spent mega bucks & left a very nice tip for dinner, and he wanted to argue about the sheet of paper! LOL

 

[lacy1101]

The tableclothes are regular white paper, and they give the kids crayons

Paper tablecloths?!? That doesn't sound like the California Grill I've been hearing about. Are you sure?

 

[dvcgirl]

Paper tablecloths?!? That doesn't sound like the California Grill I've been hearing about. Are you sure?

Yes, there's linen table clothes with a piece of white paper on top and the kids color on the table. And speaking of the fireworks at CG, personally I think that the experience is overrated. The rarely dim the lights anymore, and if they do...only slightly. It's a bustling restaurant so it's difficult to hear the music. And people hoard those tables....sip water....just waiting for the fireworks. We saw a woman do this one night with two children. They had finished their dessert a full 45 minutes before the fireworks....it was ridiculous. The view is better from outside, but even then, Wishes in particular is much, much better in the park.

The view of the MK at night is lovely though....and the food is always very good. I just don't like to see people get their hopes up for CG fireworks and then see them disappointed.

Same goes for Rose and Crown at the UK....the view is okay, but not the best, and if the wind is blowing in your direction, it's downright awful. At least if you're positioning yourself out on the WS you can move according to the wind, but at R&C...you're stuck.

 

[BCV23]

All of the tables don't have paper over the linen. I should pay more attention and notice whether it is certain areas that have the paper on the table or if the table is set that way right before a family with children is seated.

 

[lacy1101]

I get it now - thanks!