California Grill Questions

[MsLeFever]

I'm actually not sure what we're going to do this time. We're traveling with my mom, who hates long, drawn out meals, and our DS - age 2. We do have lots of sit down meals with him (1.5 hour brunch with him this morning, actually), and he's usually extremely good for about 45 minutes to an hour, then he wants to wander around or try color the tablecloth because by then he is bored with whatever coloring page we provided him with.
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Coloring on the table at CG was actually encourage when we were there last August! Crayons provided.

 

[jonkatony]

Thanks for your comments Golden Rose, we will have wait as it is Dw birthday on the date of our reservation.

 

[DisneyGlider]

Thanks all for your comments and especially Golden Rose who really opened our eyes to the seating thing. Guess anyone with reservations less than 1.5 hours prior to a Wishes show has a poor chance of being seated for it. --- Unless there are a bunch of locals eating that have already seen Wishes so many times that they just eat and leave without tarrying.

It is mind twisting that the servers would actually encorage guests to linger and assist their lingering with food delays for Wishes, while a bunch of people are waiting and complaining about 1 hour+ waits. Guess nobody said that Disney seating had to make sense.

 

[rentayenta]

I am so glad I changed our ADR after reading all of this. I am afraid with a 7:20 seating, our chances would be slim to be sat by 8:00. The CM yesterday told me that hey make x amount of ADRs in 5 minute intervals so if people really do sit 2+ hours then I could see how we would miss it.


DH and I are long diners. We don't even like to order our entree until our appetizers are finished. Our kids like to eat like this too and hate to feel rushed.

 

[PrincessMinnie28]

1. The Unofficial Guide says "California Grill - Customers: Hotel guests, locals". Does this mean only guests of the Contemporary and locals with Florida ID cards can eat there?

2. I believe it requires two TS credits. I've seen a post that said they would be paying out of pocket. Is it better to do that than use two TS credits?

3. How long prior to the fireworks show should one book reservations for in November?

1. The CA Grill is not restricted to Contemporary guests. We stayed at the WL and ate there. We did talk to a man from Florida that was not staying at a Disney resort and just came there for dinner, but I don't know whether he had to show a Florida ID in order to eat there.

2. We just ate there twice on our trip this past week. We were on the Premium Package so we got 3 TS meals per day, but after seeing the total with the two apps, two entrees, and two desserts (note: we would never order that much food if paying OOP because it is unnecessary) and the price was very reasonable for a nice dinner. You can look at the menu and see the prices and figure out if it would be in your budget if you decide to pay OOP, but like I said, for a nice dinner, it's really not that bad.

3. The first night we dined, we had a reservation for 7:40 p.m. and the fireworks were at 10 p.m. They were running a little behind, so we were sat at about 8 p.m. or so. We finished dinner right before the fireworks so it worked out fine, but we were specifically told by the CM that accompanies you in the elevator up to the 15th floor that if you finish before the fireworks, you can leave, and are more than welcome to return for the fireworks with you dinner receipt. It's a great policy because it keeps their tables moving and their servers happy. It's no fun when guests sit at a table milking a glass of water so they can watch the fireworks.

I really hope you decide to eat at the CG. We ate there with an ADR one night last week and DBF liked it so much, we cancelled our ADR the next night and went back to CG... it really was fantastic!

 

[DisneyGlider]

I really hope you decide to eat at the CG. We ate there with an ADR one night last week and DBF liked it so much, we cancelled our ADR the next night and went back to CG... it really was fantastic!

We have an ADR at the CG for our last night at WDW 50 minutes before Wishes but judging by the posts in this thread, I doubt we will be seated before it starts. Tried to change it but all the prime reservation times up to about 2 hrs prior were already booked. So we'll just make the best of it and enjoy our last night. Hope we don't get too drunk waiting to be seated to be able to taste the food ....

Thanks!

 

[Uncleromulus]

In the old days you could POSSIBLY wait an hour to be seated. That happened to us once. BUt since the new second floor check in policy, we've never waited beyond 1/2 hour to be seated. Most times we go right up.

We now always make ADR"s one hour before the fireworks. A normal meal at CG can easily last 1 and 1/2 hours (ordering appetizers drinks and dessert) without trying to eat slowly or otherwise stretch things out.
For us, it means we're almost always in mid-meal when the fireworks start. We simply get up, go out on the deck, then resume eating when the show is over.

 

[mermaid86]

i just called the other day to make a reservation at california grill for friday, june 15th... there were only like.. 3 openings. i took a 6pm.. but she did mention a 9pm.. and if i remember correctly wishes starts at 10 fridays?? 9 probably would have been an excellent time if the 10pm show is right, but eh.. i guess i messed up. a 6pm dinner will give us enough time to eat and head back over to the park to watch them i guess. i hardly doubt we will be there for 4 hours from our reservation to the fireworks =\ oops

 

[poohlover]

we have a reservation 30 minutes before the show. think we'll make it? or is there any way we'd be allowed to wait on the deck for a table?

 

[webshark3]

Make them earlier. Possibly much earlier.

In our experience, people hogged tables until Wishes and lots of guests with ADRs were left sitting in the waiting area complaining FOR HOURS.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that since the CG required a credit card for reservation, then you had a HARD reservation unlike the ADR.

 

[girli565]

I made my ADR's for 9:20 on a Monday with Wishes being at 10pm. We arrived at 8:40 for check in and were seated almost immediately by the window directly overlooking the Castle. I guess because it was a Monday that we got so lucky. Most of the problems I've seen with seating were on weekend nights. Maybe changing your reservations to a Weeknight would help you get the time you want and be able to see Wishes!

 

[PrincessMinnie28]

we have a reservation 30 minutes before the show. think we'll make it? or is there any way we'd be allowed to wait on the deck for a table?

We checked in a few minutes before our ADR and were told they were running about 20 minutes behind, but that we were welcome to get a drink and/or go stand out on the observation deck. So that's what we did... it's a great opportunity to get some unobstructed pictures of the castle before the deck gets crowded with everyone for Wishes.

 

[Golden Rose]

I don't remember what night of the week we were there... it could have been a Friday night, although I think it was a Thursday. I'm sure they have more and less crowded nights, and I wouldn't be surprised if it varies some with the season.

They do require a credit card, and they do charge you something if you miss your reservation, so they may have shifted to a true reservation instead of a priority seating mentality. That might help with the overbooked feeling for prime seating times.

You can wait on the observation deck, regardless. It is truly a spectacular view, and I don't know why more people don't wait there instead of at the bar.

Let me add that we were seated immediately when we went. We had no problems, we just witnessed them later in the evening. This was one of our two favorite meals of the trip (the other being Victoria and Albert's) in a trip of good meals. We loved it so much we considered coming back twice on our upcoming trip, but decided to try Jiko instead of a second CG meal.

 

[Dreamfinder2]

Not necessarily meaning to muddy the waters, but the view of Wishes from the CG is not ideal. Fireworks are off to one side of the castle from this view ... it's just a little less "magical," methinks, than having Cinderella Castle front and center and the fireworks in the background.

Still, it's pretty cool from your Contemporary perch, but not the experience the show designers envisioned.