Chefs Counter at Napa Rose

[Vernie822]

My fiance and I are planning a 3 night (2 park day) stay in Disneyland as part of our honeymoon this September. On our first night, we'll be flying back from Hawaii. We REALLY want to do the Chefs Table at Napa Rose. I don't want to squeeze it in on our first night, assuming we'd be pushing it coming from LAX to Anaheim. We have not yet chosen a flight but I've been looking at the one that lands at 2:57 PM and even with the later seating, I'd be nervous about being exhausted or not making it.

That being said, with only two park days (Thursday and Friday), and REALLY wanting to see the evening shows, is this even do-able?!

Should I plan to maybe try to see one of the nighttime shows Wednesday (hoping we'd be there by 8 PM if our flight lands at 3) instead?

What do you think? Maybe I should just stick w/ the original plan of doing the 8:30 pm seating, considering we'd be coming from Hawaii and we'd likely be on their time.

 

[Iceman93]

First of all, the chef's counter is not really "all that and a bag of chips". A meal in the main restaurant at Napa Rose, or Steakhouse 55, or Carthay Circle will all be special and wonderful.

But if you have your heart set on the chef's counter, then I suggest doing it that first night. As you said, your bodies will be on Hawaii time making an 8:30 reservation feel like a 5:30 dinner. And landing at 3pm gives you PLENTY of time to make that reservation, even if there are flight delays, slow luggage, and bad traffic.

Or how about planning to see World of Color that first night, then leaving the park one of your other evenings for the Napa Rose dinner?

 

[Congo Queen]

My question is whether you are renting a car at LAX. If so, that can add sooooo much time onto your being able to get out of there and down to Dland. All the car lots are offsite and the lines once you get to the rental office can be ridiculously long. In October we flew into LAX and had dinner reservations that I had to keep calling and pushing back for a restaurant in downtown LA b/c it took forEVER to get our rental car. Then there is the unpredictability of traffic at rush hour out of LA- so even if you take a shuttle (avoiding rental car hassle) you could still be stressing in bumper to bumper traffic at 4pm. That said, if your flight is on time, you will very likely be at the resort in time for the late seating at Napa Rose chef's counter. So if you are someone who is not prone to anxiety, then maybe that is best way to go. If you choose to avoid the stress of trying to make a reservation time on the first night, you can on Thurs or Fri eat at the early seating at the chef's counter and still see the fireworks in September. We did this one year in August. The fireworks are fairly late b/c it just stays light later in the summer. We had a long leisurely chef's counter experience then walked over to Dland and watched the fireworks. Did we have the best spot to see them? No, as we came in about 15-20 min before they started, but that was fine.

 

[Nonsuch]

Not a complete answer, but a few (I hope helpful) notes:

• Consider using a car service (limo) from LAX to DLR. Certainly more expensive than a shuttle (or uber), but will add to the honeymoon experience.
  
• It is very easy to dine at Napa Rose after viewing World of Color. WOC is 30 minutes long, and I have had Napa Rose reservations at exactly the end of WOC (best to add 15 minutes, if possible).

 

[Vernie822]

Thank you all so much. This is exactly what I was looking for. I just get so nervous that we'd be time crunched. I have never been out to California so I can just imagine traffic being terrible.

We did plan to do a car service, because we're only at DLR for 3 nights, I didn't think it would be necessary to rent a car - but like you said the limo/car service would add to the experience- and keep us from having to drive in CA traffic.

We are (hopefully) staying at VGC provided we can get in at 7 months, so we thought it would be easy to just get to the resort, get to our room, then have dinner.

I definitely want to see WOC, that's a priority, probably even more than the dinner. I feel like we could possibly aim to do Napa Rose (regular meal as opposed to Chefs Counter) after the parks.

Thanks again - this has really eased my mind about everything!

 

[Nonsuch]

...We did plan to do a car service, because we're only at DLR for 3 nights, I didn't think it would be necessary to rent a car - but like you said the limo/car service would add to the experience- and keep us from having to drive in CA traffic.

It's nice to have the driver meet you at baggage claim, to help with luggage.
Perhaps start another thread for car service recommendations.

...We are (hopefully) staying at VGC provided we can get in at 7 months, so we thought it would be easy to just get to the resort, get to our room, then have dinner.

I highly recommend you book a 1-bedroom villa, even if it wipes out 2 (or 3) years of points. VGC is my home resort, and a 1-bedroom is the "appropriate" room for a honeymoon. A 1-bedroom is much more likely to be available at 7-months, although studios are usually also available (book online, the exact second your 7-month window opens).

...I definitely want to see WOC, that's a priority, probably even more than the dinner. I feel like we could possibly aim to do Napa Rose (regular meal as opposed to Chefs Counter) after the parks.

WOC is my favorite nighttime show, although the current Celebrate version is my least favorite (I've seen every version). I hope the best elements of Celebrate are integrated into an updated version of the "Original" WOC. The best of all "Worlds"...of Color.

 

[ten6mom]

Can anyone explain the difference between the Chef's Table, and The Vintner's Table (which is on the menu)?

And how does one book the Chef's Table? Do you have to call as opposed to making a reservation on line?