CRT and Wishes

[lucifie]

We're planning a trip in January and I managed to snag dinner reservations at CRT for our first day. I had my choice of 4:00 or 6:40 p.m. so I went with the later one. I realized that Wishes starts at 8:00 so it seems like conceivably, we could still be at the castle at 8:00. Can you see the fireworks from inside the castle? If not, will it be a pain to get out because of the fireworks? And will it be to late to get a good spot to see them? We're most likely going to have a second day at MK (we're going to visit each park for one day and we'll have an extra day and let the kids choose the park. I'm 95% sure they'll pick MK), so we'll probably get another chance and it's not a deal breaker. I don't think I want to give up the ADR, but I'm wondering if that's a good time or a bad time to be there.

 

[figment_jii]

You can see some of the fireworks from inside the castle. The view is a lot of fun because it's different and they do dim the lights and pipe in the music. However, you won't be able to see everything and you won't see the projections on the castle. Usually, I'd say, if you've already seen the fireworks from MS or have a chance to do so later in your trip, then it's fun to see them from within CRT. If this is your only chance to see Wishes, it's better from MS.

With an ADR at 6:40, I would guess you'll be just finishing up when Wishes is slated to start (you check-in, get in line for your pictures with Cinderella, then wait to be seated) and then get upstairs and order. I'd allot about 90 minutes from check-in to leaving. In that case you'll be in CRT when Wishes starts. Also, note that they hold people at CRT during fireworks, so even if you finish you might not be let out (I don't know when they start holding people).

Overall, I'd say you're likely to still be in CRT at 8:00 pm or just leaving. You can probably find an okay spot to see the show, but the prime viewing locations will be taken.

Wishes from inside CRT:

 

[lucifie]

Those pictures are kind of neat, so if we don't get out before the fireworks, it won't be so bad and if we do, maybe we'll hit some of the attractions while the park is empty and then try to get a good spot the second day. We'll play it by ear.

 

[NicoleLarson]

So here's our CRT experience, kind of worse case senario in your situation...

We go to check in-computers are down-not letting anyone check in until exactly your ressie time. We check in-wait in line for Cindy for a good 30 min. Wait another 30 min to be seated. Waiter waits until everyone in our section is seating and then proceeds to get everyones order. So my app came out 20 min before my husbands (our waiter just stood in the middle of our section and would call out cheese plate, whoever raised their hand first, got it-no joke-it was crazy: the whole meal was like that). Anyways, long story short we ended up being in the castle when wishes went off, which was 2 hours past our ressie, and we were seating on a higher section, in the back than where these pics are taken from. These would be the very best views of wishes from inside, just FYI. Ours were not this good but you could still see some and the music is piped in as previously stated.

 

[lucifie]

So here's our CRT experience, kind of worse case senario in your situation...

We go to check in-computers are down-not letting anyone check in until exactly your ressie time. We check in-wait in line for Cindy for a good 30 min. Wait another 30 min to be seated. Waiter waits until everyone in our section is seating and then proceeds to get everyones order. So my app came out 20 min before my husbands (our waiter just stood in the middle of our section and would call out cheese plate, whoever raised their hand first, got it-no joke-it was crazy: the whole meal was like that). Anyways, long story short we ended up being in the castle when wishes went off, which was 2 hours past our ressie, and we were seating on a higher section, in the back than where these pics are taken from. These would be the very best views of wishes from inside, just FYI. Ours were not this good but you could still see some and the music is piped in as previously stated.

Wow! I hope that doesn't happen often. Who would think that's a good way to serve food?

I've also heard that they're really neat from inside the castle because they're so close. I think we'll keep the reservations and see what happens.

 

[NicoleLarson]

Wow! I hope that doesn't happen often.

I would surely to goodness think that our experience was the exception to the rule. Sorry, hope I didn't scare you just giving you worst case senario and even in our situation we could see some of wishes. On the up side when we finally got out of CRT, MK was closed and they had the castle roped off-so the after park closing lurkers couldn't get close. So we got some great pics of us in front of the castle with no one else around, which was kind of cool.

 

[figment_jii]

Anyways, long story short we ended up being in the castle when wishes went off, which was 2 hours past our ressie, and we were seating on a higher section, in the back than where these pics are taken from.

The pictures were taken from the right side of the resturant (when entering the dining room) from one of the tables near the railing of the upper area. I would guess that you'd get a pretty good view from the center (lower) seating area, as well as the tables along the railing in the upper areas. The tables on the upper level along the outer wall probably have the most limited view. When I was there, they had stopped seating a bit before fireworks started, so as the tables cleared, they weren't re-filled. We went and sat down at one of the empty tables and watched the show.

 

[lucifie]

I would surely to goodness think that our experience was the exception to the rule. Sorry, hope I didn't scare you just giving you worst case senario and even in our situation we could see some of wishes. On the up side when we finally got out of CRT, MK was closed and they had the castle roped off-so the after park closing lurkers couldn't get close. So we got some great pics of us in front of the castle with no one else around, which was kind of cool.

LOL. Nah. Most of what I've read is very positive. I've had some bad service in restaurants in my life, but it would be really hard to beat the time we were at a Pizza Hut and never got our food... at all. Granted, I'd be royally (no pun intended) peeved if I was paying for CRT and that happened, but at least you got food eventually.