Dinner after California Grill Brunch

[areno79]

DH and I have a 10am ADR to the Cali Grill brunch for the first time on our September trip!

Our plan is to attend the MNSSHP that night. We really are not not fans of counter service at MK so in an effort to avoid that and so as to not miss the start of the party, I have a 3:45 ADR at Ohana.

For those of you who've been to the brunch...what time did you eat dinner? I'm worried we won't be hungry after leaving CG. But then I don't want to have to depend on eating QS at MK that night either.

TIA!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I don't know..Ohana is one of those eat all you can things. You'll be hungry again but not enough to do justice to Ohana by 3:45. I'd change to something single serve, like Kona or the Wave or Grand Floridian Cafe.

 

[Cramden]

Yeah I gagged a little bit just reading you were doing Ohana 4 hours or so after you leave CG.

I have an 11am Brunch at CG the day of doing MNSSHP too. I'm planning on a 2 hour dining extravaganza at CG. Then that night I have a 5:45pm reservation at Jungle Navigation where my plan is to grab a beer or 2 and an order of Shu Mai or maybe an order of Cachapas if I feel I have the room. Like was said above pretty sure I won't be able to handle a full meal, especially if it were a meal like Ohana's.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

DH and I have a 10am ADR to the Cali Grill brunch for the first time on our September trip!

Our plan is to attend the MNSSHP that night. We really are not not fans of counter service at MK so in an effort to avoid that and so as to not miss the start of the party, I have a 3:45 ADR at Ohana.

For those of you who've been to the brunch...what time did you eat dinner? I'm worried we won't be hungry after leaving CG. But then I don't want to have to depend on eating QS at MK that night either.

TIA!

I, personally, could not eat all of that food so close together. Did you know you can enter MK at 4 pm on a party ticket? Why not just eat TS in MK before the party starts? If you make a reservation around 5/5:30 pm, it gives you more time between meals. We typically eat at Skipper's on a party night.

 

[NMPensFan]

This was my plan two years ago for mvmcp. Leading up to the date, I was more worried about getting in the park later than the 4pm entry. So I canceled Ohana and was so glad I did. There was no way we could have eaten after brunch. Instead we toured the resorts and we’re ready at MK around 3:30.

We didn’t even get hungry the whole night. We snacked on cookies, but didn’t feel hungry enough for a meal.

This upcoming trip, I have our brunch adr for 12:40 which I think will work out well to be at MK at 3:30 for mnsshp. We will go to Columbia Harbour House if we get hungry, but based on last time, I don’t think we will.

 

[alltwelve]

We made that mistake last year (see https://www.disboards.com/threads/tis-the-season-to-be-eatin-reviews-with-dxdp.3654453/) and it made the Ohana experience almost unbearable, though we did somehow manage to eat at both restaurants. Never again though! lol

Keep in mind at the CG brunch, you can order every single entree if you really wanted to, in addition to the food stations where you can grab whatever you like- We were there for about 3 hours! We're doing the CG brunch again this Christmas (12/23), but we have purposely booked no dinner reservations that night to avoid what happened last year.

Whatever you decide- enjoy!

 

[JerseyJanice]

Our ADR at the CG brunch was for 10:15 AM. I don’t recall how long we were there for, but it had to be at least two hours.

Around 8:00 PM, we had Dole Whips at the Magic Kingdom. Around 12:00 midnight, we had Flippers Pizza delivered to the resort.

If you ask me, the CG brunch is like Thanksgiving dinner. You won’t want or need another meal that day.

 

[MeggyScumEsquire]

We are planning to do MNSSHP after our Cali grill brunch as well. It'll be our first time but our plan is to just snack later on - I have the feeling we won't even be needing full QS meal (Our brunch adr is for 12:50 so it'll be nearly time to go to MK when we finish!). I would definitely skip Ohana/move it to another night if possible.

 

[marsh0013]

My group and I must be oddballs. We had brunch at 1pm ish. All 4 of us stuffed ourselves. We walked to MK after and got there just in time to see most of the parade right at the entrance so I guess we were done around 2:45pm. Then we had dinner at BOG at 7:15pm and split 3 meals (deluxe dining plan, so 3 apps,3 entrees, 3 desserts and we actually ordered an extra dessert so we could each have our own).

Still I agree that 3:45pm Ohana would be too close and I know we couldn't have eaten another all you can eat meal the same night as the brunch. Maybe a different sit down where you can order based on your hunger at the time. Or just plan to leave it open and do counter service if you need.

For us, it was the only night BOG worked into our plans and I figured we may only want to split 2 deluxe meals between 4 of us. But everyone agreed on 3. And it ended up being a good amount for us. I need to eat when I'm running around Disney so much. I can't just snack (unless it's food and wine and I'm snacking all day long). Same with the others that were with me. So I know snacks wouldn't have cut it. Just to give another perspective

 

[kastoney]

Hi there!

Probably doesn't help you but when we did CG brunch we never even ate dinner. We stopped in Nomads late that evening and shared an app or 2, but we were still full from brunch (think our ADR Was at 1030).

IMO Ohana would be too much. I'd just plan on snacking in MK that evening vice ever eating "dinner."

 

[areno79]

Thanks for chiming in everyone...I knew I could count on my fellow Dis'ers to talk me down off my ADR-mania!

After reading your experiences and talking with DH more about it, I've decided there's just no way we'll be able to do CG brunch and 'Ohana on the same day. It seemed like a good idea in theory, but I know we'll likely go overboard at the brunch and then to have another all you can eat meal that day...it's 2 months away and it makes my stomach hurt just thinking about it!

So, we looked at the menus in MK, and realized we've never eaten at Columbia Harbour House, so we'll leave that as an option for dinner if we even feel the need to eat. My fear is that we'll be hungry for real food towards the end of the party like the last time we went to MVMCP, when we were just done with all the sweets. I like the idea that someone else had about ordering a pizza if we are that hungry. Or maybe I grab some chicken to go from CG and keep it in my purse?

 

[alltwelve]

Or maybe I grab some chicken to go from CG and keep it in my purse?

That idea may not be as crazy as it sounds actually! lol They offered us a to-go box at CG when we couldn't finish the cookies and pastries they offered at the end of the brunch, and there were plenty of non-sweet offerings, like bread items, that may keep pretty well in a purse... and if they don't, you can always toss it!

 

[areno79]

That idea may not be as crazy as it sounds actually! lol They offered us a to-go box at CG when we couldn't finish the cookies and pastries they offered at the end of the brunch, and there were plenty of non-sweet offerings, like bread items, that may keep pretty well in a purse... and if they don't, you can always toss it!

We're planning to head back to Pop after brunch to nap/change/sleep off mimosas and bloody marys and the inevitable food coma. Maybe I'll see if I can bring something back to the room with me for a late night snack.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Or maybe I grab some chicken to go from CG and keep it in my purse?

No need to mess up a nice purse. They will happily give you some to-go boxes so you can take the desserts and whatever leftovers you want.

 

[areno79]

No need to mess up a nice purse. They will happily give you some to-go boxes so you can take the desserts and whatever leftovers you want.

Actually DH just bought a new lightweight backpack that is actually a cooler in the main compartment. (But yes, to-go boxes are much more preferable!)

 

[rentayenta]

I am guessing California Grill brunch will keep you full for hours. Our reservation is for 10:10 am, our dinner reservation for Jiko isn’t until 6:30 that evening. I imagine we won’t want anything before then.

 

[Nancyg56]

Thanks for chiming in everyone...I knew I could count on my fellow Dis'ers to talk me down off my ADR-mania!

After reading your experiences and talking with DH more about it, I've decided there's just no way we'll be able to do CG brunch and 'Ohana on the same day. It seemed like a good idea in theory, but I know we'll likely go overboard at the brunch and then to have another all you can eat meal that day...it's 2 months away and it makes my stomach hurt just thinking about it!

So, we looked at the menus in MK, and realized we've never eaten at Columbia Harbour House, so we'll leave that as an option for dinner if we even feel the need to eat. My fear is that we'll be hungry for real food towards the end of the party like the last time we went to MVMCP, when we were just done with all the sweets. I like the idea that someone else had about ordering a pizza if we are that hungry. Or maybe I grab some chicken to go from CG and keep it in my purse?

I am so glad you reconsidered! I can eat, and I love meals, but this would put even my hungry family off a cliff! LOL!

 

[areno79]

I am so glad you reconsidered! I can eat, and I love meals, but this would put even my hungry family off a cliff! LOL!

Same here! Love to eat, but I think doing both restaurants on the same day would put me over the edge!

Also, (and this is secondary), but I totally forgot that I wanted to wear my Enchanted Tiki Room dress to 'Ohana and get some pics of me and DH in front of the castle after. I can't do that if I go to Ohana right before MNSSHP, so I'll stick with my reservation the next day

 

[Nancyg56]

Same here! Love to eat, but I think doing both restaurants on the same day would put me over the edge!

Also, (and this is secondary), but I totally forgot that I wanted to wear my Enchanted Tiki Room dress to 'Ohana and get some pics of me and DH in front of the castle after. I can't do that if I go to Ohana right before MNSSHP, so I'll stick with my reservation the next day

Enchanted Tiki room dress??????? Please...tell me more!

 

[jnsma]

Last year we did CG brunch then MNSSHP at night. I would not consider an all you can eat in between. I think we grabbed a hot dog at Caseys just before the fireworks. Columbia Harbor house is a good option as well, but take note of when it closes during the party, I seem to recall it being closed when we walked by, but I'm unsure what time it was.
It was a great day to be able to enjoy brunch, relax (nap or swim) and then hit the party ~4.