Dinner before or during MNNSHP?

[jen22984]

Last year was our first MNSSHP. We made our ADR for The Plaza at 4:20pm. We were out in plenty of time to get the girls changed into their costumes and meet up with friends before the party started. It was a little early for dinner, but we got a couple of CS chicken nugget meals later in the night for a snack (since we had left over CS credits on our plan) that we ate while watching the fireworks.

At that point in our trip, we weren't worried about "wasting time" that we could have been riding rides, because it was our 12th day and we had already done everything that we wanted to do multiple times during the trip. If we hadn't been there for so long and it wasn't our last night, we probably would have just grabbed snacks & CS meals to share throughout the night.

 

[Mouse's Shadow]

If you eat at a Monorail resort, I'd suggest getting an ADR before 4:30. It will give you time to eat and get in line for your favorite characters. This past Oct. we didn't decide to go to MNSSHP until Aug. By then the earliest time I could get and ADR at Kona's was 5:15. Getting our pictures taken with the 7 dwarfs was a must. We didn't get there and get in line until around 7pm and had to wait for 90 minutes to get our picture taken. I know it was going to be a problem when I made the ADR, so it wasn't anything that we weren't prepared for. This year we're going to make our ADR for an earlier time.

If you don't have something that is a must-do then a little later time at a Monorail resort would work. Otherwise, I'd settle on an TS restaurant in the park.

 

[HunnyJar]

Back in 2006 we did Liberty Tree Tavern for dinner during the party. We weren't concerned about missing anything and we loved that the characters had little face mask costumes. We actually timed it really well, too. As we stepped about we had about a fifteen minute wait before the parade. It was great.

We have also done CS during the party, but I seriously doubt we will do that again unless we have to. Too much of a crowd and the options are limited. But it is fine for a quick snack.

Now that LTT is no longer a character dinner we have opted to choose an early dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table since our little girls will already be in their costumes (princesses of course!) and again we're not really worried about missing things. And we tend to do the party late in our trip so we're moving at a slower pace by that point. The big highlights for our family are the fireworks, parade and character meet and greets. We like the candy, but we don't mind passing it up.

 

[ZoZo]

Where also doing MNSSHP on a tuesday,right now I have us going to O'hannas for a 7pm dinner. 2009 when we where there the frist Parade was pack,the second one was much better. I really do not want to do dinnier any earlyer

Wow, I wouldn't recommend this strategy. If you're paying that much for a hard-ticket event, why would you want to waste precious party time eating at a restaurant that's not even in the park? You won't get to the party until 9:00if not later, given travel time!!

I say book an early dinner (5:00 or so) in the park, or grab a quick CS meal once you arrive (but before the party starts). Maximize your party time as much as possible!

 

[heathernfrankie]

We were thinking about doing Chef Mickey's for dinner the night of the parade. What would all of you suggest? It seems like I should try for a 430/500 reservation.

 

[seadd67]

Wow, I wouldn't recommend this strategy. If you're paying that much for a hard-ticket event, why would you want to waste precious party time eating at a restaurant that's not even in the park? You won't get to the party until 9:00if not later, given travel time!!

I say book an early dinner (5:00 or so) in the park, or grab a quick CS meal once you arrive (but before the party starts). Maximize your party time as much as possible!

we have done the party In the past,so its not like we have not seen it before,so if we did miss some other then the parade and fireworks we could catch up through the night. We like all the chacters but we do not get pictures with them,usually we just take pictures of them when there alone or in between pictures. Other wise we are takeing advantage of the empty lines on the rides.

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Given that we'll be at the party at least 6p-midnight, there's going to have to be food involved. And not just candy!

And, we'll be wanting to take advantage of as many rides as poss, including Big Thunder, Splash M, Space M., and also don't want to risk being queasy.

My strategy (at this point) will be
A light meal before going to the party.
Tons of Rides.
During the first parade, eating somewhere! I actually enjoy Cosmic Rays very much, and it would be a good time for us to sit and chill.
Then, fireworks (food just can't go down smoothly during a firework show!), stroll to Auntie Gravitie's for a smoothie to slurp while waiting for the late parade .
Then, a ton of trick or treating, a few shops, a few rides, and ever so slowly down Main Street, hopefully closing down the place, and giving the rest of the world a chance to have left via buses, boats & trains!

yes! we will be dressing up.