Dinner suggestons for a MNSSHP night?

[Jetta8300]

We are going to MNSSHP on Friday Oct. 22nd. There are pretty much no reservations left inside the MK that afternoon/evening. We would like to do TS since it is our last night, any good suggestions?

Resort dinner times don't really start until 5:00 pm, will that be enough time to eat and get to the party? Some of the places we were thinking are

Kona
The Wave
Boma

The first two because we were thinking of parking at the resort and taking the monorail over (is this a no no?)

And Boma because a buffet may be faster to eat. (is this true, can we eat there quickly?)

 

[catne]

what about Crystal Palace, Liberty Tree Tavern or The Plaza...all in the MK, and all three show availability in the 4:00 to 5:30 range. Of the three, for dinner I'd prefer Crystal Palace myself - good buffet, lots of choices. 2nd choice would be The Plaza, although the menu is limited to sandwiches, they are very good & ice cream goodies for dessert! Liberty Tree would be my last choice -- it was good food, but not all that special. And though 4-5:00 seems like very early to eat, it actually is a very good time to eat before a party...you want to be long done before 7:00 p.m., and INSIDE the park before the party starts.

That's what we did last year, ate at CRT at 4:10. We knew we were eating early dinner, so we had a big breakfast, and just a snack at our usual lunch time. Then into the MK at 3:30 to head to the castle. It took just over an hour from check-in until we were out. Then we were able to go over to the Rose Garden and get our tickets scanned, get our wristbands, maps & treat bags. We were then able to do a couple of rides before the party started and we were ready! Doing it that way, no long lines outside the park to get in for the party because we were already there.

If you're not planning on using a regular park ticket that day (just going on your party ticket) then you can probably get into the park on your party ticket at 4:00...that's the way they've done it in the past) so get a dinner reservation for around 5:00 to allow time to get into park and back to the restaurant.

Kona & The Wave are both good, too, but you only get a 3 hour parking pass for dinner reservations there. If you want to leave your car longer, you'd have to pay to valet park (cost you $12 to valet, plus a $2 tip when you pick up car.) And, not starting until 5:00, take an hour to eat and then another 15-20 min. to monorail to park, go through security and then get your park wristband, etc...you would barely get into the park by the start of the party especially if you encounter long lines of party-goers arriving between 6 & 7 p.m. at the park entrance.

 

[kyhardy]

My family has planned an early dinner at Park Fare and then we will hop on the monorail to MK.

 

[DisneyFirefly]

I'm going to three parties, and on one night, we have reservations at Crystal Palace at 6 before the party starts. The second one, we have Liberty Tree around 5. The third, I'm just going to grab dinner at Cosmic whenever I feel like it, since I'll likely be by myself (I'm meeting up with Disers for the other two).

 

[Amber Leigh]

Boma's food is AMAZING, but it's pretty far from MK. Like, really it's 20-30 minutes on the bus. If you go, I would suggest getting as early a time as you can.

What about Ohana's?

 

[Nadjalu]

Wouldn't recommend Boma that is pretty much the furthest point from MK. Not to mention the buses aren't the fastest out there. (my experience anyway)

I think one of the monorail resorts is your best bet. Kona, Ohana, Chef Mickey's that is a buffet and pretty slow around that time. Even WL has Whispering Canyon Cafe. We love the food there, maybe a nice boat ride to that and back to MK for the party.

 

[Jetta8300]

Boma's food is AMAZING, but it's pretty far from MK. Like, really it's 20-30 minutes on the bus. If you go, I would suggest getting as early a time as you can.

What about Ohana's?

Thanks so much for all the suggestions! (Ohana is completely booked). The reasons we were thinking Boma were that 1) we have our own car 2) We are staying at CSR which is right next to the AKL, and will probably go back to the hotel before dinner to get ready anyway.

I did decide so far to make the reservations at Kona based on the monorail situation, and the fact that the reviews seem very good!

Based on my situation, would everyone still say Kona or Boma?

 

[catne]

Kona all the way...for convenience to MK monorail, and for far better food. I'd valet park there & leave the car to take the monorail to the MK.

We are among those who thought Boma dinner was awful. Found the foods either excessively over-seasoned with unusual combos (like red-hot-cinnamon flavored bbq ribs...looked like normal ribs, but tasted like a dish full of red hots) or completely bland, tasteless stuff. Now maybe it was all trainee-cooks the night we were there, but couldn't believe how bad everything was...

We love AKL the resort, and love Boma breakfast...jsut would not make a special trip to go to Boma for dinner.

 

[Singinglizzie]

Kona, Kona Kona! Boma is good, but it will take more time than I think you want to spend. Make sure you let your waiter know that you want to get in and out quickly. BTW, another choice is to eat in the lounge at the Poly. Well then again, what if you have to wait for a table, best to have ADR's at Kona. Otherwise, you could always do counter service. I know it's your last night, but you could do a table service lunch and a counter service dinner. I like counter service at the Contemporary. Enjoy whatever you decide!

 

[Jetta8300]

Kona all the way...for convenience to MK monorail, and for far better food. I'd valet park there & leave the car to take the monorail to the MK.

We are among those who thought Boma dinner was awful. Found the foods either excessively over-seasoned with unusual combos (like red-hot-cinnamon flavored bbq ribs...looked like normal ribs, but tasted like a dish full of red hots) or completely bland, tasteless stuff. Now maybe it was all trainee-cooks the night we were there, but couldn't believe how bad everything was...

We love AKL the resort, and love Boma breakfast...jsut would not make a special trip to go to Boma for dinner.

Thanks so much for the suggestion! If we valet, can we leave the car there till midnight or is it a 3 hour pass? Sounds like Kona is our best bet!

 

[Aggiegrl]

Thanks so much for the suggestion! If we valet, can we leave the car there till midnight or is it a 3 hour pass? Sounds like Kona is our best bet!

Why not park at TTC and just make the short walk over to Poly (or monorail)? We've done it many times and that would save you some money...I believe resort guests still park free there, unless something has changed?

 

[Jetta8300]

Why not park at TTC and just make the short walk over to Poly (or monorail)? We've done it many times and that would save you some money...I believe resort guests still park free there, unless something has changed?

that sounds like a great idea! thanks for the advice.

 

[Beauty & the Best]

We're eating at Kona on our MNSSHP night.

Last year I ate at the Wave before MNSHHP and it worked out fine. No crowds getting into the park and it was pretty cool to enter it when all of the park entrance decorations were up.