First night meal ideas needed!!

[PrincessTanyuhKaypoo]

Hi all!


My FH and I will be staying at the Contemporary from May 6th-9th for our early anniversary vacation. We're FL residents with Seasonal Passes so we spend plenty of time in the parks and this trip will be a mix of hitting what we love and enjoying the rest of the World and each other. We've done ton's of counter service, sit down's in all the parks, family dinners at O'Hana and Cindy's castle, etc. But I'm stuck on what to do our first night!
We won't be checking in untill around 8 p.m. so I wasn't planning on doing any park hopping till the next day and before we leave that day I will be at work finishing up a HUGE project so I want to have a special meal that night to really get us in vacation mode! Now FH also want's to have as few PS as possible so we can just lounge around and take our time, but I really hate going without PS's. So I've decided to surprise him with just one or two PS meals the whole trip- possibly on the night we arrive and the next afternoon or evening? We love to hop around the parks and resorts so any ideas would be great!

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Well if you want a special meal and you're staying at the Contemporary why not try the California Grill - it has great food and great service and great views to get you in the mood.

Or you could head over to Wilderness lodge and eat at Artist Point - I haven't eaten here but I've heard very good reviews.

We tend to go somewhere quick on our first night because we're so tired so we got to Beaches and Cream rather than spend money on a meal were too tired to eat, but then you are 5 hours behind us so we're a bit jet lagged

 

[cd&kids]

This is funny....while reading your question, two restaurants came to mind, then I read Fantasia Sam's response and they were the two I was going to suggest!
California Grill and Artist Point. A slight edge, for us, goes to Artist Point. I'm not saying it's a better restaurant, but it's just that we absolutely love going to Wilderness Lodge early in the trip...the atmosphere really gets us in the Disney spirit!
Happy Early Anniversary!

 

[blanq]

Here is another thumbs up for California Grill! Since you are arriving later you might not feel up to venturing far from your resort, and CG is a wonderful choice. If CG is not for you, I would suggest one of the other restaurants on the monorail resort loop. Narcoossees or Citricos at GF are great, or if you want to really get into the Disney spirit that first night, 'Ohana's at the Poly is lots of fun.

 

[MikeWazowski]

I'm usually tired and hungary the first night we arrive in WDW from the flight down.

When we stay at GF or the Poly we just take the monorail to any restaurant off it. Just so we don't have to walk to much and get all tuckered out the first night.

Citrico's is very good for a nice, even romantic meal. Also like the other post stay the Cali grill is defiently a great choice and you don't have to leave the resort.

 

[BCV23]

If you won't be too tired to enjoy a great meal then I would choose CG too. It's wonderful. Citrico's and Narcoossee's are two other nice spots and if you're tired and want a quicker meal but one with good food Kona would be my choice.

 

[Harambe]

Take the monorail to Kona Cafe. You'll get that monorail ride in to "put you at Disney" then a really wonderful meal to boot! The desserts are super, too!

 

[PrincessTanyuhKaypoo]

I'm so glad to see that there are so many good reviews for the California Grill! It was on my mind but I wasn't sure... I know I said we'd probably stay out of the parks but I'd even thought about Cindy's that night... but I don't remember the park hours off the top of my head. I also looked at the official Disney site and saw no listing for fire works at the MK-is this true? I think seeing Fantasy in the Sky from one of the resorts would really be a good mood maker!
Also we haven't seen Fantasmic yet and really want to while we're there... when we were at MGM last week we stopped at the info desk and the girl told us that the meal plans were pricey and that lately the show hadn't been filling up and the section for the dinner packages wasn't THE best section we could get. Any truth to this?
I'm going to guess that Kona cafe is more relaxed then the California Grill. I've heard several great reviews about the place but have not been there yet.
Thanks so much everyone!!!

 

[Fantasia Sam]

May is not a good month for fireworks it has to be said. There is no spectro and the only nights that I know of fireworks are the Saturdays.

Fantasmic is on at 9.00pm I think for the nights that you are there.

But you should still go to the CG and eat - the views thre are so good with or without the fireworks it's still a great place and you can always pop out onto the deck at the back of the restaurant around 9ish and see the Epcot fireworks in the distance.