How do dinner reservations work at DL when it is a MNSSHP night?

[whoever]

Can you get to a reservation when the park is scheduled to close to the general public, take your time with your meal, and then exit well into the Halloween party? It seems this would be the perfect time for a dinner res as if you are paying for a ticketed event, you probably aren't dining.

 

[Elk Grove Chris]

We did our last party in 2012, I think the latest reservation we could get was at 5:40. I remember several of the restaurants closing at the time the party started. Someone who went last year may have more information.

 

[figment_jii]

We did our last party in 2012, I think the latest reservation we could get was at 5:40. I remember several of the restaurants closing at the time the party started. Someone who went last year may have more information.

This is what I remember from last year as well. The restaurants stopped taking reservations about 90 minutes before park closing. I don't know if they would take walk-ups in the intervening time, but my guess is they might not because they mostly want folks done eating before the park closes to day guests.

 

[MichaelaF]

You can call reservations and they'll be more specific, but when we got ADRs at WDW last year during the HP, we were able to get them right up UNTIL the party started. So they were taking reservations until 6:55pm that night (the party started at 7). I think ours were at 6:30pm or so? When we were done, a CM walked with us from Be Our Guest to the entrance/exit of the park. (One CM gave us a wink and was going to let us go "on our own" because it was our anniversary, until the other girl came up and did it. But the CM who walked us out was super sweet and we loved her.)

Even if you don't get walked out by a CM, you can't really get very far or on any rides without the wristband, they check that constantly, and at a lot of walking checkpoints.

Again, this was at WDW, not DLR, but I would assume it works in a similar way. But if you call, they can clarify.

 

[figment_jii]

Again, this was at WDW, not DLR, but I would assume it works in a similar way. But if you call, they can clarify.

WDW and DLR are very different in terms of dining reservations. DLR does not take reservations up until closing time; most in-park restaurants stop taking reservations about 60-90 minutes before the park closes regardless of the day. I've checked this at Blue Bayou, Wine Country Trattoria, Big Thunder BBQ, Cafe Orleans, and Carthay Circle. So while at WDW you can get a reservation at 6:55 pm for a 7:00 pm park closing (to day guests) and be okay, it's unlikely that DLR will take reservations that close to closing.

 

[Malcon10t]

Also, Cafe Orleans has converted to a dance floor in the past, so it wouldn't be open. I'm not sure about Blue Bayou. Carnation Cafe was closed last year. Club 33 does take reservations during the party, and they will escort you out of the park after.

 

[whoever]

Also, Cafe Orleans has converted to a dance floor in the past, so it wouldn't be open. I'm not sure about Blue Bayou. Carnation Cafe was closed last year. Club 33 does take reservations during the party, and they will escort you out of the park after.

That's what I was thinking, BB or 33. Just a thought.

For BB, figured we'd have the dining room mostly to ourselves with this strategy, and not really concerned with rides afterwards other than maybe hitting GRR on the way back to the Grand, or whatever had short-ish lines in DCA(likely to be packed on a party night). Would never attempt to "sneak" onto a ride where we weren't supposed to be, but getting reduced crowds in the restaurant, and still getting to stroll out even though we are not part of the party that night could be pretty cool. The Halloween party will hit two nights during our stay, and we'll likely particpate in one, but not the other.

If we can swing a 33 dinner, we'd definitely figure out how to do it where we stayed well past park closing. We were kind of hurried to get back last time, and didn't really get to experience a totally empty park as we were on our way back to our room I want to say 30 mins past closing or so.

 

[Girimama33]

Just want to point out that MNSSHP is only at WDW.
At Disneyland, the party is called Mickey's Halloween Party or MHP.

 

[MichaelaF]

WDW and DLR are very different in terms of dining reservations. DLR does not take reservations up until closing time; most in-park restaurants stop taking reservations about 60-90 minutes before the park closes regardless of the day. I've checked this at Blue Bayou, Wine Country Trattoria, Big Thunder BBQ, Cafe Orleans, and Carthay Circle. So while at WDW you can get a reservation at 6:55 pm for a 7:00 pm park closing (to day guests) and be okay, it's unlikely that DLR will take reservations that close to closing.

I can understand that, but I would also assume you might have the same issues at the end of dinner if the halloween party were already going on. I wouldn't imagine they would ask you to leave immediately upon park closing if you were still enjoying your dessert....

But we've already seen what happens when I assume....so maybe not!

I do find it interesting though. I wonder why DLR does it differently, anyone know? I've never tried to make reservations that late in the day.

 

[whoever]

Just want to point out that MNSSHP is only at WDW.
At Disneyland, the party is called Mickey's Halloween Party or MHP.

Indeed you are correct after I just checked. I could have sworn that was what it was called the previous times we went. I must be going batty in my old age (pun intended)

 

[Girimama33]

Hopefully you can secure something at the Club...it may be a good time to check out the new renovations. I think you will have better luck staying later with a reservation here than anywhere else in DL. The restaurants do tend to close earlier on party nights.

 

[whoever]

Hopefully you can secure something at the Club...it may be a good time to check out the new renovations. I think you will have better luck staying later with a reservation here than anywhere else in DL. The restaurants do tend to close earlier on party nights.

Actually, that's a good question. Would C33 patrons still be allowed in with a res during a ticketed event if they weren't part of that event?

 

[figment_jii]

I can understand that, but I would also assume you might have the same issues at the end of dinner if the halloween party were already going on. I wouldn't imagine they would ask you to leave immediately upon park closing if you were still enjoying your dessert....

They are not going to ask you to leave the restaurant if you're still eating when the park closes (whether for MHP or just the end of the operating day). However, what I think they want to avoid is having guests starting their meal just as the park is closing. In my experience, WDW is fine with guests starting their meal at the end of the operating day, but DLR seems less inclined to want this. Now, the caveat is I don't know if they'll take walk-ups in the intervening time. I do know that last year, BB wouldn't make any late (close to 7:00 pm on a Friday) reservations on party nights. I tried and the latest time I could get was around 5:40 pm.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

You won't be thrown out of the park immediately after dinner, either (I suppose other than C33). After dinner, you can wander around. You just can't really do anything because they'll check for a wristband at every open ride, and CMs will be alert for folks not wearing wristbands at points of purchase in stores. You will be asked to leave, though, if a CM approaches you about it.

 

[figment_jii]

You won't be thrown out of the park immediately after dinner, either (I suppose other than C33). After dinner, you can wander around. You just can't really do anything because they'll check for a wristband at every open ride, and CMs will be alert for folks not wearing wristbands at points of purchase in stores. You will be asked to leave, though, if a CM approaches you about it.

Are you sure about this (the part in bold)? When I was at the parties last year, there were CMs stationed at locations throughout the park requiring Guests to show them their wristbands. If you did not have a wristband you were not allowed to proceed past the CMs. They would politely direct you towards Main Street. The CMs were stated at the entrances to each land, along the main pathways within lands, at the entrances to rides and stores, and in some random other locations.

 

[Girimama33]

Actually, that's a good question. Would C33 patrons still be allowed in with a res during a ticketed event if they weren't part of that event?

Honestly, I have no idea if they adjust their reservation schedule on the MHP nights. Last year, when we had dinner at C33 in October, it was not a party night.

 

[crystal1313]

Are you sure about this (the part in bold)? When I was at the parties last year, there were CMs stationed at locations throughout the park requiring Guests to show them their wristbands. If you did not have a wristband you were not allowed to proceed past the CMs. They would politely direct you towards Main Street. The CMs were stated at the entrances to each land, along the main pathways within lands, at the entrances to rides and stores, and in some random other locations.

We saw this too Figment. Last year when we went, CM's were checking wristbands all over the place, not just at attractions or stores. In fact we had several check ours while wondering around in the hub.

We also had a 5:00PM dinner reservation at the Carnation (Party started at 7PM). We were done by 6ish I think and headed out to Toontown.