Is this true?....Please say it ain't so

[Mickey Fliers]

Friends of ours recently dined at CG (early December). They said that when it was time for Wishes, the restaurant did not turn off the lights or pipe the music in. When they inquired with a CM, they were told that they got too many complaints from patrons who said that turning down the lights and the music interrupted their meal. They were very disappointed and they said about half of the restaurant got up to go look out the windows.

Is this a new policy or did they experience a fluke? I hope this was a one time event. My DH and I love to eat at the CG and watch Wishes.

Help.

 

[Stepharoonie!]

I'm not sure. It would be a pity if they changed it!!

 

[Chuck S]

They no longer pipe in music or dim the lights. Reasons given have varied, but I suspect the main reason was to keep guests from making an early ressie and "lingering" for Wishes. Tables in restaurants need to turn, having one party per table per night isn't profitable.

For instance, say a party of 4 makes an 8:15 PS, with the intent of watching a 9pm showing of wishes. Not problem, right. But say another party made a 6pm PS, and "lingers" over a cup of coffee to see the same show, preventing the 8:15 PS from being seated, and the restaurant to essentially loose a paying party of 4 who choose not to wait until 9:25 to be seated from their 8:15 PS.

 

[kathmzh]

That's a shame. what's next, drawing curtains across the windows so no one can see, either? the view is still there. I don't think dimming the lights or not will impact the table hogs.

 

[Chuck S]

Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing this place return to a Dinner Show with 2 or 3 seatings per night. That would solve the Wishes problem completely.

 

[webray]

Honestly..I don't blame them if they stop dimming the lights and piping in the music. When we were up for dinner..thats all there was..people, ordering the bare minimum and waiting around for fireworks. Really not right at all, especially not fare for the servers who work off tips.

 

[Mickey Fliers]

I agree that this might help solve the problem of "table hogs", but I am really going to miss this feature at CG. After dinner, my DH and I would always move to the lounge if Wishes hadn't played yet. Hence, no table hogging. I really like the food at CG, so I guess we will have to deal with only the view. Still a great view, no matter where you are seated.

Thanks for the info.

 

[crisi]

I wonder if this doesn't solve the problem if they will move to a price fixe menu and two seatings. A $60 or so 6pm seating and a $75 fireworks 8:30 seating.

 

[eeyore0062]

Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing this place return to a Dinner Show with 2 or 3 seatings per night. That would solve the Wishes problem completely.

Chuck, you and I are on the same wave length, but for different reasons, since I don't go to CG for the fireworks anyway. I want it to return because it was always something I wanted to do, and never got the chance. They need more dinner shows than just Hoop de Doo and Spirit of Aloha.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I agree that this might help solve the problem of "table hogs", but I am really going to miss this feature at CG. After dinner, my DH and I would always move to the lounge if Wishes hadn't played yet. Hence, no table hogging. I really like the food at CG, so I guess we will have to deal with only the view. Still a great view, no matter where you are seated.

Thanks for the info.

We simply ate, went downstairs and shopped for awhile and then went back up to watch the fireworks. No questions asked. This was in Feb. '04.

 

[CoolDisneyCat]

We saw people sitting and playing cards at a window side table

i guess you can't throw people out, but it does make it hard for those with later PSs. We had to wait almost an hour.. crammed in the lounge with no place to sit.

 

[CamColt]

We saw people sitting and playing cards at a window side table

If this is what its come to then I have agree that ending the experience is the best thing to do.

Miickey Fliers, thanks for posting this info. I was really torn between going there for the experience(not thrilled about the menu) or YSH for the food(which I know is wonderful) on my 10th anniversary. This made my decision easy now.

 

[tlev]

I am always amazed that no matter how nice and magical Disney tries to make things for their guests, there will be rude people that come up with new ways to ruin it for others. We too saw several tables of "Coffee Sippers" at the CG when we ate there in Sept. We chose to sit at a non window table rather than wait until after the show to be seated even though we had a PS for an hour before the show and had requested a window table when we checked in.

 

[Muffy]

Thanks for the info! I had no idea CG stopped dimming the lights during Wishes. That was a very nice perk while dining there. I will miss it and most likely skip CG this time.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Thanks for the info.

My wife and I are going to celebrate our 1 year anniversary, and I was thinking of surprising her with this, but I guess not!

Such a shame that people have to be so inconsiderate and ruin it for others.

 

[cruisin'Mike]

Thanks for the info. This was something I always wanted to try, although I was not all that excited about the menu. I never even thought about "table hogs" but I can see where that's a big problem. I think I'll stick with Narcoossee's (which we LOVE) for our splurge meal and catch the fireworks from there.

Mike

 

[newarknut]

We ate there this past December and went outside to watch the fireworks. Our service was terribly slow so we ended up being at our table waiting on coffee at the time of the fireworks. It was a bit nippy outside on the walkway. There was a family next to us taking a long time to eat waiting on the fireworks. It was kind of sad, really. Their kids were falling asleep in their chairs. Their son even pulled two chairs together to make a bed while his sister just did the "head bob" thing in her seat. The parents were oblivious. I'm sure they were stalling to watch the fireworks. It would be nice if they structured the seatings and prices to allow for a more equitable situation.

 

[Cass]

The did it on December 18th. (pipe in music and dim lights) we went outside anyway though because our table was not at the best angle to see the fireworks.

 

[msr709]

Chuck, you and I are on the same wave length, but for different reasons, since I don't go to CG for the fireworks anyway. I want it to return because it was always something I wanted to do, and never got the chance. They need more dinner shows than just Hoop de Doo and Spirit of Aloha.

I agree with you guys, I was able to see a dinner show and I didn't realize (since it was my first time, that it was California Grill) it was called Top of the World (or something like that) and it was like a Broadway show and dinner. We had a wonderful time. I agree that more of these dinner shows are needed.

 

[Chuck S]

The previous name of California Grill was Top of the World. The dinner show held there was Broadway at the Top. I was able to see it twice before the conversion. It was wonderful.