Narcoosees on arrival day--Should we cancel?

[have2getaway]

It will be me, DH, and 3 boys all age 7. We have an early flight into Orlando and reservations at the Poly. I have some fast passes scheduled at MK right up until we will have to leave to get ready for dinner. We have a reservation at Cali Grille later in the week and it occurred to me that it might NOT be a good idea to take 3 excited boys out of MK for a dressy sit down dinner our first day there. Just looking for some thoughts and suggestions? Should I cancel it and try for something like the Liberty Tree, Crystal Palace or even 1900 Park Fare? I think at the time I made the reservation I thought it will be a Sat. during Marathon weekend and might be packed anyway so would be a good time to do it, but now I'm not so sure. We eat at Artist Point the next night and I just think two back to back, right when we arrive, might be too much.

 

[ElyseInWonderland]

Sounds like you have a wonderful trip lined up! I would follow your gut on this-- I think kiddos will be so jazzed to finally be in Disney World after a long travel day that they may just want to play in the parks all evening. Crystal Palace is always my favorite "Welcome to Disney" dining spot because it's great food, a fun atmosphere, and a character Meet & Greet right off the bat. Narcoosees is one of my all-time favorite "dressier" dining spots, but I think if you're capitalizing on the magic of the day, CP or Liberty Tree are a great idea. You can't make a bad choice here, so that's just my 2 cents

Enjoy Artists Point, too! That's another one of my faves!
Have a great time!

 

[have2getaway]

Sounds like you have a wonderful trip lined up! I would follow your gut on this-- I think kiddos will be so jazzed to finally be in Disney World after a long travel day that they may just want to play in the parks all evening. Crystal Palace is always my favorite "Welcome to Disney" dining spot because it's great food, a fun atmosphere, and a character Meet & Greet right off the bat. Narcoosees is one of my all-time favorite "dressier" dining spots, but I think if you're capitalizing on the magic of the day, CP or Liberty Tree are a great idea. You can't make a bad choice here, so that's just my 2 cents

Enjoy Artists Point, too! That's another one of my faves!
Have a great time!

Thank you! I have eaten at Narcoosees and LOVE it, but I think I'm going to try to get something in Magic Kingdom that the boys will love. I keep trying daily for Be Our Guest for dinner, but I just don't think it's going to happen. We do have a lunch reservation, though, so I'm thankful for that.

 

[Pumbaa_]

arrival day can go so many ways. I prefer not to book non-refundable things. i would advocate for CS your first night or booking something day of when you actually drive

there is no guarantee you will arrive when you think you will

if you are committed to ADR, i would go with cP. It is not refined, you get to get up and go for food so if the kids are hyped no worries. Plus there is pooh. Nothing like a little pooh with dinner!

 

[have2getaway]

arrival day can go so many ways. I prefer not to book non-refundable things. i would advocate for CS your first night or booking something day of when you actually drive

there is no guarantee you will arrive when you think you will

if you are committed to ADR, i would go with cP. It is not refined, you get to get up and go for food so if the kids are hyped no worries. Plus there is pooh. Nothing like a little pooh with dinner!

Crystal Palace is not available the day we arrive for dinner. In fact, very few restaraunts are available. The only other option I saw was coral reef which is at Epcot, for a very early dinner at 4:30 and then we could just spend the rest of the evening at Magic Kingdom, but...is it pain to go by monorail to Epcot for dinner just to eat? The Wave at contemporary is also free. I'm beginning to think that we might want to do CS day 1.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Crystal Palace is not available the day we arrive for dinner. In fact, very few restaraunts are available. The only other option I saw was coral reef which is at Epcot, for a very early dinner at 4:30 and then we could just spend the rest of the evening at Magic Kingdom, but...is it pain to go by monorail to Epcot for dinner just to eat? The Wave at contemporary is also free. I'm beginning to think that we might want to do CS day 1.

I wouldn't go all the way to EP to eat. That's a lot of travel time just for food if your main goal is to enjoy MK that day. I, also, would suggest just doing CS that night or simply wait until you get to Poly or even MK and look on the MDE app then to see if anything is available. At that point you will absolutely know what time you can get to a TS and if you even have the energy for it. The last time my DS and I took an early flight into Orlando for a WDW trip, we were exhausted by 4 pm and ended up getting room service - it was actually really fun!

 

[Lisa F]

I just had an awful meal at Narcoossees last week, so I'd vote for cancel also note that they are down a bathroom as they are renovating the ladies' room and they have a cm stationed outside the men's room to keep women out of it until all of the men are done. I waited over 10 minutes and then she let in a group of 6 little boys and I pretty much gave up on ever being able to relieve my bladder at that restaurant. I'm not sure when you are going but this added a very unpleasant end to a $200 meal for 2 as I ended up having to hold it until I got to the MK and was grateful the monorail did not break down.

That said if you DO find someplace fun and you end up not wanting the ADR or your travel gets messed up, you can modify your ADR to a different day and then cancel it through the app without penalty. Do it with enough notice and someone will likely pick it up at a desirable place. If you have time I'd just keep looking for something that you want. We did Sanaa our first night (we stayed at AKL Kidani) and it was one of the best meals of the trip, I would not have wanted to miss out on it just because it was our arrival night! I also had a Skipper Canteen lunch that was decent earlier in the day, booked for 2:45 from when my flight was supposed to land and we got to the MK with more than an hour to spare (inside security and on main street).

 

[SurferStitch]

Narcoossee's is so wonderful, and a must-do for us (our dinner there this past October was amazing).... BUT.... I think your gut instinct is right. Go with something in the park, or a less formal monorail restaurant and just enjoy your first night. I think your boys (and you) will be very happy! Have a great trip!!

 

[Maggie'sMom]

My preference is to not have an ADR for arrival day. For two reasons, 1) I don't want to risk a cancellation penalty in case our flights are delayed or cancelled, and 2) if we're planning on being in a park, we're so excited to be there, I don't want to take time out for a table service meal.

I think your instinct to cancel this ADR is correct. I'd just plan on a CS meal in the MK.

 

[kboo]

I would also cancel Narcoosee's. We really enjoyed it but not on arrival day (we were all tired since we'd been up since 5am), and it was a good thing since due to room check in snafus, we weren't able to change or shower before dinner anyway.

We loved Artist Point, and walking around WL, and the boat ride over. For arrival day, if you're going to be in MK anyway, I recommend Skippers Canteen, especially if they are only doing same day reservations. We went when it first opened and walked right in, the food was really good (not the usual bland MK fare), our server stayed in character, and it was really fun.

 

[ryukage]

I keep trying daily for Be Our Guest for dinner, but I just don't think it's going to happen. We do have a lunch reservation, though, so I'm thankful for that.

I would recommend pre-ordering you lunch choices for BOG lunch. The last time my family ate there, we had to wait in a long line before ordering and finding a seat.

 

[KLK75]

We did this last month and ended up regretting it. Had a 5 am flight and ended up with an almost 3 hour meal at Narcoosee's.. We were spent and wanted to back to the hotel (poly) that we almost walked out. Too much for a tired 11 and 8 year old.

 

[have2getaway]

I would also cancel Narcoosee's. We really enjoyed it but not on arrival day (we were all tired since we'd been up since 5am), and it was a good thing since due to room check in snafus, we weren't able to change or shower before dinner anyway.

We loved Artist Point, and walking around WL, and the boat ride over. For arrival day, if you're going to be in MK anyway, I recommend Skippers Canteen, especially if they are only doing same day reservations. We went when it first opened and walked right in, the food was really good (not the usual bland MK fare), our server stayed in character, and it was really fun.

Thank you! I will have to check out Skipper's Canteen. I've never heard of it. Is it new?

 

[LovesTimone]

I would go with a CS, as the kids are going to be so excited and so will Mom and Dad.

This way if you get delayed somewhere on arrival day no worries, you won't have to stress about dinner reservations. Another thought is you really don't know how tired you all will be with a day of traveling, so you might end up heading back to your resort for a QS dinner and early to bed to be rested for your 1st full day of magic.

 

[Nancyg56]

I love Narcoossees. I love ADR's. I woudl not do this on arrival day with three kids who may or may not have been able to sleep the night before, got up early, and are amped up on the MK. If you are in teh MK, I would just grab CS or if the kids are tired and you want to go back to the resort, you could get CS at teh Poly.

You could also look at Trail's End in Fort WIlderness. I have never had a meal there, but I have read a lot of good reviews, heard the price is reasonable, and it's in Fort WIlderness! The boatride from teh MK is nice, adn honestly, I cannto think of a better place for kids to be if they are a bit excited. Plant of place to run, and there is a chimp and dale campfire and movie at night as well.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Just to reiterate my cautionary tale

I have friends that were supposed to be in wdw yesterday. They are driving to another state as their cancelled flight in their home state was rebooking them 5, yes FIVE!!!, days out. They should make it tomorrow.

 

[kboo]

Thank you! I will have to check out Skipoer's Canteen. I've never heard of it. Is it new?

relatively new, yes - I think it's across from Jungle Cruise and the theming is really fun. It's where you eat before you go off on your jungle cruise. I think it opened this past spring and only takes same day reservations. Our server stayed in character - we asked him how long the restaurant had been open and he said "since 190x" and pointed to a poster on the wall - "we opened the same day they started doing the cruise across the way..."

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

I think the full name of the restaurant is Jungle Navigation Co. - Skippers Canteen. We ate there for lunch on December 7, and then went to Narcoosies that night. (But we did not have 3 7 year olds). Each room in the restaurant has a different theme, so be sure to walk around. The food was quite good for park food. There was an appetizer that was amazing. I can't remember off the top of my head the name of it, but it had pork in it. The best thing about JNC/SC was that we totally got our batteries recharged so we could continue at the MK for several more hours. And you can have a complete meal in 45 minutes to an hour, although they will not rush you if you want to take longer.

 

[Nancyg56]

relatively new, yes - I think it's across from Jungle Cruise and the theming is really fun. It's where you eat before you go off on your jungle cruise. I think it opened this past spring and only takes same day reservations. Our server stayed in character - we asked him how long the restaurant had been open and he said "since 190x" and pointed to a poster on the wall - "we opened the same day they started doing the cruise across the way..."

I could be wrong, but I think you can add ADR's in advance now.

My DD and her family enjoyed their meal in July. They said it was among their favorites, and are looking forward to returning.

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

I could be wrong, but I think you can add ADR's in advance now.

My DD and her family enjoyed their meal in July. They said it was among their favorites, and are looking forward to returning.

Yes. We had an ADR for Skipper Canteen. I would not count on getting in without it.