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[WDWNY]

what do you have booked for yourself on wednesday at HS? it is more likely a table for 4 will come up somewhere at HS than a table for 8, that is true. I would definitely check out some of the swan/dolphin restaurants... if you are willing to pay flying fish's prices than something like bluezoo or shulas would be in line.

On thanksgiving itself, since you are leaving the parks ANYWAY I'd start checking all of the resort restaurants. How about GF Cafe for 8 of you? that one always seems to book up last and gets good reviews. Or the wave, which is probably the top hidden gem at WDW.

We have mama melrose for us at HS. Another thing with leaving HS for dinner... if Fantasmic is at 7 we would have to eat dinner super early or super late if we are leaving the park.

The Wave and GF Cafe are all booked for 8 for Thanksgiving. For a party of 4, they have reservations after 8 . And people wonder why I wake up at 6am at 180 to make dinning reservations!!

 

[5DisneyNuts]

We have been going to WDW over Thanksgiving week for a number of years. 8 people on Wednesday is going to be tough. But, as everyone says things come up all the time so don't give up and definitely sign up for TP reservation finder. It is going to be very busy so make sure you get all your FP at 60 days 7am.

There are tables for 8 available for lunch on Wednesday where you can take a mid day break and grab a quick bite for dinner at HS before Fantasmic. Within walking or boat ride - Captain's Grill, Biergarten at EPCOT (if you have hoppers - fun for a big group), ESPN. With lunch, if you do have to leave you won't be rushed to get back to HS.

If you are set on dinner, have a late QS lunch, you can go to the 1st Fantasmic (there will most likely be 2 that week) and have dinner when you leave the park. Flying Fish is available and is nice to stroll along the BW. Shula's (no DDP accepted) is also available over at the Dolphin. If you want a late dinner Yachtsman has late availability.

You are doing a lot of traveling on Thanksgiving. Traveling from AK over to the BW for Flying Fish and then back to MK is a lot unless you have a car. Buses will be very crowded and will take a lot of time. I would keep trying for a lunch at AKL (Sanaa is available - so is Rainforest at AK but not sure if that is your cup of tea) or something on the monorail before you head to MK. I see 2 reservations now for 4 each at GF Cafe; one at 6:50 and one at 7:05pm, same with The Wave 6:50 and 7:15.

Friday will be the 1st night of the Candlelight Processional so Illuminations will be at 9:30pm. Holidays Around the World will also start that night. I would try for dinner at EPCOT. If you do Captain's Grill on Wed, Biergarten is available Friday, and so are the places in Mexico, late lunch at Coral Reef, and a few others.

As others (and you )have said, if you have your heart set on the reservations you have, keep them and try for a party of 4 around the same time.

Good Luck!

 

[minijeanie]

You can walk to Swan & Dolphin from HS, correct? How long is the walk?

Yes I have walked it many times - 15 minute max walk or if you have time take the leisurely boat ride... It is very soothing.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Turn the ADR process back to your friends, this may end badly if they are unhappy

A simple here is what we are doing, if you can get something near our times great otherwise we will meet after we eat.

 

[Nancyg56]

We're heading to WDW for thanksgiving week- made our reservations for 4 at 180 days for the entire trip. Well, this weekend our family friend decided to join us with her family (another party of 4). Our hollywood studio day has absolutely no reservations available for 4 or 8 for dinner. Any suggestions of what to do? This is their first trip so I don't think they want to be leaving the park traveling to a restaurant and wasting time.

I know I am in the minority, but I would not make changes. You are between a rock and a hard place because of the Holiday. If you make ADR's outdside of the park, there is the time to leave the park, check in the restaurant, and they are annoyed if there is a wait, it's on you.

Nope. If you find something in the park for them, great, if not direct them to CS.

Turn the ADR process back to your friends, this may end badly if they are unhappy

A simple here is what we are doing, if you can get something near our times great otherwise we will meet after we eat.

Exactly. This is a "first one only" trip. On a Holiday. WIth no plans to dine made. Nope. I would not want to hear about any issues later.

 

[Lisa F]

We have mama melrose for us at HS. Another thing with leaving HS for dinner... if Fantasmic is at 7 we would have to eat dinner super early or super late if we are leaving the park.

The Wave and GF Cafe are all booked for 8 for Thanksgiving. For a party of 4, they have reservations after 8 . And people wonder why I wake up at 6am at 180 to make dinning reservations!!

I think for HS you are going to just have to stalk for a party of 4 for any restaurant anywhere. brown derby might be the easiest actually because it seems to be the least popular. Did you know that you can go through MDE on the website if you hover over "things to do" and click on "make a dining reservation" you can search ALL of the restaurants in HS at once for dinner time on a given day? go to parks & resorts and click on HS, then set your date and time and number. You can quickly see availability everywhere.

Actually I just did this at HS for 4 people and MM did pop up at 6:55 (which I would guess is too late given fantasmic) but also Sci Fi Dine in popped up at 4:30 for 4 people. I grabbed it for you, pm me if you want it and we can time the release so you can pick it up. Maybe not the most thanksgivingy type restaurant but it is a huge favorite of mine, lol. They do have those car "tables" at the back for 4 where you can all sit together like in a normal table. Let me know either way as I'll release it if you don't want it.

 

[5DisneyNuts]

Nancyg and Jody make very good points. Given the crowds that week re-entering the parks will probably mean long security lines. DS and AK lines were almost back to the parking lot last year.

I understand that you want to be together and feel like you are in the know so should help out, but you planned for your family well in advance. Plus sometimes separate time is needed and makes for a better experience all around.