Ohana or Cali Grill for Dinner & Wishes

[ibcnu]

I'm taking my daughters (19 and 13) to Disney this year. We are not getting park hoppers, room only and spending 1 day at Epcot. We are going in August and staying at the Beach Club, so we plan on taking advantage of all things OUTSIDE the parks.

On that note, I want to take the girls to see Wishes one night. I have dinner reservations as follows:

7:45pm California Grill at Contemporary
8:30pm – Ohana at Polynesian Resort
9:10pm California Grill at Contemporary

Wishes will go off at 10pm. Which restaurant will be the ideal spot to view Wishes. I don't want to hold onto 3 of these reservations, which will open 2 up for others, but want to make sure I'm making the right decision.

We don't mind eating late either if 9:10pm at Cali Grill is the more ideal time. We figure we'll have a late lunch, hang out at Stormalong Bay until 5pm or so, then get read for dinner.

I'm just concerned that if I keep the 9:10pm, that there would be backup of people on the 2nd floor trying to get up to the restaurant and we would miss Wishes. I'm not concerned about getting a table window at that time either because we will just get up and watch from the balcony.

A reservation at 7:45pm would make for a nice, leisurely dinner, then onto the balcony and wait for Illuminations, but that's over 2 hours later, I'm not sure dinner would take that long, even if we stretch it out.

Ohana sounds fun, the girls would get a kick out of the dinner activities, but we would miss seeing Wishes from the beach and will be in the restaurant. How is the view from here? Better than the 15th floor balcony at the Contemporary?

OR I was thinking of not even bothering with dinner reservations, instead going to HDDR (they have never been there) and then taking the ferry to Contemporary or onto the Polynesian beach to watch Wishes from there.

So many options!!

 

[ROEDISNEY]

I would go with this first 7:45pm California Grill at Contemporary if not HDDR.
Love both. We don't like the food at Ohana it's smoked and it was dry. The service was good.

 

[HelenParr]

I would do 9:10 at California Grill. It'll be plenty of time to get in and settled, have some of your dinner before 10pm Wishes. (Go to the podium check-in downstairs at 9 or so. They'll elevator you up.) Servers know you'll be focused on the fireworks -- so you can watch from inside, or go out to the OBS deck and then go back to your dinner.

Having said that, I'm a huge HDDR fan -- so that's always fun -- but not as visually amazing as the view from the CG.

 

[Coach81]

OHANAS!!!! Breadpudding is out of this world!!!

 

[fey_spirit]

The only one I wouldn't do is the 7:45, trying to stretch everything out this long might become a bit uncomfortable for you, not to mention that it's rude to those who are then kept waiting because you're camping at the table.

If you go to O'Hanna can you catch the fireworks after from Poly Beach?

My suggestion though would be for the 9:10, you'll have time to get settled in - may even be able to ask to wait just a moment to get a window seat. (you have 50 minutes until the fireworks go off after all.).\

 

[ibcnu]

Thanks. Looks like we may be leaning toward 9:10 ressie, will show up a little early. We may even have something light to eat around 5 or 6 before getting ready. At that time of night, we may just go for sushi and dessert. Is there a fixed price menu?

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

It is so much fun for the kids and we love watching the fireworks from the Poly beach or Ohana. They pipe in the music and if you are seated close too a window it is a beautiful view of the fireworks and the castle.


I am sure California grill is nice too...Have never been...What ever you decide I am sure it will be wonderful.

We too are going with only a 1 day ticket and planning too do other activities and enjoy staying at the Poly.... I just love the whole DisneyWorld complex....I can have a good time hanging at the resorts and never even go into a park.

have fun!