Ohana's..what time to see fireworks?

[DMRick]

Hi, if fireworks are at 10:00, what time would you suggest we make our ressie for dinner at Ohana's to be abl eot see them from the restaurant? I know we may not get a table facing the castle. Or would you suggest eating earlier and watch the fireworks from the beach? And maybe combinging the electric water parade with that (what time does that go by the Poly?) If so, what time should that ressie be, to be sure we are finished. Thanks in advance.

 

[kandmwedding]

I'd make the PS for 2 hours before show time. That way if you get a window seat you can just have a long leisurely dinner and enjoy the show, and if you don't get a window seat you still have time to go down to the beach and watch the fireworks from there. I'm not sure the EWP's time, but I remember watching it about 5 minutes after the show ended when I went last May.

 

[MouseGirl]

I agree - I'd go for a PS about 1 1/2 to 2 hours before the fireworks. We were there last Friday night with a 7 p.m. PS and the fireworks were scheduled for 9 p.m. I couldn't get our kids to eat slowly enough, so we were finished by about 8:30. We walked down to the lagoon and sat in one of the covered cabanas until the fireworks started. It was a really nice vantage point. The EWP started within five minutes of the time the fireworks finished. It was the great close to a fun day, and we particularly enjoyed not having to fight the hordes of people exiting the MK afterwards!!

 

[aidansmom]

I really recommend watching them from the beach - during our trip in 12/04 I had made PS to try to coincide with fireworks time. We had a window seat, but our meal went faster than we expected (we can only drag things out so long with 2yo ds). We wound up watching them from cabanna on beach - it turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip. It was really special.

 

[ducklite]

Dinner guests are "officially" not welcome to use the beaches to watch fireworks. I'd plan your dinner to watch from O'Hana.

Anne

 

[DMRick]

Dinner guests are "officially" not welcome to use the beaches to watch fireworks. I'd plan your dinner to watch from O'Hana.

Anne

We'll be sure to ask at the front desk first, before we do this, if that's what we decide to do.

 

[weluvpluto]

Here's the info I got off of Deb's site for the Electrical Water Pageant:
Polynesian Resort -- 9 p.m.
Grand Floridian -- 9:15 p.m.
Wilderness Lodge -- 9:35 p.m.
Fort Wilderness -- 9:45 p.m.
Contemporary Resort -- 10:05 p.m.
Magic Kingdom -- 10:20 p.m. (only during extended MK park
hours)

Note that when the Magic Kingdom Fireworks are scheduled for 9 p.m., the Electrical Water Pageant runs about 7-20 minutes later.

 

[aidansmom]

Dinner guests are "officially" not welcome to use the beaches to watch fireworks. I'd plan your dinner to watch from O'Hana.

Anne

I don't know what the official policy is, but when we were there, it was our waiter who recommended watching them from the beach - I think if you ask, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[ducklite]

Just because a server says "sure. go ahead" doesn't mean it's allowed or right. After all, their tip could be affected by it.

It's just wrong to see "rules" in writing and still have the lack of courtesy for the resort guests who pay to stay there and have the exclusive use of that beach.

Just be prepared that resort security could come along and tell you to leave. Personally I'd be mortified, especially when the signs are very specific.

Anne

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

Dinner guests are "officially" not welcome to use the beaches to watch fireworks. I'd plan your dinner to watch from O'Hana.

Anne

Come on! Do you really consider standing on the beach at the Poly, "using" the beach. I think this is meant for folks who are not guests at the resort using the pool and lounging on the beach for a long period of time. My next trip I plan on watching Wishes from Ohana then taking my beautiful DW for a lovely walk on the beach at the poly. before we go back to our resort, the Pop century. Please don't send the Disney police after me. I know those Disney police are tough read this: http://disboards.com/showpost.php?p=7951906&postcount=6

 

[ducklite]

Come on! Do you really consider standing on the beach at the Poly, "using" the beach. I think this is meant for folks who are not guests at the resort using the pool and lounging on the beach for a long period of time. My next trip I plan on watching Wishes from Ohana then taking my beautiful DW for a lovely walk on the beach at the poly. before we go back to our resort, the Pop century. Please don't send the Disney police after me. I know those Disney police are tough read this: http://disboards.com/showpost.php?p=7951906&postcount=6

Yes, I DO think that it means for everything, including viewing fireworks. If it meant only for sunbathing, it would say so. If you want to use the amenities that are for exclusive use of a resort's registered guests, then stay at that resort.

Anne

 

[DMRick]

Just because a server says "sure. go ahead" doesn't mean it's allowed or right. After all, their tip could be affected by it.

**************

Like I said, I'll ask at the Poly (hmm..is the front desk clerk depending on a tip too?). Last I knew, strolling on the grounds of other resorts was permissable, including their beaches. I don't plan on using your cabana, or even your chair. I assume that not every type of instance would fit on the sign..and they would know best, if I'm allowed to stand on their beach. In any case, this thread was not a question about the rules and signs, but what time to make my ressie's and still see the fireworks. I'll let Disney decide if I'm allowed to walk outside and see them.

 

[mdinecola]

Yes, I DO think that it means for everything, including viewing fireworks. If it meant only for sunbathing, it would say so. If you want to use the amenities that are for exclusive use of a resort's registered guests, then stay at that resort.

Anne

"Ducklite" needs to "liten up". Disney is intended for ALL to enjoy. Last I heard, the beach isn't even that crowded for the fireworks.

 

[ducklite]

"Ducklite" needs to "liten up". Disney is intended for ALL to enjoy. Last I heard, the beach isn't even that crowded for the fireworks.

Your missing the point.

People stay at the Polynesian, a deluxe resort, with certain expectations. One of those expectations is that areas that are reserved for the exclusive use of registered guests of the Polynesian will be exclusively available to them and other registered guests of the Polynesian. They pay a lot of money for this privilege.

"Public" areas are intended for all to enjoy. But not everything at WDW is "public". If you look at it that way, than anyone who wants to should be able to park at the Contemporary, or swim in SAB. But taht's not the case. There are signs that explain the rules in those cases, just like there are signs that explain the rules at the Polynesian.

It's inconsiderate and dare I say rude to see the signs, and ignore them because you "want" to do something that you can clearly read you aren't allowed to do.

If you want to watch Wishes, you can do so from the MK, the TTC, or a restaurant with a MK view. Those are all open to all guests.

Putting a CM into an awkward position by asking for something that you know is against the rules is disrespectful. It's the same thing as a co-worker asking you to punch the clock for them because they need to leave early, or come in late. It puts you into an awkward position.

It's a matter of respect. I was raised that I don't have a RIGHT to everything I want, and to have respect for rules. If you WANT to watch the fireworks from the Beach at the Polynesian, then get a room there where you'll be welcomed to. Otherwise, find another place to view them from.

Anne

 

[csmommy]

We are staying at the Poly in April & have ressies at O'hanna's for 6:30pm. Is the Electrical Water Pageant every night? How long is dinner at O'hannas?

 

[DMRick]

It's a matter of respect. I was raised that I don't have a RIGHT to everything I want, and to have respect for rules. If you WANT to watch the fireworks from the Beach at the Polynesian, then get a room there where you'll be welcomed to. Otherwise, find another place to view them from.

************
What you may think is disrespectful, may not be what Disney intended. I'm glad you were raised to think you didn't have a right to everything you want, and you would never consider going against what you think a sign may mean..however, there are people who actually work at Disney that may not agree with your view of just what that entails. Have you ever thought that they may have meant that spending the afternoon with your child playing on the beach even though you are just at the parks for the day and staying off site, may be what they had in mind? I don't know from the sign you posted, just what all that means. I know I shouldn't bring over my backpack of beach toys and settle in, however, I find it hard to believe, I can't stand on the beach and look at fireworks. In any case, I will do as I said, and ask. If the CM's are too cowed to give what Disney would consider the correct answer, than I am just surprised the place doesn't just fall down around our ears. Maybe we'll be so impressed with the view, we'll want to stay there the next time, instead of POR. I'm not sure who died and left you in charge, but I prefer to get my info from a "real" Disney employee. I'll be sure to pick one that isn't counting on a tip from me, so they won't feel they have to lie to me.
By the way..you know that sign that says females just before you enter the bathroom at the Poly? I brought my grandson in when he was young. No bells or whistles went off, and I never considered I was being disrespectful...but the sign didn't say females and males..so I hope I didn't break the rules. Or maybe they didn't really mean just females could go in.

 

[Snoopygirl]

Ducklite......I think you need to settle down a little. It's not like there will be hundreds of people on the beach! There are plenty of people that cannot afford to stay at Poly but still want to see it. I am one of those people. I will be having dinner at Ohana's, then plan to walk around the grounds.

 

[DMRick]

Ducklite wroteutting a CM into an awkward position by asking for something that you know is against the rules is disrespectful. It's the same thing as a co-worker asking you to punch the clock for them because they need to leave early, or come in late. It puts you into an awkward position.

*************
You think both of these examples are the same? Interesting. So asking a Disney employee, if it's allowed to walk on the beach during the fireworks, is the same as trying to cheat your boss out of money. I'll have to remember that the next time I ask to have a guest (unregistered) join me at the pool. That I'm really a cheat.

 

[ducklite]

I don't know from the sign you posted, just what all that means.

I think the sign is pretty easy to understand. It's written in plain English. There are several of them scattered around the resort.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

Ducklite......I think you need to settle down a little. It's not like there will be hundreds of people on the beach! There are plenty of people that cannot afford to stay at Poly but still want to see it. I am one of those people. I will be having dinner at Ohana's, then plan to walk around the grounds.

And I can't afford to stay in the Presidential suite of the Fairmont in San Francisco, doesn't mean I have the right to anyhow.

And yes, sometimes there are hundreds of people on the beach.

Anne

Anne