Pre-MVMCP dinner, Artist Point, Grand Floridian Cafe, or The Wave of American Flavors

[VeronicaZS]

We are doing the MVMCP on the last night of our trip. We will be a group of 7 including my in-laws. Right now I can get The Wave at 5 and Artist Point or Grand Floridian at 5:25.
Help me choose!!!

(Accidently posted this in the Reservation thread and can't figure out how to delete it)

 

[OneinThree]

AP is closing for refurb in Nov and may not be available for your dates. Is this GF Cafe we're talking about? If so, our last meal there (a breakfast) this year was very, very good. Cannot speak to The Wave, personally.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I love the Wave, but if you eat there for dinner, you won't be arriving until the party officially starts at 7. I enjoy being able to get into MK at 4 and use a few FPs, so if I do TS, I go for a late breakfast or lunch. (Now with that being said, I was able to land a BOG reservation for 6:15 on a party night. But this is not our usual pattern.)

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Personally, I would go with none of the above. You can enter MK at 4 pm on a MVMCP party ticket. Why not eat in MK?

 

[OneinThree]

Why not eat in MK?

For us, there is a huge difference between eating inside the MK, and everywhere else. Love the MK, but MK restaurants -not so much. Monorail resorts are just too convenient for that, IMO.

 

[VeronicaZS]

This is our 4th trip in 4 years and we are planning 2 other MK days before the party so I wasn't feeling an urgency to max out our MK time before the party. I am also worried about exhausting everyone especially since this is coming at the end of our trip and we are consistently strictly strict with a 9-9:30 bedtime for the boys. I am more worried about maxing our enjoyment from 6pm onward and I thought a good way to do that is to have a low stress hearty meal before hand. Based on the feedback I am rethinking the wisdom of a non-MK restaurant, it might be too stressful to enjoy it knowing that I would want to get to MK no later than 6:30.
back to the drawing board.....

 

[jimmytammy]

The Wave lunch IMO is a better meal than dinner. If you can swing it to eat there for lunch, then head over to MK(you can walk), this would be my 1st choice. Otherwise, I would say GFC, which is good as well, then monorail over

 

[crabbygal902]

Personally, I would go with none of the above. You can enter MK at 4 pm on a MVMCP party ticket. Why not eat in MK?

I completely agree with this. Those pre-party and party hours are valuable. We used to book 'Ohana for an early dinner on party nights and then realized we were using 2 hours for that and transportation that could've spent in the MK enjoying the early entry benefit. We have a big, late lunch at DS or a monorail resort then have a small meal at an MK counter service during the party. We try to leave room to try the cool desserts only sold at the party.

I hope that maybe you can use this info. Enjoy the party!

 

[VeronicaZS]

Hmmmm, late lunch vs. early dinner is another viable option. How would I ever plan this without disboards!

 

[LBlovesM&WDW]

When we go to a party, we have a late lunch at Grand Floridian Cafe and then head over to the party and snack for "dinner".

 

[Boulie]

Based solely on those choices, I would think about dropping Artist Point from your consideration given the time of that ADR and the amount of time it will take a party of 7 to eat a meal there. It could easily be 90 minutes (it could be shorter, but it could also be longer) and then you are rushing to the party.

Our MVMKP strategy is similar to what some others have suggested - we like to arrive to MK in time for an earlish dinner inside the park. We did Skippers Canteen at 5pm last year and that worked well for us (and we plan to do it again this year). We finished dinner at around 6, and then could immediately start enjoying the party atmosphere.

Whatever you choose, hope you have a great time.

 

[Nancyg56]

We used to book dinner somewhere around 5 PM on party nights because we really did not worry about the extra tiem in the MK, but that time was our cutoff.

Given a choice outside the park, and given that I had already visited the Grand to see the decorations, I would go with The Wave. It is really good food. If I have not visited the GF I would go with GFC, arriving early enough to enjoy the lobby and to listen to the entertainment that is there eery afternoon. The restaurant is so pretty, and is really a lovely place to dine.

 

[Dean Marino]

OK - as my dear wife and I are already BOOKED?
Narcoossee's - GF, as early as you can.

We have a 5:15. We will grab the monorail, and get to our XMAS Party, prety much when we want to get there .