PTN dining packages

[AngieS1]

I know I asked this a while back, but I'm asking again since it's up and going. Are dining packages worth it for Paint the Night? What food options are there? Worried my picky 4 year old won't want to eat fancy food. LOL!!! What are the viewing locations like?

Edited to add: The Carthay Circle times are sold out for our dates. We'd have to do the Wine Country Trattoria.

 

[egritz]

The blogger Disneyland Daily just published her review of the Wine Country Trattoria experience.
https://disneylanddaily.com/paint-the-night-parade-dining-package-wine-country-trattoria/

I too am trying to decide if it is worth it. Historically parades in DCA are easy to find decent spots for without camping out for HOURS, but with it being the super popular PTN I'm not sure if it will be the same! Thinking of skipping the parades this trip since we are only there 2 days and the parades brand new and maybe try for them in the Fall when we return for our week-long trip.

 

[wanderlust7]

We did Wine Country Trattoria lunch for World of Color recently. The menu looks the same. Some of the reviews I read were a bit mixed, but I was pleasantly surprised. I had the Linguine Alla Vongole (spicy), it was very good. I tried a bite of my mom's salmon and it was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. Both desserts were delicious.

My picky 6 year old DD had the cheese pizza. It was fine - personal size cut in 4 pieces. She only ate one piece. The adults ate the rest as a snack later, lol. We did Carthay Circle a couple years back (also for WOC) and the kid's food was a lot fancier. So for OP, I think WCT is a better choice for you anyways.

I find these types of packages a decent deal considering the cost of the included dishes a la carte. They really get you on the kid's package costs though.

 

[dina444444]

Reposting my experience from another thread:

I did the WCT lunch for PTN yesterday. It’s $38/person for adults plus tax and tip. The menu was fairly extensive. There were 2 starter options, as well as 3 additional options for a $4 upcharge. There were either 8 or 9 entree options. And 2 dessert options with 1 or 2 $5 upcharge options. The lunch also included a non alcoholic beverage. I thought the price was well worth it for the food options available. Dinning with a 3 course meal there would be about the same price or just slightly less without the package. Our viewing area was on the parade route to the left and right of the DVC preview below blue sky cellar. It wasn’t cramped and you could either sit on the ground or stand and there were a few benches in the viewing area. The return time on our ticket was 8:15 for the 8:45 parade and we went over there at about 10 to 8 and they had already started letting people in, but we were still early enough to be able to sit on the ground.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

We walked almost all of the parade route on Saturday, 4/14, about an hour before the first parade to see how much viewing space was left. Keeping in mind that this was the first weekend of Pixar Fest and that the lower 3 passes were blocked, we were pleasantly surprised by how much viewing space was available. As we had expected, the parade route (much longer in DCA than in DL) allows for much more flexibility in choosing viewing spots. I would think there would be even more flexibility for the second parade. There were lots of people along the parade route, but plenty of spots still available in the second and third rows (and even some single spots in the first row) one hour before the first parade. I'm not sure whether this would still be true on a night when there were no passes blocked. But the longer parade route really makes a difference in DCA. Overall, I would say what I tell friends for WOC: if you want to eat at CCR or WCT anyway, go ahead and book a dining package for PTN -- enjoy your meal and a parade! But if you are only booking the package for parade viewing, it might not be necessary depending on the day you visit and your schedule that day.

 

[isabellea]

We will be at DLR for the first time April 25-27 and I'm also wondering what to do. The only days we can watch PtN are Wednesday 4/25 and Thursday 4/26 (we have a BB F! pkg for the Friday). Right now I have WCT dinner reserved for the Wednesday and WCT lunch for the Thursday but nothing on both menus really interest me (I am dairy-free, don't eat fish, seafood, eggs and I'm picky for veggies) so I'm debating on cancelling both reservations and take our chance with a free spot since we're only 2 adults. Now to decide which day would be better to watch PtN since seeing the fireworks are also a big must for me...

 

[theluckyrabbit]

We will be at DLR for the first time April 25-27 and I'm also wondering what to do. The only days we can watch PtN are Wednesday 4/25 and Thursday 4/26 (we have a BB F! pkg for the Friday). Right now I have WCT dinner reserved for the Wednesday and WCT lunch for the Thursday but nothing on both menus really interest me (I am dairy-free, don't eat fish, seafood, eggs and I'm picky for veggies) so I'm debating on cancelling both reservations and take our chance with a free spot since we're only 2 adults. Now to decide which day would be better to watch PtN since seeing the fireworks are also a big must for me...

I would try to view fireworks on your first night so that you have other chances in case the show gets cancelled. For PTN, the calendar has it running once at 8:45 pm on both the 25th and 26th. I don't think you need the dining package if you'll have plenty of time to look for viewing spots and don't have to be in the front row. If nothing on the WCT menu interests you, then check with CMs earlier in the day which direction the parade will be running and make sure to allow at least 60-90 minutes to choose your spots on the parade route. (Depending on whether any APs are blocked and whether you're choosy about spots, you could probably allow less time.) You can always take turns going to get food so that you eat an al fresco meal while waiting. Keep reading here over the next few days for reports on parade and fireworks viewing.

 

[Lesley Wake]

I did the second parade on Saturday. I was on Hollywood Blvd (walked over after the fireworks, but I had a friend who already saved a spot). About 45 minutes beforehand and he was able to get an empty bench on the curb. About 20 minutes before and people could still walk up and get an uncrowded curb spot. Right before the parade you could easily walk up and stand right behind the people sitting giving you a completely unobstructed view! So if you are willing to stay late, and there’s a second parade that night, I’d highly recommend it! Especially if you want to save $$ and eat counter-service rather than table-service. When there are 2 parades, it’s also very doable to do fireworks+parade in one night (though DCA has to be open until 11 for that).

 

[AngieS1]

Thanks for all the recommendations. I don't think we're interested in dining at WCT in and of itself, it would purely be for the seating for the parade. Although the more I think about it, we're going to have park hoppers...so I'm tempted to not get these tickets since we'll have 3 chances to view it. My littlest is 4, almost 5, and I almost don't want to book it just because I don't want to lock in the night that we'd have to stay up super late (her bedtime is usually 7)...I think I'd rather play that by ear. Off to go cancel our reservation.