Thanksgiving

[Lesley]

Okay, so I missed out on the ps for LTT! My cell phone blipped out while I was on hold Dh also tried getting through from home, but dd woke up and he didn't get to call until 7:15. This was back at 60 days out.

We had backup reservations made at Artist Point. Then we changed our minds on that, deciding that we wanted to have our dinner without the kids the following week there...and wanted to go somewhere more kid friendly for Thanksgiving. I've been on the phone every day and here's what I've managed to get.... a 3:40 seating at the Garden Grill and a 9:40 seating at Whispering Canyon. Haven't decided which to keep yet! Our schedules will be very off from our drive the previous night, and the kids are night owls, so I'm not too concerned about the time at Whispering Canyon.....but then again...who knows? We will be staying at VWL, so at least its close to our room!

I am still trying to jump in on a cancellation at LTT....and also double checking for a better time at Whispering Canyon. Are there other options that I should consider? Has anyone eaten Thanksgiving dinner at any of these places?

I'd love to hear any and all opinions!

 

[timC]

Do you still have your Arist Point backup? That's where we're going, this year. It's a shame. if you cancelled that ressie. IMO, it would have been perfect for you, since you're staying there. If you had their turkey dinner on TG, you would then get their regular menu the next week. And my kids really like Artist Point. Actually, I think they like that it's at Wilderness Lodge the next.

Last year, we left it very late, and ended up going to the YC/BC Convention Center. The buffet was tremendous, and the hall was nicely decorated, and Mickey was there. Still, it wasn't my idea of what TG dinner is about.

 

[CarolAnnC]

They are not having the Yacht Club Convention Center T'Day buffet this year

I would make one PS at least, and consider stopping by the Liberty Tree Tavern early in the day to see if they had any cancellations open up. Walk in may be a long shot, but if your heart is set on it, then give it a try.

Good luck!!

 

[Lesley]

Carol, we were thinking that we'd try the walking up option....as well as being a pest to the dining phone center right up to the 48hour cancellation point! But LTT is where we'd really love to be, and even if I have to cancel another ps late and pay a fee, I'll do it.

As far as Artist Point....after 16-20 hours in the car the previous night into Thanksgiving morning, I'm kind of afraid to take the kids into such a nice place! At some of these other places, if my dd is in a rotten mood and screams it won't be nearly as disruptive (though, don't worry, fellow Thanksgiving diners, I will certainly take her out of the restaurant if that happens! Its just much less embarrassing in a noisier place...) And I don't want to spend that much on a meal that might not go well! Yet, I can't see getting Swanson's frozen turkey dinners for Thanksgiving either.....so we're trying to figure out what will work best with our situation. Characters would be a wonderful distraction for the 2yo....but at least Whispering Canyon is right there at the hotel!

Really, the Thanksgiving dinner I'm accustomed to is dry turkey, frozen veggies...and hopefully you can find a place to sit down or else you eat standing up until someone else finishes! So I know I won't be finding that at WDW!

 

[dizkidz2]

We have eaten at Chef Mickeys in the Contemporary several times for Thanksgiving dinner. It's been wonderful they have every thing, chicken, fish, pasta, prime rib and traditional turkey and dressing. For desert they have are pies, cookies, cakes, pudding, brownies and make your own ice cream sundae bar.
Also the characters are there, Mickey, Pluto, Goofy and Chip & Dale.
We will be in WDW for Thanksgiving again, but were to late in calling for resv for a party on 15. So we currently have resv. for Gullivers in the Swan/Dolphin.

 

[ilovefh]

Also call LTT directly. I know that some rest., namely CRT, only take a few PS's in advance and make the rest the morning of Thanksgiving in person. I would assume this is because of the chance of the park filling to capacity and they dont want to take a chance on not having people show up because they couldnt get in. CRT (for lunch and dinner only) is the only rest. that I am absolutely sure that they do this, and have done this for a few years, but each year more rest. change to this policy. So its worth calling LTT directly, and I would ask to speak to a manager.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Have you considered "Thanksgiving at the Fort"? Staying at VWL would make it very convenient. We are staying at FW, and decided to go with this meal in case everything is so crowded that we just want to go back to FW and "escape". It is pretty expensive, but it sounds like alot of fun. We decided to wait to go to LTT later in our trip, when the characters will be dressed in their Christmas attire. We figured we can see them in their colonial attire anytime (just our thoughts). Hope everything works out for you! See you on the bus!

 

[Lesley]

I was under the impression that if you have a ps they will let you into the park...that they stop letting people in a little earlier than they absolutely have to in order to accomodate those who have ps's etc....
Considering that the ps's for LTT were gone in less than 15 min., I can image that there may be space for walk ups...and we were certainly going to try that! The fact that you have to guarantee your ps with a credit card for Thanksgiving would make this rather upsetting though....that they in effect would be locking someone into their second choice (or 4th....lol) who might easily be able to get a table at their first choice as a walkup that day. But, as I said, if that happens we'll just pay the fee.

Another problem for us is that we aren't sure what time we'll arrive at WDW, but it will likely be at least 10am or so....depending on how our drive goes and how many stops we need to make. If having a ps doesn't guarantee admission into the park we could have a problem (though not as things stand now, since the ps we have is at Epcot...not likely to fill to capacity)

Oh, and Chef Mickey's was our 3rd choice....no availability there either! Kind of sounds like Thanksgiving is going to be really crowded!

 

[ilovefh]

I'm pretty sure that having a PS does not ensure your admission that day. Last Thanksgiing we took a lot of walkups at CRT, but that was only because one of our managers had booked a whole bunch of tables under her name so we wouldnt be too busy. Our policy, along with some other restaurants is we book PS's for big holidays that morning, in person, at the podium. Last year I got the fun job of taking the lunch PS's, and unfortunately we dont put them in the computer, we did them by hand To check I would call the restaurant directly. Chances of getting the same answer twice from CRO are slim

 

[TXMommy]

I would certainly hope that having a PS in the park would guarantee park admission! I would be quite mad if I couldn't get into the park and then they charged my credit card for not showing up for my PS!!

 

[ilovefh]

I just got off th phone with CRO and was told in his words exactly "No ma'm it does not" So having a PS does not guarantee park admission. If they are filled to capacity, they are filled to capacity. I believe it is probably a fire law having to do with only so many people in a space at one time. So I would plan accordingly. I dont think it would be a problem at MGM, but last year, and I dont remember if it was thanksgiving, Christmas, or New years (I worked all three), EPCOT and MK filled to capacity. So if youhave a dinner PS for the holidays, plan ahead and dont try to go into the parks at 4 pm or you risk losing your CC deposit.