Tusker House Dining Package

[higdonk]

Ok so I have heard there is a River of Lights show that is supposed to be opening. We are going to WDW 7/31-8/8. My 180+ day opens soon and we are probably only making a handful of reservations at Disney restaurants. We are staying at WBC and I am booking a throwaway so I can book FP+ and the few dining reservations we are interested in. Tusker House breakfast was one of our favorites from our previous two trips in 08' and 10'. So that will be our one character meal. My two main questions are if I book it for breakfast and they haven't released packages yet or even announced when the ROL starts, will we be offered the upgrade or can we convert an existing reservation to the package later if it is offered while we are there? And my second question is on timing of breakfast. For August touring, I would rather do a later breakfast seating, like 10:30 or something, so we can tour at 8:00 if AK opens at 8:00 in the summer. On the other hand, if AK only opens at 9:00 even in the summer, then I suppose we can do an 8:00 am dining time and go from there. Advice?

Thanks,

Kate

 

[Nugent]

Last year a whole bunch of us went completely insane trying to figure out collectively when the Rivers of Light packages would be released. My advice is to pay no attention to the man behind the curtain or to the possibility of Rivers of Light. Make whatever plans make sense now; if you have occasion to change for an attractive package, so much the better.

 

[julieFitz]

From my experience with the Jungle Book package in 2016, you have to have a separate booking - you cannot change your regular breakfast to a dining package, you will have to book a new ressie for the ROL dining package and cancel the original one. If you want the Tusker House breakfast, go ahead and book it and hopefully you'll be able to cancel/book similar time dining package. We were able to book the dining package as soon as it was available and cancel our original Tusker House lunch very easily, wishing you luck in doing the same!

 

[DISNEY1975]

I booked a Tusker House dinner in anticipation. Hopefully, if a package becomes available, I can switch to that. If not, I still have the dinner and maybe they will offer a FP_ for viewing of the show. If all of that fails, we keep the dinner and do the nightime (dusk??) safari.

 

[julieFitz]

with Jungle Book show, they did offer FP for the show, so assuming they would do the same for ROL. Safari at dusk is great! Got to see the lions up and about which was rare (according to the guide!)

 

[PolyRob]

I too obsessed over my itinerary for May 2016 in hopes of factoring in a RoL package. I had double prepaid Luaus booked and extra AK time just in case. Fast forward almost a whole year from when it was "announced" for 4/22/16, and there is still no date in sight.

As for "upgrading" a regular ADR to a package if they do ever become available, you will need to make a completely new ADR under the "RoL Dining Package" once they open. If there is still availability for Tusker House, it should not be an issue. I have discovered and discussed on other threads that the slots for Fantasmic! Dinner Packages and regular Hollywood & Vine, Mama Melrose, and Hollywood Brown Derby are the same availability as well as all Epcot table service meals with Candlelight Dining Packages for the Candlelight Processional. Based on this, I have seen people successfully cancel old ADRs for just restaurants, and go pickup the desired time slot as a package that they just dropped. This however is NOT a guarantee as it may not be exactly the same for RoL, the ADR may not go right back into inventory, or someone else could pick it up in the few seconds you navigate to the new page.

I would plan for your character meal as if there was no RoL. Book an 8am and a 10:30am. That is enough time for the system to let you book two meals with no overlap. I believe AK times and crowds will be up in the air for late July/early August with the possibility of RoL and Pandora - The World of Avatar so you may not know which time will work better for your touring until closer to your arrival at which point it may be too late to get ant Tusker House.

 

[higdonk]

Good points about booking both the 8:00 and the 10:30 until they update things for AK. I am hoping Pandora will be open, although I am thinking it is going to be nearly impossible to get FP+. It looks awesome and if it does open it will definitely cause me to schedule an extra AK rope drop day.

 

[michellelovesthemous]

We did the package last summer too and we got rained out so remember this too can happen. We were at the end of August when we went and ate hoping for a successful ROL this year!