WDW newbie - help with fireworks/night shows & dining viewing spots

[AngelStar]

Hi all,

This is a multi-question post from a worried WDW newbie. I will be going on the Land/Sea vacation as part of my wish trip at the end of this month. All of these questions will be related to my 4 nights at WDW (Sun-Thurs morning -- 25th to the 29th).

I am planning to catch all of the special nightly events that happen there, including MK's Wishes and SpectroMagic; Epcot's Illuminations; and MGM's Fantasmic.

According to the schedule here: http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/july04.cfm - Wishes runs at 10pm (on the days I'm at WDW), Spectro at 9pm; Illuminations at 9pm; Fantasmic at 9pm (and 10:30 on two days).

1) Do you think we can do Wishes and Spectro on the same night? (They are one hour apart and Spectro is first at 20min and then Wishes at 12min).

2) For Fantasmic, would it be a lighter crowd at the 10:30 one? Since we are staying at the Caribbean Beach Resort, will we have time to watch the show (26 min, so would end at about 11pm) and still catch transportation back to the CBR, seeing as MGM closes at 10pm all nights?

3) Can you suggest GREAT viewing spots for EACH of the four shows... I want to see/hear/experience all of the show as much as possible.

4) We are also planning a sit-down dinner at a restaurant 3 of the nights we are there... 1 at each of MK, Epcot, and MGM. And, then a lunch on the last full day at a restaurant.

NOTE: I just realized dinner doesn't have to be at the parks...esp if a resort offers a better restaurant-and-viewing-location combo.

a) For each of the shows, can you all suggest a GREAT (in terms of viewing location AND food/value/atmosphere) place to go for dinner where we could also watch the night show and see/hear/experience it all (preferably a place where we can get a table on a terrace/balcony, or something like that...)?

b) For MK dinner night, would we be able to catch BOTH shows from same restaurant or not (on the same day)?

c) If not, then can you suggest a good dinner place for each of the two shows (Spectro and Wishes) and recommend which one is better.

d) For each of the shows/dinners thing, what time would we have to make a PS for at each of the restaurants (taking into consideration the time of each night event)? Note: We are looking at normal restaurants and not really any character meals... HOWEVER, if a character meal offers the best location for a show, please let us know.

5) Can a not-too-pricey lunch be recommended at each of the parks OR any of the resorts at a restaurant? Something that's great food, good value, nice atmosphere!

Just for reference, four of us are going - dad and mom in the 40s, 22-year-old brother, I am 18.

For all of these questions, feel free to post a variety of suggestions. Thank you all so much for your tips thus far on the board... it's been so helpful and reassuring!


~Angel~ aka Frazzled Newbie

 

[wdwgoofeeee]

bump

 

[StuartMI]

1: Yes - they run one after the other. No problem.

2: Never done it. It's only run at 9pm when I've been but I guess the later show would be a smaller crowd. Who knows though -- it's Fantasmic.

3: Wishes - In the courtyard to the right of the Crystal Palace up from the Ice Cream place. Illuminations - Boat Dock @ Morocco. AK Parade - Tamu Tamu Refreshments area. Stars & Motor cars: Havent seen it.

4: a) MK - Nowhere really. Maybe CP? There's no other restaurant close by. EPCOT - Rose & Crown Patio, MGM - Brown Derby

b) See A

c) See A

5: MK - Liberty Tree Tavern, MGM - 50's Primetime, EPCOT - Innoventions, AK - Pizzafari

Hope this helps.

 

[britmumof teenboys]

Hi
I think I might be able to help you with your Wishes question. After a great deal of help from everyone on these forums, we have booked to see Wishes from the California Grill restaurant in the Contemporary Resort. We are told we will see Wishes from there (you can leave your table to stand on the balcony to watch if you wish), they also turn the lights down in the restaurant and play the music in the restaurant too.

Whilst we have chosed CG I understand 'Ohana is very good too and you can also see Wishes from there.

Incidentally, we were also told you should make a priority seating (PS) reservation to make sure you get a table.

Hope this helps........

 

[DisneyMSF]

Yes, you can watch Spectro and Wishes the same night (and I would plan on doing that). Spectro is a parade, and I don't think you would be able to see it well from any restaurant. You can see Wishes from the California Grill, but note that you are not guaranteed a window seat when you make a reservation (though you can go out onto the balcony to watch when the fireworks start). I think seeing Wishes from inside the MK will give you the better experience (especially if this is your first time seeing Wishes).

I have never been at MGM when there were two showings of Fantasmic, but everything I have read says when there is a second show, it is much less crowded. You should have no trouble with transportation back to the CBR after a late Fantasmic. Fantasmic is in an outdoor "theater" setting. You cannot see the show from any of the MGM restaurants.

Illuminations can be seen while eating outside at some of the Epcot restaurants. The Rose & Crown (England) is popular for this. Do a search on these boards for Illuminations and Rose and Crown, and I'm sure you'll find lots of posts on this subject w/ advice.

As far as restaurant decisions, check out www.allearsnet.com. They have menus of all the WDW restaurants grouped by park/resort (click on dining link and look for "menus" link on dining page). You can use the menus to see which restaurants interest you, fit into your budget, etc.

For your "MK night" dinner, keep in mind that the Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian are all just a short monorail ride away from the MK and offer many restaurant choices. It will be very easy to go to one of the restaurants at these resorts for dinner from the MK, and then go back to the MK for the shows.

 

[jann1033]

the buses run for an hr after closing or till everyone is gone from the park so they will be running buses for the mass exodus of fantasmic watchers

we watched spectro from by the castle, then moved to the rr station for wishes via the shops since the streets were crowded( the shops interconnect )and had plenty of time to get a nice spot with no one around till just a few mins. preshow then got out rapidly also afterwords. next time I'm hanging around for the goodnight kiss since i don't recall ever seeing that( maybe we get out too fast!)

wishes was much better in MK than from the poly so if you want to eat somewhere else i'd go back for the parade and wishes.

 

[Dreamfinder2]

If you want to be assured at seating for Fantasmic - at the earlier performance - the dinner package sure worked for us. I was a little concerned about being on the far side of the ampitheater, but we saw the whole show just fine.

Here's a link, if you're interested...

http://www.allearsnet.com/din/fantdin1.htm

 

[jennymouse]

Some things you need to know:

1. Disney starts taking Priority Seating requests at 90 days ahead of when you want to eat. If you're going at the end of this month, you might have a hard time getting what you want. Especially at a busy time of year. You need to make some decisions fast and call ASAP. Have backup places and times in case you don't get your first choices.

2. When you go to places like California Grill, Rose & Crown, etc. you can request patio tables and window tables but there's a big chance you won't get them. It's best to plan your dining and evening shows you want to see with this in mind. EVERYBODY wants the window table, the patio table, etc. and there are only so many of them. I'd hate for you to end up getting a PS at Rose & Crown for example thinking that you'll get that patio table only to be seated inside and you'd miss the show....or have to make a decision whether to eat or see the show. I personally like to plan my PS for someplace near where the show I want to see will be, make the PS early enough (6-7 o'clock) to eat and then go see the show. Saves lots of disappointments.

3. It's best to use the offical WDW website for park hours as if they're going to change, and they can, it'll be on the offical website first.

I hate to bring ya down, but I'd rather you go knowing and expecting these things so you won't be disappointed. Do you know how to use Fastpass? Do you know which parks, which days are the least crowded? Do you have the Unoffical Guide to WDW? You've got a couple weeks, get it at any bookstore & read it before you go. Try to study the maps to the parks a bit before you leave too so you won't be wasting time getting lost. Learn all this stuff and then just keep what you've learned in the back of your head when you go, but don't stress out over it. Have fun!