Where to eat before MNSSHP

[dansyr2514]

This year dbf and I will be attending MNSSHP on 10/2 ( tentatively). This will be our second time to the party so we don't need to be there right at 5:00. I can't decide where to eat before the party. We've eaten at many of the restaurants but my goal this year is to try some new ones. DBF would be open to character meals if the food is really good. He's not quite the Disney lover I am but placates me most of the time. We will have a car and we will be on the dining plan. Also, we'll be staying at the Boardwalk Villas. So help me decide where to eat.......

 

[deakam]

1900 has great food and the ugly Stepsisters are a stitch...Can not comment on your other choices because I have never eaten there. We are planning a party the last week of September and have chosen Liberty Tree Tavern for our meal. Tho it is no longer a character meal.. the food is wonderful.

You might also want to consider Whispering Canyon or Artists Point at the Wilderness Lodge. Both offer an excellant selection and it might appease the non disney freak in your party.

 

[Robin K]

I love the Plaza.
We are eating there our MNSSHP night just because we want to already be at the park when the party is starting. We have a 5:15 ADR. It will be our 5 party! Each one is so much fun and exciting.
Good luck

 

[DisneyFamily123]

I picked 1900 Park Fare. They open at 4:30pm I think... so if you can get an ADR for that time, you shouldn't have to wait to be seated and can get to MK a few minutes past six. That's what we did for the MVMCP. I suggest any place you don't have to worry about delays in getting to MK.

 

[RMulieri]

I voted other...We prefer to enter the MK at 4pm with our party tickets and hit a CS meal at 430-5pm .Everytime I have tried a TS meal before a party I have found I wasted too much time, and/or got seated late etc.

 

[mrsannb]

How early of reservations can you get? I'd probably opt for The Plaza or Liberty Tree Tavern since it's in the park. I didn't vote though, I don't think you can go wrong with any of your choices, and also counter service is a good suggestion as well.

 

[Mamu]

We ate at 1900 Park Fare one year before the party. We got the early seating and it was perfect timing and location. Got to the park about 6:30.

This past year we had a late lunch at Crystal Palace instead of dinner. We went back for some afternoon down time, got dressed for the party and entered the park at 5:30.

If I was to do it again we would do the late lunch. We found we were less tired and ended up staying till the very end.

 

[momtoejanda]

This past year we had a late lunch at Crystal Palace instead of dinner. We went back for some afternoon down time, got dressed for the party and entered the park at 5:30.

.

We eat at Crystal Palace for a late lunch also..usually around 4pm but we keep our costumes in a locker and change. We stay in the park because it was so empty, most people dont know you can enter at 4.

 

[loveswdw]

I voted other...We prefer to enter the MK at 4pm with our party tickets and hit a CS meal at 430-5pm .Everytime I have tried a TS meal before a party I have found I wasted too much time, and/or got seated late etc.

Us too!

 

[2BusyPlanning]

I voted 'other' - Liberty Tree Tavern because the wait staff dresses up like Haunted Mansion zombies

 

[disneyquestions]

We will be spending the beginning of our MNSSHP day in DTD so I'm planning on eating at Wolfgang Puck Express. We don't want to have a big meal and be weighted down, and we also don't want to take the chance on having a very slow meal, and not getting out when we want. And we can always get something small while there. Have a great time!!!!!

 

[Brook1099]

I agree with Rmulieri, we have done both parties and always opt to do a late TS lunch and then a late CS at the party. Usually Cosmic Ray's.

 

[minnieluvzmickey]

we will be staying at WL so we are going to have a late lunch at whispering canyon and then head to the MK in time to enter at 4:00.

 

[Sorsha]

Double post - sorry - got a weird "searchlight" error code the first time around...

 

[Sorsha]

I voted for the Plaza, but I would also go with "Other". I like to return to my resort in the afternoon and change everyone into their costumes, then return to the Magic Kingdom at 4 PM and have dinner ADR at about 5 PM. That way, when we are done with dinner, we are already in the park and ready to go. Last year, we ate at Crystal Palace, but I would also like to try Liberty Tree, or the Plaza.

Here's Wendy (DD10), Peter Pan (Grandma) and Tinkerbell (DD7) outside of the Crystal Palace.

Here's Wendy and Tinkerbell visiting with Pooh at dinner inside the Crystal Palace.

 

[christine*]

Since you said you didn't really care about getting to the park exactly at 5 I would try Kona Cafe, 1900 Park Faire, or the Wave since they're located at monorail resorts and you could just take the monorial to MK after dinner.

 

[dansyr2514]

Keep the suggestions coming. You guys are great.
Sorsha, love the costumes!!!!

I don't think we'll do Crystal Palace because we have that booked for a breakfast another day. Liberty Tree Tavern just doesn't do anything for me. Do they only offer the turkey/ family style dinner at dinner time?

Also, although we love Artist point, we will be doing a split dining plan. Half of our stay deluxe and half regular so we would save AP for a day we are on deluxe dining.

Has anyone done "The Wave" recently? How was the food/service??

 

[Disneyfreak616]

I would say The Wave or Kona, since you don't care about getting there right at 5. The food and service are great at Kona, and we have always had an excellent meal here. It's one of my favorite TS places, and it is my mom's absolute favorite. Plus, you're right on the monorail so it's very easy to get to MK. I've never eaten at The Wave, but I have heard that the food is wonderful and the service is so-so. If you want to be in MK already, then I'd say The Plaza or Liberty Tree Tavern (which we also LOVE) would be the way to go.

Have an awesome trip!

 

[rhorsley]

We did Liberty Tree tavern last time and while we really enjoyed it and would recommend (even with the glitch below), they didn't do the dress-up thing (maybe this is new? last time we went was 09) This year we are doing Liberty Tree Tavern again, but it was 2nd choice to Chef Mickey's. But we couldn't get a reservation there until 6:30.

Funny story about Liberty Tree last time...even though we had an ADR for the Diamond Horseshoe for that night, no one told the reservation people (or at least didn't tell the folks with ADR's) that they had rented out the Diamond Horseshoe for a private party. We had to wait over an hour and a half for our table. We sat down at 6:20.

I was worried we would be stuck in there for the start of the party, so I tipped our waiter $20 when he came to get our drink order. I told him, please feel free to bring everything at once, or as fast as you can. We don't need to have courses, please just bring food. (with a smile and a please of course) He was great! Since it was only 2 of us, it wasn't a lot to handle. We had our salad, rolls, turkey & side dishes all at once within 5 minutes and he brought the check with dessert and we tipped him more for the effort.

To be honest, they were so busy from the overflow of ADR's from the Horseshoe, I think he was happy to clear a table so quickly. My husband and I got a kick out of the faces of people at one of the tables near us. It was a party of about 10 (what we will be this year) and they just looked in amazement as we ate, drank and left in 24 minutes.

I swear I've never tried anything like that before. But desperate times call for desperate measures We still had time to be in the Haunted Mansion at 7pm for the start!

 

[rhorsley]

Sorry...one more thought...love the Wave. We've never been disappointed there (and this sea salt butter for the rolls is awesome!) We are staying at BLT have have booked them on different days for breakfast, lunch and dinner!