Would you cancel Calif Grill/Holiday Wishes?

[plutosgirl]

I am so torn...we went to Calif Grill last year with my dad to have dinner and see the Holiday fireworks and he ended up getting very sick and we had to leave before dinner was over and the fireworks started (ended up with him in the ER all night but that's another story...he's fine now).

Well this trip is just me and my 13yr old daughter (no one else wanted to go ) I have an adr for 9:20pm on Wednesday night and thought since it was so late that maybe we would just do an appetizer and a desserts and see the fireworks but now I'm rethinking it...

How incredible are the fireworks from Calif Grill? Is it worth it to go or if it was you would you rather just stay at another park and have a nice dinner somewhere else at a decent hour and not have to leave a park if we are having fun.

The dinner we did get to eat there was REALLY good but we aren't going for the food this time....what would you do?

Thanks!

 

[minnie mum]

The view of Wishes from CG is very nice, but not as good as a prime spot in the MK. If you aren't going to go for the food, then find a really nice place for dinner and see Wishes inside the park. Or watch it from the beach at the Poly or the dock at GF (it wouldn't cost you anything)

 

[pepe of ohio]

We've done 45 trips to WDW, some stays at the CR and never been to the California Grill....just doesn't appeal to us.....Disney food and restaurants never rule our vacations.......we'd rather be having fun tha in a restaurant....

Back in the day, we would go up to the CG and watch the fireworks but that's 20 years ago....personally, I'd rather watch from outside the MK, or inside or even from the Poly beach...as I said, the restaurant means nothing for us...we can have a better decent meal anytime but the Wishes are at a set time....heck, even from the Poly, hamburger from Captain Cooks and a bar drink from the tables but the pool appeal more to us than a big dinner.....but that's us...others will disagree but it's our opinion..

 

[gabzee]

We have been to California Grill many times. We love the restaurant. However, even though you can hear the music, the fireworks just aren't the same for me. I much prefer watching them in the park. Watching the fireworks on the rooftop is nice and you have a great view but you are not immersed in the magic! I would suggest going to a nice restaurant that you would like to eat at (whether it is in the park or one the monorail hotels) and have a regular dinner there. Once you finish dinner, I would watch the fireworks from Magic Kingdom. Enjoy your trip with your DD!

 

[SauceBoss]

Agreeing with Minnie Mum - if you are only interested in fireworks, you should be in the park. Seeing fireworks from a restaurant is always a plus, but should never be a deciding factor - the food should be.

 

[PoohsFan1]

California Grill is one of our favorite Signature restaurants and a must do each trip. We do like watching Wishes from the balcony of the restaurant, however the Holiday Wishes should be spent watching from inside the park IMHO. Holiday Wishes, you are surrounded by the magic and to truly understand what I am meaning by that, you just have to find a great spot on MS. If your intent was to go not for the food but the view, then I would just save the extra credit and just go somewhere nice inside the park. Have a great trip .

 

[Missyrose]

Maybe I'm missing something, but if it's holiday Wishes, doesn't that mean there's a Christmas Party going on and you'd have to have a ticket to watch the fireworks from inside MK?

 

[plutosgirl]

Thanks so much all!!

We have seen the Holiday Wishes while inside the park for the Christmas Party and they were amazing for sure but you all helped me make up my mind to cancel the Calif Grill and do something else and I like the idea of if we want to check out the holiday fireworks from afar the beach at Poly sounds good and then we are not committed to be there if we want to do something else!!

 

[TDC Nala]

If you're not sure you want to go, I'd cancel it. If you just skip the meal without cancelling it you will incur the no-show charge (California Grill has had no-show charges since 2005 I think - maybe before that)

 

[figment_jii]

I agree with the PPs that the fireworks are the best when viewed from inside the MK and that you should go to CA Grill for the food. That being said, CA Grill was really good when we were there in October.

We went to the observation deck to watch the fireworks. It was a interesting view - I felt like I was almost at eye level with the fireworks. I could hear the music very clearly. I really liked the view of the castle from the observation deck. Though, next time, I think I'll try standing closer to the start of the deck because in the middle/end the wall at the end is visible (and can be kind of distracting).