Am I wasting my time with a sit down dining after MNSSHP park entry?

Walt Disney World Dining
1

I am a party newbie - we have tickets for a Weds night (CL2) and my pooh loving DD wants to eat at Crystal Palace - we do not care about a pic with Sally and Jack - we do care about a pic with Elvis Stitch (and Pooh/Tigger at Thotful spot). Am I wasting away valuable time with a 4:45PM dinner reservation? We will want to eat - but could do QS instead if so. I have another MK day to do rides. We are both APs so I could also bump that to 4 and enter the park earlier - I just don’t want to eat dinner earlier than that.

And while you’re at it strategies on lining up for Stitch are welcome.

Thoughts?

1 Like
2

One other note DD is 9 and we are planning to stay late and do the later fireworks/parade/shows in hopes of lower character lines during earlier shows.

1 Like
3

If you can bump it to a little earlier that would be great

I don’t think it’s a bad idea to eat in park before the party starts, particularly that early when day guests are still there. If it works for you I say go for it!

I wouldn’t say the same thing about a reservation at 5:30 or later because then it could begin to cut into party time

3 Likes
4

Whether or not it’s a waste of time is a personal opinion, but I will say, table services take up a ton of precious party time.

And time is limited! I’d focus on party exclusives.

Quick service restaurants are doable though.

1 Like
5

The party won’t start until 7 though right?

1 Like
6

I missed this. If you are not interested in riding anything, this could work.

2 Likes
7

Yeah, should be plenty of time.

8

Oh. And always ALWAYS do the early parade in case weather changes and delays or cancels it or the headless horseman

2 Likes
9

Yes. You are. You are paying a lot of money for the party and can eat on another MK day. I didn’t meet characters last year and used every minute from 4:00 on to do rides and party exclusive things.

4 Likes
10

At Crystal Palace, it can take a good 90 min to see all four characters. Plus you might have to wait to be seated. That’s a big chunk of time to take out of that 4-7 pre-party time.

2 Likes
11

We went to CP before MVMCP. We were so happy we did. It was great to have a full meal before that long night. My grown son has always loved Pooh and CP was the one TS we went to in our first trips to the world (he was 13-18).

I booked somewhere around 4:45 pre party. We did PeopleMover and PhilharMagic before going to CP. When we were finished it was around 6pm and day guests were exiting the park.

We do not do any meet and greets during parties. We did do all the attractions we wanted and saw the shows, parade, and fireworks.

4 Likes
12

But they said they have another day to focus on rides.

1 Like
13

Thanks for the advice so far!

Another note that on our other MK day we are doing Ohana so that is why I am not doing it that day - maybe I’ll bump to 4pm for now and then decide later. I do have one other option to fit it in as she also wants to do a 4 park challenge day so I was thinking a later dinner that day might work and we will probably relish the break.

2 Likes
14

I hadn’t thought of this risk - thanks!

2 Likes
15

Last year my kiddo and I really wanted to meet the seven dwarves. We had dinner at SC around 4:30, then did Astro Orbiter for the first time, made our way back into Storybook Circus and got in line for the m&g at 6:10. We waited 50 minutes and finished up our pics with them right as the party was starting. We did have a bunch of visits last year so rides weren’t a super high priority for us, but I felt happy with how it all worked out.

3 Likes
16

If the party ticket was your only ticket media that day, and it was you only MK day, I would say no. Bit your AP would already get you in up until 6, so anything up until then is not a waste of time IMO. When I have been in the park prior to the party Infeel like we are killing time, with extra high crowds. So a meal seems perfect, as long as it finishes up before party time. So I would bump to 4:30 so you are done by 6:00.

1 Like
17

The parties go so fast I feel like I barely have time to get to the party related stuff, let alone a sit down meal. CP is known to be a long meal, so you probably won’t get out of there before 6:00. Maybe see if you can get an earlier reservation so you don’t have to give up time at the restaurant or time at the party.

2 Likes
18

I last went in 2022. I had a sit down dinner around 5 or 6 at Skipper’s Canteen and was thankful I did. Lines for food were long everywhere. I threw my empty water bottle away early in the party which I regretted as I couldn’t find a place to purchase a new bottle of water without a very long line for a long while. We ended up getting a snack at Cosmic Ray’s around 10 pm or 10:30 pm and it took a really long time. I much preferred sitting down and having a nice meal vs. standing around for 30 min to get “party exclusive” food.

I don’t remember there being mobile order when we went, but I plan on using it this time.

2 Likes