We are planning our first ever Disney Trip and I was fortunate enough to discover touringplans… it has been a great help!
We may not be doing this again, like ever… because it is just so expensive and with 1 in college, one in 6th, and one in 2nd… the budget usually doesn’t allow for it.
We were gifted the opportunity in the form of a “bonus” from my husband’s boss who has agreed to pay half the expense.
All this in consideration… the one thing I wanted my 2 girls (they are the younger of the three, we won’t be taking the boy, as he will be off at college, and frankly… it is just out of budget for all of us to go… anyhow, I digress)
Here is what I am asking… In all the planning, I really really wanted to be able to get my girls into a reservation for Be Our Guest. As most probably know, impossible task.
This morning I was able to find a reservation available… it is a dinner reservation… and get this… it is for 9:50pm. I took it, because for now, it may be all we will find with our trip little more than a month out. I was so hoping to get a dinner or breakfast reservation at normal people time. The other issue is, taking this reservation at this time means we will miss the Wishes Fireworks at 10pm.
I was thinking we could go to BOG for dessert only, just to get the experience…
Anyone have any thoughts on this?
I am sure opinions will vary, but I am willing to hear anyone out who has experience with both the wishes show and BOG…
Is it worth it to miss the fireworks? Is it worth it to take the reservation?
Anyone planning on canceling a reservation on Oct 1st for breakfast or lunch or dinner… or any NORMAL time want give me a heads up before you cancel lol?? I will take your prized seats and owe you a life time of gratitude.
thank you all in advance for any insight or suggestions.
yeah… I really am torn, I want my girls to finish off the last of the trip with a BANG… I assumed that bang would be the fireworks show… but then, I thought maybe, it should be BOG dessert.
SOOOOOOO many choices. It is pitiful to be a resident and know almost nothing about DW.
If they are fans of Beauty and the Beast, I would at least do the dessert there. Also, have you tried the liners Facebook group for October? They seem to be pretty good about posting before they cancel so you could try to coordinate picking it up.
Reviews on BOG are mixed, many find it doesn’t live up to their expectations. While Wishes is unlikely to disappoint. Keep your ADR and maybe you’ll manage to pop over for Wishes on another day. You can also see them and hear the music from the TTC and Poly beach.
Unfortunately, there will not be another day. This is the only day. Not sure when or if we will be returning. Hopefully, but not guaranteed… I want to do everything I can to get them to experience as much as they can (and that we can afford) at disney.
We will not be doing any of the character dining because of cost… and BOG was to be the only dining experience… otherwise, we are hoping to do all counter meals.
Thank you for taking the time to share your opinion with me!!
No suggestions but wanted to wish you luck with reservation finder. Maybe could look for another reservation that’s easier to get. Might create a special memory.
Keep trying! The last time I ate at BOG I checked for a reservation constantly for at least a month. Anytime I thought of it, I was on the app checking and checking. I finally got a 4:00 time when someone canceled. And a lot of people cancel the day before too, since you have cancel 24 hours ahead I think. So even the day before and the day of, keep checking! I just started planning my trip for January and was lucky to have multiple choices for times for dinner at BOG. But I think that’s because the week I’m going isn’t a crowded time.
Going to Be Our Guest for dessert is a great idea. The food is good there, better than anything else in the Magic Kingdom (though there are some good choices at Skipper Canteen, too), but the cupcakes for dessert are my favorite part. Seeing the inside of the restaurant is also pretty impressive (make sure you see all three rooms, as each has something special to see). Don’t worry about bothering other diners, as most of them will also want to look around at some point during their meals.
Having said that, I wouldn’t miss Wishes if this is your only chance to see it. Fireworks shows are on of the things Disney does best and for anyone with any shred of nostalgia for Disney animated films will enjoy that show. You don’t have to deal with the masses right in front of the castle (I prefer to watch a little farther back on Main Street, anyway), and the crowds are just about the only thing people may not like about the show.
I wouldn’t give up on Be Our Guest, though. Keep your reservation and you may be able to get away with showing up really early and getting in (especially, if you’re just ordering dessert). There’s a pretty good chance the touring plans reservation finder, mentioned above, will help you find a better time, but until that happens it’s good to have some reservation as a backup. You could also try a walkup reservation, particularly around lunch time. Stop by sometime in the early morning and ask. There’s a chance they’ll let you in for an early lunch (around 10:30ish) and I’ve twice walked in for late lunches (around 2-2:30ish).
Just a heads up, i just did a search for lunch on oct 1st for BOG and got a hit (12:40PM). So you should definitely be able to snag something at a better time.
Just to reiterate what everyone else has already said in more or less words, don’t miss Wishes for dessert. As beautiful as BOG is, there’s very few little that would make me recommend missing Wishes especially on a once in a lifetime trip.
Am I understanding that this day will be your only day on Disney property period? Or just your only day at the Magic Kingdom park?
Only day in MK. We purchased 3 day tickets… doing EP the first day, then AK, then MK.
I chose this order because MK had shortened hours the other two days for the Halloween shindig, and then EP had a crowd predicted level of 2… with AK at 3… MK is a 7… but it is the only day it will be open til after dark… unless of course we purchased Halloween tickets, which I foolishly looked into, and it is absolutely out of the question.
Seriously though, you should be ok, I wouldn’t start to really get concerned until you’re a week or so out from your trip. But having "Plan B"s ready and fleshed out is a good idea.
Definitely use resfinder and try for a lunch. Dinner is table service and will take a lot of time even just for dessert, plus you’ll have to tip too. Just pointing that out since you only have one day in the MK. Is is that they are such Beauty and the Beast fans? There is also enchanted tales with Belle which is pretty fun for a Belle fan. Getting some popcorn for the parade and the fireworks will likely be a better memory for you for a one time deal than a cupcake at Be Our Guest. But everyone makes their own memories. Everything (almost) is wonderful at the Magic Kingdom and Be Our Guest is great but much of the popularity is just the newness for the regulars.
I took it, because for now, it may be all we will find with our trip little more than a month out. I was so hoping to get a dinner or breakfast reservation at normal people time. The other issue is, taking this reservation at this time means we will miss the Wishes Fireworks at 10pm.
I will take your prized seats and owe you a life time of gratitude.
lol I’m kidding.