Miss typed! Should be Friday-SUNDAY! I fixed my post. Sorry.
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This is a great strategy for at least one of the days. I wouldn’t bother with Peter Pan unless you get there to a very short line. It’s always about the same length all day (~30-45 min) from rope drop to close.
It’s possible this will change, so keep your eye on the events calendar!
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So it looks like, at least for now, F! and Fireworks are only available on Fri - Sun. Will we possibly be able to do both in one night? Ugh. I should have done more research before booking! I thought going during the week would be best for crowds, but I didn’t realize DL only did their night shows on select nights.
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Don’t forget about World of Color virtual queue sign up at noon. I tasked DD24 to plan for the trip and all she came up with was a list of food and snacks! There is 2 showings. We hung around the bridge to Paradise Pier for the first show. When people left after the first show, we filled at the railing, as close as possible to Little Mermaid. The view is decent. Or you can pay for a dessert party or dining package.
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Yes you can do both. You can watch F! and then stick around at Rivers of America for the fireworks - they show the projections on a water spray screen, so it’s a decent spot actually, though not centered over the castle and you can’t see Tink.
The other option would be to watch the fireworks first, then attend the second F! show, if there is one.
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This is our plan.
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This should be accurate at least! Hope it all works out.
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Anyone know if the dining package at Blue Bayou can be used for either show? Or only the first?
Thanks!
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You still need to show up early to pick a seat.
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When I was there I asked if we could choose and they said it was only offered for the first, but I don’t know if that’s universally true.
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We did the fireworks and the late F! last night. We did have the Hungry Bear package vouchers, but seeing them both was easy. You do have to sit on the ground for the F! packages (scooters can be at the back of the area), they enforce and won’t let people stand.
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Both shows take the BB package. We had that option yesterday- the 3pm ADR was for first show, 8:20pm for second show (but couldn’t do fireworks with that). We cancelled both and did the Hungry Bear. Our ADRs were for the actual F! package, not just adding the package to the meal when we got there.
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I did this back when you pulled a FP ticket for the viewing. I planned a route to get there as quickly as possible. It was definitely swimming against the tide and I had to walk through the stores to get to Frontierland. I didn’t have a great FP spot, but I hear the dining spots are good for the later show no matter when you arrive.
So be ready to move, but it can be done!
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Should habe kept reading to see that you did this last night! Much better intel than mine from 2019!
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Ok, I finally sat down with your food list and came up with what I would roughly plan for if this were my list of to do’s and wanting to consider fitting in QS (and Festival of the Holidays will be going on too and that’s always got great options).
Right off the bat though, I do have some bad news about Lamplight Lounge brunch- it’s only offered Fri-Sun and only until 1pm each of those days so it would have to be on a DCA start. Since your first day is Sun & you (wisely) don’t want to plan a meal in case of iffy flight times AND you’re (again wisely) starting DL, Lamplight for brunch won’t be an option, but you could still (and I do recommend it) try it at lunch or dinner. The lobster nachos alone, the drinks and ambiance are amazing. We also love lots on their menu. And hopefully there’s something on it that fits your mom’s palate. If she’ll do a burger or salmon they have a good burger and a salmon sandwich as well.
Other scheduling considerations for the meals you want to do: both Storytellers Brunch and the Napa Rose Princesses Adventure are only done Thur-Mon so you’ll want to schedule them either Mon or Thur (or try to get Storyteller’s done on your Sun arrival day). I’ve put in two different options to fit in the tricky scheduling below. Everything else should be relatively easy to schedule (i.e. is offered even in midweek).
Sun 12/4 DL
Arrival lunch: Craftsman Bar/Grill (plan B: if you can walk-in for Storyteller’s brunch, do Storyteller’s)
Dinner: Blue Bayou F! (for 10:30 show) - Option to forgo Blue Bayou as a dining package & get Hungry Bear package for late show (you will be in the exact same section bc at the late show they combine all three dining to the one Blue Bayou area so will get same view no matter which package you end up with & then still do Blue Bayou for dessert only, on this or another night.
Shows: 9:30 FWs (may be only chance for FWs) & 10:30 F!
Snacks: Jolly Holiday macaroons, Tropical Hideaway Dole Whips, Beignets
Mon 12/5 DL start
Bfast: QS in DL convenient to where you’ll be after your first RD start (We like Galactic Grill, Jolly Holiday, Ronto Roasters & the Market House -which is Starbucks). Red Rose Taverne is only ok. Beignets are also an option for a more snack/doughnut-like bfast).
Lunch: Storyteller’s brunch (Plan b: if you did Storyteller’s brunch day before, do Napa Rose brunch here if you don’t want to leave Napa Rose to your departure day- you can book both if you have 2 separate accounts BUT you will need to cancel one the night before as there is no bump & run in DL- but the restaurants are all pretty flexible day of if you speak to them about not being able to make it- but you do have to actually make it to the restaurant to speak with them and have a quick conversation with them about not being able to make it.)
Dinner: Something small/light before WOC Dessert Party (maybe share Bengal BBQ skewers- we never usually are able to fill up on them bc they are so expensive but they are savory and tasty)
Shows: WOC Dessert party (if doing earlier show, dessert party is at 8pm with 9pm show, if there is a later show, dessert party is just after first show ends,9:30ish with 10:15 pm show)
Snack: Churros (either park), or any first day options in DL you didn’t do and Festival of the Holidays booths will be out in full force in DCA too and always have good snacking choices.
Tue 12/6 DCA Start
Bfast: DCA only has bfast at Pym’s or Fiddler Fifer, Practical (which is Starbucks). Pym’s bfast is meh so we usually eat before we get to parks or wait until other non-bfast things start opening (10am) & eat then. Or eat Jack-Jack cookies or Ghiradelli’s ice cream for bast. At the GCH QS Craftsman Grill is open at 6:45 (I think). Our favorite non-bfast “bfast” is the Cozy Cone: Chili Cone Queso and Bacon Mac n Cheese cones are loved by all of us.
Lunch: Wine Country Trattoria before 1pm or Carnation Cafe if after. Could also consider doing Festival Booths or any of the fantastic DCA QS: Cozy Cone/Flo’s, Pym’s Test kitchen, Corn Dog Castle if you like spicy they have a Hot Link Corn Dog that’s amazing, the great options around the Pacific Wharf (we like the bread bowls at the Pacific Wharf Cafe, but I hear the Mexican & Asian food there is all superb).
Dinner: Any of the options listed on lunch that you want to try here. This would also be a good night to consider trying Lamplight Loungue just for dinner & the ambiance maybe catch World of Color from the unique vantage point here. Or a good night to meet-up at Trader Sam’s with your colleague & explore DLH.
Snacks: Pacific Wharf Cafe bread pudding, Pym’s Choco-smash bar (you’ll need at least 2-3 people to eat one they are GIANT), Pym’s Quantum pretzel with beer cheese sauce, Jack-Jack Num-Num Cookie, Lemon soft serve at the Adorable Snowman’s Shack.
Wed 12/7 DL start
Breakfast: Minnie’s Character bfast
Lunch: Whatever you haven’t done out of Carnation, Wine Trattoria or a DL QS option: Corn dogs (Little Red Wagon, Stage Door Cafe), Bengal BBQ or Jolly Holiday sandwiches.
Dinner: I would want to focus on staying in DL since you have very little time after hopping on your leaving day so this is a great place for Carnation Cafe or DL QS that you want to do but haven’t yet. But if you haven’t yet gotten to Trader Sam’s and/or Lamplight (if you want to try it at just lunch/dinner) they could fit here as well, but I’d try hard to get them done before this to enjoy the night at DL.
Thur 12/8 DCA Start (no/little time to hop before leaving for flight)
Late Bfast: Napa Rose princess brunch after running around getting everything in DCA done. (If you did Napa Rose on Mon then do a QS bfast either at the Craftsman Grill or in park & then do the table service Craftsman Bar & Grill for lunch before catching your ride to SNA for flight home). Or do any of the Festival Booth items you haven’t yet fit in.
If there’s time to hop to DL before you have to leave, I would try to pop into Main St one last time to take one last look at it decked out for Christmas. You could also soak in GCH Christmas decor as well if you don’t have the time, or don’t want to back-track after eating one last meal at GCH (either Napa Rose princesses or Craftsman Bar & Grill).
ETA: I threw the plan into a spreadsheet chart to refine it a bit. And in case it helps you plan it at all, here’s what I would be working with.
| DL PM arrival | Sun 12/4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival Lunch | Craftsman Bar/Grill Back-up: Walk-up to Storytellers |
Walk-up |
| Snack Options | Jolly Holiday macaroons, Tropical Hideaway Dole Whips DCA Festival booths if hopping |
QS |
| Dinner | F! Dining (HB for 10:30) Option to do Blue Bayou Dining & cancel dessert only res for last day |
Reserve |
| Show 1 | 9:30 Fireworks | If possible reserve Plaza snack? package |
| Show 2 | 10:30 F! (dining section) | Reserved from dinner |
| DL Start EE | Mon 12/5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast (light) | Beignets or Jolly Holiday | QS |
| Brunch | Storytellers Back-up: Duplicate reservation for Napa Rose Princess |
Reserve & Back-up Rez Cancel one night b4 If xling Storytellers also cancel Napa for departure day |
| Snack | Churro, Festival Booths | QS |
| Dinner (light) | Festival Booths | QS |
| Dessert & Dinner | WOC Dessert Party Dessert 8pm, show 9pm |
Reserve |
| DCA Start EE | Tue 12/6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Cozy Cones @10 am | QS |
| Lunch | Wine Country Trattoria ~1-2 | Reserve |
| Snack | Festival Booths, Pym Test Kitchen snacks | QS |
| Drinks/Loungue | Trader Sam’s | (Reserve?) |
| Dinner | Lamplight Lounge for 7:30 or later | Reserve |
| Show | Stay after Lamplight meal for WOC x2 | Reserved from dinner |
| DL Start EE | Wed 12/7 | |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Minnie’s Character Breakfast | Reserve |
| Lunch Options | Bengal BBQ/Corn dogs/Plaza Inn Fried Chicken If hopping to DCA Pym’s Test Kitchen, Pacific Wharf,Corn Dog Castle |
QS |
| Snack Options | Anything not tried from above (or Festival booths) | |
| Dinner | Carnaton Café | Reserve |
| Dessert | Blue Bayou | Reserve |
| DCA Departure Day | Thur 12/8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast (light) | Starbucks (or Craftsman Grill QS) | QS |
| Brunch | Napa Rose Princess Back-up: Craftsman Bar/Grill as a walk-up |
Reserve |
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@kerrilux_625778 They will show the projections and a few pyrotechnics on non fireworks nights as well. So if it’s all too hard to fit in on Sunday, you can at least do that.
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Character meals clarification. Which characters are at each of these and which meals if not stated or incorrect? We are adults so certain characters have little to no appeal, but FOMO is still real lol.
Napa Rose princess breakfast
Storytellers brunch or breakfast
Plaza Inn Minnie breakfast
Thanks.
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Storytellers has Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Chip and Dale. They’re dressed for hiking/camping. Super cute!
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Napa Rose when we went had Ariel & Rapunzel as “featured” (meaning with a PhotoPass photographer and the photos were included in the price of the meal), there were also Tiana, Pocahontas, Belle & Mulan. We met Mulan before the meal & everyone else during. I’m not sure how much they switch those around or if those are standard.
Storytellers is as Julianne said although on 2 recent trips we’ve only gotten 4/5 of them each time. First time no Mickey & 2nd time I can’t remember who it was we didn’t see but both times we got Minnie twice!
Plaza Inn is always Minnie but the rest of the characters switch out based on the day. I feel like Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Chip & Dale are pretty almost certain staples. But we’ve also seen Captain Hook, Rafiki, Max (Goofy’s son), Perla (Cinderella mouse) & Fairy Godmother several different times we’ve gone. I believe we’ve also met Rabbit & Piglet (but not at all recently) here and maybe Peter Pan & Wendy here? But that one I want to say was just us seeing them meet at tables while we walked past. And recently saw Daisy doing meets here as well (again when walking past) but haven’t seen her ourselves here.
And I’ve seen pictures of other people meeting: Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum, Penguin waiters from Mary Poppins, Gepetto, Pinocchio, Honest John, Gideon.
With Plaza you’ll probably get about 6 staple characters with Minnie being certain and then you’ll get anywhere from 2-4 more characters that are more rare.
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What I love about Plaza is that it can be random characters. You get a couple of the Fab 5, chip and dale, someone from Winnie the Pooh and then who knows? The Fairy Godmother, Mary Poppins penguine, Captain Hook, the mice from Cinderella, I’ve seen all of them.
Minnie is your gauruntee. I loved it as an adult.
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