5:05 dinner at GF Cafe & 7pm MK entry to DAK - doable?

[marielynn724]

I have a 5:05pm reservation for myself for dinner at the Grand Floridian Cafe the same night I have a ticket for DAH at Magic Kingdom, which I thought was realistically doable for me, but now I'm sort of panicking that I'm cutting it too close. Has anyone eaten there lately and can say whether the meal took longer than a hour and a half? I figure it wouldn't take me longer than an hour to eat a salad and entrée, which then leaves enough time to either ferry or walk to MK by the time I can check in to the party.

 

[aea71]

The Cafe starts dinner at 5pm so I would think that should be plenty of time. I'd recommend arriving early for the dinner reservation so you can be among the first seated. It's a quick trip to MK from GF.

 

[princesscinderella]

We have eaten there a few times over the last year and we have had very slow service. It used to be one of our go to favorite restaurants and from getting orders wrong from the kitchen to slow service we have taken a break from dining there. My son was just there for a lunch for 2 in march and it took 2.5 hours as they were late seating him by 45 minutes and slow on the food.

 

[Marthasor]

If your goal is to be at MK at 7 pm, I would forego a 5 pm TS and keep your evening a little more fluid. I would hate to be stuck in a restaurant or on transportation after spending $$ on an MK event. There is a lot of good QS in the MK area, IMHO.

 

[Anthony1971]

I believe you can enter the park 2 or 2 1/2 hours prior to the start time. Personally I would eat a late big lunch or a CS around 4:30-5 the latest. I have done the Halloween party entered early went on a few less popular rides on the way to a CS ate and was done before the official start time. That was years ago…. Now we don’t eat at MK anymore so any CS on monorail loop is good. We enjoy Gasparilla at the GF so that is my suggestion.

 

[Aimeedyan]

We have eaten there a few times over the last year and we have had very slow service. It used to be one of our go to favorite restaurants and from getting orders wrong from the kitchen to slow service we have taken a break from dining there. My son was just there for a lunch for 2 in march and it took 2.5 hours as they were late seating him by 45 minutes and slow on the food.

Same experience in last year or two. Painfully slow and frustrating service. Last time (abt a month ago), I had to return to the host stand to see if we even had a waiter - we had been sitting at a table, ignored, for 20 minutes after being seated.

Used to be a favorite!

 

[marielynn724]

I believe you can enter the park 2 or 2 1/2 hours prior to the start time. Personally I would eat a late big lunch or a CS around 4:30-5 the latest. I have done the Halloween party entered early went on a few less popular rides on the way to a CS ate and was done before the official start time. That was years ago…. Now we don’t eat at MK anymore so any CS on monorail loop is good. We enjoy Gasparilla at the GF so that is my suggestion.

party starts at 10pm, 7pm is the early entry for it

 

[marielynn724]

Just managed to change the reservation to a 1:55pm lunch and I feel a lot better about it. Thanks for all the great advice!