***May 2018 Check-In Thread***

[Pamela M]

Just booked my Fantastmic on the Go Dining package for May 4th and Paint the night Sonoma Terrace reception package on Sunday May 6th. Going to do the Walk in Walts footsteps tour on the 5th but I can't book that until 30 days out.
FYI - You have to prepay for the Paint the night reception ($79) - it better be good for that price!

 

[Sjwillia]

I just booked Sonoma Terrace for the 7th. As Pamela M said, you do prepay in full. You must cancel a minimum of 3 days in advance to get a refund, otherwise the total amount is kept. I am anxious to hear from people who try it early and really hope the view is great as that is the most important part of the package for me.

 

[AndreAggie]

Anyone booking a character meal? I think we're going to try Minnie & Friends. Looking at getting a late reservation and making that count as "lunch".

 

[tzeitel]

We are doing Carnation Cafe on our arrival day, rest of our party arrives the next day so I have to book something for that night as well - was thinking Cafe Orleans. Was going to do BB but the times do not work for us - it is either 4:20 or 7:30 (which is kinda late for the East coast folks joining us). Might keep checking though.

I do want to book the RBT dinner package - the upgraded one where you sit in the restaurant for F! - but I do not see it listed. Is this one of those packages that load super late?

Just booked my Fantastmic on the Go Dining package for May 4th and Paint the night Sonoma Terrace reception package on Sunday May 6th. Going to do the Walk in Walts footsteps tour on the 5th but I can't book that until 30 days out.
FYI - You have to prepay for the Paint the night reception ($79) - it better be good for that price!

I just booked Sonoma Terrace for the 7th. As Pamela M said, you do prepay in full. You must cancel a minimum of 3 days in advance to get a refund, otherwise the total amount is kept. I am anxious to hear from people who try it early and really hope the view is great as that is the most important part of the package for me.

Was thinking of the Sonoma Terrace thing but I think we can find a good spot for the parade w/o it - of course I will probably change my mind tomorrow

Anyone booking a character meal? I think we're going to try Minnie & Friends. Looking at getting a late reservation and making that count as "lunch".

I really would like to do the Minnie character meal but I think I am the only one in our party who wants to

 

[Darkhaund]

What is is PIZZA IN some people suggested for character dining?
And given the cost.... i am not so inclined anymore to pay for a dinner packange for paint hte night... i want to see the parade upclose... so i guess the sidewalk is my best option right?

 

[tzeitel]

What is is PIZZA IN some people suggested for character dining?
And given the cost.... i am not so inclined anymore to pay for a dinner packange for paint hte night... i want to see the parade upclose... so i guess the sidewalk is my best option right?

Plaza Inn has a character breakfast, then for lunch turns into a cs.
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/disneyland/plaza-inn/

We are all waiting to see what the PtN parade route will look like, but if it is the same as when they had their daytime parade the route is pretty long and will have lots of places from where to watch it.

 

[BrerMama]

W
I do want to book the RBT dinner package - the upgraded one where you sit in the restaurant for F! - but I do not see it listed. Is this one of those packages that load super late?

Pretty sure this is one you have to call to make it. Not available on line at all.

 

[amyg1975]

Does anyone know the menu for the PTN package at Wine Country Trattoria? I booked lunch, but I can't seem to find the menu for the package.

 

[tzeitel]

Does anyone know the menu for the PTN package at Wine Country Trattoria? I booked lunch, but I can't seem to find the menu for the package.

Maybe it is the same one as the WoC package?
http://allears.net/dlr/dining/menu/wine-country-trattoria/special-lunch

 

[tzeitel]

Was really hoping F! would be showing everyday in May but I just called to try and get the RBT deluxe package and was told that the first 3 weeks in May F! will only be showing on Fri/Sat/Sun. RBT deluxe is sold out May 5th and 6th.

I know I should've booked the moment it opened! We needed the 6th since half our party will be there that weekend (we have another weekend to try) and 3 out of our 6 cannot sit on the ground. The CM did tell me that there are benches set aside in the handicap section (we will have 1, maybe 2 wheelchairs) and the whole family can sit in that area. We did that for the WoC WCT package a few years ago - we where in a separate section, DD and I sat on the ground while the others sat on the bench. We had a great spot.

 

[mrsashbaugh]

Hello everyone! My family and I will be there May 27-June 3! We're super excited! Last time we were at Disneyland was Nov 2013. We'll be staying at Paradise Pier for 3 nights and then going to Staybridge Suites by Holiday Inn for the remainder of our stay. It will be our first time staying at these hotel properties so hoping for the best!

 

[Darkhaund]

Is here a GOOD SPOT to watch F! WITHOUT having to use one of the dinning packages?

 

[Darkhaund]

Just booked my Fantastmic on the Go Dining package for May 4th and Paint the night Sonoma Terrace reception package on Sunday May 6th. Going to do the Walk in Walts footsteps tour on the 5th but I can't book that until 30 days out.
FYI - You have to prepay for the Paint the night reception ($79) - it better be good for that price!

What is the PAINT THE NIGHT RECEPTION


i AM VERY CONFUSED about

Dining package..
reception party..
this that

i am getting overwhelmed

I WANT to see Fantasmic, WoC , Paint the night AND together forever.
We will be going from MAY 19 TO MAY 26.. will this be possible???

 

[amyg1975]

Maybe it is the same one as the WoC package?
http://allears.net/dlr/dining/menu/wine-country-trattoria/special-lunch

Perhaps! I hadn't even thought of that.

 

[tzeitel]

Hello everyone! My family and I will be there May 27-June 3! We're super excited! Last time we were at Disneyland was Nov 2013. We'll be staying at Paradise Pier for 3 nights and then going to Staybridge Suites by Holiday Inn for the remainder of our stay. It will be our first time staying at these hotel properties so hoping for the best!

Hi! I have never stayed at the Staybridge (or PP for that matter) but have read good thing about it.

What is the PAINT THE NIGHT RECEPTION


i AM VERY CONFUSED about

Dining package..
reception party..
this that

i am getting overwhelmed

I WANT to see Fantasmic, WoC , Paint the night AND together forever.
We will be going from MAY 19 TO MAY 26.. will this be possible???

The dining packages all work pretty much the same (for F!, PtN, and WoC when it is showing). You book the package. After you have lunch or dinner (whichever one you booked) you will get a ticket, like a FastPass for the show. The ticket will have the name of the restaurant and the time you should go to the venue (but everyone agrees that it is better to show up a little earlier than the time stated). When you get close to the venue you will see specific lines for the package chosen - there will be a sign for the restaurant you chose and a CM near/below the sign. You line up until they start letting people into your area. Each restaurant has their own area, the more expensive the restaurant the better the spot.

The PtN reception party is new so no one knows how it will work. From what it sounds like on the Disney site you watch the parade from the Sonoma Terrace. This is an outdoor area next to the Wine Country Trattoria restaurant that has a good view of the parade. If it works like the WoC dessert party then when you book you will have a reservation email with all your info, venue info and what time to get there - this one seems to be an hour before show - so you can enjoy the food and drinks before the parade starts. You sign in with a CM at the door, they take you to your assigned table. A CM will bring you food and drinks, then you just wait for the parade to start.

DCA usually has a pretty big parade route, but PtN has not started yet so we do not know if the route will be the same as they had for their regular Pixar parade. When PtN first started showing (in DLR) it was a madhouse. people would camp for hours to see it. But this was the first time it was showing, it was the 60th celebration, and it was at DLR which has a smaller parade route. Even then I was able to see the parade with no package and no wait. At this moment (with no reviews on the reception) if it was just me and my family I would not book anything for PtN. But we are travelling with a group and some have mobility issues so if they want to do the reception we will.

If money is an issue you don't have to do the packages, F! has FPs, and you can find a spot for the parades/fireworks. If time is the issue (or if this is a once in a lifetime trip) then I would do packages.
Since F! is only showing on the weekends on my dates I will book a package. Like I said - if our group wants the reception for PtN then we will book it. If WoC is available for my dates I will book the dessert party - we liked it and it works for us. Everyone has different priorities, for my group (not me necessarily) it is seeing the shows so we will spend the money there.

The DLR calendar does not have your dates yet, but PtN is set to run every night, WoC will be down for refurbishment starting April 13 until May but no one knows exact date. I called yesterday to book the F! RBT deluxe package and the CM told me that F! will only be running on the weekends the first 3 weeks of May. After that it is considered "Summer season" and it will run every night. For your dates it looks like F! will be showing on the 19th, the 20th, and the 25th. I don't know about the fireworks, the schedule is only out for most of April but it has the fireworks showing every night.

 

[Darkhaund]

tHANK YOU FOR THE SUPER AWESOME RESPONSE..

I guess I will book my DINING PACKAGE FOR F! ON MAY 20TH.. which happens to be my bday.... so i get a good dinner and a great view. the next days 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 I can see how to accomodate PtN WoC and Together for ever... seeems doable right?

 

[wallawallakids]

So sad. Looks like Pirates will be down for all of May now. It is my youngest daughter's favorite ride. A lot more is down in May than I anticipated. We will still have fun though!

 

[AquaDame]

Yeah, I'm really bummed about this. I'm hopeful that if our ABD would have included a tour of the Dream suite (they have in the past) we will still be able to, or that they'll be able to plus something else to take it's place!

 

[tzeitel]

tHANK YOU FOR THE SUPER AWESOME RESPONSE..

I guess I will book my DINING PACKAGE FOR F! ON MAY 20TH.. which happens to be my bday.... so i get a good dinner and a great view. the next days 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 I can see how to accomodate PtN WoC and Together for ever... seeems doable right?

I have read that from the F! area you can see the fireworks - not a prime view like in front of the castle but you could do that on your F! day and then try to catch it from a better spot later. If you don't catch them a 2nd time at least you got to see them without too much of a hassle.

 

[DnA2010]

Hi! I have never stayed at the Staybridge (or PP for that matter) but have read good thing about it.


The dining packages all work pretty much the same (for F!, PtN, and WoC when it is showing). You book the package. After you have lunch or dinner (whichever one you booked) you will get a ticket, like a FastPass for the show. The ticket will have the name of the restaurant and the time you should go to the venue (but everyone agrees that it is better to show up a little earlier than the time stated). When you get close to the venue you will see specific lines for the package chosen - there will be a sign for the restaurant you chose and a CM near/below the sign. You line up until they start letting people into your area. Each restaurant has their own area, the more expensive the restaurant the better the spot.

The PtN reception party is new so no one knows how it will work. From what it sounds like on the Disney site you watch the parade from the Sonoma Terrace. This is an outdoor area next to the Wine Country Trattoria restaurant that has a good view of the parade. If it works like the WoC dessert party then when you book you will have a reservation email with all your info, venue info and what time to get there - this one seems to be an hour before show - so you can enjoy the food and drinks before the parade starts. You sign in with a CM at the door, they take you to your assigned table. A CM will bring you food and drinks, then you just wait for the parade to start.

DCA usually has a pretty big parade route, but PtN has not started yet so we do not know if the route will be the same as they had for their regular Pixar parade. When PtN first started showing (in DLR) it was a madhouse. people would camp for hours to see it. But this was the first time it was showing, it was the 60th celebration, and it was at DLR which has a smaller parade route. Even then I was able to see the parade with no package and no wait. At this moment (with no reviews on the reception) if it was just me and my family I would not book anything for PtN. But we are travelling with a group and some have mobility issues so if they want to do the reception we will.

If money is an issue you don't have to do the packages, F! has FPs, and you can find a spot for the parades/fireworks. If time is the issue (or if this is a once in a lifetime trip) then I would do packages.
Since F! is only showing on the weekends on my dates I will book a package. Like I said - if our group wants the reception for PtN then we will book it. If WoC is available for my dates I will book the dessert party - we liked it and it works for us. Everyone has different priorities, for my group (not me necessarily) it is seeing the shows so we will spend the money there.

The DLR calendar does not have your dates yet, but PtN is set to run every night, WoC will be down for refurbishment starting April 13 until May but no one knows exact date. I called yesterday to make book the F! RBT deluxe package and the CM told me that F! will only be running on the weekends the first 3 weeks of May. After that it is considered "Summer season" and it will run every night. For your dates it looks like F! will be showing on the 19th, the 20th, and the 25th. I don't know about the fireworks, the schedule is only out for most of April but it has the fireworks showing every night.

By the first 3 weeks of May, wouldn't that be Week 1- May 1-5, Week 2- 6-12, Week 3- 13-19? Wouldn't 20-26 be week 4? our dates are May 19-25, similar to Darkhaund..So sounds like for sure fireworks and PTN will be every night, and then F! at weekends, and WOC will see if it comes up?