ADR during Disney After Hours?

[fortnightlily]

So our arrival day is February 7, 2019, and I snagged Cinderella's Table dinner reservations at 7:25pm.  But I just saw that they are doing Disney After Hours at Magic Kingdom that day from 8pm - 11pm.

So... what does that mean?  What time do regular guests have to leave?

Will we be required to buy the Disney After Hours tickets to stay for dinner?  If not, will we be escorted out as soon as dinner is over?  Do only Disney After Hours ticket holders get to see the fireworks that night (which are scheduled for 8pm)?

Not finding a lot of info online.

[Deleted]

We haven’t been there in 2 years, but if the park closed at 8 and that’s when fireworks were, people could watch the fireworks but then had to leave after they were over.

You’d have to leave after dinner is over but won’t see 8pm fireworks outside with a 7:25 reservation. Your dinner will probably take 1.5-2 hours.

[fortnightlily]

Nov 25, 2018 18:56:32 GMT -5 @lindy said:

We haven’t been there in 2 years, but if the park closed at 8 and that’s when fireworks were, people could watch the fireworks but then had to leave after they were over.

You’d have to leave after dinner is over but won’t see 8pm fireworks outside with a 7:25 reservation. Your dinner will probably take 1.5-2 hours.

Thanks!  Yeah, I know we could try to request a seat near a window, but that we wouldn't really see much.  Was debating canceling the reservation anyway (I also booked Akershus for lunch on a different day and we only need one princess meal).  But we will potentially be able to make time to see Happily Ever After a different night of our trip.

So if anyone has any opinions on CRT Dinner vs Akershus lunch I'll take those as well

[chocolatepie]

After Hours guests are typically given a lanyard to wear so they are easily recognized by CM's. It takes awhile for the park to empty out after fireworks/close so more than likely, there would still be day guests on Main St when you finish and a CM will walk you towards Main St so you can exit. They will start checking lanyards at the land "entrances" and all rides. You definitely don't need an After Hours ticket to dine there even if you overlap.

I was pleasantly surprised at my last lunch at CRT - I thought the food was good, princess interaction was good, and we had great service. There is something special about eating in the castle. It does seem to get mixed reviews, though, and the pricepoint is so high now... Akershus is one of our favorites that we go back to again and again; I don't feel as cramped there and I like the Norwegian food options. It's been consistently good for us and I found that the characters spend a little more time at each table. It's the one we take guests to.

[alleinesein]

I've only done after hours and private events in CA but they typically give the event attendees a lanyard and/or a wristband and there will be CMs stationed all over the park checking for them. CMs will herd your towards the exits if you do not have the proper credentials for the event.

[periwinkle]

Nov 25, 2018 19:42:10 GMT -5 fortnightlily said:

Nov 25, 2018 18:56:32 GMT -5 @lindy said:

We haven’t been there in 2 years, but if the park closed at 8 and that’s when fireworks were, people could watch the fireworks but then had to leave after they were over.

You’d have to leave after dinner is over but won’t see 8pm fireworks outside with a 7:25 reservation. Your dinner will probably take 1.5-2 hours.

Thanks!  Yeah, I know we could try to request a seat near a window, but that we wouldn't really see much.  Was debating canceling the reservation anyway (I also booked Akershus for lunch on a different day and we only need one princess meal).  But we will potentially be able to make time to see Happily Ever After a different night of our trip.

So if anyone has any opinions on CRT Dinner vs Akershus lunch I'll take those as well

We did both Akershus lunch and CRT Dinner.  We loved CRT and the dinner was really good.  We weren't impressed with the food at Akershus (at least not the lunch options).  Princesses are relatively the same but they have a nicer entrance at CRT.  If you haven't ever been there I recommend CRT by far.

[periwinkle]

Nov 27, 2018 9:09:49 GMT -5 periwinkle said:

Nov 25, 2018 19:42:10 GMT -5 fortnightlily said:

Thanks!  Yeah, I know we could try to request a seat near a window, but that we wouldn't really see much.  Was debating canceling the reservation anyway (I also booked Akershus for lunch on a different day and we only need one princess meal).  But we will potentially be able to make time to see Happily Ever After a different night of our trip.

So if anyone has any opinions on CRT Dinner vs Akershus lunch I'll take those as well

We did both Akershus lunch and CRT Dinner.  We loved CRT and the dinner was really good.  We weren't impressed with the food at Akershus (at least not the lunch options).  Princesses are relatively the same but they have a nicer entrance at CRT.  If you haven't ever been there I recommend CRT by far.

Oh, and they do a cute little show at CRT for the kids that DD loved.  My BIL/SIL are DVC members and always go to CRT if they can get a reservation.

[fortnightlily]

I wrote to Disney customer service and they confirmed that dinner overlapping the event won't be an issue, but that we will have to leave the park when we're done.