The California Grill and MK Fireworks are a Match Made in Disney Heaven!

I usually don’t write opinion pieces, and certainly never try to rank things at Disney World.  That is not what this blog is about.  But I wanted to shed some light on what I think is a fundamentally unique experience, because not everyone knows about it.  It is dining at the California Grill restaurant atop the Contemporary Hotel during Happily Ever After Fireworks, or at least prior to them.  The California Grill is known as one of Walt Disney World’s best, fanciest and most romantic eating establishments.  And the new HEA is one of the planet’s greatest firework shows and a can’t miss event in the Magic Kingdom.  And on the various Disney Facebook groups I see lots of questions asking either for a great place to view this shoe, or querying about the best place for a romantic, special, adult, or anniversary celebration.  The answer to both these types of questions is the Cali Grill, as it is fondly referred to.

And here is why.  My wife and I have dined at the California Grill three times, two  times without our children, thanks to my in-laws watching the kids for the evening.  The show was Wishes back then, but just as magical and spectacular.   Recently we celebrated a milestone birthday There, and our kids joined us and loved it thoroughly.  You may also  be there as a couple or on your honeymoon.  On all three occasions, we made sure to reserve the full 180 days in advance, as it can be very difficult to get a good time, or any reservation at all, especially during peak periods.  There are so many reasons to enjoy this experience.  I am not going to do a full scale review of the food, but it was outstanding all three times, and my wife and I are limited in what we can choose because we are vegetarians.  Eacj time, we shared a flatbread or sushi , a salad, a main course and a dessert, and had glasses of wine.  The wine list is extensive, and the service is always exceptional! The full menu can be found on the Disney World website or on a few others.

The first time we went, our booking was right at sunset, and the waiter immediately offered us the opportunity to go on to the outside observation deck and my wife took some beautiful photos.  Then we enjoyed our meal, and his service could not have been better.  After asking us what types of wines we liked, he made a recommendation, then brought it for us to taste, and when it wasn’t to our desired taste, he brought us a different one that was excellent.  The view is spectacular and there is the open kitchen to look at as well.  With the sun setting, it was like a show right before our eyes!  We finished our meal at around 8:30 or so, and Wishes was at 10pm that evening.  No worries, because with your receipt you can come back to view Wishes on the observation deck.  We did just that, and it was fantastic, including the piped in music and Jiminy Cricket’s commentary.

The second time, we had a similar reservation, but due to traffic, our shuttle from a Downtown Disney Resort Area hotel was slow, and we were late getting there by nearly half an hour.  The hosts at the California Grill elevator were so understanding and compassionate, and told us not to worry, our reservation was held, and we should enjoy the evening.  We sure did.  The restaurant had been redecorated since our previous visit, and looked even nicer.  We didn’t have a spot directly at the window, but it still offered a nice nighttime view.  The service and food was again excellent, but this time our meal extended until Wishes was about to begin and our server said that we were welcome to stay and watch.  Inside Cali Grill the lights are dimmed and the sound is turned on as Wishes is present through the windows of the restaurant.  My wife stayed in her seat to watch, but I walked over to a spot by the window to enjoy the spectacular show even more so.

On our most recent visit, while we dined at around 7pm, Happily Ever After was at 9, so we took a break before dessert to watch and listen to it on the outdoor observation area.  Then we returned to our seats to enjoy coffee and desserts.  Shortly after we had arrived at the restaurant, we all enjoyed watching the sunset both through the window and out on the deck.

Dining at the California Grill and viewing the fireworks from its observation deck or inside the restaurant is such a unique experience that I wanted to share it with you, so that if this type of dining appeals to you, there would be opportunity to take advantage of it.  There were a few children in the restaurant on each occasion we visited, but it is a fine dining establishment, and pricey even by Disney standards, so that has to be taken into account as well when deciding to include the kids. Our own two loved the experience! My understanding is that California Grill is two dining credits on the Disney Dining Plan.

Update:  Wishes has been replaced with a new Fireworks show in the Magic Kingdom entitled Happily Ever After.

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