Making Dining Plans...

[Vixynne]

...or, more specifically, trying to make dining plans mesh with Extra Magic Hours! Anyone been through this before? Seems the EMH schedule is released, oh...about 90 days beforehand (which, of course, corresponds with the reservation window for dining).

And to complicate things further, my vacation is during the madness of the holidays (I'm just a glutton for self-imposed punishment, heh).

Does anyone have tips, warnings, or helpful nuggets of wisdom that might help me in getting everything coordinated? My tiny little inner Disney commando just can't stomach the idea of having dinner reservations in a park that isn't having EMH's that day...holiday crowds + travel time between parks + unmatched meal/EMH schedules would definitely = *twitch*:mental:

[uscwest]

A lot of the restaurants DO NOT stay open for the EMH.

[Mari]

Tips:
pick odd times for meals
try leaving the park, eating at a restaurant located in a resort close to the park and then going back to the park for EMH.

[Vixynne]

A lot of the restaurants DO NOT stay open for the EMH.

That's okay, I don't necessarily want to eat during the EMH, but I'd like to avoid (for example) booking a sit-down dinner at Boma in AK on a day when the EMH is at MK...I'd rather match my dining arrangement to the park that's open late, just to minimize park-hopping (and to maximize EMH benefits too). :yes:

[uscwest]

That's okay, I don't necessarily want to eat during the EMH, but I'd like to avoid (for example) booking a sit-down dinner at Boma in AK on a day when the EMH is at MK...I'd rather match my dining arrangement to the park that's open late, just to minimize park-hopping (and to maximize EMH benefits too). :yes:
Ah, OK, now I understand. BTW BOMA is at AKL, not AK. :yes:

[Vixynne]

Ah, OK, now I understand. BTW BOMA is at AKL, not AK. :yes:

Whoops! Typo... *glares at fingers* Bad fingers! Bad fingers, no cookie! :nono:

LOL thank you for catching that error. Actually, Boma is one of the restaurants still on my "must eat here" list...

[Taja]

Unless they've messed with the schedule, EMH hours have been on the same days/nights for the past few years, except during MNSSHP, MVMCP, P&PP (Pirate & Princess Parties) or other special events. The actual hours may vary--particularly evening hours, but they were consistent on the days.

With the current recession, that may have changed. You might want to look at the schedules for the past few months and compare them to a year ago to get a feel for how they are currently scheduling EMH.