Crowds on Opening Weekend of Food & Wine (and a Question About Blue Bayou Reservations)

[Christin82]

We will be in the parks for 5 days from 2/28-3/4. On one of those days, Friday, 3/1, 4 members of our extended family will be joining us for the day with 1-day park hoppers. A couple of them have never been to CA Adv and have expressed a desire to spend a good amount of time in that park.

I know DLR is always crowded, but how extreme might the crowds in CA be on that Friday, considering that it’s the opening day of Food & Wine?

Normally we try to avoid CA Adv on Friday mornings due to EMH, but this time, we are rope dropping CA and then spending the evening in DL because we figure that the evening in CA will be busier due to locals coming after work. Is this a good strategy?

Also, we have a reservation at Blue Bayou for 8 people at 11:40 am. At the time we made the reservation, we didn’t realize we would actually have 9 people, BUT one of them is a toddler who will sit in a high chair and won’t need a seat at the table. Is there any chance that they will be able to accommodate us? My grandma (the one who decided to come along after we’d already made the reservation) REALLY wants to experience Blue Bayou. She has not been to DL in years and has never been to BB. I’ve thought about trying to modify the reservation, but I’m afraid if I do, it’ll get canceled somehow. Any suggestions?

 

[bondgirl007]

Hi, I would call Disney Dining and tell them you are 8+1 high chair. It does matter for space and there are also some areas you can not put a high chair because of fire and safety regulations. Blue Bayou is kinda tight on space so it is better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

If DCA is your priority, starting at DCA and then heading to DL makes sense. You’re correct that the main Food and Wine crowds will probably be locals coming to check out the food in the evening, especially if the weather is nice. The booths and stuff don’t even open until 11 or something, so it won’t make much difference in the morning. It shouldn’t be too crazy overall.

You do need to modify that reservation at BB. Even infants in baby carriers count toward the reservation.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Call ASAP on the BB res! A high chair makes that a 9 person res.

 

[Christin82]

I just called, and they said that because it’s such a large party, we would already be getting a big enough table to accommodate a high chair as a 9th person, that the tables for 8 are in an area that has room for an extra high chair. She said to just arrive 15-20 minutes early, let them know that we have a baby that wasn’t on the reservation, and there shouldn’t be a problem.