Highway in the Sky Dine Around with Wishes viewing area

[MommaBerd]

How long does it take? Is it over a few hours? Also, is it just one drink per location or can you have multiple? I'm booked for December 11th as a solo and I'm still deciding if I want to do it. It's not the cost so much for me (I'm staying at a very cheap off site hotel for my December trip) but the "time is money" cost. Is there lots of sitting around and waiting, do people socialize or will I be in a booth by myself, etc. It's the last night of my trip so I want to make sure it's really fun!

The only sitting around and waiting was in the beginning as we waited for people to arrive. But that gave us a chance to get to know some other people in our group. I think if you are a fairly outgoing person, you will have a good time. It wasn’t just couples in our group. We had a mom and her two daughters doing a “girls’ night out.”

Also, have others noticed that the tip percentage is terrible? It is slightly more than 10% instead of the meager average of 15% that most people tip. I think that is not cool for the cast members. It should be at least 18%.

I never noticed a tip percentage for this event. Where did you see this?

 

[parkhopmom]

Price goes up to $170 in October. Was so considering this. There is still availability during my trip. Every year we do a progressive dinner on our own, ending at CG for fireworks. I was going to do this in place of that but I decided I like having control over what we eat & drink and how quickly (or slowly) we move along. While I very much enjoy wine, I do not generally care for mixed drinks and we don't really eat desert.

sounds like a fun event. Just not for us.

Enjoy those going

I would be interested in an example of your own progressive dinner. Sounds like something I would rather do!

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

How long does it take? Is it over a few hours? Also, is it just one drink per location or can you have multiple? I'm booked for December 11th as a solo and I'm still deciding if I want to do it. It's not the cost so much for me (I'm staying at a very cheap off site hotel for my December trip) but the "time is money" cost. Is there lots of sitting around and waiting, do people socialize or will I be in a booth by myself, etc. It's the last night of my trip so I want to make sure it's really fun!

From start to finish it's about 3 hours and there is a lot of socializing, IF you put yourself out there, there are couples that keep to themselves and they want it that way but there are many looking to make friends for the evening as well. No waiting, unless you get there before check in time, they move everyone pretty swiftly because they have designated monorail cars and don't want those waiting too long.

There are also food alternatives for allergies, pregnancies, etc. you just have to let them know and they work with everything so that you still have an amazing experience! We paid the 170.00 price tag and were willing to go as high as 200.00 if it went that high for our December trip. It's an awesome experience that is a lot of fun!

 

[sarahann77]

How long does it take? Is it over a few hours? Also, is it just one drink per location or can you have multiple? I'm booked for December 11th as a solo and I'm still deciding if I want to do it. It's not the cost so much for me (I'm staying at a very cheap off site hotel for my December trip) but the "time is money" cost. Is there lots of sitting around and waiting, do people socialize or will I be in a booth by myself, etc. It's the last night of my trip so I want to make sure it's really fun!

I went the Tuesday after Labor Day and was solo. I'm quite a quiet & shy person and did not find it awkward at all myself. I ended up chatting with the couple who had sat next to me at the first stop. There was also another solo woman who was older and believe she enjoyed herself too. In the tea room, they grouped me with the other solo female at the 2 person table. Maybe if you're the only solo you'd sit by yourself there. The opportunity to be open and chat with folks was certainly there. I felt my group was quite friendly regardless of who sat where. There was a fix of folks - couples, families w/older children, mother/daughter, friends, etc. It was a fun evening but certainly plan for the evening to be there. Dinner was grouped of large groups; I was with a group of 10. Not sure if anyone commented on it but was one drink per location. It was mentioned we could buy another but didn't seem like the opportunity was there to do so nor did I want to as I thought the drinks were strong. Did not feel rushed at the locations nor felt we were waiting around at any one spot too long.

 

[TeresaWen]

I would be interested in an example of your own progressive dinner. Sounds like something I would rather do!

We usually start at the GF for drinks. Head over to the Polly for apps. Sometimes it is a huge wait at the bar. Then CG for dinner in time for fireworks

 

[TeresaWen]

It’s tough to justify at $170 (or more)...definitely think Disney is pushing it at that price point. I’m not judging anyone who is willing to pay it, because it IS fun. But with that kind of price increase, people’s expectations also increase, and I’m not sure the experience- as is - will live up to those expectations.

ETA: Disney is smart to get the money so far in advance. By the time you are at the event, you’ve likely completely forgotten how much you’ve paid.

You know I have been back and forth so many times. Now my first choice date is booked so I went and booked my second choice. Many good points on why this is an extraordinary experience! And it will be Halloween!

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Does anyone know how far in advance the calendar is updated?

I'm looking at booking this experience as a gift for someone for around the New Year's time period. Right now it is only offered thru mid December.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Does anyone know how far in advance the calendar is updated?

I'm looking at booking this experience as a gift for someone for around the New Year's time period. Right now it is only offered thru mid December.

About 2 weeks ago is when October-December opened up

 

[patster734]

We attended the High in the Sky Dine Around this past Wednesday. We had a lot of fun. We met a couple from New Zealand that we stayed with most of the night. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. The food and drink was good at all stops. The CMs who journeyed with us were friendly and knowledgeable.

However, I don't think we would do this again at the current or higher price range. I do recommend it for anyone that hasn't done it as it was a very enjoyable experience, but I don't consider it a repeatable event. I would prefer to spend the money on a tour or event we haven't done previously.

 

[DisDINK]

The only sitting around and waiting was in the beginning as we waited for people to arrive. But that gave us a chance to get to know some other people in our group. I think if you are a fairly outgoing person, you will have a good time. It wasn’t just couples in our group. We had a mom and her two daughters doing a “girls’ night out.”



I never noticed a tip percentage for this event. Where did you see this?

The tip is shown in the confirmation:



for my upcoming reservation the total before tax is $307.08. The tip they include on the Payment Details is $32.92 which is only slightly more than 10.5%
A 15% tip would be $46.06
An 18% tip would be $55.27

I have worked in positions where tips where really how I paid my bills so I tend to tip higher than a lot of people. 20% for good service. 25% for great service. If service is average to poor I tip 15%. The fact that Disney is only charging just over 10.5% is terrible. The only way this would be an acceptable tip amount is if Disney is offsetting this difference in the hourly pay of the CM. Which I really hope they are. I intend to inquire about it.

 

[MommaBerd]

The tip is shown in the confirmation:

View attachment 274095

for my upcoming reservation the total before tax is $307.08. The tip they include on the Payment Details is $32.92 which is only slightly more than 10.5%
A 15% tip would be $46.06
An 18% tip would be $55.27

I have worked in positions where tips where really how I paid my bills so I tend to tip higher than a lot of people. 20% for good service. 25% for great service. If service is average to poor I tip 15%. The fact that Disney is only charging just over 10.5% is terrible. The only way this would be an acceptable tip amount is if Disney is offsetting this difference in the hourly pay of the CM. Which I really hope they are. I intend to inquire about it.

Interesting! I never even noticed that. If I had to guess, I would say this is an over-and-above kind of tip. You aren’t really “waited on” at each location. You are escorted to each location, the chef or manager comes out and discusses the food, you are served, you enjoy, and you leave. IIRC, there was no follow-up, “Can I get you anything?” (because there is no option to get anything else). Maybe a water refill at dinner? The service at the dining locations is very minimal. The escort CMs are the ones with whom you mostly interact, and they were all wonderful and definitely do most of the work. But, I will be very interested to hear what you learn!

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

From my understanding that tip is because they are not in a waitress/waiter position, this is a tour guide type of position with an hourly pay and the tip is just icing on the cake or a little extra.

 

[DisDINK]

From my understanding that tip is because they are not in a waitress/waiter position, this is a tour guide type of position with an hourly pay and the tip is just icing on the cake or a little extra.

Well that could be. It would also make sense for the rest of the staff. Generally speaking when one goes to a restaurant the tip isn't only for the server. The server is the face of the full team and the one who has the most interaction and a lot of times tips are pooled and distributed at certain cuts depending on the position. So for this, I image they split the tip among those that participate even though there isn't a traditional server.

 

[KodakFigment]

The "tip" is not based on the total cost of the evening but on a negotiated food and drink cost at each location and is apportioned to the servers at each location The event guides are not included in the tip disbursement. They make the standard employee hourly rate.

 

[Mommy2Corinne]

Anyone else going to be there on Wednesday (10/18)? I'm getting so excited!!

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

My husband and I are still talking about how excited we are to try this!!!

 

[TeresaWen]

I am beyond excited!! So glad I booked. Oct 31!!

I was telling my 10 year old goddaughter about it. She said "sounds like a lot of moving around for dinner" I asked if it sounded fun.

She said "Oh yeah"

 

[Disney & ME]

We went to this event on October 10. We were told to check in at the Wave but were then directed upstairs. We started the event in an odd corner of the Contemporary with a few sofas and tables and a screen blocking the men's room. The CM told us it was a former lounge area where a piano used to be, but it just felt like a throw together spot. We did have a wonderful heirloom tomato soup as our first course there.

The Poly stop had wonderful food finished and plated in the upstairs lobby area. The three small plates were yummy (tuna, pork belly and one other) as was the mai tai but we would have liked chairs after walking around the parks all day.

Next was the GF. I felt badly for the CM trying to tell us about the GF Café because the band was so loud we couldn't hear her well. The charceuterie plate was incredible and my party of 3 enjoyed talking to the table of 4 next to us. I found it odd that they seated the single person at the event at a table by himself during this stop.

At Citricos we were seated at a table of 10, including the party of 4, the single man, and another couple we had talked to earlier. It was a comfortable group. The server brought white and red wine to the table and we thought we were going to have a glass of each with the fish and beef. That was not the case as we were only allowed one glass of one or the other.

We were told that the Halibut was fresh from Alaska but it was disappointingly dry with no sauce. The beef was served on wonderful mashed potatoes. They brought 9 of the plates to the table at once but my friend had to wait for hers and it was plated wrong (fish on potatoes and beef on green beans) when she got it. We were surprised that we had such a short time to eat and that we weren't offered more wine.

The last stop was the Contemporary. The location was neat with monorails gliding above us. The desserts were tasty and there were 3 bottles of after dinner drinks, including Bailey's and Frangelico and coffee, tea and soft drinks. The fireworks view was off to the side but had the music piped in.

All in all a nice event but not sure if I would do it again. Not sure if it was worth the cost although the food was really good.

 

[TeresaWen]

We went to this event on October 10. We were told to check in at the Wave but were then directed upstairs. We started the event in an odd corner of the Contemporary with a few sofas and tables and a screen blocking the men's room. The CM told us it was a former lounge area where a piano used to be, but it just felt like a throw together spot. We did have a wonderful heirloom tomato soup as our first course there.

The Poly stop had wonderful food finished and plated in the upstairs lobby area. The three small plates were yummy (tuna, pork belly and one other) as was the mai tai but we would have liked chairs after walking around the parks all day.

Next was the GF. I felt badly for the CM trying to tell us about the GF Café because the band was so loud we couldn't hear her well. The charceuterie plate was incredible and my party of 3 enjoyed talking to the table of 4 next to us. I found it odd that they seated the single person at the event at a table by himself during this stop.

At Citricos we were seated at a table of 10, including the party of 4, the single man, and another couple we had talked to earlier. It was a comfortable group. The server brought white and red wine to the table and we thought we were going to have a glass of each with the fish and beef. That was not the case as we were only allowed one glass of one or the other.

We were told that the Halibut was fresh from Alaska but it was disappointingly dry with no sauce. The beef was served on wonderful mashed potatoes. They brought 9 of the plates to the table at once but my friend had to wait for hers and it was plated wrong (fish on potatoes and beef on green beans) when she got it. We were surprised that we had such a short time to eat and that we weren't offered more wine.

The last stop was the Contemporary. The location was neat with monorails gliding above us. The desserts were tasty and there were 3 bottles of after dinner drinks, including Bailey's and Frangelico and coffee, tea and soft drinks. The fireworks view was off to the side but had the music piped in.

All in all a nice event but not sure if I would do it again. Not sure if it was worth the cost although the food was really good.

Thanks for a detailed review. Do you know if wine is available at each stop or only at dinner. Getting worried that I will not actually enjoy this - I do not drink mixed drinks (the sugary mixers make me sick). I only drink wine.

Really only one glass of wine with dinner? I am leaning towards canceling. Glad I still have my CG ADR. I may go back to my original idea of doing our yearly monorail lounge / restaurant tour

 

[Disney & ME]

Thanks for a detailed review. Do you know if wine is available at each stop or only at dinner. Getting worried that I will not actually enjoy this - I do not drink mixed drinks (the sugary mixers make me sick). I only drink wine.

Really only one glass of wine with dinner? I am leaning towards canceling. Glad I still have my CG ADR. I may go back to my original idea of doing our yearly monorail lounge / restaurant tour

We weren't offered any wine at the stops before dinner except champagne at GF Café. You could however get nonalcoholic drinks but I don't know what they were.

I too was surprised at the single glass of wine with dinner.