The Solo Scale:

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If you’re going to Disney World and want to see the fireworks at Magic Kingdom, there’s a few options. The most straightforward means sitting in a massive crowd for an hour just to get a good spot to see the fireworks. Or, you could go and enjoy a fine meal and get a semi-private view of the show at California Grill.

There are a couple of caveats here — first, the price needs to be taken into consideration. California Grill has moved to a prix fixe style. That means that you’re going to be paying a fixed rate for your dinner and that might not be in your budget. You could take a chance on having a drink at the bar, but capacity is limited.

Second, you need to make sure to time your reservation properly. I would recommend timing it so that fireworks start about 45 minutes after you sit down. That will make the fireworks time nicely to when you’ll be starting your dessert. That gives you time to enjoy dinner, and then to watch the fireworks, before capping it off. Third, keep in mind that while you may luck out and get a table right by the window, you may end up having to leave your table and go to the balcony if you want to get a better view.

There are several pros to watching the fireworks from the restaurant. As already mentioned, it’s a great way to avoid the crowds. It’s much more civil to sit at a table sipping on a drink while the fireworks begin. As well, because you’re on the 15th floor, you get a view of the fireworks that doesn’t necessarily happen from ground level. One of the downsides of this is that you won’t see the projection part of the show. Personally, I think the benefits outweigh that.

When it comes to the food, it’s a prix fixe menu. You get options of an appetizer, a main, and a dessert. Drinks are separate and you can choose to order a la carte, or get the wine package. I did the latter, which meant I got three glasses of wine with each course, with the waiter acting as a sommelier to explain the notes I’d taste, and where it’s from.

The food was excellent, but the true magic was having a couple glasses of wine after a long park day and then having the fireworks begin with the music piped into the room. High on a pleasant buzz, full of delicious food, and with the lights dimmed, it was a truly magical experience. Given that I had opted to have my birthday celebrations here, it was worth every penny.

These days, it’s pretty easy to get a reservation to California Grill, but be mindful of when Happily Ever After is running, as the reservations might be harder to get. If you want to see the show when you eat dessert, I recommend booking your reservation about 45 minutes prior.

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