A sparkling experience

[Elodie]

Originally Posted by Scott3686

Hi All,

Apologies I haven't written my trip review but life has got in the way since coming home from DLP.

We did the Sparkling Experience and it was pretty good in the main but a couple of things I wasn't happy with. I'll write it all up in full with pics when I can but if anybody else has been recently I'd be keen to hear your thoughts.

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We always end up deciding against this, as there always seems to be something I’d rather spend the money on, but I’d still like to do it one day (once we’ve done all the other things that keep taking priority!) Very interested to read your write-up when you get chance.

[Guest]

What did you rather do instead so far, Elodie?

I'm still thinking whether I should do it as a surprise for my girlfriend. I would love to do it, from what I saw on pictures the food looks delicious and to see the fireworks from such a special place would be great (would be the first time for us to see it anyway!). Both of us are not Disney freaks though, so it still feels a little bit wrong to spend so much money for it.
For example, I could book a menu in Yacht Club plus staying the night in a Compass Club room including breakfast for roughly the same amount of money...

[Guest]

Just a small update from my side: I decided to do it.
I already contacted the DLH and asked for a reservation for my time in september. Since the park closes at 8:30 pm, I had two options:
(1) Cocktail in Cafe Fantasia at 7:30, Illuminations at 8:30, Dinner at California Grill at 9:00
(2) Dinner at California Grill at 6:15, Illuminations at 8:30, Cocktail in Cafe Fantasia at 9:00

At firrst I prefered the first option, but then I thought a large and long lasting dinner at 9 pm is too late after a long day in the parks, we would be very tired and also very hungry by that time. So I finally decided for the second option. With this option, I think it will also be a better surprise for my girlfriend, because she will think it's only a dinner until they bring us upstairs to visit the fireworks and if I understood it correctly, the Founder's Club will be used again!

[Elodie]

Originally Posted by phl

What did you rather do instead so far, Elodie?

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Multiple character meals for all four of us (this would just be for myself and my older daughter, as the others aren’t interested) / Christmas room in the DLH for 5 days / other things outside of Disney ( ! )

[Elodie]

Originally Posted by phl

Just a small update from my side: I decided to do it.
I already contacted the DLH and asked for a reservation for my time in september. Since the park closes at 8:30 pm, I had two options:
(1) Cocktail in Cafe Fantasia at 7:30, Illuminations at 8:30, Dinner at California Grill at 9:00
(2) Dinner at California Grill at 6:15, Illuminations at 8:30, Cocktail in Cafe Fantasia at 9:00

At firrst I prefered the first option, but then I thought a large and long lasting dinner at 9 pm is too late after a long day in the parks, we would be very tired and also very hungry by that time. So I finally decided for the second option. With this option, I think it will also be a better surprise for my girlfriend, because she will think it's only a dinner until they bring us upstairs to visit the fireworks and if I understood it correctly, the Founder's Club will be used again!

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That sounds amazing! You’ll have to ask them to make a note on your booking to say that your girlfriend doesn’t know about it, and that you don’t want her to know about the fireworks until you go upstairs. I’ll be looking forward to hearing about it.

[Guest]

Good idea!
I have to ask a few things anyway, so I will ask for that, too. I'm still waiting for one more confirmation mail from their side at the moment. It's still two months to go, but I'm already impatient not getting a reply after 24 hours.

[Gill H]

Ha! With DLP you are lucky if you ever get a reply to an email. I get the impression they really aren’t used to people wanting to sort things out in advance.

I booked the previous version ‘Dream to Live’ a few years back, and to make an advance booking took me several emails, long phone calls, having to provide a scanned version of my debit card ...

By contrast, another time we decided on a whim to do it that evening, and just popped to the concierge desk and booked it!

[Guest]

Luckily I just got my reply after sending another mail! :P
I got a confirmation that we will start at 6:15 and also that we have to pay directly at the restaurant. I just asked whether I can pay cash or whether it has to be paid by credit card, but apart from that, everything should be fixed! Will ask when checking in at SQL at my arrival whether they could call the DLH and ask again - just to be sure they have the booking in the system.

However, one issue could not be solved, maybe you can help me with this:
It will be our last evening, so we have to check out from SQL before going to the parks. I planned to keep our luggage (only hand luggage) in the service at the park entrance, then grab it and take it to DLH to be stored during the Sparkling Experience. However, I've been told that they would not do that for non-hotel guests for safety reasons. The luggage service will be closed after finishing the Sparkling Experience, so I'm wondering now what to do... The options I can think of are:
1) Take the backpacks with us to California Grill and Cafe Fantasia afterwards. I would not mind to do that, but of course would prefer a more comfortable option if possible.
2) Use the lockers in the train station. But I don't know whether they are accessible all the time until late in the evening?
3) Check in early into the B&B hotel which is our hotel for the night before our departure. But I think I won't feel like doing a trip with the shuttle bus just to bring our luggage.

Are there any other options I'm not aware of? There is nothing like the Disney Express Service to bring the luggage from SQL to B&B, right? That would be perfect of course..

[Gill H]

Lockers in the station should be OK as long as trains are running. You will need to scan everything and go through security yourself, so just send one person into the room with the backpacks.

You can pay for the meal with a credit card.

[Guest]

Okay, it'll be probably the most comfortable option. Or do you think we can keep the luggage in SQL, although we check out in the morning, and grab it in the evening?