Question about dining before park openings

[Suprize2017]

We are planning on another late February/early March trip to Disney. I’ve seen a few posts talking about breakfast reservations at MK (I think at Be Our Guest?) and Epcot before the park opens. Does each park have a restaurant that opens before the park does? How does that work? I mean, how do you get in before the park opens? Do you have to prove you have dining reservations? How? Would you typically be done eating before the 9:00 opening? If so, do they let you leave the restaurant and wander the parks? Is it reasonable to think we could get 8:00 reservations, be done before the 9:00 RD, and go get in line for whatever ride we wanted to start our day with? I do realize that plan is entirely dependent on our ability to actually get reservations early.

 

[disny_luvr]

All parks have at least one restaurant that offers PPO ADRs. We always book Garden Grill at Epcot for 8:00 so we can ride Soarin before the masses. There is usually a separate entrance designated for people with a PPO ADR. My memory is foggy right now, but I think we tell the CM at the entrance our last name and ADR time and they check it on an iPad.

ETA: It is very reasonable to have an 8:00 ADR and be finished by 9:00. We settle our bill right away so we can leave when finished eating.

 

[Thing 1]

There are restaurants in each park that open at 8:00AM. Usually that’s an hour before regular opening time though during busy times of course parks open early. Getting an 8 Time can be a good strategy and yes it can be tricky to snag one. You can’t simply explore the park if you get out early, BUT it can put you in an atvantage position. At MK, an 8 at BOG will get you out in plenty of time to line up for SDMT and usually they will start running well before opening. Other meals can at least get you into a good area IF you can get a early ADR. I do think that doing this rushes you through an expensive character meal but played right can work. Garden Grill is right next to Soaring. The character breakfast in WS puts you close to FEA.

 

[CAS239]

At each park you'll see a CM off to the side with an iPad that you'll check in with. There's a sign that you'll see and you'll head there. They'll verify you have an ADR by scanning your Magicband/ticket and/or asking for your name.

If you have a reservation for a slightly later time, you can still enter with every other ADR guest at 8. So say you can only get 8:20, enter at 8 and try to get seated early.

At MK the only restaurant that will put you in front of the crowds is Be Our Guest. Many book that daily to ride 7dmt. At Epcot people book Garden Grill to ride Soarin and Akersush to ride FEA.

AK doesn't have any benefit to having a PPO ADR. Some book Tusker House to try to get a jump on Pandora but this puts them behind the crowd

 

[DisBuckMan]

Yes, you have to prove that you have an ADR before they'll let you enter.

No, you can't just wander around the park when you're done if it's before park opening. The only part of the park that will be open during this time will be the part where the PPO restaurant is (ie...Fantasyland for BoG), and there will be cast members posted at exits from that particular land to prevent you from leaving to go to other areas of the park that aren't open yet.

 

[SaintsManiac]

We only do pre park open breakfast at Epcot now. The advantage has diminished a bit at MK and they change their opening hours too much.

 

[dbb727]

Also, you have to be aware of opening time, possible changes and EMH. If they change the park opening to 8am at the last minute(which is possible) then you’ve lost the advantage and also would miss out on the first hour of lower crowds. Luckily you could cancel your ADR with 24hr notice if needed.

The ones listed above are most common for ride advantage - Be Our Guest (7DMT/PPF), Garden Grill (Soarin), Akershus(FEA).

Other restaurants that offer PPO(prepark opening) ADRs but may be less advantageous:
Cinderella’s Royal Table - you are inside the castle, so slightly closer to fantasyland but I think it’s hard to rush through so many princesses at this one

Crystal Palace- you are still behind the ropes here so no ride advantage but it can be nice to stroll down a mostly empty Main Street before your reservation

Hollywood & Vine- this isn’t close to any rides, but people get in early to sign up for Jedi training before their reservation

 

[kaytieeldr]

Garden Grill is right next to Soaring.

Well, if you don't count the fortyish feet between levels...

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Tusker House at AK and Hollywood & Vine at DHS provide little to negative advantage for the Tier 1 attractions.

* note: while Toy Story Land has not yet opened, based on where TSL is and where H&V is and the high likelihood they do something similar to what they've been doing with Pandora for TSL, I expect H&V will be no advantage for TSL or GE when that gets in. If GE has a PPO, expect booking it to be a competitive sport.

 

[Suprize2017]

Thanks everyone!

To be sure I understand. If I were to get PPO ADR’s, it is reasonable to expect to be finished before RD (baring a change of opening time). We are then able to walk to the ride that is nearby (referencing the restaurants and rides mentioned above) and get in line before the park has officially opened? The CM’s are OK with that ? You just can’t wander around wherever you want.

 

[Hopefully]

Thanks everyone!

To be sure I understand. If I were to get PPO ADR’s, it is reasonable to expect to be finished before RD (baring a change of opening time). We are then able to walk to the ride that is nearby (referencing the restaurants and rides mentioned above) and get in line before the park has officially opened? The CM’s are OK with that ? You just can’t wander around wherever you want.

No. Not really. You will be held by CMs

 

[SaintsManiac]

Thanks everyone!

To be sure I understand. If I were to get PPO ADR’s, it is reasonable to expect to be finished before RD (baring a change of opening time). We are then able to walk to the ride that is nearby (referencing the restaurants and rides mentioned above) and get in line before the park has officially opened? The CM’s are OK with that ? You just can’t wander around wherever you want.

If you do a PPO at Garden Grill you can walk down to Soarin and wait for the CMs to give the ok for takeoff.

I can't speak for Akershus, as we have never done it. As for MK they hold you at the land entrances before you can enter. I would assume for BoG they hold you as well.

 

[Suprize2017]

Ah, so you’re not actually in line at the que, but the advantage is that you’re already in the park? Therefore at RD you can get to the ride before the masses? Is that where the advantage lies?

 

[Cowgirl_Jessie]

We have done a few reservations before park opening. Our last one was Crystal Palace. It was a neat opportunity to take pictures on Main Street and in front of the castle without anyone else in the pictures! When we finished eating, it was park opening and we towards the front of the crowds for rope drop.

 

[dbb727]

Ah, so you’re not actually in line at the que, but the advantage is that you’re already in the park? Therefore at RD you can get to the ride before the masses? Is that where the advantage lies?

Yes, you may not be able to enter the actual queue but you can stand nearby until the CMs give the green light for official park opening. Basically you’ll have a 5-10minute head-start on the rope drop crowds (or however long it takes them to walk from rope to the specific attraction you are standing next to).

 

[Suprize2017]

Thanks again, everyone. I’m pretty sure I understand it all now. I would really enjoy the opportunity to eat at the Crystal Palace just for the chance to get Main Street and castle pictures without the throngs of people.

 

[DisBuckMan]

Thanks again, everyone. I’m pretty sure I understand it all now. I would really enjoy the opportunity to eat at the Crystal Palace just for the chance to get Main Street and castle pictures without the throngs of people.

You will need to be one of the very first ones through the gate to get those pics, since they let everyone onto Main Street/the hub at the same time. It's not like it used to be where everyone other than folks with ADRs were held at the gate and anyone with PPO ADRs could get nearly unobstructed Main Street/castle pics.

 

[AmyAnne]

You will need to be one of the very first ones through the gate to get those pics, since they let everyone onto Main Street/the hub at the same time. It's not like it used to be where everyone other than folks with ADRs were held at the gate and anyone with PPO ADRs could get nearly unobstructed Main Street/castle pics.

So when do they let everyone on to Main Street?

 

[DisBuckMan]

So when do they let everyone on to Main Street?

Starting about 7:45-7:50am

 

[AmyAnne]

Starting about 7:45-7:50am

For a 9 am park opening?