How early should my family arrive at CA? How long for character breakfast?

[kwonyong]

I have tried to search for this info and haven't had any luck. I have found heaps of info on how early to line up for DL. But if CA opens at 10 when should we start lining up?

Also how long should I allow for the lilo and stitch character breakfast?

Thanks heaps

 

[pixiewings71]

We always allow for at least an hour to an hour and a half for our character meals. Just because so many characters come and go. And so the kids can play games. We loved Lilo & Stitch's breakfast!! It was tons of fun!

 

[DLR29]

I don't recommend arriving at DCA's opening.

1) DL is always more crowded than DCA. So, use the less crowded morning hours on DL instead of DCA. You don't want to be standing in line waiting for DCA to open at 9:30 when DL crowds are relatively low.

2) For the same reason, DCA is much more easily toured in the afternoon. The only rides that generate really long lines are Soarin, California Screamin, Sun Wheel, and Grizzly River Run (on hot days). All of those have Single Rider and Fastpass except for the Sun Wheel. Also FP is available for Mulholland Madness and Tower of Terror, so if those happen to have a semi-long line, you can use FP there. You shouldn't be worried about long lines at DCA except during extremely busy seasons.

However, the one exception I will make is if you are going to be touring this summer (or late this spring). The new Toy Story Mania ride will be opening and it will probably not have FP. It will generate long lines, especially during the early summer months and continuing through early September.

 

[bumbershoot]

We've experienced, and been told by Disney Dining, that you're "allowed" a 90 minute seating at the character meals.

But leave time to get to Paradise Pier, and get there early. We had to wait 20-30 minutes after checking in for our meal that we had PSs for (not sure how early we got there) and there was a whole waiting area full of people before us. And this was during an otherwise slow time!

I always hop so I'd probably be at DLR for an hour or so before DCA's opening, but if you want to be there for opening I'd go at 9:30. They might open ahead of time, but even if they don't I still like being there ahead of time.