How long does Breakfast take at Crystal Palace?

[cruisingmom1977]

:So...does anyone know how long breakfast takes at Crystal Palace? I have an 8:15 ressie on a NON EMH day. I am hoping we will be done in time to get inline for Anna and Elsa before the park opens at 9:00. I keep trying for an 8:00 ressie but have not had any luck yet. We arrive on a Tuesday and have Crystal Palace on Friday. I will fastpass Anna and Elsa (if its available) for either Sat or Mon to be safe but was hoping if anyone knows if we should be finished before 9:00 (I really don't want to skip out early...I would rather wait in line than waste the breakfast experience/money). PS- we are going in Sept when the crowds should be less (even if the line for A&E isn't) and have 3 days scheduled at MK so "wasting" a FP+ on them isn't really a big deal. Also, my kids are 2 and 4 so we aren't doing any of the real "headliners" anyway.

 

[ratlenhum]

I wouldn't count on being in line by 9. We've had 8:15 ADRs and have waited 15 minutes to be seated. If you care about meeting all the characters inside figure at least an hour after being seated. The place is big, and they stop meeting every so often for a little parade.

 

[juliehoey]

Give or take a 15 minute wait after your ADR time, then the breakfast or dinner I found to be no more than 45 minutes. They seem to base seating on the characters going around once to each table. This is just from my experience at character buffets.

 

[mom2faith]

You will not be able to get in line for A & E before park opens.

They will "hold" you by CRT until park opening with many other guests and then when park opening guests make their way to you, then you will be allowed to go forward. You will have some advantage over park openers, but not a lot.

 

[cruisingmom1977]

Thanks!! Sounds like my best bet is to keep trying for an 8:00 ressie and get a fast pass for later in the week as a "back up". I appreciate everyone's advice!!

 

[kitty2kidz]

I think Crystal Palace is notorious for LONG breakfasts if you are waiting to see the characters (which I am assuming is why you pay the big money for breakfast fare) Last time we waited 20 minutes past our ADR time (on our last day ~ which was frustrating because I wanted to get moving) then waiting fir the Characters was over an hour... lots of other anxious and not so satisfied customers waiting as well. Although it is a good strategy to get into the park early, beware that if you intend on seeing all of the characters, it could take a while! !

 

[eangel12]

We had a 8:05 when we went and barely made rope drop! As soon as we sat down I asked for our check and we were not interested in seeing every single character (although we did see all of them!!).

 

[2Tiggies]

Thanks!! Sounds like my best bet is to keep trying for an 8:00 ressie and get a fast pass for later in the week as a "back up". I appreciate everyone's advice!!

Keep trying. People do cancel. If you don't manage prior to your trip, try a day or two before. With the 24 hour cancellation policy, people are a bit better at actually canceling reservations they aren't going to keep. We have an 8.05 reservation on a non EMH day and I am thinking of canceling it for the reasons stated above. Being in the park early is more important to us than a breakfast, lol. Why don't you try for a 10.45 am breakfast (last sitting)? That way you can do what you want to do and when it starts getting busier you can head off for a good breakfast and cool off in the air conditioned restaurant for a while. I might actually do that too, though not decided as yet.

 

[mom2cgj]

We had an 8:05 ADR and made it out and to the entrance to Adventureland about 5 minutes before RD. Of course, we were the very first family seated in the whole restaurant, and the first table the characters came to. So, that probably made our experience go faster than the average, but we were in and out in about 50 minutes and saw all of the characters.

 

[distherapy]

We always do 8:05 CP reservations for 9 AM park openings. We are always out of the restaurant and waiting well before rope drop. A couple of keys to this - 8:05 ADR -we've done it with 8:10 or 8:15 but it's been harder. We are also not huge breakfast eaters. We get to MK early (by 7:30) and walk quickly to CP (not a bunch of picture taking on Main Street). We check in quickly - usually with the first couple of families, then we take pictures - there are some great views there.

When we're seated, we order drinks and ask for the check. The wait staff has always been great about this. We're usually back out of the door by 8:40. The last 2 times we have seen all of the characters in that time, but I think that's unusual.

 

[scjo68]

I would not count on being able to see every character and be done before 9:00. You may be able to- but not necessarily. The characters may take an hour and 15 minutes to make a full, complete loop of the restaurant. Depending on how your seating and arrival work out in the rotation, you may or may not see every character in less time than that.

If you do not need to see each character, you can certainly see at least two and eat your breakfast easily in time to be out before rope drop.

I would get to the park before 8:00 and head right to the CP and check right in. You may get in before your reservation time.

Or, like PP suggested, do a late breakfast at 10:30 after your rope drop touring is done. THat is a little more relaxing, I have found.

 

[jjiillee]

I think if you get to MK early enough you will be fine. We have always gotten there at least half hr before our ADR at CP and only had to wait a few minutes for our table. we always enjoy that breakfast. It fills us up until late afternoon

 

[blackpearl77]

When we were there last May, we had an 8:25 reservation. We got to MK at 8 and they let us in and we did a couple photo pass pictures in front of the castle then went to check in. I think we only waited 10 minutes. Breakfast took a long time. But we waited to see each character and the character parade. I want to say at least an hour.

 

[SRUAlmn]

You will not be able to get in line for A & E before park opens.

They will "hold" you by CRT until park opening with many other guests and then when park opening guests make their way to you, then you will be allowed to go forward. You will have some advantage over park openers, but not a lot.

Is this for everyone now since the new 'follow the rope' thing started, or just those going to A&E? We have an 8:10 for CP, but now my sister will be joining us and I was told they'd have to change us to 8:25 if our party size goes from 4 to 5. I am worried because I know (from our experience) that we always wait 15 min past our ADR time to even be seated. We are all adults, we love the characters, but won't HAVE to see them all. My husband and I last ate there in 2009 and were seated around 8:20 and were at the rope in Future World by 8:55. Is this not likely anymore? If they're going to 'hold us' until 9 and we will be stuck in the crowd anyway, we might as well just take the later reservation. I'd rather leave CP 10-15 min after the crowd has passed than WITH the crowd

 

[Disney_Princess83]

We always allow 80 minutes for character meals and generally we are always out before.