8:20 ADR at Tusker can you sneak out at 9 for FP?

[mom2munchkin]

Preface this w/ this is our first WDW trip. From what I have been reading, most of the Character meals take about an hr or more. So if we have ADR at Tusker House at 8:20a.m., I am guessing we will not be done by 9 when the park opens? But is it possible that one of the adults could slip out at 9 and get the FP while the other adult stays inside w/ the kids to finish up breakfast and meeting the characters? Or is this a bad idea?

 

[twocat]

I don't see that there would be a problem provided the fastpass-getter didn't come back and continue his breakfast. But even that would be debatable. I guess it would depend on how long he was gone in getting the FPs. 10 minutes, no problem. 45 minutes...well...they do want to turn over those tables!

 

[mzozzietj]

Since it's right next door I can't imagine that taking more than 5 minutes, I'm doubtful it would be a problem. DH usually sneaks out for a cigarette while DD and I are eating and that usually takes about that long as well. I think it's a smart idea.

 

[Smiling Cheshire Cat]

I personally wouldn't do it but I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work for you.

With what you pay for character meals, I wouldn't want to miss any of it. I really enjoy seeing my kids interact with the characters so I wouldn't want to give that up to get FPs. And it is doubtful they will be back around twice if you did miss it. With that early of an ADR you will probably be done by 9:30 anyway so there shouldn't be a huge wait for the safari by then anyway depending on what time of year you are going.

 

[greg42]

Hm. You might be done, if you want to be, esp given that it's a buffet. We had an 8:15 res last week and I don't think we were there for an hour. More like 45 min or thereabouts. But we were seated in the area where the characters come first, and they alerted us to this (so that we made sure to be around when they came by rather than stuck up at the buffet). In our case the park was open for EMH, so we got our FPs before we went in and walked right into the line when we were done. That should give a rough estimation of how long it took, since the FP is for minimum...45 min later? I dunno the minimum, but I think the earliest validity is something like 45 min from the time you get it, even if the standby wait is only 10 min. I want to say the FP said 8:50-9:50, and we were done around 9:00.

Just play it by ear. May depend upon where you are seated and when the characters get to your table. Also, arrive early, they may seat you earlier than your res time depending upon how the tables are reserved that morning. We were at the park before 8, went in at 8:00 opening, and went straight to Tusker. The restaurant host didn't tell us to hang back until 8:15, anything like that. In fact after two ADR character breakfast res my impression at the moment is that the res time is more of a suggestion or approximation, and the order in which you arrive actually plays a fair part in when you are seated. (Arriving an hour early, probably not. But 15-20 min early? Yeah, if there's a clear table, you're probably good. So get to AK early, like about 7:45, so you can get down to Tusker around 8 and see what happens.) The other one, at Akershus, was well past the stated time before we were seated. At Tusker we had already taken our pic with Donald and were sitting down by the res time (or pretty close to it).

If it looks like you may be there a while longer, then someone can go out at 9 and get FPs. If you might finish close to 9, you might want to go out and just get in the standby line. It's literally right outside. Even if you get out right at 9, you'll still beat the people who are walking in from the entrance as that takes a few minutes even running.

 

[jenjersnap]

It's fine as long as it is the Safari you are FPing since it is right across the way from Tusker House. The runner should be gone less than 5 minutes. I would wait until very shortly after 9 though because they hold restaurant patrons behind a rope and wait for the regular crowd to catch up before dropping the rope for the restaurant customers. It's a bit scary and chaotic plus shouldn't make a huge difference in the timing of your FPs.

OTOH, I think you have a good chance of being finished, especially if you arrive 15 minutes early. Then your entire family can do the (scary. LOL) rope drop and choose standby (our choice) or FPs.

 

[greg42]

Oh that's lame, holding the restaurant folks back! Of course, they might get run over otherwise, LOL.

 

[tinkerbell313]

As a PP mentioned, if you get to the park early, there is a good possibility you will be able to be seated early. We were at TH on Sept. 23rd for an 8:10 reservation. They did not open the turnstiles until 8am for breakfast. There was a couple behind us with 8:45am reservations but were sat at the same time as us...we were done by 9:30am and walked right on to Safari with no wait and no FP.

The day we were there, they were not distributing FPs for Kali Rapids...it was announced in the weekly schedule and the machines were covered. I realize you are looking for the Safari but just something to think about.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

Like others ditto getting there early and hoping/ aiming to be sat early.

Further suggestions

If you're not going to buy the Donald photo I would suggest skipping that line and being sat that much earlier. There are a lot of different places in the parks to meet Donald so to us it's not a loss and it saves us being bothered about the picture.

Finally you can pay the check early - I suggest you ask for it when you order the drinks and settle it ASAP then when the last character has come by you can get up and leave whenever you want to (no waiting around for the check). If you can manage all of the above you should be out by if not before 9 and you can FP and go on the Safari. That's what we do every year when we eat at TH.