8:30am Garden Grill Reservation

[MinnieLizzie]

We are staying off-site and have an 8:30am Garden Grill reservation on our Epcot day. What is the current procedure for letting guests in for pre-park opening reservations? (I’ve seen things all over the place from there being a separate line to check in and get in early so you aren’t late to your reservation to guests with 8:30 reservations being held until the park is open for EE at 8:30 making them late.) If anyone has recent experience with this, I would appreciate the intel!

 

[kevtlas]

We haven’t had any pre-opening reservations recently so not sure how things are now, but back when we used to do at least one early breakfast reservation per trip, we never had any problem getting in before opening to make our reservation, at least not at WDW. They always had a specified entrance for guests with reservations that we were allowed to use allowing us entry with plenty of time to make our reservation.

DL California was a different story. They also had a designated entrance/line for guests with reservations, but instead of letting us enter early to get to our reservation on time, they actually kept our line closed until after all the other lines were open. Our line opened almost a full five minutes late! And the other lines were so long we couldn’t even leave our line and go to one of the open ones because we’d still get in faster by waiting for ours to open.

 

[MinnieLizzie]

Ugh - I’ve seen a couple of similar stories in Florida! It used to be so easy and pleasant!

 

[gottalovepluto]

You’ll be fine, don’t let the internet freak you out. They will have a line/entry procedure for early ADRs. If you can’t find it for whatever reason just ask a CM after you enter the park. EP allows everyone to clear security and clear the tapstyles to enter the park. From there EE and dining guests are separated from no EE guests. EE guests are allowed to go to the front of wherever it is they are going. I don’t recall an additional holding area for dining guests so I think they get to go in with EE if they have an early ADR. I rope dropped the Land Pavilion one morning a couple months back. They held everyone right outside the doors of the Pavilion until 8:30am.