8am at Tusker House Questions

[goofy4tink]

Sorry, I don't mean to hijack but, I am trying for an 8am ressie-would the buses at the WL get us there in time?

Buses start running at 6:30. They run a bit less frequently than the regular buses do, so plan accordingly. I would be out at the bus stopn by 6:45 for an 8 ADR at Tusker House. It's a hike from the front of the park.

After we get in the park for our ADR (before the park opens), can we go anywhere in the park (for photos not to ride) before our ADR? Or are there ropes other places?

Nope, you are able to walk to the restaurant, the rest of the park is off limits. They have CMs at the roped off areas to prevent guests from entering the closed areas of the park.


I love breakfast at Tusker House. I usually book a breakfast for about 10:30am, on an EMH morning. That way, we get to do a lot of stuff before the park officially opens, then do other stuff at official opening. Then, at 10:00, we head to 'brunch'. Works really well for us.

 

[DaniB]

Is the Donald photo opt like the Chef Mickey photo opt? They bring the pictures to your table and you can buy them. Or can they be put on your photo pass?

Yes, a CM will bring the pictures to your table and you can purchase them at that time.

While the PPP asks for your PP card so they can scan it, the photos are NOT automatically added to your Photopass account. When you purchase the picture package and get home - you will be able to remove the photo from it's frame, turn it over and on the back there is a photopass # there. You can enter that number into your photopass account and it will then add the photos to your photopass account & CD.

You cannot access this number at your table without paying for the photos. The CM stays until you decided whether to purchase the photos or not. And I'm sure the CM will not let you remove the photo to flip & copy the number.

We ended up with 3 photo packages from restaurants (1 free, 2 we purchased) and it was nice being able to add them to our photopass account. I was able to zoom in on a couple of those photos and add art to them.

 

[DaniB]

After we get in the park for our ADR (before the park opens), can we go anywhere in the park (for photos not to ride) before our ADR? Or are there ropes other places?

As long as there are PPP out on your way, I'm sure you can stop and ask for photos! I know we were able to at MK. That was the best about having an early ADR with Crystal Palace!

However, I don't know how far off the track to Tusker's the other CMs will let you go. We never tried that as we were not let into the park until after our ADR time! Headed straight there.

 

[Belleandtinker]

We ended up with 3 photo packages from restaurants (1 free, 2 we purchased) and it was nice being able to add them to our photopass account. I was able to zoom in on a couple of those photos and add art to them.

Do you remember the price of the photo? How do you get 3 for 2? Thanks!

 

[DaniB]

Do you remember the price of the photo? How do you get 3 for 2? Thanks!

No, I'm afraid I don't. We charged them to our room. And while I have a box of all kinds of items we kept for scrapbooking (including a zip-lock bag of receipts), I don't have the print-out of our room charges when we left. I must have lost that... Or it's around somewhere. I did want to keep it.

We paid for the Donald's Safari at Tusker House and 1900 Park Avenue. 1900 Park Avenue I really could not have cared about but my kids begged us for it. No characters in it.

The Akersus breakfast one (with Belle) comes with the TS meal as part of your dining package. You don't have to pay extra for it. Same with the Cinderella one at CRT.

 

[spideyspence]

Great info on the photos at Tusker Breakfast, thanks.

So if we are in the park prior to opening, will there be people to take photos for Photopass with the empty park, or just take them ourselves.

I am assuming we will just jump on the tram at the Animal Kingdom parking lot? Is it the same as Magic Kingdom?

Got some great info from a board member that I should be in the parking lot for 7:15 to make sure we have enough time to get to Tusker House for our 8am reservation on a day that the park does not open until 9am. Just thought I would pass it on.

Thanks again

 

[NMK62303]

We have had the PPP take our picture with our camera with Donald right after they take the official photopass picture. That way we get a great pic and we don't have to buy the PP ones! Have not had issues doing this and last time we did it was last October.

When we went to Tusker House in January it was raining so no photopass pictures with Donald outside, he actually walked around inside the restaurant. Although this seems to be the case just on rainy days

Enjoy it is one of my favorites!!!

 

[PrincessInOz]

I had a 7.45 am ADR for Tusker House in May 2010. It was NOT an EMH morning. We got to the park at 7.30 am; no issues with the parking gate nor was there any problem with the attendants letting us in. We just walked up, gave our names and was allowed in.

I believe that the earliest sitting they were taking at that time of year was 7.30 am.

We took a very slow walk to TH and took our pictures of the Tree without other people around.

It took a while for us to get to our table - we waited 10 minutes before our table was ready and then there was a long line for the photo with Donald. I know you can ask to skip the photo but we were there with extended family and it was their first time. Must have been 8.15 by the time we got in and to our table.

Close on 9 am, I got up and went to get FP for Kali. Fast Passes aren't handed out until after the park opens. Return time on Kali was for after 10 am. We finished breakfast shortly after, walked across to Safari and got on that. By the time we finished, it was after 10 am and we then headed to EE. Stand-by was 20 minutes and we got in line. We also got FPs for EE (return after 11.30 am).

By the time 10.30 came round, we'd had our pictures with the Tree, breakfast, been on Safari and EE and still held fast passes for Kali and EE for later in the day.

 

[spideyspence]

Thanks a lot. Really helps in planning the morning arrival time for this rookie to Animal Kingdom. How wet are we going to get on Kali?

I was looking at doing that, going and getting FP for Kali and then walking on to the Safari after breakfast and then heading to Kali.

Thanks again

I had a 7.45 am ADR for Tusker House in May 2010. It was NOT an EMH morning. We got to the park at 7.30 am; no issues with the parking gate nor was there any problem with the attendants letting us in. We just walked up, gave our names and was allowed in.

I believe that the earliest sitting they were taking at that time of year was 7.30 am.

We took a very slow walk to TH and took our pictures of the Tree without other people around.

It took a while for us to get to our table - we waited 10 minutes before our table was ready and then there was a long line for the photo with Donald. I know you can ask to skip the photo but we were there with extended family and it was their first time. Must have been 8.15 by the time we got in and to our table.

Close on 9 am, I got up and went to get FP for Kali. Fast Passes aren't handed out until after the park opens. Return time on Kali was for after 10 am. We finished breakfast shortly after, walked across to Safari and got on that. By the time we finished, it was after 10 am and we then headed to EE. Stand-by was 20 minutes and we got in line. We also got FPs for EE (return after 11.30 am).

By the time 10.30 came round, we'd had our pictures with the Tree, breakfast, been on Safari and EE and still held fast passes for Kali and EE for later in the day.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

How wet are we going to get on Kali?
Thanks again

Some don't get wet, some get a bit wet (DS14, got his sleeve wet) and some like me and my best friend, soaked through to the underwear! It's very unpleasant to walk around the park that wet, I was wearing jean shorts that even in the June heat took forever to dry, yuck. Kali is a lot of fun but next time I'm wearing light fabric shorts, that dry easily. Though it looks kinda dorky, I can see why people wear rain ponchos!

 

[Belleandtinker]

Since the wait time at the safari will be so low, I might have my DH walk fastly over to EE and get a fast pass for that instead of the safari. I'll be interested in the crowds.

What do you think the round trip walk time is for safari to EE and back?

 

[spideyspence]

Ya after some reviews, I am planning on pushing back the Kali Rapids later in the day. Just in case we get soaked.