A "can we make it?" Question

[teachmedis]

I'm going to admit I'd be the first person to roll my eyes at that question--my thought is always if it's so close you have to ask, why chance it? Alas, here I am asking the question-- I have no experience with the Grand Floridian or Epcot (this is only my second trip) I have an 8:40 1900 Park Fare Brunch reservation on Easter. I booked (today) a Fastpass for FEA at 10 a.m. so the window is til 11. I wanted to take the monorail in for the view, but if there's no way that'll work I wouldn't mind swinging for a Minnie Van, or I can try to move it to after my other fastpasses.

 

[Alesia]

I always allow 90 minutes for a character breakfast. Allow 40 minutes to get from GF to Epcot and then another 25 minutes to get through security and to FEA. That puts you at around 11:15.

 

[SG131]

That would be REALLY cuting it close. If you get seated right away it may not be too bad. If you have a wait or you get seated and JUST missed a character breakfast could take a little longer. You could always play it by ear and if you get out of there in under an hour take monorail.

Anything more than that and I wouldn’t chance it and just take Minnie Van. You never know how well the monorails are running on a given day and with having to get off and transfer to a second monorail any combination of bad timing could lead to an hour long trip. Plus then the walk back to FEA.

 

[WishICouldSpeakWhale]

You might make it. You might not. Honestly, I don't know if a Minnie van will make much of a difference. I usually estimate 1.5 hours for a character meal. So that takes you to 10:10. If transportation takes about 1/2 hour, you get to Epcot at 10:40.

At that point, you actually have 35 minutes to get to FEA because there is a 15 minute grace period at the end of your FP window.

So I think you can make it. That said, I'd keep refreshing and searching for a slightly later FP window. Don't schedule your second FP for 11, wait until 12 or so.

 

[fiasco32]

Depends on how hard you push your dining experience. Our son was sick during it and so we tried to hurry the process along and I think we were in and out in about an hour. If you have good luck with Monorail timing, you could make it. But it's really risky.

 

[CrankyDad]

Voting a no for making it. Push that FP back

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I wouldn't risk it. All the stars would have to be aligned to make this work - seated at the restaurant on time, all the characters come by quickly, etc. If you decide to try it, I would arrive at the restaurant early, ask for the check when you sit down and leave the restaurant by 9:45 am at the latest. I would also lyft/uber/Minnie Van to Beach Club and enter EP through the IG entrance. It's typically less busy than the main entrance and bag check isn't as crowded. I would then hot-foot it through WS to Norway by passing UK, Canada, the Promenade and Mexico. But why stress yourself out? Do you have to eat at 1900 that morning? Maybe look for a brunch at one of the EP resorts instead?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Yeah, pretty much agree with the PPs here. For me, one of the slight negative attributes of the GF is when you need to get to Epcot quickly. Transferring monorails and the double security screening required for that journey 'can' eat up time.

You may hit everything right, but you may not, so it's probably not worth the stress. Uber/Lyft/Taxi/Minnie Van would be my recommendation.

 

[teachmedis]

Thanks for your responses. It looks like I have some shuffling to do. The headache with Epcot is I'm only planning a half day there, and my other fastpasses are the seas with Nemo and turtle talk with crush which I obviously want scheduled back to back. So I move one thing and it's a domino effect...however Disney problems aren't real problems right?! So I'll work this out.

 

[WishICouldSpeakWhale]

Nemo and Turtle talk are usually available as 4th fast passes later in the day, even when there is nothing else left. You can move them later now in order to shift your FEA FP window later.

Once you tap into your second FP, see if you can move the third one earlier. That should help you get out of the park sooner if that is your goal. Although "killing" some time in the living seas is great. We love it in there.

 

[Cinderella94]

Thanks for your responses. It looks like I have some shuffling to do. The headache with Epcot is I'm only planning a half day there, and my other fastpasses are the seas with Nemo and turtle talk with crush which I obviously want scheduled back to back. So I move one thing and it's a domino effect...however Disney problems aren't real problems right?! So I'll work this out.

I would take FEA for whatever you can get that's later than what you have now, and safely assume that you can fit in Nemo and Turtle Talk while you're there standby, and/or pick up FPs later on. Neither of those two are popular enough that you need to let them derail your other plans, IMO.

 

[teachmedis]

By some small miracle, I was able to move every Fastpass later by one hour! There are a ton FEA's available still...on Easter Sunday? I'm amazed at how easy this has been, last time we went was also Easter week and everything--ADRs and fastpasses were a struggle.

 

[Malestrom Troll]

Just ask for your check at the beginning of your meal. Don't expect to meet all the characters though. You will need to be at the bus stop by 9:45.

 

[FCDub]

By some small miracle, I was able to move every Fastpass later by one hour! There are a ton FEA's available still...on Easter Sunday? I'm amazed at how easy this has been, last time we went was also Easter week and everything--ADRs and fastpasses were a struggle.

Great! Have a fun trip!