ADRs; do you always know? Do you, would you PPO?

[Shanti]

Hey everyone!

Just looking for opinions here. This is only our second family trip to wdw. I am by no means an experienced planner, but, I can say that I spent every free moment reading the wonderful threads and entertaining responses here all last year and this year. I love it, and have learned A LOT. Thanks to all the veterans that are always there to answer questions.

Like most, I am really trying to plan a great trip for our family. I plan so far in advance for ADR day, and I always think I have all my ducks in a row, and then once I'm "finished," I suddenly come up with a new scenario that I "need" to plan for. And the ADR search starts again.....Is this normal?? Wondering if people cancel simply because of cancelled trip, or are they like me, making changes to their plans.

My second question is I always thought PPO breakfasts would be nice for our family....We are morning people, and I do like walking through the park before the masses. But, on our last trip, I definitely felt the rush to get through breakfast to get on FEA. As it turned out, Epcot dropped the ropes earlier, and although we were the first seated and out of Akershus, there was a 30 min wait at FEA at 8:50. (this was Dec)
So, I was wondering, to all the experienced travellers, do you PPO? If we want to really get on Soarin' at rope drop, (we have 2 kids) would you try to find a GG PPO breakfast? or would you prefer to just rope drop? Trying to not obsess over securing a GG breakfast....
Thanks, all. Happy Sunday

I've done many PPO breakfasts to get on rides like Soarin' and Seven Dwarfs without a wait. However, if your trip is long enough where you can get FastPasses for all of those rides instead, that would be my preference. PPO breakfasts work, but they do tend to feel rushed if you need to leave at a certain time to get to the front of a ride line. Especially Garden Grill, which is such a nice breakfast with so many characters, it would be much more enjoyable to hit some rides first, then eat a leisurely breakfast there at 10am.

 

[GillianP1301]

Your first question - yes, I change plans several times after my initial 180 day bookings. I'm not entirely sure why, other than it gives me something to do while I'm waiting for my trip. I leave in less than 4 weeks and just yesterday I completely swapped around 2 days to allow for a more relaxing morning after MNSSHP and I was able to do so. It meant swapping my DHS fastpasses (included TSMM) for MK ones and moving my Sci-Fi to a different day and adding HDDR and I was able to do all of that successfully. If there is something that is just impossible to move (like a FOP FP or a 6:00pm Ohana dinner) then I don't mess around with those days once they are set.

Your second question - I do like PPO breakfast, but I'm not your usual PPO meal to rush to get a headliner at RD. I just like getting an early start to my day and don't really care if I'm also leading the RD charge. So, I may do a PPO at 8:15 or so and be done around 9:15 and just go about my day. I just really have no desire to rush to anything.

 

[ChasingLeslie]

@Gus V. - I believe we left Akershus at 8:50a and the FEA line is directly to the right of the restaurant. The year before we stopped to use the bathroom and didn't get out until 8:55. That five minutes made the difference (plus last year was the opening year).

 

[Gus V.]

@Gus V. - I believe we left Akershus at 8:50a and the FEA line is directly to the right of the restaurant. The year before we stopped to use the bathroom and didn't get out until 8:55. That five minutes made the difference (plus last year was the opening year).

Great, thank you! We will also have an 11m old baby.. I guess we will just have to see how it goes

 

[jpeterson]

Your first question - yes, I change plans several times after my initial 180 day bookings. I'm not entirely sure why, other than it gives me something to do while I'm waiting for my trip. I leave in less than 4 weeks and just yesterday I completely swapped around 2 days to allow for a more relaxing morning after MNSSHP and I was able to do so. It meant swapping my DHS fastpasses (included TSMM) for MK ones and moving my Sci-Fi to a different day and adding HDDR and I was able to do all of that successfully. If there is something that is just impossible to move (like a FOP FP or a 6:00pm Ohana dinner) then I don't mess around with those days once they are set.

Your second question - I do like PPO breakfast, but I'm not your usual PPO meal to rush to get a headliner at RD. I just like getting an early start to my day and don't really care if I'm also leading the RD charge. So, I may do a PPO at 8:15 or so and be done around 9:15 and just go about my day. I just really have no desire to rush to anything.

This is us exactly. I'm not one to rush to get first in line, but I don't mind starting my day a bit early.

 

[AllThingsMickey4]

We did CP PPO breakfast a couple of times before they changed the opening procedure in MK. I liked it because instead of waiting outside the gates for 30-45 minutes.. I was already in the park eating Pooh's Stuffed French Toast

One time we stood at the castle and watched the CM's walk the opening crowd in behind the rope.. then we took off in front of the rope for Space Mountain.

I wouldn't recommend PPO at the CP now because there isn't that benefit of getting in before the crowds with the new opening procedure. But you can always book a late breakfast (like 10:30 AM) on an extra magic hour morning.. get to the park at 8:00 AM, ride all the rides when the lines are short(er), then have a leisurely brunch.

We do PPO breakfast at BOG now. It gives you the benefit of being able to ride SDMT before the rope drop crowd (this is not guaranteed of course, but we got one ride in before the crowd in early May and then 2 rides in before the crowd in late May). The food comes out quickly if you pre-order and you aren't "rushing" through the meal or missing characters.

 

[Dakota731]

[

I wouldn't recommend PPO at the CP now because there isn't that benefit of getting in before the crowds with the new opening procedure.

/QUOTE]

What is the new opening procedure?

 

[AllThingsMickey4]

@Dakota731
All guests are let into the park an hour or so before opening. Just Main Street is open (the shops and places serving breakfast). You can't go past the castle.. which is why BOG is now the best PPO reservation in terms of getting into the park before the crowd.