Breakfast in the Wizarding World

[DisneyMama811]

We are doing 2 days at US/IA at the end of a WDW trip, mainly focusing on HP we are staying onsite (Dockside Inn) planning to do breakfast at one of the HP restaurants on our first day.... travel party is 2 adults and 2 kids (6&8) which would you choose if you could only do one? the menu looks similar at most so I'm looking for input more in terms of atmosphere and experience, planning to get Interactive wands for the kids, do any of the restaurants have interactive spots?


I haven't been to Universal since 2001 when I was only a kid so this is all new to me!

 

[Mom2Anna&Elsa]

We are doing 2 days at US/IA at the end of a WDW trip, mainly focusing on HP we are staying onsite (Dockside Inn) planning to do breakfast at one of the HP restaurants on our first day.... travel party is 2 adults and 2 kids (6&8) which would you choose if you could only do one? the menu looks similar at most so I'm looking for input more in terms of atmosphere and experience, planning to get Interactive wands for the kids, do any of the restaurants have interactive spots?


I haven't been to Universal since 2001 when I was only a kid so this is all new to me!

We went to the Leaky Cauldron for breakfast. We did 3 Broomsticks for dinner, and, for me, the experience at Leaky Cauldron was better because of the way they do it.

At Leaky Cauldron we waited in a line and placed our breakfast order. They gave us our drinks on a tray and a placard with a number on it. Then a team member actually escorted us to a table and had us put our placard on it. We sat there and drank and just a few minutes later, our food was delivered to our table. It was standard breakfast food, but we enjoyed it.

At 3 Broomsticks, we waited in a line for our order and placed it. And then waited in line for our actual food. And then went and found a table with our food & drinks on a tray.

I much preferred the Leaky Cauldron way of sitting with our drink and having our food delivered. It was less chaotic.

 

[1420Elexismc]

We went to Leaky Cauldron for breakfast...twice...on our honeymoon. I got the American breakfast both times(and a warm butterbeer!). The potatoes are life changing...I think about them often lol! I loved the vibe in there and all the cast members were super sweet. I can't speak to the wands because we didn't have them on our trip.

 

[ruthies12]

There are no wand spots inside either of the restaurants. They seem to change how they do things a lot, OP mentioned sitting and having food delivered versus waiting in line to get it yourself and I've had it be both ways at both restaurants over the years.

One word of caution- if you definitely want to eat there I would recommend going to the vacation planning desk at your hotel and asking for a breakfast voucher. You pre-pay for your breakfast and select a time, you can choose either restaurant. Do it right after checking in. It seems the rules can arbitrarily change at a whim, I've gone to be seated and been turned away because I did not have a breakfast voucher, they absolutely would not seat us even though half the restaurant was empty. Next day got seated without a voucher no problem. It's very weird but I buy a voucher every trip now to be on the safe side.

As far as which restaurant to choose for breakfast- they are pretty much same atmosphere and same food so I would figure out which park you are starting in based on early entry and what you want to do and choose the one that is in that park. Then do the other restaurant later in the day for lunch or dinner. thats my 2 cents

 

[DisneyMama811]

There are no wand spots inside either of the restaurants. They seem to change how they do things a lot, OP mentioned sitting and having food delivered versus waiting in line to get it yourself and I've had it be both ways at both restaurants over the years.

One word of caution- if you definitely want to eat there I would recommend going to the vacation planning desk at your hotel and asking for a breakfast voucher. You pre-pay for your breakfast and select a time, you can choose either restaurant. Do it right after checking in. It seems the rules can arbitrarily change at a whim, I've gone to be seated and been turned away because I did not have a breakfast voucher, they absolutely would not seat us even though half the restaurant was empty. Next day got seated without a voucher no problem. It's very weird but I buy a voucher every trip now to be on the safe side.

As far as which restaurant to choose for breakfast- they are pretty much same atmosphere and same food so I would figure out which park you are starting in based on early entry and what you want to do and choose the one that is in that park. Then do the other restaurant later in the day for lunch or dinner. thats my 2 cents

thank you! I'm working with a travel agent and she secured us vouchers for The Leaky Cauldron! I wasn't aware they were needed

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

So it might have changed but when we went in September we were advised to reserve Leaky Cauldron breakfast ahead of time (which we also prepaid) at RPR. I am kind of happy we did as at that time they were structuring the line so that those with reservations were ok.


Love breakfast at Leaky Cauldron!

 

[mlggator22]

Okay, I have to ask, what is a breakfast voucher? I haven't heard of this. You get this at the concierge?

 

[DisneyMama811]

Okay, I have to ask, what is a breakfast voucher? I haven't heard of this. You get this at the concierge?

I'm not 100% certain the travel agent just said they only issue a certain number and don't let walk up guests in without them.. i think the idea is you pre pay for the voucher and you're guaranteed a spot? I just said take my money and book it I'm getting very overwhelmed with all the fine details

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

I'm not 100% certain the travel agent just said they only issue a certain number and don't let walk up guests in without them.. i think the idea is you pre pay for the voucher and you're guaranteed a spot? I just said take my money and book it I'm getting very overwhelmed with all the fine details

So when we went, they did make those without the vouchers/reservations wait off to the side. I am pretty sure its to aleviate traffic. If you are staying at a UOR hotel, and have them reserve for you, they come out looking like paper tickets

 

[ruthies12]

The whole situation with the vouchers is just weird imo. I first encountered it in May of 2021. Before then we'd always just walked up and had breakfast when we wanted (our trips are generally twice a year). On that trip we walked up and were told we needed a voucher to be seated. We asked the worker how to get a voucher and she didn't know. So she went and got a manager and we asked him and he said it was part of a vacation package. We politely explained we were passholders and couldn't book a package as we didn't need tickets and he shrugged his shoulders at us and didn't care. Restuarant was half empty but they absolutely refused to let us in.

Breakfast at Leaky Cauldron is one of our favorite things so we went to Customer Service at the front of the park to ask if there was any way to get a voucher and they told us the same thing as the manager, its part of a package with hotel and tickets. We weren't trying to get anything for free, we were perfectly happy to pay for a voucher, but they insisted it was only part of a package and couldn't be purchased separately.

We were only on a 2 day trip at the time so the next morning we walked up to the leaky cauldron and asked again if we could be seated just to see what would happen and they seated us right away with zero mention of a voucher, didn't even ask us if we had one. It was a different worker at the door that day than the day before. The whole fiasco was just very odd.

After that trip I found out from someone on these boards that you can purchase the vouchers separately by going to the vacation planning desk in an on-site hotel. Next time we went down we were at RPR, went to the vacation desk after dropping our luggage off and they were able to book us vouchers for 2 days of our trip. They never asked if we were staying at the hotel, I think we could have walked in off the street and paid for the vouchers without being guests. Both times we went to have breakfast we were asked if we had vouchers before being seated. I did not ask if we would have been seated without vouchers so I'm not sure. If you really want breakfast there, like we did, I wouldn't risk it!

I will add that being turned away that one trip and having all the staff be so uncaring and so unhelpful was very upsetting at the time and I think the voucher system is just stupid, mainly because it isn't advertised for people to know ahead of time unless you have a good travel agent or are on boards like these and I can't imagine that this system isn't costing them money from turning away customers from food they want to purchase. And every time Universal sends me a survey in my email I fill it out and I tell them their voucher system is stupid.

Okay, rant over lol

 

[DisneyMama811]

The whole situation with the vouchers is just weird imo. I first encountered it in May of 2021. Before then we'd always just walked up and had breakfast when we wanted (our trips are generally twice a year). On that trip we walked up and were told we needed a voucher to be seated. We asked the worker how to get a voucher and she didn't know. So she went and got a manager and we asked him and he said it was part of a vacation package. We politely explained we were passholders and couldn't book a package as we didn't need tickets and he shrugged his shoulders at us and didn't care. Restuarant was half empty but they absolutely refused to let us in.

Breakfast at Leaky Cauldron is one of our favorite things so we went to Customer Service at the front of the park to ask if there was any way to get a voucher and they told us the same thing as the manager, its part of a package with hotel and tickets. We weren't trying to get anything for free, we were perfectly happy to pay for a voucher, but they insisted it was only part of a package and couldn't be purchased separately.

We were only on a 2 day trip at the time so the next morning we walked up to the leaky cauldron and asked again if we could be seated just to see what would happen and they seated us right away with zero mention of a voucher, didn't even ask us if we had one. It was a different worker at the door that day than the day before. The whole fiasco was just very odd.

After that trip I found out from someone on these boards that you can purchase the vouchers separately by going to the vacation planning desk in an on-site hotel. Next time we went down we were at RPR, went to the vacation desk after dropping our luggage off and they were able to book us vouchers for 2 days of our trip. They never asked if we were staying at the hotel, I think we could have walked in off the street and paid for the vouchers without being guests. Both times we went to have breakfast we were asked if we had vouchers before being seated. I did not ask if we would have been seated without vouchers so I'm not sure. If you really want breakfast there, like we did, I wouldn't risk it!

I will add that being turned away that one trip and having all the staff be so uncaring and so unhelpful was very upsetting at the time and I think the voucher system is just stupid, mainly because it isn't advertised for people to know ahead of time unless you have a good travel agent or are on boards like these and I can't imagine that this system isn't costing them money from turning away customers from food they want to purchase. And every time Universal sends me a survey in my email I fill it out and I tell them their voucher system is stupid.

Okay, rant over lol

yeah the whole voucher system just sounds insane and poorly executed, thankfully we have a great travel agent otherwise I would have had no clue

 

[ruthies12]

I did forget one thing- we prefer breakfast at leaky cauldron over three broomsticks because leaky cauldron has the otter's fizzy orange juice and that is sooooo good for breakfast. Haven't been since last November so could have changed since then. You can also get the fizzy orange juice at the hopping pot counter service so no biggie if you already booked three broomsticks.

And one more piece of advice- you get a drink included in the breakfast- don't get the gillywater. It's just water, there is nothing special about it other than the name. You can get free cups of ice water with your meal in addition to your included drink so might as well get a butterbeer or fizzy orange juice as your included drink and then ask for water on the side if you also want water. Makes the most of your money that way.