Character Breakfast?

[nottellin']

Hi everyone!

I was wondering if for a character breakfast do I need to book in (pay for it) advance? Or can we just walk in? I know we are doing the Princess Lunch which we have already paid for, but my ds wants to do Goffy's Kitchen as well. I'm just not sure that we will have the time so I don't want to pay for it and end up not using it but on the other hand I don't want to miss it if we do have the time.
TIA

 

[DisneyMomma81]

You don't have to pay for any character meals in advance ~ you can "pre-pay" by purchasing vouchers for your meals ~ getawaytoday.com or http://arestravel.com/77_DisneylandResort.html *very bottom of the page. You could also by disney gift cards ~ http://disneyland.disney.go.com/dis...alOffers/detail?name=GiftCardSpecialOfferPage

You don't have to book in advance but it's reccomended ~ you'd want to call Disney Dining up to 60 days in advance ~ 714-781-3463 opt. 4

 

[nottellin']

So can I make reservations but not pay for them? That way if we notice we won't have time I could cancel them (with notice of course).

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Sure ~

But how 'bout an early GK breakfast before the parks even open, that way you won't lose park time.

 

[pixiewings71]

So can I make reservations but not pay for them? That way if we notice we won't have time I could cancel them (with notice of course).

Yes, this is correct.

 

[Teki]

Ive done Goofy's Kitchen twice. I recommend highly getting a reservation in advance the wait for a walk up can be hours. Last time I went I got an early reservation before most of the other reservations had shown up and got tons of face time with the characters. The time before I waited 2 hours and only got to see a few characters for a few mins each.

 

[spacemermaid]

You don't have to pay for your meals at the time that you make your Preferred Seating reservation.

And I say, definitely make a reservation if you want to do a character meal; the time you could end up waiting before your meal without a reservation could really cut into your time at the Park!

Have fun on your trip!

 

[thecapells]

Sure ~

But how 'bout an early GK breakfast before the parks even open, that way you won't lose park time.

Is GK the only breakfast option open BEFORE park hours?
Does the Minnie Breakfast correspond with normal park operations?

I'm a WDW vet and we love hitting the Crystal Palace before park opens since it allows you into the park early to get empty pics, a nice breakfast, and a headstart on the crowds. Does DLR have breakfasts with a similar advantage?

 

[Vala]

Chip and Dale's Critter Breakfast at the GCC is definitely open before park hours as well. The earliest seating there is 7 AM.

Same probably goes for Lilo & Stitch at the PP too seeing these are the three character meals at the resort hotels.

 

[usschmidt]

What's the earliest seating for Goofy's?

 

[Sherry E]

What's the earliest seating for Goofy's?

7:00 a.m. is the earliest time for Goofy's (that is what it was in October and December when we went). Maybe it changes during slower times of year. Not sure. I think they serve breakfast/brunch until noon (or at least the characters leave at noon), then shut down for several hours to prepare for dinner. Then they reopen at 5 p.m. (maybe 4:00 p.m.?) to take on the dinner guests! I would assume that Lilo and Stitch and Storytellers open early too.

As for Minnie's, it seems to me I recall another DIS'er recently saying that their Minnie's meal at the earliest available time cut into their MM hour, so if that is the case, I am not sure if it was on one of the days when DL opened at 8:00 a.m. and the MM hour began at 7:00 a.m., or if it was a day when the park opened later and the MM hour began later. Hmmmm....

 

[pixiewings71]

Well, let's see. We've done them all now and as far as I know they do all open before the park does. BUT Minnie & Friends is the only one in DL, Ariel's Grotto is in DCA. I don't think they start seating for M&F until about 30 min. before park opening, if there is a MM they may seat you earlier. I know that when we went to AG in DCA we had to walk a certain path to get to the restaurant, it was neat but we wanted to see more of the park when it was relatively deserted.

 

[thecapells]

Well, let's see. We've done them all now and as far as I know they do all open before the park does. BUT Minnie & Friends is the only one in DL, Ariel's Grotto is in DCA. I don't think they start seating for M&F until about 30 min. before park opening, if there is a MM they may seat you earlier. I know that when we went to AG in DCA we had to walk a certain path to get to the restaurant, it was neat but we wanted to see more of the park when it was relatively deserted.

So both Ariel's Grotto and Minnie & Friends open BEFORE the park opens?
Those were the two I was thinking about.
I thought getting in there early would allow a nice start to the day and, after breakfast, you can get a nice jump on the day!

 

[pixiewings71]

So both Ariel's Grotto and Minnie & Friends open BEFORE the park opens?
Those were the two I was thinking about.
I thought getting in there early would allow a nice start to the day and, after breakfast, you can get a nice jump on the day!

Ariel's Grotto does for sure. The park opens later than DL so that's easy for them to do. We had an 8:30 (or so) PS, the park didn't open until 10 so we went to the gate and there was a CM there with a clipboard, we gave our name, she checked us off, then we scanned our tickets and went in. We stopped and grabbed a locker and then went our merry way to AG. So yes, we were in the park before it opened, that was pretty cool. M & F I *believe* opens 30 min. prior to park opening but I don't know that for sure. Disney Dining can tell you. When we do M & F we do it later in the morning, more like a brunch really, we hit the rides in the morning and then do M&F to eat. Our favorite time is 10:30 for M&F.

 

[lntsmom]

Who are Minnie's friends, lol! Is this the same crew that used to be at Ariel's Grotto?

 

[pixiewings71]

Ariel's Grotto has always had Princesses when we've been there. But we hadn't been there before 2006 so I don't know who was there before. When we were at M&F we saw a ton of characters, there didn't seem to be much of a pattern of any kind. Let's see if I can remember who we saw, there were so many!

Alice, Mad Hatter, Chip, Dale, Capn Hook, Gideon (from Pinocchio), Eeyore, and there were more....why am I not remembering? Gepetto was there, oh man....I don't have the pics here with me, I'm at work. If I remember when I get home I'll double check and post more.

 

[challer]

I just made my 7am reservation for Goofy's in Feb. I wanted to do breakfast in the park as early as possible, but Plaza was taking 8:40am reservations earliest(park opens at 9).

My kids will be east coast jet lag, so we'll all be up at 5am.

 

[Vala]

Who are Minnie's friends, lol! Is this the same crew that used to be at Ariel's Grotto?

When we were there it were Chip, Dale, Captain Hook, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger.