Check-in at POP and breakfast ADR at Ohana same day

[dancebird78]

We arrive Friday night and staying offiste. Checking into the POP on Saturday and only going to MK for two days (Sat/Sun). Does it make sense to keep this 8:30 reservation on the day we are to check in? We need to check in to the hotel, drop bags off, etc. MK opens at 9am this day and it's our first day. On one hand, I think it would be a nice introduction to disney for the kids. But, logistically I don't know if it is realistic to get there at that time and do everything we need to do for check in. Can I check in online and just keep our bags, etc in our car? My other option is for Ohana the next day (and our last day) at 9:40am. MK opens that day at 9am. So, we'd lose quite some park time on our last day. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks

 

[wilkeliza]

We arrive Friday night and staying offiste. Checking into the POP on Saturday and only going to MK for two days (Sat/Sun). Does it make sense to keep this 8:30 reservation on the day we are to check in? We need to check in to the hotel, drop bags off, etc. MK opens at 9am this day and it's our first day. On one hand, I think it would be a nice introduction to disney for the kids. But, logistically I don't know if it is realistic to get there at that time and do everything we need to do for check in. Can I check in online and just keep our bags, etc in our car? My other option is for Ohana the next day (and our last day) at 9:40am. MK opens that day at 9am. So, we'd lose quite some park time on our last day. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks

You can check in online and keep bags in the car. You don't even have to check in online to keep the bags in the car you could just check in later. Unless of course you have tickets as apart of a package. Either way with an 9:30 or 9:40 breakfast you are going to lose some time in the park. How late do you arrive Friday night? Maybe you could do a character dinning experience that night to introduce the kids to Disney that way you don't have to worry about losing park time the next day.

 

[Alesia]

With a two day trip, I wouldn't even consider a breakfast at that time. The first 2 or 3 hours that the park is open are fantastic! You can get more done in that time than you will for the entire rest of the day. Do a character dinner the night before.

 

[dancebird78]

I've heard great things about the Ohana character meal, so I was hoping to add it in. I'm staying with family that Friday night, so I was leaving that time open with them and not going anywhere the parks. I have FP for mine train, peter pan, space mountain and some of the other more popular rides for both days (Oct. 29/30). Perhaps, a character meal the Sunday night for dinner closer to when MK closes and we leave might be an option. That night will be the scary halloween party. Can we do a character dinner that night even if we don't have tickets for the special event?

 

[dancebird78]

I also have an ADR to Crystal Palace Saturday night. I've just heard that it is overpriced and food not that great. My kids would rather see Mickey, lilo stitch at ohana over pooh and friends.

 

[wilkeliza]

I've heard great things about the Ohana character meal, so I was hoping to add it in. I'm staying with family that Friday night, so I was leaving that time open with them and not going anywhere the parks. I have FP for mine train, peter pan, space mountain and some of the other more popular rides for both days (Oct. 29/30). Perhaps, a character meal the Sunday night for dinner closer to when MK closes and we leave might be an option. That night will be the scary halloween party. Can we do a character dinner that night even if we don't have tickets for the special event?

You can not get one after a certain time. So it may be better to get one at Chef Mickeys or 1900 Park Fare after MK closing.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

If you really want to keep the O'hana dinner reservation, I would check in online, drive directly to TTC to park from your offsite hotel, keep your luggage in your car and walk or monorail to Poly for the reservation. Then you can go to MK for as long as you want, get in your car at TTC when you leave MK and go to POP.

 

[dancebird78]

would we have to pay to park at TTC?

 

[Hopefully]

With only 2 park days I would never do a Breakfast ADR. As the others have said, the first few hours in MK are, by far, the best for getting things done in the park. Is your focus more a meal or experiencing the MK?
'OHana is good, but not that good in my opinion.
I would do a character dinner one night.
You can not eat a character meal in the MK after the party starts. But there are lots of other spots for a character meal. Maybe Chef Mickey's?

 

[Albytaps]

As much as I love Ohana, I wouldn't consider it a good introduction to Disney. I would rather go to Chef Mickey's for that (even though the food is lousy.). That being said, I'd rather just head into the MK as early as I could and see the magnificent castle as an introduction. Then you can eat wherever when you get hungry... but I would wait you until the lines start getting longer, because you can get a lot of rides in the first hour or 2 like someone already mentioned.

 

[dancebird78]

this is all great advice. I see an ADR for Cape May Cafe at 7:45 am on the last day where MK opens at 9. I wonder if this is a better option due to the timing. And, I'll still get the character meal? Or, keep the Crystal Palace for dinner one night which I already have a reservation for. I really only would like one character meal since it is only a two day trip.

 

[lynzi2004]

We only had 2 park days on our trip in April. I personally wouldn't do anything character meal wise and miss out on park touring with that short of stay, UNLESS it was in the parks. I might consider Chef Mickeys since it is so close but I would do it at a time that wasn't prime touring time. I definitely wouldn't miss out on the first hour or two. Go for their late brunch when your normally going to be stopping to eat or if you don't have tickets to the parties, go during those after the parks close to you at 7. We did Chef Mickey's and the kids loved it!