Crystal Palace Early Breakfast

[smallworldgirl]

Can you share your experience getting into MK early for CP breakfast? We have an ADR for 8:15. What time will they let us in? How long do you get to take pictures on main street? My DH is a photographer - will they rush us into CP? Can we stop and take as many photos as we like? Are there still a lot of people walking up mainstreet? How long did you spend in CP for breakfast? Can we make rope drop? Thanks for the info.

 

[Cat0727]

We had a CP ADR at 8:05 and when we got to MK, it was around 7:55-ish and we got in fine. We just went through the turnstile, the CMs didn't ask for our last names or anything to confirm. You won't have a problem taking pics on Main Street; no one will rush you. When we went it was spring break so there were more people walking up Main St than usual. We finished at about 9:10, so we just missed rope drop, however it didn't set us back at all. We got to Splash and were able to walk right on.

 

[MinniesYooHoo]

We have 8:15am ressies here as well on our next trip. I've never been in the park before opening and am so very excited! I just want to get a few pics of DD in front of that castle all by herself!!! How special is that?! Not to mention the ability to "walk on" Splash Mountain, and then hopefully Big Thunder Mountain. YAY!!!!

 

[Jenny_WDWFan]

My husband and I did this over spring break, as well. Our reservations were for 8:05, and they let us in a little before 8. They actually had us all go through the turn styles earlier and then we waited inside for them to let us walk down Main Street. We were able to get a few photos without people in them in front of the castle. We eat fairly quickly, so we were able to get to rope drop with no problem. I think if you have children, it would be more difficult to make it, or if the characters didn't make it around and you wanted to wait to see them all.

Have fun! I love CP!

 

[nyz2004]

Were you escorted to the restaurant or you just go through the gate and walk to CP by yourself?

 

[squirrel]

The CM's let you into the park about 7:45 am then you are to wait in an area before going under the railroad bridge. Then about 5-10 mins later they let you go up Main St. Those few minutes of waiting once you're through the turnstyles feels so long.

 

[shawnh199]

We had 815am ressies in December. We got to MK around 7:25, went through security and waited in line at the character breakfast turnstiles (they were all the way to the right hand side) until they let us through at about 7:45am (some people say 7:50am). We stopped and bought autograph books at the small store just inside that was actually open (yeah or our girls would have had nothing for Pooh and friends to sign). It was kind of crowded in there because people were also buying ponchos (it was raining lightly) so it took a little while.

We walked down main street towards the Castle and CP (hardly anyone around - very cool). We got there around 8am or a little before and checked-in. We were seated right at 8:05 - like the 5th family seated!! So, definitely check-in as soon as you get there because if you get in early, you get to the buffet lines with no wait, get to enjoy most if not all of your food before the characters start coming around. We took pictures of the castle while we waited after we checked in.

You should be able to make rope drop. We didn't, but we learned a valuable lesson. If you are on the dining plan, ask for your check very early on in your meal. It can take quite a while (over 15 minutes in our case) to take care of getting the bill with pricing on it (despite telling your waiter your on the dining plan), getting the bill for the dining plan, giving a CC to pay for the tip, and getting everything back to sign. We would have easily made rope drop because were done (characters and food) by 8:45am. So if you get paid up early, dining plan or not, you can get up and leave when you're done and not have to wait to take care of your bill then.

Despite the wait, we walked out a little after 9am, took pictures with a photopass photographer outside the restaurant and another one outside the castle, headed for Dumbo and only had a less than 10 minute wait for our girls favorite ride.

Enjoy it! The make-your-own omelets are delicious. The other food is really good too.

 

[ChrisAlli]

We always do CP on our last day, get a reservation for 8:05-8:15. Go right to the castle and get a picture of the kids in front of the partners statue with no one around. Plus one outside CP with the castle in the backround. Five years in a row....love the pictures and seeing how they've grown. It's a tradition I hope to continue for many years!!!!

Nothing like a near empty park to take picutres in

 

[Snurk71]

I think we hung out taking pictures on Main Street for about 30 minutes one year, so your photog should be fine and happy having the street to himself (mostly). And CP still took us later than our ARD time.

 

[ncc1701]

DH and I had an 8:30 ADR last year.We got to MK before 8:00 and took
a bunch of photos.DH was even o.k. posing for some shots by the Disney photopass CM.
We got to CP in 15 minutes earlyWe weren't in a rush to get to the rope drop, but it appeared that we only missed it by 10 minutes or so.As a prior poster said, ask for the check early on
Enjoy, a breakfast at CP is one of our must dos

 

[Coconuts]

This was my favorite part of our last trip! We loved taking our time walking up an empty Main St. We took tons of pictures and got plenty of photopasses in front of the castle.

 

[MagicalMawMaw]

We go in Dec. to CP at 8:05 a.m. & I can't wait!! We then have our Keys to the Kingdom tour.

Can't wait!! Will be our first time to be at MK before the crowds. We always do RD but are in a hurry to get where you are headed & I'm looking forward to strolling in & taking photos on the way to CP.

 

[2Tiggies]

We have 8:15am ressies here as well on our next trip. I've never been in the park before opening and am so very excited! I just want to get a few pics of DD in front of that castle all by herself!!! How special is that?! Not to mention the ability to "walk on" Splash Mountain, and then hopefully Big Thunder Mountain. YAY!!!!

We've done an 8.25 breakfast at CP before and been able to walk onto Splash Mountain, stay on for another ride and then walk onto BTMR. This was also during Spring Break and crowds were heavy so it should be even better when you are not in the thick of a major peak season.

8.05 ressies we have usually been out by or before 9 am and actually found ourselves, after breakfast, waiting for the CMs to move the rope.