Crystal Palace Pre-Park Opening Breakfast Time

[coopersmom]

We have been hoping for a pre-park opening Crystal Palace breakfast and I finally found an 8:20 ADR on a day the Magic Kingdom opens at 9 AM. Is that soon enough to be done by rope drop (or close to it) or should I keep web-stalking for an 8 AM ADR? Will that 20 minutes really gain me much, especially if I show up early for the 8:20 ADR?

 

[free2div]

We have been hoping for a pre-park opening Crystal Palace breakfast and I finally found an 8:20 ADR on a day the Magic Kingdom opens at 9 AM. Is that soon enough to be done by rope drop (or close to it) or should I keep web-stalking for an 8 AM ADR? Will that 20 minutes really gain me much, especially if I show up early for the 8:20 ADR?

You will still be hving Breakfast when rope drops. We have done CP many time pre rope drop..unless you get the first or second time 8:05 or 8:10 it will be pushing it to get done by rope drop unless you dont want to see all the characters. It usually takes at least an hour for them to get around all the tables.

 

[coopersmom]

Thanks. That's what I thought. Anyone with experience of showing up early for a reservation there (I know they're coveted) and getting in early?

 

[dadolan]

We have been hoping for a pre-park opening Crystal Palace breakfast and I finally found an 8:20 ADR on a day the Magic Kingdom opens at 9 AM. Is that soon enough to be done by rope drop (or close to it) or should I keep web-stalking for an 8 AM ADR? Will that 20 minutes really gain me much, especially if I show up early for the 8:20 ADR?

You could be fed by rope drop time especially as its a buffet but but if you do want a meet and greet with all the characters it becomes highly unlikely

 

[baler31]

We have had the 8:05, seated right away, asked for check right away and we still miss RD by a few minutes. This is if your kids or you care about seeing all the characters, if the characters and the meal are important rather than just early entry I advise people to make a late breakfast ADR and let it serve as an early lunch.

 

[shawnh199]

We had an 815 ADR, showed up to MK around 730am. We were let through the gates around 745-750am. We got a autograph book at the shop right up front(forgot to get them at the hotel the night before - thank goodness they were open!), went back to CP and checked in at the podium before 8am. We were the 5th family seated. So, if you can't get anything earlier, be sure to check in as soon as you get there. You may or may not get lucky! After you check in is when I would take your castle pictures. Especially if you check in before 8am because no one is seated until 805am.

Some advice for getting out as soon as possible when you are finished with your meal: take care of your check early on during the meal, especially if you are on the dining plan. We had finished our meal and had seen all the characters by 845am. Great - rope drop! NOPE! It took over 15 minutes to take care of the check(s). They bring you several different receipts that you need to sign, send CC for tip, etc. And, when you wait until the end of the meal, they are dealing with a lot of other diner's checks at the same time. We walked out of the restaurant at 905am. Not too bad. We took pics with a photopass photographer outside CP, walked back to Dumbo and had a 10 minute wait. It could have been worse! We have learned from these first experiences with pre-rope drop ADR's so we can do better on our next trip in May!

Enjoy MK with so few people. It's so peaceful and beautiful! The food's good too!

 

[coopersmom]

I actually found (believe it or not) an 8:05 ADR today for the day I wanted. Yay! I'm excited to be in the Magic Kingdom "early." Don't care if we miss rope drop exactly, but didn't want to be in there 30 minutes later, etc.

We told my little one he's eating breakfast with Pooh and he's very excited.

Thanks for the check tip, we'll be sure and do that! When my son is ready to go, he's ready to go. Waiting to pay is always the hardest part.

 

[shawnh199]

Congrats on getting the ADR time you were looking for. It takes patience but you just have to keep trying and sometimes you just get lucky.

Have a great time. Pooh and his friends were great!

 

[JustDrawnThatWay]

Hi there! As an ADR & general WDW newb I'm curious how pre-park opening ADRs work- I'm interested in getting an early ADR at the CP on one of our mornings at MK - if I'm by chance successful, all you have to do is show up early to the gate and they will let you in ahead of everyone else? It seems logical enough but it just sounds too good to be true!

 

[PEANUT1]

I think if you try for rope drop you are going to be really stressed, rush your breakfast and not enjoy it. We had an 810 adr and we did make rope drop but it really felt rushed and crazy..that being said, I would still do it again.

 

[catne]

it really depends on what time of year you're there, too...we did a CP 8:10 breakfast on a Saturday, mid-May this year. We were let in the park around 7:45 and checked into the restaurant right about 8:00. We were seated about 5 minutes later...definitely in the first group. The characters started coming around 8:15 and since the restaurant was almost empty, we saw all of them in about 20 minutes, and were done eating in 35 minutes. In fact, the characters were starting the 2nd round of visits when we left at 8:50. We did make it to rope-drop in Fantasyland...they don't actually drop that rope until a few minutes after 9:00.

 

[KungFoomF]

Hi there! As an ADR & general WDW newb I'm curious how pre-park opening ADRs work- I'm interested in getting an early ADR at the CP on one of our mornings at MK - if I'm by chance successful, all you have to do is show up early to the gate and they will let you in ahead of everyone else? It seems logical enough but it just sounds too good to be true!

Yes. There is a kiosk at the front right by the stroller rental nook and they'll ask you your name. If you have a reservation then you can walk right in. Great time for pictures on main street, etc. Of course no rides are running but yeah, it is great. If your ADR is early enough that you are done eating before the park opens, you can go directly to Cinderella's Castle to wait. Then you can be among the first to ride Dumbo and other Fantasyland rides, which are usually some of the longest waits during the day. Get those out of the way and save your fastpasses.

 

[AKL LOVER]

We love doing pre-rope drop ADR's! My kids are early risers and they love a hot breakfast, so it just makes sense for our family. Besides, I enjoy getting to see the characters at meal times, so the kids are begging to wait in hour long lines in the park to see them later in the day!

 

[Fabooliss]

We have had the 8:05, seated right away, asked for check right away and we still miss RD by a few minutes. This is if your kids or you care about seeing all the characters, if the characters and the meal are important rather than just early entry I advise people to make a late breakfast ADR and let it serve as an early lunch.

Exactly the same thing happened to us. We enjoyed walking up Main Street and seeing the castle without anyone in front of it, but we've been there done that, not worth it a second time. We are having lunch this time.


Just read the rest of the thread and wanted to add: We only missed RD by about 10 minutes, it was the feeling rushed I didn't enjoy.

Also, make sure you explain what "eating breakfast with Pooh" actually means. We didn't and our DS (2) was very disappointed in our first character meal because Mickey wasn't sitting at the table with us!