Duck out of breakfast early to grab FPs?

[KJay]

We have an ADR for 8:20 am in Epcot, at Akershus. Park opens at 9:00. I know we won't be done w/ the character breakfast by opening time. Is it possible/feasible for me or dh to duck out for little while just before 9:00 to grab some fast passes, then return to the restaurant? Has anyone ever done this?

 

[juliemcalister]

I haven't done this but it seems that TT or M: S might be worth it if you're in the mood for a brisk walk.

 

[KJay]

We'd probably make the trek over to the land pavillion for Soarin'- I think TT & M:S have a little less of a rush. I need to go check out a map, though- the land pavillion might be a pretty far walk from Norway!

 

[juliemcalister]

True about the rush. Just afraid that if you duck out for Soarin' fps you won't see your party until lunch! Maybe we'll hear from someone who's attempted this.

Have a great trip!

 

[catne]

I sure would ask if you'll be allowed back into the restaurant before leaving -- at 9:00, you would probably be within 20-30 minutes of being done completely with the meal & character table-visits, I would guess. I can see them not letting you back into the restaurants since if you left the restaurant at 9, you would be getting back right about when they expected the table to "turn over". It wouldn't do you any good to leave the restaurant much before 9:00, because they won't let you go over to the Land building until the park officially opens anyway (they have ropes set up & you will have to wait for the castmembers to do the official "walk" to The Land building--they control the crowd so no one can run for fastpasses.) If you look at a map, Soarin in the Land building is quite a hike from Norway--they are on oppposite sides of the park, sort of...very fast walker might make it in 10 minutes, but then it's a long hike into the building, through the building & down stairs to where the Soarin' Fastpass machines are. I would expect it to take you 30 minutes (or more) to get over to Soarin & get a Fast Pass, and then hoof it back--that's not a really close walk, and there's usually a heck of a crowd at the fastpass machines at that time . You could have a short wait in line to get a fastpass. I could see the rest of the family being done, or close to it, by the time you get back.

Actually, if you're done eating your own breakfast by 8:55 or so that would get you to the rope-drop area in time for the 9:00 opening & walk-over to the Land. If you don't mind missing the rest of the characters visiting table,, I'd say just go get the fastpasses & set up where to meet the rest of the family when they're done instead of going all the way back to the restaurant and trying to get in. A good meeting place might be Test Track if your family wants to ride. If they are getting to TT by 9:30 or shortly after, chances are you'll have a very reasonable stand-by wait time there.

 

[chipscamping buddy]

You can certainly do it, but the question is in the benefit. Test Track and Soarin are the only two worth any effort to get and I think you could still go after breakfast and would be perfectly fine. If you walk very fast, it is about 8 minutes each way to Soarin, a little shorter for TT. Are you willing to give up 20 minutes of teh character meal to be an hour earlier on your fast pass time?
I would be sure to get to breakfast early, when finished go directly to Soarin for FP (about 9:30-9:45), take the boat around the land, do some of teh other rides on the Future side. Then get FP for TT when your two hour delay is over, follow with Maelstrom and enjoy the countries until you want to go use the FP.

 

[Tiger926]

Unless I'm misunderstanding, the OP wants to re-enter the park? If that is the case, he/she may not be ablet to get Fastpasses for the entire party without all being there.

In the summer, we were hanging out at Polynesian, before Kona Cafe ADR, so hubby ran over to MK on the monorail. He entered MK, and all was good when he did his FP, but when he did mine and kids, no go. The computer knew that we had not entered the park, so it would not give him a FP. He was able to get a supervisor CM to override the system, as this part of the equation, just slipped our minds, and so we got our FPs. Kids and I started into the restaurant without him, and he then relayed the story, and we both said, "Duh!"

Just wanted to alert you to this. I think you should be ok, as the party will have already entered the park. But this whole scenario has me gently remind people, that once in awhile, there may be glitches like this, and it costs time when this sort of thing happens.

Good luck in getting your passes, Tiger

 

[Tricia1972]

Unless I'm misunderstanding, the OP wants to re-enter the park? If that is the case, he/she may not be ablet to get Fastpasses for the entire party without all being there.

In the summer, we were hanging out at Polynesian, before Kona Cafe ADR, so hubby ran over to MK on the monorail. He entered MK, and all was good when he did his FP, but when he did mine and kids, no go. The computer knew that we had not entered the park, so it would not give him a FP. He was able to get a supervisor CM to override the system, as this part of the equation, just slipped our minds, and so we got our FPs. Kids and I started into the restaurant without him, and he then relayed the story, and we both said, "Duh!"

Just wanted to alert you to this. I think you should be ok, as the party will have already entered the park. But this whole scenario has me gently remind people, that once in awhile, there may be glitches like this, and it costs time when this sort of thing happens.

Good luck in getting your passes, Tiger

The OP said that "We have an ADR for 8:20 am in Epcot, at Akershus." So the entire party would already be in the park. No problem with activation.

The issue would be whether or not the restaurant would be cool with that. I would just advise the OP to ask to make sure it's OK.

 

[lovethattink]

I think alot of time would be wasted if he ducked out before 9. He would be delayed by the rope drop, and then the mass exodus to Soarin'. Then the line to get fast passes. If he waits until after 9, he might acually do better.

As far as leaving the restaurant, he would miss some of the magic of the character breakfast! I'd plan on a good 30 minutes of him being gone as a previous poster suggested. Might be better for him to high tail it over to Soarin' or TT right after he is finished eating. You pay the server and meet up with him some where.

 

[jewelmicky]

I agree with the previous posters...stay with your family. You will be in such a rush and not enjoy the meal or characters. If you go straight there after breakfast you will be fine...grab FPs and ride. Just make sure to take care of check ASAP, that will be your biggest hold up.

 

[Tiger926]

The OP said that "We have an ADR for 8:20 am in Epcot, at Akershus." So the entire party would already be in the park. No problem with activation.

The issue would be whether or not the restaurant would be cool with that. I would just advise the OP to ask to make sure it's OK.

Thanks so much, for pointing that out. I was confused as I thought I read someone suggesting to go through rope drop. Sorry about that!

Hope OP can work it out, Tiger

 

[Sugardimples]

I think you need to make a choice here - either go to the breakfast and enjoy it with your family or skip the breakfast and get the fastpasses. I would stay with my family and go get the fastpasses after breakfast.

Trying to leave, run get the fastpasses and then return to the breakfast will actually mean that you will not be at breakfast. It will not be an enjoyable experience at all!

 

[KJay]

Hmmm, lots of good info and advice- thanks! Given the time, and the distance involved, it probably wouldn't be leave early- get-fp-return to breakfast...rather, it seems like if we do it, someone would just be leaving breakfast a little early, the the rest would meet up in a little while. Does anyone know where I'd be directed to if I left breakfast a little before 9? Given the location of the restaurant in relation to Epcot's gates, it doesn't seem feasible that I'd be directed back to the entrance. I wonder if there's another "rope drop" area on the far side of future world, for people who are already in the park for ADRs...

 

[photobob]

Hmmm, lots of good info and advice- thanks! Given the time, and the distance involved, it probably wouldn't be leave early- get-fp-return to breakfast...rather, it seems like if we do it, someone would just be leaving breakfast a little early, the the rest would meet up in a little while. Does anyone know where I'd be directed to if I left breakfast a little before 9? Given the location of the restaurant in relation to Epcot's gates, it doesn't seem feasible that I'd be directed back to the entrance. I wonder if there's another "rope drop" area on the far side of future world, for people who are already in the park for ADRs...

I'm wondering if the FP machines are up and running before the park opens?

 

[purple figment]

I wonder if there's another "rope drop" area on the far side of future world, for people who are already in the park for ADRs...

There's a rope drop area for people who enter Epcot via the International Gateway and you will be held with them until FW opens.

 

[catne]

I'm wondering if the FP machines are up and running before the park opens?

No, the Fastpass machines are not running before the park is open (and you can't get to them anyway...they completely control access to the popular rides at park opening. There's a "rope drop" out at the front of the park but there's also a "rope drop" inside the park that actually occurs AFTER the front entrance is opened. Basically they make the people already inside the park wait for those from the front entrance to catch up so there is no advantage for people coming from the breakfast restaurant or from the International Gateway/Epcot resorts.

There's a rope drop area for people who enter Epcot via the International Gateway and you will be held with them until FW opens.

What he said.

OP, you don't have to go all the way to the front of the park...they will have castmembers directing you but when we did this, the rope drop we went to was in the Innoventions area on the way to The Land building. And as I said above, you basically have to wait until the front entrance crowd catches up to the crowd already in the park. Then the castmembers actually control the crowd, keeping everyone to a fast walk. No one gets to run ahead

 

[MSSANDRA]

I think Character meals are too expensive and too special to rush through and have one parent miss part of the fun. Looks like an early may trip, so crowds should not be too high yet. Trip is also far away that you might be able to adjust your ADR. Maybe an 8:00 and all try to finish up for the rope drop or a 10:00 after you do a few rides and get FP for a something