Early Breakfast at the Crystal Palace - How does it work?

[jjsdad]

We have an ADR to eat an early lunch at the Crystal Palace but I was thinking about changing it to an 8:10 breakfast reservation instead but I was just curious as to how that works. Obviously you get let into the park early and report straight to the crystal palace. What happens at the rope drop at 9am? If you are done eating and ready to go by 9 do you just sit tight at the restaurant and get let go when the ropes drop? I'm not even sure how the rope drop works at the MK. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[goofygal531]

You are allowed to walk up to the Castle Hub where there is a Rope Drop. By doing this, you have the best advantage to Fantasy Land. You're missing the "Dumbo Dash" at the main gate. It's the best way to make the first Dumbo flight of the day.

 

[beroh2253]

The Crystal Palace is not inside the rope drop locations so after breakfast you would leave the restaurant and walk up to one of the rope drop locations. The be prepared for the mad dash.

 

[jjsdad]

So the regular rope drop for non CP eating folks is still all the way back at the main gate?

 

[PoohsFan1]

We have an 8:05am ADR for CP in Sept. and I was kind of wanting to know the same thing. However, my family will either be headed to Tomorrowland for Space or Frontierland for BTMRR or Splash, I am assuming there will be a rope drop for those areas as well.

 

[abubu919]

You are allowed to walk up to the Castle Hub where there is a Rope Drop. By doing this, you have the best advantage to Fantasy Land. You're missing the "Dumbo Dash" at the main gate. It's the best way to make the first Dumbo flight of the day.

Exactly It is wonderful. I love going to the early breakfast at Crystal Palace. You get to have pics form the photopass without tons of people in the background too

 

[beroh2253]

There will be a rope drop at each area, these areas are beyond Crystal Palace and many people like to come in early and get breakfast at Main Street Bakery which is also before the rope drop areas. Everybody is allowed past thru the Main gate to walk up to the rope drops. You can see in the map that CP is before the ride areas.

http://www.talkdisney.com/maps/WDW_Magic_Kingdom.jpg

 

[jjsdad]

There will be a rope drop at each area, these areas are beyond Crystal Palace and many people like to come in early and get breakfast at Main Street Bakery which is also before the rope drop areas. Everybody is allowed past thru the Main gate to walk up to the rope drops. You can see in the map that CP is before the ride areas.

http://www.talkdisney.com/maps/WDW_Magic_Kingdom.jpg

Great info.

Can you give me anymore about the rope drop in MK? Specifically what time do they let you into the park to walk up to the rope drop? Say the park opens at 9, what time would I be allowed to walk into the park if I didn't have an ADR at the CP? The bakery sounds like a good idea. Thanks!

 

[Hootch]

Great info.

Can you give me anymore about the rope drop in MK? Specifically what time do they let you into the park to walk up to the rope drop? Say the park opens at 9, what time would I be allowed to walk into the park if I didn't have an ADR at the CP? The bakery sounds like a good idea. Thanks!

letting people in usually at least 30 minutes before the park opens. I'm not sure you'll be able to get to the Bakery. Everytime I have een they let you in just to the front area. The tunnels under the train station are the stopping points. There train will pull up an be centered over the entrance and there is a little show for park opening.

I have read at some point about Disney ocassionally allowing people further. I've been numerous times and the process was the same each time. We typically take some kind of snacks to eat as we're waiting for the show; croissants or beignets or such.

 

[Got Muchness]

Okay this is good to know. I have a 8:10 ADR for the CP in September. I need to make notes that this is a good photo op as well. Thanks!

 

[beroh2253]

I found these Q & A on allears web page.

What if my Advance Reservation is before the park is open?

Just go up to the park turnstiles and tell the Cast Member (CM) that you have an Advance Reservation for whatever meal. They may ask for the confirmation number so be sure to to have that with you. Follow any directions given by the Cast Member.

Does WDW have Bus Transportation for Early Character Breakfasts?

Buses for the Magic Kingdom and Magic Kingdom Resort Area will start running at 6:30am DAILY.

Buses for Animal Kingdom/Animal Kingdom Lodge will start running at 7:00-7:15am DAILY.

Buses for the Disney's Hollywood Studios (covering the Epcot Resort Area) will start running at 7:00-7:15am DAILY.

Buses for Epcot (Princess Breakfast at Norway) will start running at 7:00-7:15am DAILY.

This information is valid EVERY DAY, and for ALL DISNEY RESORTS serviced by Bus transportation.

These buses are for Breakfasts only, and should not be used for general park access. Always let the driver know where you are going upon boarding the bus. Most times, the driver will be able to take you directly (ie: Contemporary, for Chef Mickey's) but sometimes this is not possible. As such, you should always allow time for a connection when going Resort to Resort. Actual arrival times will vary by location.

 

[shawnh199]

For your early ADR's you can get through security, but they won't let you into the park to walk to CP until 7:45am. The character breakfasts gates are to the far right side of the entrance gates.

Even if you don't have an 805am ressie, check-in as soon as you arrive. We had an 815am ressie, checked in as soon as we arrived at CP and wound up being seated right at 805 when they opened. We were the 5th family seated, got into the buffet lines with no wait, and pretty much got to eat most of our food before the characters started coming through.

One piece of advice if you want to attempt to make rope drop: take care of your check as early as you can during your meal. This way you don't have to wait at the end of your meal. We didn't make rope drop despite being finished with our food and characters by 845am because we had to take care of the bill, which took forever, especially when you are on the dining plan dealing with multiple checks for the meal and tips. We didn't make it out of there until a few minutes after 9am, but still managed to get on Dumbo without much wait!

Have fun!

 

[catne]

in all our trips in the last 5 years or so, we've been to rope drop every time we've gone to MK, and we've never been allowed into MK before the park opens, which is when the ropes drop inside the park for people already in there due to early reservations...as another poster mentioned, they let you in the turnstyles but hold everyone outside the tunnels to watch the opening show with the family of the day & the character train & all that. Once they let you in through the tunnels, the park is open. They don't let you in early to go eat breakfast at Main Street Bakery...only people with reservations at Crystal Palace or Cinderella's Table get in before rope drop/official opening.

Way, way, long time ago - like the early 90s, we were there & they let you in to shop & eat on Main Street before the park officially opened. But not in the last 5 years at all.

 

[eddiemcgarrigle]

I also have an 8:05 reservation for Crystal Palace on my upcoming (and not too far away) trip.

One question I have is in relation to the monorails. Do the monorails start operating at the same time as the buses? I'm staying at POFQ and thinking of parking up at Epcot and taking the monorail to the Magic Kingdom.

 

[beroh2253]

I also have an 8:05 reservation for Crystal Palace on my upcoming (and not too far away) trip.

One question I have is in relation to the monorails. Do the monorails start operating at the same time as the buses? I'm staying at POFQ and thinking of parking up at Epcot and taking the monorail to the Magic Kingdom.

You would have to take 2 monorails- EPCOT to the transportation Hub then there to MK. It isnt a quick as you would think, we usually drive a car to most parks but the MK we take the bus cause you still have to take the momo-rail or boat if you take the car if you take the bus it takes you real close to the MK front gate without using the momo-rail or boat.

 

[jjsdad]

Some great info to be found on this site. I just switched my. ADR to 8:10 from 11:45. I will be showing up early for pics and hopefully get seated early. I will ask for my check early and hopefully get my ds2 on one of the first dumbo rides!

To think I've joined a couple of the Disney tour guide websites mentioned around here and none of them said anything about this. Not to say they aren't full of other usefull info but a lot of it I already knew. This place rocks!

 

[goofygal531]

You will have a wonderful time. Being in MK in the early morning is just magical.

Make sure to take a photo of the Partners Statue first thing in the morning. It's the only opportunity you'll have with no one in the photo!!

You will also be able to cover all of Fantasy Land within one hour! Make sure to grab FPs for Peter Pan to use later in the day. Best tip someone told me is to park your stroller by Dumbo or Mickey's Philharmonic. Keep it there while you cover Fantasy Land, as it's the smallest Land. The "official" Fantasy Land stroller parking lot is so far out of the way! It's past IASW & Peter Pan.

I agree with you completely regarding the info on the DIS. I've learned so much here!

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[jjsdad]

Is the partners statue the one with walt and Mickey?

 

[MickeyEars]

Yes it is!!

Carla