Early breakfast transportation

[Blue Eeyore]

If I book the first breakfast inside a park (before it opens) how do I know if the bus will be running early enough? Or like, if I book the first breakfast at Ohana, will the MK bus run early enough for me to hop the monorail and get there? And... If I chose to drive to a theme park early breakfast, how do I know if the lot will be open? This always confuses me, thanks!!!

 

[skelooch]

If you are making a very early reservation, I would recommend just drive to that park and just park there for the day assuming you are staying at that park after breakfast. The only exception might be the MK, because of the parking proximity to the park.
Keep in mind buses do not start running till 6:30 am, so I wouldn't make a reservation any earlier than say 7:30am if you plan on using the buses

 

[joelkfla]

First, the parking lots:

The lots for MK, Epcot, & DHS are always open, because some cast members use the same entrances as the Guest parking. The DAK entrance is not shared by cast parking, and there have been reports by some of not being able to get in in time for their breakfast ADR.

The MK parking lot is actually not at MK, but at TTC. From TTC, you take the monorail to the MK or to CR, Poly, or GF. The Resort Monorail (which also stops at MK) starts running at 7 a.m.

Now for buses:

The buses to the parks start running around 6:30. Disney recommends you be at your resort bus stop 1 hour before your breakfast ADR in a park.

To get to resort breakfasts, you take a bus to the park nearest your breakfast resort, and there change to a bus, boat, or monorail to your final destination. (For Beach Club, you would bus to DHS, not Epcot.) It's best to allow 90 minutes travel time (including waiting), so you might not want to schedule ADR's at resorts before 8 a.m. if you plan to use Disney Transport.

 

[seashoreCM]

The policy at Tusker House and other Animal Kingdom restaurants regarding early breakfast is to honor your reservation if you are late due to the parking lot not opening early enough. That is, pretending you were exactly on time.

For those staying off site, alternatively you could go to Animal Kingdom Lodge or All Star resort and park yourself there but you would still need to catch the 6:30 AM bus so that alternative is cumbersome.

Do not take a taxi. You don't want to be sitting at the parking lot entrance while the meter continues to increase.

 

[LadyBeBop]

The policy at Tusker House and other Animal Kingdom restaurants regarding early breakfast is to honor your reservation if you are late due to the parking lot not opening early enough. That is, pretending you were exactly on time.

What time does the lots usually open? We'll be staying offsite, but we may make an early morning ADR at Tusker house.

For those staying off site, alternatively you could go to Animal Kingdom Lodge or All Star resort and park yourself there but you would still need to catch the 6:30 AM bus so that alternative is cumbersome..

Maybe cumbersome, but could we pay to valet park all day at AKL? At 6;15?

 

[goofy4tink]

What time does the lots usually open? We'll be staying offsite, but we may make an early morning ADR at Tusker house.



Maybe cumbersome, but could we pay to valet park all day at AKL? At 6;15?

Some have reported that the AK parking lot doesn't open until shortly prior to park opening. BUT...I'm not so sure about that. That is going to pose a huge issue for those that drive and have early ADRs. If the park opens at 9, then lot is going to be open by 8, possibly earlier.
If I was staying offsite, and wanted a very early ADR, inside AK? I would pay to valet park at AKL and then bus over.

This is always an issue when booking very early ADRs.

 

[LadyBeBop]

Some have reported that the AK parking lot doesn't open until shortly prior to park opening. BUT...I'm not so sure about that. That is going to pose a huge issue for those that drive and have early ADRs. If the park opens at 9, then lot is going to be open by 8, possibly earlier.

I just got my confirmation email. 8:15 breakfast at Tusker House, 180 days from today.

You said that the parking lots will be open no later than 8 AM for a 9 AM opening. Would that allow us to get to TH by 8:15?

What has been other offsite guests' experiences with an early ADR at TH?

 

[goofy4tink]

Nope. It will take you at least 15 mins to get from the parking lot through bag check and park entrance. Then it's about 10 mins to the restaurant.
You are going to have to pay to park anyway...I would just head to AKL and pay to valet there all day....same price basically. I would get there by 7:15...then you should be on a bus by 7:30/7:45 and to the park in plenty of time.
The other thing you could do is to drive to AK directly and see if the parking lot is open yet. I would do that no later than 7:30 though...just in case you had to go back to AKL and park there.

 

[LadyBeBop]

You are going to have to pay to park anyway...I would just head to AKL and pay to valet there all day....same price basically. I would get there by 7:15...then you should be on a bus by 7:30/7:45 and to the park in plenty of time.

Sounds like a plan.

Except....

My youngest daughter and granddaughter are planning on going to MNSSHP that night. So they'd still have to pay for parking there.

The other thing you could do is to drive to AK directly and see if the parking lot is open yet. I would do that no later than 7:30 though...just in case you had to go back to AKL and park there.

We may have to do that.

We have 180 days. Hoping that they would think about opening up the parking lot by 7:30. I'll probably revisit this thread in about 170 days.

Thanks for your responses.

 

[wdwrich]

Sounds like a plan.

Except....

My youngest daughter and granddaughter are planning on going to MNSSHP that night. So they'd still have to pay for parking there.

Once you pay to valet park at AKL, you can save the receipt and valet park at any other WDW resort the same day without paying the valet parking fee again (but remember to tip at each place). So you could valet at AKL in the morning, then valet park at CR for MNSSHP.

 

[LadyBeBop]

Once you pay to valet park at AKL, you can save the receipt and valet park at any other WDW resort the same day without paying the valet parking fee again (but remember to tip at each place). So you could valet at AKL in the morning, then valet park at CR for MNSSHP.

Did not know that. Thanks.

 

[goofy4tink]

Once you pay to valet park at AKL, you can save the receipt and valet park at any other WDW resort the same day without paying the valet parking fee again (but remember to tip at each place). So you could valet at AKL in the morning, then valet park at CR for MNSSHP.

Thanks..words right out of my keyboard!!!

 

[LadyBeBop]

Again, thanks y'all for all of your responses.

That said, after consultation with the rest of the family....

I changed the ADR. We're now eating at 10:45.

That way, we don't have to sweat about parking, and we can probably hit the safari before breakfast. We'll just eat brunch that day.

Again, thanks y'all. 178 days until Disney. Can't wait.