Elsa and Anna meet & greet: how long did you wait in line?

[KelleyK75]

For those making ADRs but not using them...did you make an ADR for one person, or your whole group? Because I'm thinking of going the no show ADR route, but only making the ADR for one person (me) who can hold the spot in line while the others can wait at the gate and join me in line once the park opens. Since only one person has to wait in line, I don't see why this won't work and it will save $30 (for a family of 4) in no-show fees.

We're just not big breakfast eaters and we will have already seen the same princesses at CRT earlier in the trip, so I really don't want to do breakfast at Akersus at all. Plus, if we're going to be no-shows anyway, I wouldn't want to take 4 spots for people who actually might want to eat there.

I believe only the amount of people on the ADR will be allowed into the park. If you make and ADR for 1 person, just you would be allowed in, and your family can join you after rope drop. I hadn't thought of that, which is a good idea.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I believe only the amount of people on the ADR will be allowed into the park. If you make and ADR for 1 person, just you would be allowed in, and your family can join you after rope drop. I hadn't thought of that, which is a good idea.

Yep, they only let the # of people on the ADR into the park. But if the CMs only make one person hold spots for their whole party, I should be able to make an 8:30ish ADR for one and just go stand in line for Anna and Elsa and the rest of my party can join me a half hour later when the park actually opens.

 

[KelleyK75]

Yep, they only let the # of people on the ADR into the park. But if the CMs only make one person hold spots for their whole party, I should be able to make an 8:30ish ADR for one and just go stand in line for Anna and Elsa and the rest of my party can join me a half hour later when the park actually opens.

Yes, why didn't I think of that?

We haven't been to Akershus yet, so we are going to go to the breakfast, then I will probably just leave a little early to get in the Anna and Elsa line.

 

[libinatorsmom]

I will never wait in line 3 to 4 hours to meet an actor or cast member dressed up as a princess... Sorry to say to all of you doing this and maybe I am just grumpy today BUT it seems a little silly... I know I know I know... but I think time with your family in Disney World is much better spent together not with one person standing in line waiting... sorry just my thoughts...

 

[Texas Crude]

I will never wait in line 3 to 4 hours to meet an actor or cast member dressed up as a princess... Sorry to say to all of you doing this and maybe I am just grumpy today BUT it seems a little silly... I know I know I know... but I think time with your family in Disney World is much better spent together not with one person standing in line waiting... sorry just my thoughts...

Good! One less person in line for me to worry about.... Just wish more people thought like you.

And for a 4 year old, it's not "an actor or cast member dressed up as a princess..." It IS a princess. And a very neat one at that.

 

[giasmom]

I don't think you can even make a reservation for one person can you?

 

[TDC Nala]

Yes you can. You can make a reservation for however many you want. It's often difficult to find a reservation for one though...a lot of folks have to move up to two in order to find something.

The only issue I see is if your party doesn't get to you by the time you are supposed to go in and meet the princesses. Or is it the princess and the queen.

Things to remember are what has been set forth here already: Only the number of persons on the reservation are going to be admitted to the park early, and there is a $10 fee per person for skipping the breakfast reservation.

Some are going to be OK with paying the fee, but it sounds like a good way to minimize it if you book for one person (or two persons). I am sure that if Disney grows to consider this a problem, they will either change the cancellation rules for Akershus to discourage this practice, or move Anna and Elsa elsewhere.

 

[fabulousfive]

Yes for all those getting in line as a single person, WS opens later than the rest of the park. Just keep that in mind. When we were there both times in Dec that was 11am.

 

[TDC Nala]

You can walk through to Norway before 11. Nothing in the pavilion will be open except Akershus and the A&E meet and greet, but you do have access to it. I think the first ADR times for Akershus reservations are around 8 AM. After the park open (which is usually at 9), anyone can walk up to Norway.

On extra magic mornings there will be more people entering at 8 than the Akershus crew...plan accordingly

 

[McMonsters]

Good! One less person in line for me to worry about.... Just wish more people thought like you.

And for a 4 year old, it's not "an actor or cast member dressed up as a princess..." It IS a princess. And a very neat one at that.

If we can swing waiting in line, we will. I, by myself, wouldn't wait before I had my girls, but to see their reaction to actually meeting THE Anna & Elsa? Priceless! They need that magic, reasons for this trip. Its hard to have daddy deployed but Disney is a wonderful distraction and lets them be a kid without having the grown up thoughts and emotions of missing dad. They will be on an Anna & Elsa high for weeks after meeting them! They still talks about our trip from 6 months ago!

 

[MarineVet]

I will never wait in line 3 to 4 hours to meet an actor or cast member dressed up as a princess... Sorry to say to all of you doing this and maybe I am just grumpy today BUT it seems a little silly... I know I know I know... but I think time with your family in Disney World is much better spent together not with one person standing in line waiting... sorry just my thoughts...

I've been following this and similar threads and am interested in reading the different opinions on getting to the line to see A&E, and how long people will or won't wait. I am currently an "in-betweener" as far as children go, as my kids are in their 20s and I have no grandchildren yet, so I won't be faced with this decision at this time. I believe in the old Star Trek message "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one" so my whole family would have to be enthusiastically for this (or any) long wait before we would do it. And I think we would have to have planned more than enough time to return to Epcot during the trip. I can't imagine taking 2-4 hours of my only day there to either stand in a line or be split from my party, but that's me. I hope everyone who waits and gets to meet the princesses has a great experience.

 

[luckygirl539]

For those making ADRs but not using them...did you make an ADR for one person, or your whole group? Because I'm thinking of going the no show ADR route, but only making the ADR for one person (me) who can hold the spot in line while the others can wait at the gate and join me in line once the park opens. Since only one person has to wait in line, I don't see why this won't work and it will save $30 (for a family of 4) in no-show fees.

We're just not big breakfast eaters and we will have already seen the same princesses at CRT earlier in the trip, so I really don't want to do breakfast at Akersus at all. Plus, if we're going to be no-shows anyway, I wouldn't want to take 4 spots for people who actually might want to eat there.

I made our ressie for 2. It wouldn't let me do 1 at that time. We all entered under that. There were 5 of us. I knew we could only let 2 but they let us all in. They said they would accommodate us when we got there. I was just going to go down and my family was going to meet me but they let us all in. I wouldn't count on everybody getting in, but its possible.

 

[larie21]

I think it's crazy to wait in line for 2-4 hours also. But, I'm planning on doing it because my daughters would be ecstatic. They sing Let It Go all day long & have for a few months now. To them, they are meeting the real Anna & Elsa. That is a memory worth making to me, however crazy it may be.

 

[jamiepierce1]

Does anyone know how late of a breakfast reservation you can have and still get into the park early? For example, I assume I can get in early if I have a 9:15 ressie. If I have a 9:30 ressie can I get in early? This all assumes the park opens at 9:00.

 

[KelleyK75]

Does anyone know how late of a breakfast reservation you can have and still get into the park early? For example, I assume I can get in early if I have a 9:15 ressie. If I have a 9:30 ressie can I get in early? This all assumes the park opens at 9:00.

I am curious about this also, as I have a 8:10 reservation, and wondering how early they'll let us in the park. My reasoning is I want to be able to leave Akershus by 8:45 to go to the Anna and Elsa line, but I still want the kids to meet all of the Princesses at Akershus, too. If I show up a little early I know it's not guaranteed but I hope to get seated just a little early. Anyone know what time they'd let you in with the 8:10 reservation, too?

 

[lemonears6]

I have a 8:05 and also wonder how soon they will let us in

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Does anyone know how late of a breakfast reservation you can have and still get into the park early? For example, I assume I can get in early if I have a 9:15 ressie. If I have a 9:30 ressie can I get in early? This all assumes the park opens at 9:00.

They will let you in early IF you have a reservation before park opening. If you have one right at 9 they will probably let you in at about 8:45 but you'll have to move your rear to get there before the masses are let in. However, I seriously doubt they will let you in at 8 for a reservation at 9.

9:30, forget it.

 

[ashleyasiegel]

Has anyone attempted to meet them later in the day with a shorter than 3-4 hour wait? I was thinking maybe trying to get in line at 2 or 3? We have a day that we can the whole rope drop thing if this plan doesn't work but I would love to have my daughter meet them when she is dressed in her BBB hair/makeup. Of course the only BBB reservation at the castle I could get is on a Monday so not an optimal MK day. Her appointment is at 8:30 so we aren't going to get to Epcot until 10ish probably on 4/28 which I will assume the line will be 5 hours then. So I am just wondering if anyone had any success trying to get in their line in the afternoon? Thanks for any insight!!!

 

[MuddyBoots]

We are not returning until next year so I am hoping the traffic will be less by then. My DD is a HUGE Frozen fan & sad as it is to say, if she is still interested next year I would wait in line for however long it took just to see her excitement to meet Anna & Elsa

 

[jimandami]

Has anyone attempted to meet them later in the day with a shorter than 3-4 hour wait? I was thinking maybe trying to get in line at 2 or 3? We have a day that we can the whole rope drop thing if this plan doesn't work but I would love to have my daughter meet them when she is dressed in her BBB hair/makeup. Of course the only BBB reservation at the castle I could get is on a Monday so not an optimal MK day. Her appointment is at 8:30 so we aren't going to get to Epcot until 10ish probably on 4/28 which I will assume the line will be 5 hours then. So I am just wondering if anyone had any success trying to get in their line in the afternoon? Thanks for any insight!!!

We are currently having this discussion for our Oct trip. We want to do Akershus to get a good spot in line but would then what do we do after our BBB reservation? I don't want to do CRT again, ya know?