Garden Grill to Soarin ... First thing :)

[NicholeB630]

So I am super excited I booked our 180 ADR awhile ago were going in Feb. I didn't think about doing Garden Grill for breakfast we did it a few years ago for dinner and I didn't love it. But on a whim tonight while planning more I thought maybe we'd try it for breakfast, pics and reviews looked good and I only had a few other character dinning booked so far. My plan for our second Epcot day was to arrive to enter at RD via the international entrance as were staying at Beach Club and then booking it to Soarin since we'll be Fast Passing Test Track that day. Well now I was able to score a 8:15 breakfast at Garden Grill I plan on us getting there at 8 and maybe we will get seated a few early. But being it opens at 8:00 and its low crowd season I am thinking it will only take about an hour or a little more for the meal. I know it can be longer but hoping for the best and then we'll be right there for Soarin.

So even if we get out of Garden Grill at say 9:30 I think our wait will still be a decent time? It would have taken probably what 15 minutes to walk from entrance to there anyways at 9am?

 

[Robo]

Not 15 min., but maybe 5-7, from the gates.

Regardless, you'll likely be finished by 8:45ish.
Do get to Epcot and enter before 8AM.

Ask for your bill when you are seated in the restaurant and settle-up early.

 

[DisneyCAL]

We had an 8:10am ressie couple weeks ago while staying at BC. Had no problem getting on the first flight of Soarin with no wait! We headed for the IG around 7:40am from BCV. Checked in right before 8:10 and made it out after seeing all characters by 8:45am. During the meal we just mentioned our wanting to make it to Soarin before the masses and our CM said not a problem. We had a first flight concourse b first row, the flight was even close to full either.

 

[NicholeB630]

We had an 8:10am ressie couple weeks ago while staying at BC. Had no problem getting on the first flight of Soarin with no wait! We headed for the IG around 7:40am from BCV. Checked in right before 8:10 and made it out after seeing all characters by 8:45am. During the meal we just mentioned our wanting to make it to Soarin before the masses and our CM said not a problem. We had a first flight concourse b first row, the flight was even close to full either.

Thats great to know!! We will try and leave BCV then as well around 7:40! So I am guessing there is a separate line to check into at the gate to let them know you have a ADR before park open? I'll make sure to mention it to the cast member as well at our table! It will be nice being right there!

 

[SPAM]

We have an 8:10 reservation, what time can we get through the front gates, 8?

 

[DisneyCAL]

They let us through IG at 7:45am. We made our start a tad early as DH was getting a blister and would need a slower than normal pace. If you're on the ressie list you should be getting in around 7:45am without a problem.

 

[Mikeb1892]

Ask for your bill when you are seated in the restaurant and settle-up early.

Great tip @Robo. Wouldn't have thought about this otherwise.

 

[NicholeB630]

They let us through IG at 7:45am. We made our start a tad early as DH was getting a blister and would need a slower than normal pace. If you're on the ressie list you should be getting in around 7:45am without a problem.

I was curious as to how long it takes to get from the Villas to IG? I see on the map that Villas are kinda further away in their own building behind Beach Club. Is there a path that is best to take? Like through the lobby of the main building going around outside? We will be two adults and then two kids we will have a stroller though for kids to sit in when we need to walk a little faster.

 

[MrsDuck]

We've been fortunate to do this multiple times! Pay ahead of time. Don't rush - enjoy characters and meal. When you finish, the line will not be that long!

 

[DisneyCAL]

I was curious as to how long it takes to get from the Villas to IG? I see on the map that Villas are kinda further away in their own building behind Beach Club. Is there a path that is best to take? Like through the lobby of the main building going around outside? We will be two adults and then two kids we will have a stroller though for kids to sit in when we need to walk a little faster.

We go out the front villa sliding doors, stay left and turn left before you get to the tables and area where you would enter BC for Marketplace, there's a left turn before that that goes between the teal and blue buildings. Turn right towards the blue building of BC. You'll come to a corner, turn left and then right and that takes you to the lake sidewalk that goes to Epcot IG entrance. It's at a normal pace 5-10 minutes from villa to entrance. Walking outside is faster. If raining we went into BC where marketplace was and followed signs for room 1510 which comes out at the end of the path that joins with the lake path. Villas look further away but aren't really. I found it very convenient for Epcot. Have fun. I wish I were there again. I wish I never had to leave!

 

[GillianP1301]

Garden Grill is one of the faster character meals because it's relatively small and doesn't take that long for the characters to circulate. My experience has also been that the restaurant is only about 1/2 full between 8:00 and 8:30, so it makes it that much faster. Our most recent trip, I had an 8:30, checked in about 8:15, seated in less than 5 minutes and saw all 4 characters, finished our meal and were on our way to Soarin' at 8:50.

 

[NicholeB630]

Garden Grill is one of the faster character meals because it's relatively small and doesn't take that long for the characters to circulate. My experience has also been that the restaurant is only about 1/2 full between 8:00 and 8:30, so it makes it that much faster. Our most recent trip, I had an 8:30, checked in about 8:15, seated in less than 5 minutes and saw all 4 characters, finished our meal and were on our way to Soarin' at 8:50.

Wow!!! Thats great. Good to know we wont even feel rushed as it seems to just move faster anyways. We def don't take a long time to eat which is good!

 

[pattyw]

We had an 8:10ADR in June. They let us in the front gate about 8 and as soon as we arrived at the restaurant we were seated. Our food came almost immediately along with the characters. We leisurely ate, paid, saw all the characters and were in line at Soarin by 8:50. We were the second family in line.

 

[Diasmom]

We were hoping to do the same thing this October but our reservation is for 8:40. Will they possibly let us in with the 8:00 crowd?