Hollywood Studios... 10am breakfast a mistake?

[TulipMom]

We are planning our first trip since having children (last Disney trip 10+ years ago). Our kids will be 3 & 5. We are a just under 180 days until our trip, so I'm trying to firm up some reservations. I've been reading a lot and trying to search for previous responses all that I can, I find the search option here a bit difficult. Anyway... I have a specific question about my Hollywood Studios planning.

Right now I have a reservation at Hollywood & Vine for 10am (hoping this would help us avoid needing to make efforts later to meet Disney Jr characters). If we're ready to enter the park at 9am, is it a mistake to have a 10am reservation? I was thinking we'd head right to Toy Story Midway Mania upon entering the park and then back up to Hollywood & Vine. Is that too much walking back-and-forth &/or getting started then breaking already?

Any help is appreciated - I'm at that full-blown overwhelmed with ADR point! LOL!

 

[srauseo]

It's not too much walking. By that point you should be really hungry if this is breakfast so I don't think it's a bad idea, especially if your kids love the Disney Jr. characters. We took my niece (5) and nephew (3) there in August and they LOVED it. They were so excited to meet Manny, Sophia, Doc and Jake. And they got to get up and dance around. I thought the food was good. There were plenty of options.

If you're shooting for TSMM at rope drop you should aim to be at the turnstiles about 30-45 minutes before the stated opening time (depending on time of year). They usually start letting people in and holding them further inside the park before 9. Just make sure you're in the right area to head to Toy Story. Ask a Cast Member and they'll help you out. Most of the crowd will be heading in that direction and it can get a little chaotic so you want to be at the front of the pack. If you've got a stroller, drop it off somewhere near the entrance to the park right after you get through the turnstile and go back and get it later. It will just slow you down at this point. If you can carry the little one, that's your better option.

 

[Robo]

Just pretend that the "Sorcerer's Hat" is not on the map below, as it is now gone.
Otherwise...

 

[Jetku]

I would probably do 10:15 am just to avoid a rush back.

Also, you will have fastpass+. Maybe you can schedule TSMM for 11:30-12:30, after breakfast.

 

[TulipMom]

These are great tips already, thank you so much! It also has me thinking... If we need to be there 30-45 minute before rope drop, then perhaps I should just take the 8:05am res at Hollywood & Vine. I was trying to avoid needing to leave the hotel (Wilderness Lodge) too early, but it sounds like we wouldn't gain much time by trying to enter the park at 9am.

 

[MrsHull]

Perhaps. But, when we had lunch at H&V a year ago, it was slooooooowwwwww. If you are trying to do TSMM at rope drop, it would be much less stressful to get there early and hang out in line than to try to rush through a meal with character interactions.

 

[Robo]

If we need to be there 30-45 minute before rope drop, then perhaps I should just take the 8:05am res at Hollywood & Vine.

If you want to go to ATTRACTIONS first-thing, I'd not do the early breakfast.
If they open the gates about 8:30-8:45 you'd still be sitting at a high-priced meal while others were heading to the lines.

The early park openings have put a damper on the logic of scheduling before-park-opening ADRs.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

The 8:05 ADR at H&V has always worked well for us. The characters are non-speaking so the interaction is fairly quick. We have no problems getting in and out in about 35 minutes. The CMs will then hold you outside H&V until the park opens, then they'll release you. On our last trip in December, we were the first family to sign up for JTA and also managed to get over to TSM to ride SB before the RD crowd even got to the ride...we literally walked on. Plus, as we were waiting outside H&V, we had one of those magical moments where we were chatting with the CMs and my son (who was a couple days shy of 5 at the time) was taking advantage of being able to actually run freely in the parks, and was running laps around all of us hooting and hollaring, "THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!" The CMs were all cracking up.

I believe that day, DHS opened at 8:50. We've seen it open as early as 8:40 in the past, though that was several years ago.

 

[luvpooh]

I'm trying to figure out our strategy for our DHS visit as well with regard to when to eat at H&V, or which meal even. We don't have much planned (no surprise): TSMM, Disney Jr live on stage, Star Tours for DH, maybe the LMA show and character M&G. And we want to leave the park by 2 or so. I'm not sure when to make an ADR, given we need to fit in shows and I won't know their times when I have to make the ADR. Any ideas?

 

[mort1331]

Instead of breakfest, why not an early lunch. We had 11:30 lunch reservations just a couple of weeks ago worked great. Had light breakfest at the room, I think granola and yogurt, and maybe oatmeal. We were there at rd and rode TSM walked across and had Buzz and Woody sign with no line at all. Off to MMCH again with no line, little mermaid and then met with Minnie. All that before we had lunch. Had our lunch then back to resort for quick nap of the kids.
The bonus with the lunch is you can score Fantasmic passes as well. We had made all our FP for later in the day, so rode TSM again, Star Tours, Indiana Jones and few others before heading over to Beauty and the Beast. Then we had light dinner and walked into Fantasmic 15mins before showtime and had seating in the middle section. Great day and great way to score everything.
I would shoot for the early lunch every time.

 

[goofy4tink]

I love booking breakfast around 10-10:30. It allows me an hour or so in the park. Then a late breakfast which allows us to skip lunch and just get a snack mid-afternoon.
If you can snag an adr closer to 10:30, terrific. Getting one at 8 or so could work but it can be stressful.

 

[Robo]

Instead of breakfest, why not an early lunch. We had 11:30 lunch reservations just a couple of weeks ago worked great. Had light breakfest at the room, I think granola and yogurt, and maybe oatmeal. We were there at rd and rode TSM walked across and had Buzz and Woody sign with no line at all. Off to MMCH again with no line, little mermaid and then met with Minnie. All that before we had lunch. Had our lunch then back to resort for quick nap of the kids.
The bonus with the lunch is you can score Fantasmic passes as well. We had made all our FP for later in the day, so rode TSM again, Star Tours, Indiana Jones and few others before heading over to Beauty and the Beast. Then we had light dinner and walked into Fantasmic 15mins before showtime and had seating in the middle section. Great day and great way to score everything.
I would shoot for the early lunch every time.

A word of caution.

On busy days it is not wise to wait until 15 min. before show time to stroll in.

They can turn the Dining pkg area and FP area over to general admission as early as 25-30 min. before the show.

 

[TulipMom]

Thank you ALL for these great tips! I may consider moving it to an early lunch. I've actually planned something similar to that for some of our other park days. I think I'll eliminate the 8:05am option, since we may have several factors making it a bit tricky for us.

That brings up a related question... We have a CRT at 8:20am of our first day at MK. Is this a big mistake? Are we missing the opportunity to get into rides early? My 3-year-old is obsessed with princesses, so CRT will be a big event for us. I think another pro is that it will be our first park day and our kids will really enjoy walking in without the big crowds. We will be staying at Wilderness Lodge, so there's the possibility of us being able to pop back over late one evening to catch a favorite (or missed) ride or two. Plus, we are planning a 2nd MK day for our last day (which will be a Thursday and I know is not recommended, but it's just what works best for us. And, we will eat early lunch at BOG that day.) So, stick with the CRT @ 8:20am, or try to shoot for another time? Thoughts on that?

 

[Robo]

Thank you ALL for these great tips! I may consider moving it to an early lunch. I've actually planned something similar to that for some of our other park days. I think I'll eliminate the 8:05am option, since we may have several factors making it a bit tricky for us.

That brings up a related question... We have a CRT at 8:20am of our first day at MK. Is this a big mistake? Are we missing the opportunity to get into rides early? My 3-year-old is obsessed with princesses, so CRT will be a big event for us. I think another pro is that it will be our first park day and our kids will really enjoy walking in without the big crowds. We will be staying at Wilderness Lodge, so there's the possibility of us being able to pop back over late one evening to catch a favorite (or missed) ride or two. Plus, we are planning a 2nd MK day for our last day (which will be a Thursday and I know is not recommended, but it's just what works best for us. And, we will eat early lunch at BOG that day.) So, stick with the CRT @ 8:20am, or try to shoot for another time? Thoughts on that?

Stick with the CRT @ 8:20am.

 

[MrsHull]

Keep the 8:20. Don't forget to have your picture taken in front of the castle on your way in. Have fun!

 

[mort1331]

if the park opens at 9am then yes for sure stick with the 820. Remember you can probably enter as early as 8am and get some great shots up main street and in front of the castle with next to no one there. There might be some Photopass people out on main street then too.

 

[mort1331]

A word of caution.

On busy days it is not wise to wait until 15 min. before show time to stroll in.

They can turn the Dining pkg area and FP area over to general admission as early as 25-30 min. before the show.

Yes I agree, this was not too busy of a day and a day that had a second show. But a 30mins wait is better then a 1 1/2 - 2hr wait

 

[TulipMom]

Thank you all so much!! I think I now have all of my ADR's booked and I can relax now. So appreciate you sharing your knowledge!