HS Opening and Breakfast Table Service Restaurants

[40ariel]

With the addition of the ROTR boarding group dash, I am wondering if anyone has any tips for restaurants for breakfast? I am trying to keep my expectations low for actually getting a boarding group but I would like to give it a try. I have always struggled with breakfast for our HS day. Eating is the most important thing that we need to do. If we don't eat, everything starts to unravel.
One year we did Cape May cafe at 8:00am. The bus driver who picked us up at Pop was nice enough to drive us ride to Beach Club since no one else was going to HS that early! (Those days are over!) Breakfast was awesome and we took the boat over to HS after. I think we were a bit late for park opening but I don't remember it being a big deal.
Last year we rope dropped Slinky Dog Dash during EMH at 8:00am because I could not snag fast passes. Anyway, we ended up going to Animal Kingdom Lodge for an 11am Boma Breakfast just as they were closing. It was not something I would repeat, everyone was cranky and hungry.
This year I have a reservation for Cape May at 7:30am. Currently the website says the park opens at 9:00 on the day we are going. Another option is in room dining at our resort before we catch the bus to HS. I have also thought about H&V.

 

[sharonabe]

You only have to be inside HS at opening to get a boarding pass. The only restaurant inside HS is H&V, so getting a PPO ADR for H&V would solve your problem for eating and you would be inside the park at opening to try for the boarding pass. Even obtaining an ADR there for the first hour park is open would suffice, but it would use park time.

Getting to Cape May by 7:30, you'll probably have to take an uber/lyft just to get there unless you're staying at an EP area resort. As long as park hours don't change, you'll be fine, but if the park opens at 8:00, you're not riding ROTR that day.

Do you have to do a sit down? There are multiple places to get a quick breakfast at HS. If you get something once you're inside and then do an early lunch, will your group still be cranky and hungry?

 

[40ariel]

Even obtaining an ADR there for the first hour park is open would suffice, but it would use park time.

Yes and I had hoped we would rope drop Slinky Dog since we used our Fastpass on Smugglers. That will probably tie up the first hour (Maybe not the best decision but I have someone in my family that is set on driving the Millenium Falcon and I do not want to disappoint! -and we have already ridden SDD.) I have also heard the food is not great at H&V. My group is not interested in the characters there except Goofy.

If you get something once you're inside and then do an early lunch, will your group still be cranky and hungry?

Yeah they will not be happy if we skip breakfast. It's the most important meal of the day!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Breakfast bars. You can buy a box or two at home and pack them, either entire boxes or individual bars tucked in to tiny spaces.

Still plan for real breakfast mid-morning, but this will take the edge off the crankiness.

 

[40ariel]

We always eat cereal before leaving the hotel room and everyone still gets cranky if we don't have a sit down meal with eggs, bacon, oatmeal, waffles and fruit before 10:00am.
I will reconsider H&V as that will allow us to be in the park. Maybe we could do H&V between our rope drop ride and our first fastpass.
Also worried about this:

but if the park opens at 8:00, you're not riding ROTR that day.

 

[CalSea12]

I personally think HV is pretty good... it's what we do on our HS day... 2x actually once for breakfast and once for dinner.

I would say try to get the PPO especially if the time stays 9am. That way there is at least a full breakfast and your inside the park. What month are you going?

The 7:30 at a resort could be a bit more difficult to get to and I really dont think it would be enough time even with a 9am open, plus anything could cause a delay.

 

[40ariel]

personally think HV is pretty good... it's what we do on our HS day... 2x actually once for breakfast and once for d

Great! I had always read mixed reviews so I wasn't sure!

 

[ClapYourHands]

May I suggest Garden Grove at the Swan? It opens at 6:30, and has a very good breakfast buffet. It typically does not require reservations, but I’m sure you could easily book them for peace of mind.

On weekends year round, and 7 days per week in certain busy periods (check website) breakfast is a character meal. We saw Minnie and Goofy when we went. It’s much less expensive than a character meal on Disney property. When it is not a character meal, you can do the buffet or order a la carte off the menu, which is even more affordable.

When you’re done, it’s an easy boat ride to HS or you could even walk. While you may need to take an Uber to get there early, you can definitely eat a hearty breakfast and be inside the park by opening, even if rope drop moves to 8.

 

[kastoney]

I'd consider hopping on a boat when you are done with HS for the morning and having breakfast at Ale and Compass. We were shocked at how good the food was when we were there in August. They have a lot of different breakfast options and for not much more than the entree cost you can add on a buffet as well. I had a breakfast pizza that was to die for and my husband had some sinfully chocolate waffles. Service wasn't great, but it was one of the best breakfasts we've had in Disney and a quick trip from HS while you wait for your (hopefully low) boarding group.

 

[Deeleebaker]

We skipped breakfast our second try, it made us too late for RotR our first try. I have read that you only need to scan in early, so you could scan in and then go back somewhere for breakfast. Looks like all of March is 8 am opening now. We took the boat from BC and got through bag check and inside by 0730. You can smash buttons for a group from anywhere in the app.