Looking for advice: RotR with breakfast adr

[Tonberry]

So our family of 4 be in Hollywood studios on August 18th and we were planning to be in the park for rope drop so we could score some RotR boarding passes. But we also have a breakfast reservation at Cape May breakfast at 9:00. The plan was to reserve (or attempt to reserve) boarding passes then leave and get breakfast and come back to Hollywood Studios to use some late morning/early afternoon Fast Passes.
We're early risers so getting to HS by 7:30 is not a problem at all, but I do have some concerns.

1) Does this sound like too much work just to get boarding passes, and is RotR worth all that work?
2) What do we do if we get a low number boarding pass? I wouldn't want our pass to be called just as we were sitting down to breakfast.

 

[FCDub]

You’ll have two hours to return after your boarding group is called, just FYI.

 

[Tonberry]

When do they first start calling boarding groups?

 

[radiohead8989]

Disney will start to call boarding groups, as soon as the ride is ready. On a good day, the ride is ready when the park opens. If they have any problems with the ride, they won't start calling boarding groups until they get it working. That's the reason for using boarding groups. They had one day when it took seven hours to get the ride running at the start of the day.

 

[sbbobe]

While the hours in all likelihood will change at HS on August 18, right now the WDW website is showing. 9:00AM opening. You might want to monitor this to ensure the opening hours do change. If the hours do not change you might consider moving Cape May to a different day.

 

[Miffy]

Is RotR worth it? Lots of people, including me, think it is, but that doesn't mean you will. All I can add to that is that RotR is a spectacular, unique experience and that Disney went all out with it. There's a reason people are getting to DHS early in the morning to get a boarding group.

As a PP said, I don't think planning a breakfast ADR on the same day is a great idea. Too many variables to consider, including what time the park will actually open, what # BG you'd get, etc.

 

[nicki.momof3]

You’ll have two hours to return after your boarding group is called, just FYI.

2 weeks ago it was changed to a 1 hour return time. Getting a boarding time is very random. You could get an early time or a late time. I would plan a breakfast at DHS.

 

[eliseisawkward]

2 weeks ago it was changed to a 1 hour return time. Getting a boarding time is very random. You could get an early time or a late time. I would plan a breakfast at DHS.

Some BGs have a 1 hour return, some have 2. It depends on how early or late in the day it is (early morning BGs get 1 hour, later in the day it's 2, then goes back to 1 towards closing).

Edit for source: I went Feb 12th and had a 2 hour return window from ~9:30-11:30 with BG 21.

 

[MarkS2112]

RotR is well worth it. It is a spectacular ride that has so many new elements and stories that you will be amazed. There is nothing out there like it. For Star Wars Fans it is a must do.

In terms of making the ADR and BG that could be a different story. The time they start taking groups can and does vary everyday based on how the ride is working that AM. Some days its right off the bat, others not so much. You can monitor your progress in the APP, which helps. In January you had a 2 hour return window; however, shortly after they had some with 2 hours and some with 1 hour so there is no guarantee when and which window you will get. Allot will depend on your BG number.

We had BG 23 one day and we were on by 10 and the next time had 23 and it was after 12. So just depends on how the ride is working.

I would suspect they will be keeping the early openings at 8 for some time. So a 9AM ADR could or could not work out for you given the travel back and forth etc. Also they really have no leeway on missing your time, unless the ride breaks down during your time and you are not in the line.

So unfortunately there is no good answer other than saying maybe do the Cape May another day, if you can, to take that issue out of the equation.

 

[juuuliebeth]

I don't know how difficult it is to get a Cape May breakfast ADR on the day of, but we had a breakfast reservation the day we went to Hollywood Studios. This is how our morning went.

Arrived at HS around 6am
Got boarding group 58 right at 7am
Rode Tower of Terror
Got ADR for Ale & Compass for maybe 9:15am while waiting in line
Walked to Yacht Club
Had an amazing breakfast, kept eye on boarding groups
Took boat back to HS
Explored Batuu until boarding group was called around 11:45am
(It was a good day for ROTR. They flew threw the boarding groups. Your mileage my vary.)

I thought about making a breakfast reservation beforehand. Knowing my friends like I do, I knew they'd be in the mood for a large breakfast after waking up so early. I didn't though, since my friends don't love over-planning, and sure enough, while walking to Tower of Terror someone mentioned breakfast. I knew Ale & Compass was close and heard good things. It was delicious, and I was hailed Queen of Dining Reservations by my friends the rest of the trip.

My recommendation - cancel the reservation and wait until you see what boarding group you get. There should still be some options for you to make that day should you find you have the time for a sit-down breakfast. Highly recommend Ale & Compass. We loved it, and my friend who was local loved it enough to go back the next week when he was there with other friends.