Minnie & Friends and early breakfast

[chrissiecutie]

We do Crystal Palace at 8am on the first morning of every WDW trip. We would only do an early Minnie & Friends breakfast during a Magic Morning where we didn't use a Magic Morning entry.

Being an hour early to Crystal Palace means an extra hour in the park and no missed ride time. At Disneyland, you are going to miss up to an hour of valuable ride time if you go to Minnie & Friends, unless you go on a Magic Morning without using Magic Morning entry. We are staying onsite, so we will always have Extra Magic Hour entry, so eating at Minnie & Friends will be a late brunch type thing most likely, as those early hours are key.

Yes, I keep thinking that even if you get in for a pre-opening reservation, you will be "wasting" those precious early AM hours. Seems like you really only get 10-20 mins early so you'll still be eating while the gates open for everyone.

If its a great park picture without the crowds then great. But what would be the other benefits to this? Personally, a late morning brunch sounds better. This can double as breakfast & lunch so it will save you money on food too!

It says Plaza Minnie & Friends goes until 11am. Does anyone know if I can make a reservation for exactly 11 & still have good character interaction??

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

Ok...so I called... and I was quite surprised that I was able to get reservations! 7:30am is not too shabby

Wait...you got one for 7:30? I made one for July 18 and was told 8 a.m. Was the earliest one available even though there is a MM that day. The park officially opens at 8.

Hmmmm hope I have been told right!

 

[Lissame]

Wait...you got one for 7:30? I made one for July 18 and was told 8 a.m. Was the earliest one available even though there is a MM that day. The park officially opens at 8.

Hmmmm hope I have been told right!

July 18 is a Wednesday, not a MM day at Disneyland. So you were told correctly.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

July 18 is a Wednesday, not a MM day at Disneyland. So you were told correctly.

Actually, now that they have added the AP MMs through Sept. 13, everyday at Disneyland and DCA will be a MM day this summer.

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

Yes, this is right and what is reflected on the calendar, but I emailed dining again to be sure and told the earliest breakfast offered that day a 8.

Maybe the restaurant opens at 8?

 

[nancy drew]

It says Plaza Minnie & Friends goes until 11am. Does anyone know if I can make a reservation for exactly 11 & still have good character interaction??

In the past, the last reservation available was at 10:30. They continue character interactions until 11, but it will sort of diminish and feel rushed. We've done it, and it is kind of chaotic. I'd shoot for 10 or 10:15, which is what we do. There are tons of characters there, and often we arrive and get character after character after character and 20 minutes later we still haven't gone to get food yet! I wonder how late they keep the buffet open, though.

We tend to do Minnie's on a Saturday or Sunday, around 10. We go in and ride as much as possible, then eat, then ride maybe a few more things, then when the crowds become unbearable we go back to the hotel to swim and relax. We come back later, when it is a little less crowded.

 

[annmarieda]

Yes, I keep thinking that even if you get in for a pre-opening reservation, you will be "wasting" those precious early AM hours. Seems like you really only get 10-20 mins early so you'll still be eating while the gates open for everyone.

If its a great park picture without the crowds then great. But what would be the other benefits to this? Personally, a late morning brunch sounds better. This can double as breakfast & lunch so it will save you money on food too!

It says Plaza Minnie & Friends goes until 11am. Does anyone know if I can make a reservation for exactly 11 & still have good character interaction??

now I wonder if I should change it... if not later to at least another day. (if possible)

Wait...you got one for 7:30? I made one for July 18 and was told 8 a.m. Was the earliest one available even though there is a MM that day. The park officially opens at 8.

Hmmmm hope I have been told right!

I wonder if that is the earliest available to you? When I asked for the earliest, I was told 7:30 because that was what was available. I am sure originally there were others but are now no longer available.

Actually, now that they have added the AP MMs through Sept. 13, everyday at Disneyland and DCA will be a MM day this summer.

This whole MM thing has me confused. EMH at WDW is easy enough to understand. You stay on property, you get access to the parks during those extra hours offered. For DLR, it is only certain days offered to certain card holders? And some none resort staying guests may have one credit on their ticket? So if I am understanding... when you say "every day at DL and DCA will be MM this summer" Is that for AP members?

Yes, this is right and what is reflected on the calendar, but I emailed dining again to be sure and told the earliest breakfast offered that day a 8.

Maybe the restaurant opens at 8?

Again, maybe the earliest being offered currently is 8am because everything else is booked?

 

[ValpoCory]

This whole MM thing has me confused. EMH at WDW is easy enough to understand. You stay on property, you get access to the parks during those extra hours offered. For DLR, it is only certain days offered to certain card holders? And some none resort staying guests may have one credit on their ticket? So if I am understanding... when you say "every day at DL and DCA will be MM this summer" Is that for AP members?

There are three different things, for three different audiences.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1675403

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

Again, maybe the earliest being offered currently is 8am because everything else is booked?

I actually made my reservation 61 days out, so I don't think so. I did it via the email service.

It doesn't really matter, I just wanted to be in there as early as possible. WE don't get a MM so I was hoping an early breakfast reservation would get us in a little early. Oh well!

 

[ValpoCory]

I actually made my reservation 61 days out, so I don't think so. I did it via the email service.

It doesn't really matter, I just wanted to be in there as early as possible. WE don't get a MM so I was hoping an early breakfast reservation would get us in a little early. Oh well!

How did you make your reservation 61 days out when the rule is 60 days out? Is there a 60 days + 10 rule like the 180 + 10 rule at WDW?

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

How did you make your reservation 61 days out when the rule is 60 days out? Is there a 60 days + 10 rule like the 180 + 10 rule at WDW?

No there's not. I don't know why they let me, but they did. I made my July 18 reservation on May 18, which if you add it up is 61 days out. I used one of the online ADR calculators and it said I could make them on May 19, but I sent the email on the 18th and heard right back with my confirmation. Maybe because it was exactly two months out. Not sure!

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

No there's not. I don't know why they let me, but they did. I made my July 18 reservation on May 18, which if you add it up is 61 days out. I used one of the online ADR calculators and it said I could make them on May 19, but I sent the email on the 18th and heard right back with my confirmation. Maybe because it was exactly two months out. Not sure!

Yes, it was because it was two months out. Sixty days is what everyone says, but Disney apparently actually means two months out. This has been my consistent experience for the last several years.

 

[ValpoCory]

Yes, it was because it was two months out. Sixty days is what everyone says, but Disney apparently actually means two months out. This has been my consistent experience for the last several years.

That's good to know. So making Dining Reservations for March 1st - April 28th means you only have 59 days to make reservations, since there is no February 29th or 30th.


March 1st - January 1st = 59 days.
April 1st - February 1st = 59 days
April 28th - February 28th = 59 days

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

Yes, it was because it was two months out. Sixty days is what everyone says, but Disney apparently actually means two months out. This has been my consistent experience for the last several years.

Well if ADRs were as coveted at DLR as they are WDW, this little piece of knowledge would be some powerful information