Need Advice: Getting to Surf's Up Breakfast From DL

[sbakersub]

Getting so excited, we leave for DLR on Saturday! Sunday we have a 10:30 am reservation at Surf's Up, our first character breakfast ever! The park opens at 8, so I want to get the grandsons some Fantasyland time first to kick off their Disney experience, then head to breakfast How much time should I allow -- with a 3 1/2 year old not in a stroller -- to get from the park to Paradise Pier Hotel? Is the front park entrance the best option? Any other tips or tricks I can benefit from?

 

[Darkbeer1]

Well, the Monorail seems to have light traffic in the Tomorrowland to DtD direction (mainly used on the opposite direction in the morning hours, so I would opt for that.

Then walk the path that is on the west side of DtD on one side and the Disneyland Hotel on the other. You will go through a traffic circle, keep going straight down the path to the Paradise Per Hotel rear entrance (next to the parking structure), and enter the Hotel, which will take you to the main Lobby, and then you will be right there.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6980401

 

[ImDMous]

To get to Paradise Pier you probably will want to walk through the Grand Californian. Go out the front gate, make a right to go to Downtown Disney, then when you get to the Ann and Elsa Boutique thing, head left into the entrance to the Grand. Go through the lobby and out the main entrance where the valet/luggage drop-off is. Paradise Pier is across the street. I would give it half an hour, you should have plenty of time to stop for distractions in DTD and the hotel lobby and you can check in for breakfast early if you get there with extra time.

There might be an easier way to get there, but we like walking through GC so that's the way we go.

 

[figment_jii]

I second ImDMous' recommendation. That's the route my family uses to get to PCH Grill from the parks.

 

[Darkbeer1]

Here is a marked map of the walk through the GCH from the Main Entrance Plaza, which is 1/2 a mile, plus the need to walk up Main Street. (say another 1/4 of a mile).

So using the Monorail saves you about half the walk, plus you get the Monorail ride as part of the package.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6980403

 

[bumbershoot]

IF you happen to be on tomorrowland when you're ready to leave, then the monorail makes sense. But if you have to backtrack or sidetrack to get there IMO it's not worth it.

Otherwise, leave DL, walk through the esplanade to go through DTD, turn left into the grand just past Sephora. Follow the path indoors and until you see the checkin desks, turn right out the front door and follow the sidewalk and crosswalk to PPH.

 

[SMD]

Walking is faster, even if you catch the first monorail, which isn't a guarantee. You could get stuck in the monorail. The 3 year old not in a stroller could slow things down. Is someone comfortable carrying him part of the way? If you do opt for the monorail, I'd send someone to walk over a few minutes before you go to get in line. That person can assess if there's a wait and check in if necessary.

 

[Darkbeer1]

IF you happen to be on tomorrowland when you're ready to leave, then the monorail makes sense. But if you have to backtrack or sidetrack to get there IMO it's not worth it.

Otherwise, leave DL, walk through the esplanade to go through DTD, turn left into the grand just past Sephora. Follow the path indoors and until you see the checkin desks, turn right out the front door and follow the sidewalk and crosswalk to PPH.

The OP clearly said Magic Morning and Fantasyland, and the Monorail station in Tomorrowland is close by, a lot short walk then going down Main Street.

Of course, from other locations, the GCH usually makes sense.

 

[Darkbeer1]

Walking is faster, even if you catch the first monorail, which isn't a guarantee. You could get stuck in the monorail. The 3 year old not in a stroller could slow things down. Is someone comfortable carrying him part of the way? If you do opt for the monorail, I'd send someone to walk over a few minutes before you go to get in line. That person can assess if there's a wait and check in if necessary.

The OP is starting their day at the Main Entrance Plaza and heading directly to Fantasyland. The Monorail is bad if going from DtD to Tomorrowland, but since all the guests get off at Tomorrowland, the trip in the other direction is light and no wait. You can take the Stroller on the Monorail if you fold it up for the trip. You might even luck out and get to ride with the driver (you need to ask, and not always available).

 

[figment_jii]

I think the Monorail can be a lot of fun, but it can also be pretty time consuming...it's just a matter of luck and timing. If you get there right when a monorail arrives, then it'll probably be faster than walking. However, if you just miss the monorail and have to wait for the next one, walking might be faster. While you'd think they'd run multiple monorails, I have been there when there was only one on the track, so it might mean waiting for as much as a full trip if you aren't lucky with the timing. So if you have time, I would consider taking the monorail, but if you are running short on time and/or want to have more control over when you get to PCH Grill, I would walk.

I was surprised, but the monorail doesn't save as much walking as I thought it did. It came out to be about 0.3 miles from the monorail station to PPH lobby and 0.5 miles from the DL main entrance to the PPH (via the GCH). Assuming you're starting in Fantasyland, just behind the carousel, it's 0.3 miles to the main entrance or to the monorail loading platform (roughly equal). So all in all, difference between the two routes is about 0.2 miles (or about three football fields). I would have thought it was more than that...Interesting!

 

[5forMickey]

I would rethink the no stroller thing......it's a lot of walking for anyone let alone a 3 1/2 yro.

 

[Nevada Jen]

I would probably leave 45 minutes before the reservation with a 3.5 year old walking. I would go the GCH way because that time is garunteed. Something could go wonky with the monorail.

 

[sbakersub]

OP here....this will be our first day in the parks this trip so it's a gamble on how the 3 1/2 year old without stroller will go. Some carrying is inevitable, I'm sure, and by day 2 we could be in full-blown stroller mode. He's not a fan of strollers generally, though. I like the monorail idea and the grandsons would love it, but I'm concerned with any glitches that could happen such that we wouldn't get to our reservation. We'll have to weigh the options. It is great to have several of them to consider, thank you!

 

[Darkbeer1]

FYI, Disney is pretty good in allowing some lateness in showing up due to issues, but still, you have one of the later reservations for the breakfast.

And I would watch the Monorail tracks while at Fantasyland, and see if the Monorail is running, since the track does go over a good part of it, it will be easy to see if the system passed the morning inspection.

 

[SMD]

The OP is starting their day at the Main Entrance Plaza and heading directly to Fantasyland. The Monorail is bad if going from DtD to Tomorrowland, but since all the guests get off at Tomorrowland, the trip in the other direction is light and no wait. You can take the Stroller on the Monorail if you fold it up for the trip. You might even luck out and get to ride with the driver (you need to ask, and not always available).

Getting to the monorail station in TL is not what makes it slower. Walking, especially when not going through bag check is a pretty fixed amount of time if you know the speed of your group. Waiting for a ride has a lot of variables.

 

[soma151]

We had the very same plan, but after looking at walk time, and eating with 4 kids under 5, it will take us out of the park for 3 to 4 hours. Thinking of skipping this and trying to do walk in at the Park?

Getting so excited, we leave for DLR on Saturday! Sunday we have a 10:30 am reservation at Surf's Up, our first character breakfast ever! The park opens at 8, so I want to get the grandsons some Fantasyland time first to kick off their Disney experience, then head to breakfast How much time should I allow -- with a 3 1/2 year old not in a stroller -- to get from the park to Paradise Pier Hotel? Is the front park entrance the best option? Any other tips or tricks I can benefit from?

 

[SMD]

We had the very same plan, but after looking at walk time, and eating with 4 kids under 5, it will take us out of the park for 3 to 4 hours. Thinking of skipping this and trying to do walk in at the Park?

Or switch to Minnie's. After re-reading the OP, will the kids understand 2 hours of park time and then leaving if it's their first time ever in a park?

 

[mom2rtk]

Or switch to Minnie's. After re-reading the OP, will the kids understand 2 hours of park time and then leaving if it's their first time ever in a park?

I would definitely go this direction. OP, it's not worth the hassle. You'll see more characters at Plaza Inn (Minnie's) and not need any travel time.

 

[Goose&mavie]

I second previous posters recommendations of:

1. Get a stroller for the 3 1/2 year old (we didn't have one when my LO was this age and it was absolutely miserable) you can rent one from stroller city, a much better deal than renting from the park itself.

2. You might want to consider changing to breakfast at plaza inn with Minnie. Tons of characters and very close to fantasyland.

 

[Goose&mavie]

It's probably too late to change your breakfast location, so I would still recommend getting the stroller
Have fun!