Please! Looking for opinions/advice on Princess meals and timing...

[jenniferma]

Thanks in advance for your help. We are planning our WDW trip for our DDs-- ages (then) 7, 5 and 20 months.

DD5 is insanely in love with Princesses... so we finally are going to try and do CRT this trip. We also want to try and get ADRs for Akershaus as well.

Here is my question-- we are planning on doing MK Monday and then EPCOT the next day. I don't know whether we should try and do CRT at 8 am .. or possibly push it back to a later breakfast? Are there benefits to that early slot-- less waiting? I think the last seating is 10:20-- what would you advise?

Also-- the same thing applies for Akershaus. Should we go for 8:30 again, or possibly do the latest breakfast or maybe even and early lunch? We did the last seating for the breakfast there two years ago and we waited for such a long time.. outside in the hot sun. (at least this will be December, so it won't be as bad )

Would you recommend perhaps doing one early and the other one later? If so which would you shuffle and where?

Thanks for your advice-- I am a bit lost on this part of planning.
Jen

 

[MousekaMaddi]

do as early as u can, much less waiting

 

[traci]

Just incase you are unable to get CRT for breakfast, don't be turned off by the lunch. We have done 2 *late ADR* lunches and had great experiences both times. I never never been to the one at Epcot so I am no help there. Have a great vacation!

 

[StratMan]

There are a couple of benefits to getting early ADRs in the parks. First, you can pretty much count on things running on time. Second, and more importantly, you get into the parks before they open. Being inside the park when it opens gives you a big head-start on your day. You can practically walk onto your first few rides and grab fast passes for the big ones.

I'd say the earlier, the better unless it will be hard for you to get there in time.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

I would defentely get the earliest seating, no waiting plus you'll be in the park before opening and you can get some great pics with no crowds in the back.

 

[jenniferma]

Thanks Everyone. We are definitely going to do the Akershaus as early as possible.. hopefully 8:30! CRT is a toss up..

Our ADRS in include going to these Breakfasts--CRT Monday morning, Akershaus Tuesday, Crystal Palace Wed, and then Donalds on Thursday (I know-- can you tell we love character meals?) anyhow--

Even though we get to the parks when the opening.. I am wondering if maybe giving ourselves an extra hour of sleep on Monday might be a good thing?

This is IF we can even get CRT! I guess I will call and see what I can get!

thanks again!
jen

 

[Jene]

Have you considered 1900 Park Fare for dinner? We were unable to get a ressie for CRT our last visit and went to 1900 Park Fare for dinner. My dd4 loved it! She was able to see Cinderella and Prince Charming. She is still talking about seeing Prince Charming . The Fairy Godmother was also there. Then you wouldn't have to worry about getting up early. We took the monorail from MK and went back for the evening parade and Wishes.

I agree with the other posters on the early breakfast. We went to Akershus at 8:45. Very little wait, great interaction with the Princesses! Have a great trip!

 

[jenniferma]

Jene-- thank you! I did consider going to 1900 Park Fare instead of CRT.. but DD4 told us she didn't want to see the stepsisters! We did go there on our last trip and we LOVED it, but we have been three times with our kids have have never done the castle, so we figure we should do it while our middle one is crazy about Princesses. She is 4.5 now and STILL likes to wear Princesses dresses every day. She would wear them to soccer if we let her!

thanks though!
Jen

 

[hart6066]

I had asked this question a few weeks ago, and not too many responded, but it seemed as though people were saying that even with the earliest seating at CRT, you may not be ahead of the rope drop crowd. What do you think? Since CRT is 2 TS, and DD isn't specifically into Cinderella, we had decided that unless it really got us into the park a little early, we would do Akershus instead --what do you think?

 

[jenniferma]

hart 6060--

I think the earliest seating is 8 am. We did Crystal Palace on our last trip and our seating was 8:05. It was a very rainy morning, so the place was not full and we didn't wait. Our waitress told us that it usually takes 60-65 minutes to see all of the characters.. so, with the park opening, we weren't expected to get out of there until 9:10- 9:15. We actually ended up leaving around 9-- but not in time to hit Tinkerbelle's Treasures (we didn't wake up Tink!) at 9.

I am not certain, but I would imagine CRT is not any faster than CP.. so I think you DO get in first (if you want to take photos etc).. but the crowd gets back there about the same time if not sooner than the first CRT people let out.

Does anyone know for certain?!?!?!
thanks!
jen

 

[emh1129]

We had one of the first seatings at CRT and finished just as the park was opening. We may have had a very slight edge on those at the regular rope drop, I'm not sure.
We did get to Tink's Treasures in time for dd to wake up Tinkerbell.