Questions about the parks' opening times.

[MataHari22]

I have my park days picked and now I spent the last couple of days reading every menu at every WDW restaurant. Planning out what ADRs I want to try and get when my window opens on Saturday. Have a couple of questions that I need clarified.

On the park days that I would like to try and get a pre-park open breakfast, what are the earliest times they start with? It takes me a very long time to eat, because I have swallowing issues, so I would kind of like to get as early a time as I can. Also, I have read here that sometimes they change park hours, and make the opening time even earlier. Is this done at a non EMH park, or are they moving open for a park that has EMH to an even earlier time?

Thanks.

 

[magicaldisney]

For the most part, the change of park opening times is usually for parks without AM EMH, but there is a chance any park can open earlier than is posted at this point. There will be a couple of changes between now and the time we visit during the holiday season. This year is different in regards to which park has which EMH each day, so things are already off to a strange start compared to the last couple of years.

 

[tobikaye]

I think the earliest ADR times for in the park restaurants is 8:00 or 8:05.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

The earliest ADR time that is available is 8:00 a.m. The only park they've made frequent changes to an earlier opening is MK, so if you're looking at breakfast someplace else, you're relatively safe. However, unless you really really need a big breakfast early, I would recommend skipping any pre-opening ADR at MK and instead schedule a late breakfast...like around 10:30. By then the crowds will come rolling in and you'll be able to enjoy a leisurely meal without feeling like you're missing prime touring time.

 

[MataHari22]

Thanks very much, @magicaldisney, @tobikaye and @jtowntoflorida, i appreciate all your posts.

 

[Lucius Best]

Like everyone else said, earliest ADR I've seen is 8:05am. I imagine that only at the very busy times would they move a park opening from 9am to 8am.

But what caught us by surprise this past trip was that they were regularly opening parks 10-15 minutes early. We had seen it at HS before, but never MK. At MK gates opened 8:45am every day we were there. Other three parks were all somewhere between 8:50am and 8:55am. So you'll be even more rushed at breakfast if you want to be done with breakfast before the front gates open to the public.

 

[MataHari22]

But what caught us by surprise this past trip was that they were regularly opening parks 10-15 minutes early. We had seen it at HS before, but never MK. At MK gates opened 8:45am every day we were there. Other three parks were all somewhere between 8:50am and 8:55am. So you'll be even more rushed at breakfast if you want to be done with breakfast before the front gates open to the public.

This is what I'm trying to consider, because I really cannot rush or eat fast. I have swallowing issues, and I have to really go slowly and think about what I'm doing or I will choke. Last year, pre-park open breakfasts worked out ok, but also, I went during a time where the parks were open later, so I had more hours in the day to fit everything I wanted to do in. This year, I'll be going in November, shorter hours. I eat up a lot of my day with eating. The two I would like to get early are at MK and AK. I know my friend likes to eat earlier, for me I wouldn't mind a 10:30 time. I will see what I can get. I'm sure I'll make it all work somehow.