Rope Drop or Pre Park opening breakfast?

[22Tink]

Looking for opinions...I have a few pre park opening breakfasts booked for our trip in November. An 8am Tusker House, an 8:05 CRT and an 8:10 and 8:20 Crystal Palace. I'm wondering if I should keep them all or swap one or two out for rope drop instead? Which parks do you benefit more from a pre opening ADR? I got all hung up on people talking about how great pre opening ADRs are so I booked a bunch. Now I'm wondering if we should be hitting rope drop instead to ride some headliners? Thanks in advance!!

 

[KeithNotKieth]

Pre Park-opening ADR's are great! Since you have a number of them though, I would swap out one of the Crystal Palace ones for the rope drop ceremony. Rope drop is absolutely worth doing at least once. The benefit of getting to attractions faster will be about the same that early in the morning unless there are early magic hours for that park. The other benefit to the early ADR's is to get some great pictures without people in the background. It sounds like you've got MK covered! That would be the only park that has a rope drop ceremony as the others just play music and/or shoot confetti.

 

[CAS239]

Imo, I wouldn't do an early breakfast just to be slightly ahead of the rope drop crew.

Essentially your paying to beat the crowd to ride maybe one ride ahead of everyone else, unless you genuinely really care about eating breakfast there but rushing. More effort, time, and money is put into getting to a breakfast vs waiting say 30-45 min for the park to open. I'm sure for young kids it's great to keep them occupied, but I personally wouldn't want to rush through the restaurant considering how much they charge. I just couldn't bring myself to pay that amount of money to be first in line. And unless I woke up at 5am, I wouldn't be hungry yet by then.

Then you factor in opening times changing so your breakfast might coincide now with park opening.

I could see why some do this strategy to get ahead of the crowd. I just wouldn't imo. i just don't see the benefit of getting to 1 ride or meet and greet ahead of everyone making it worth the cost and time. Now if you could eat then be in the park an hour ahead of everyone, I'd be down lol

So my vote is for rope drop. Arrive early enough to be toward the front and walk swiftly, you'll be among the first in any line.

 

[22Tink]

Pre Park-opening ADR's are great! Since you have a number of them though, I would swap out one of the Crystal Palace ones for the rope drop ceremony. Rope drop is absolutely worth doing at least once. The benefit of getting to attractions faster will be about the same that early in the morning unless there are early magic hours for that park. The other benefit to the early ADR's is to get some great pictures without people in the background. It sounds like you've got MK covered! That would be the only park that has a rope drop ceremony as the others just play music and/or shoot confetti.

Thanks so much! I was thinking also that we don't need 2 CP breakfasts so I will probably drop one. We've never done rope drop or a pre park opening ADR at WDW so I would really like to experience both! Good to know that the MK rope drop is the most 'special'. I will definitely make sure to make that one!

Imo, I wouldn't do an early breakfast just to be slightly ahead of the rope drop crew.

Essentially your paying to beat the crowd to ride maybe one ride ahead of everyone else, unless you genuinely really care about eating breakfast there but rushing. More effort, time, and money is put into getting to a breakfast vs waiting say 30-45 min for the park to open. I'm sure for young kids it's great to keep them occupied, but I personally wouldn't want to rush through the restaurant considering how much they charge. I just couldn't bring myself to pay that amount of money to be first in line. And unless I woke up at 5am, I wouldn't be hungry yet by then.

Then you factor in opening times changing so your breakfast might coincide now with park opening.

I could see why some do this strategy to get ahead of the crowd. I just wouldn't imo. i just don't see the benefit of getting to 1 ride or meet and greet ahead of everyone making it worth the cost and time. Now if you could eat then be in the park an hour ahead of everyone, I'd be down lol

So my vote is for rope drop. Arrive early enough to be toward the front and walk swiftly, you'll be among the first in any line.

Thanks! It's great to hear from both sides. I'm really hoping they don't add in any EMH to mess up my plans! Is that common in November? I thought that was more of a busier season thing. I could definitely be wrong though!! One thing I didn't mention is that we have Free Dining, so cost won't really be a factor, but I definitely see what you mean there. I think I will drop one of my CP for sure though and try the rope drop!

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Thanks! It's great to hear from both sides. I'm really hoping they don't add in any EMH to mess up my plans! Is that common in November? I thought that was more of a busier season thing. I could definitely be wrong though!! One thing I didn't mention is that we have Free Dining, so cost won't really be a factor, but I definitely see what you mean there. I think I will drop one of my CP for sure though and try the rope drop!

It isn't adding an EMH, it is just changing the regular park opening to 8 a.m. I'd say it's not uncommon to add early openings during party season on party days, since they can't keep the park open to day guests later.

 

[22Tink]

It isn't adding an EMH, it is just changing the regular park opening to 8 a.m. I'd say it's not uncommon to add early openings during party season on party days, since they can't keep the park open to day guests later.

Oh, gotcha. I guess that does make sense to lengthen the day a bit. I have so much to learn!

 

[slford00]

Looking for opinions...I have a few pre park opening breakfasts booked for our trip in November. An 8am Tusker House, an 8:05 CRT and an 8:10 and 8:20 Crystal Palace. I'm wondering if I should keep them all or swap one or two out for rope drop instead? Which parks do you benefit more from a pre opening ADR? I got all hung up on people talking about how great pre opening ADRs are so I booked a bunch. Now I'm wondering if we should be hitting rope drop instead to ride some headliners? Thanks in advance!!

It depends on what you want out of a pre-park opening ADR. Is it just to enjoy a good meal or character dining experience? Is it to bypass the horde of people lined up at the gate to enter at rope drop? Is it to get a head start on the regular rope drop crowd? Is it to get pictures of yourself and family in a mostly-empty park?

If your goal in doing breakfast ADRs is simply to get into the park earlier to beat the crowds, I would be hesitant to do that. In my experience, most character meals take up to an hour to complete, and some even longer (CRT). Add that to the fact that the parks' gates typically open 10-20 minutes before official opening time, and you see that doing pre-opening ADRs will actually put you BEHIND the rope drop crowd (unless you really rush your meal and skip out early, likely without seeing all the characters). Especially with start times like 8:10 and 8:20. There is no better time to visit major attractions at the parks with minimal waits than during the first hour the park is open, which you would miss if you're eating breakfast during that time.

Now, if you truly have a desire to enjoy a meal at one of these locations, or if your goal is to just have a laid back, slower-paced start to your day that involves avoiding the crowds as you physically pass through the gates at park opening, or to get some prime picture time in the park, then it makes more sense. Of course, you can always rope drop the park to take advantage of low crowds during the first 1-2 hours of the day, and then do a late breakfast at one of those restaurants.

In any event, I'm not sure I'd do that many park breakfast ADRs (even with free dining). You have 3 listed just for getting into MK early alone, which takes up a huge chunk of your table service credits (especially since CRT counts as 2) that could be spent on any of the other really great Disney dining experiences (Be Our Guest dinner, Chef Mickey's, Ohana, Boma, California Grill, a number of restaurants at Grand Floridian and in Epcot's World Showcase, etc.).

Really there's no one right answer for everyone, it just depends what you want to do. If it's really about beating the crowds, I would look into Be Our Guest breakfast as priority #1 as 1) it's a counter service credit, 2) it's a much shorter experience, so you really do beat the crowds by a significant margin, and 3) you exit the restaurant right into the most popular section of the most visited theme park in the world.

 

[hamilkm]

I have done a pre opening at Tusker House and it doesn't give you any advantage park wise in Animal Kingdom, but the meal itself was excellent! It's also the only character meal you have listed with Mickey and the gang, so if they are a priority it would definitely be worth keeping!

 

[Jon84]

I think I'd do it so that I can get shots of MK before it opens.

Otherwise I wouldn't rush a meal to get to front of queues. The opening ceremony is fun. Does anyone know what happens to the show when the railroad is closed for repairs?

 

[peanutmomma]

Our 8am Tusker House meal was one of our favorites - great meal and character interaction! And because the restaurant is so close to the safari, we were on the very first vehicle of the day and the animals were really active.

 

[Nancyg56]

Looking for opinions...I have a few pre park opening breakfasts booked for our trip in November. An 8am Tusker House, an 8:05 CRT and an 8:10 and 8:20 Crystal Palace. I'm wondering if I should keep them all or swap one or two out for rope drop instead? Which parks do you benefit more from a pre opening ADR? I got all hung up on people talking about how great pre opening ADRs are so I booked a bunch. Now I'm wondering if we should be hitting rope drop instead to ride some headliners? Thanks in advance!!

I think you have a lot of pre park breakfasts booked. WE generally do one or two, and that really depends on why we are booking them. WE enjoyed TH at AK. AS a PP pointed out, his is the only meal you booked that features Mickey and Friends, so I would keep this one. The time is good too.

I would not book two CP's under any circumstances. It is a good breakfast with Pooh and the gang, and you will have the chance to experience a quiet Main Street, but IMO, it is not worth going twice.

If you are on the DDP, CRT breakfast is realy not a good value. Now I have not had breakfast there, so I cannot tell you if it is good, but I probably would drop this one unless you have Princess Fever in your family! lOL!

If all you want is Pre Park advantage and you don't really care about the meal, I would try to get a BOG breakfast ADR. I dropped our CP in a flash once BOG opened up for our dates.

 

[Rosebud123]

I think you have way too many booked. Sleep is important, too! I'd pick 2 and stick with that. They are expensive and you have to rush through them to get out by 8:45 if you want to beat the RD crowd.
I'd change either the Tusker House or one of the CPs to 10:30 (I think that's the latest breakfast time you can book). That gives you 90 minutes of prime park touring, and then you can relax and enjoy the experience!

 

[22Tink]

I think you have a lot of pre park breakfasts booked. WE generally do one or two, and that really depends on why we are booking them. WE enjoyed TH at AK. AS a PP pointed out, his is the only meal you booked that features Mickey and Friends, so I would keep this one. The time is good too.

I would not book two CP's under any circumstances. It is a good breakfast with Pooh and the gang, and you will have the chance to experience a quiet Main Street, but IMO, it is not worth going twice.

If you are on the DDP, CRT breakfast is realy not a good value. Now I have not had breakfast there, so I cannot tell you if it is good, but I probably would drop this one unless you have Princess Fever in your family! lOL!

If all you want is Pre Park advantage and you don't really care about the meal, I would try to get a BOG breakfast ADR. I dropped our CP in a flash once BOG opened up for our dates.

Thanks for the tips! My DD7 is dead set on breakfast with the princesses so the CRT one is the one I can't give up! Akershus wasn't available. BOG breakfast isn't available for my dates yet but I was fully planning on trading a CP for a BOG for sure. I'm hoping they will extend the breakfasts to my dates!!

 

[22Tink]

I think you have way too many booked. Sleep is important, too! I'd pick 2 and stick with that. They are expensive and you have to rush through them to get out by 8:45 if you want to beat the RD crowd.
I'd change either the Tusker House or one of the CPs to 10:30 (I think that's the latest breakfast time you can book). That gives you 90 minutes of prime park touring, and then you can relax and enjoy the experience!

Thanks!!! I have free dining, so cost isn't a factor for me. The reason I have Tusker House bfast is because I have picky eaters (they think the other food looks weird!!)and also a BBB appt at 12:20 so I think the 8am might still work best there. I agree on the CP though and will let one go and maybe trade the other one for a BOG if they extend breakfast to my dates.