Soaring w/ a PPO ADR

[Wes1stTrip2016]

The earliest ADR I was able to get is 8:25am for a 9am park opening day - will we will be able to eat, get a couple of character pics and beat the line to Soaring?

 

[shanew21]

Get to the restaurant at 8 and see if they will seat you early. We had an 8:05 ressie and we got to Soarin around 8:40. You should be ok, just ask for the check early.

 

[GillianP1301]

I agree, get to the restaurant as close to 8:00 as you can. I did an 8:15 ADR last time I was there and checked in at 8:00 and was seated almost immediately and we were done and out by 8:40. I'm not sure if they will let you check in 25 minutes early, but you should have no problem with 15 minutes early so even if you have to wait a few minutes when you first arrive to check in closer to 8:10, you should be done before 9:00. The characters at GG come to you pretty quickly because it's not a very big restaurant. We have never gone past about 30 minutes to see them all and when we spend an hour there, we often see them 2 - 3 times each, so that part of the experience shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Wes1stTrip2016]

I agree, get to the restaurant as close to 8:00 as you can. I did an 8:15 ADR last time I was there and checked in at 8:00 and was seated almost immediately and we were done and out by 8:40. I'm not sure if they will let you check in 25 minutes early, but you should have no problem with 15 minutes early so even if you have to wait a few minutes when you first arrive to check in closer to 8:10, you should be done before 9:00. The characters at GG come to you pretty quickly because it's not a very big restaurant. We have never gone past about 30 minutes to see them all and when we spend an hour there, we often see them 2 - 3 times each, so that part of the experience shouldn't be an issue.

Are there multiple entrances to Epcot? We have never been, and I feel like I've read people speak of more than one entrance. Where should we enter (we will be driving ourselves to the park) and is there a noticeable ADR line? Thanks!

 

[Wes1stTrip2016]

Get to the restaurant at 8 and see if they will seat you early. We had an 8:05 ressie and we got to Soarin around 8:40. You should be ok, just ask for the check early.

I am curious to know if Epcot does not actually "open" the gates to let guest in until 9AM or do some days them may let guests in earlier. I am wondering how late is too late to exit Garden Grill and be downstairs before guest will be lining up.

 

[DWeav]

The PPO meals I've been to, we went in together and whoever was in line first went in, regardless of the time of the reservation.

 

[Oneanne]

Are there multiple entrances to Epcot? We have never been, and I feel like I've read people speak of more than one entrance. Where should we enter (we will be driving ourselves to the park) and is there a noticeable ADR line? Thanks!

There's the main/front entrance, which is where you would enter after parking. There is also a back entrance in WS between France and England called International Gateway, that leads out to the EPCOT area resorts. At Garden Grill there is a check-in podium and an area to the left where you can sit while you wait.

 

[MomOTwins]

We had an 8:20am GG breakfast and it worked perfectly. We got there a little bit early and they sat us early, as they do not fill up the restaurant with PPOs. We also told our server what our plans were, and she brought us the check with the meal so we could hurry downstairs as soon as we finished eating. She told us if we were there by 8:50 we'd beat the rope droppers, and was correct (they start letting them past the gates at 8:45, but it takes them time to get from the front of Epcot to the Land Pavilion).

I'd never forget my kids laughing with glee as they sprinted through the Soarin' queue to be first on the ride. That PPO breakfast was the best bang for our buck at Disney World of any meal. We were there at Christmas, so by the time we exited the ride, the wait had gone up from zero to 45 minutes!

 

[Hope Soda]

Treat it the same as if you had an 8am reservation. Be at the gate by 7:45 or earlier, go straight to the restaurant. They'll seat you in the order you arrive, as someone else said.

We have done this with an 8:15am reservation, and an 8:05 reservation. We were seated immediately upon arrival for the 8:15 reservation (we were second in line from the front gate). We arrived at the gate a little later for the 8:05 reservation, and had to wait a little to be seated. Both times, we got to Soarin' before opening and were on the first ride, though we did not stick around long enough to meet Mickey for the second reservation, since that time we were mainly there for the relaxed table service dining and Soarin'.

 

[Wes1stTrip2016]

Great info! Thanks!!