Splitting hairs, but I'll ask anyway: CP or 1900 PF?

[CindyIsMyFave]

Choosing between these 2 options: (DH wants to keep them both, but I need to talk him out of that)

Option 1: 1900 PF at 10:50 am. On this day, we would start at MK at 8 am for EMH ,and I figured this ressie was late enough that we could still get our full early 2 hours in and then leave for breakfast. Switch to EPCOT after breakfast.

or

Option 2: CP @ 9:25 am. On this day, MK opens at 8 am for regular hours. So we'd still get most of our early hours in, and we wouldn't have to leave the park to eat.

The character difference isn't important to us, as I just wanted at least one character meal. It doesn't seem like the food is sooo much better at one than the other according to the boards (it's been too long since I've eaten at either, so I don't remember). What would you do? I realize I'm being extraordinarily picky over my early morning hours, so maybe that means I choose the in-park CP even though it's at an earlier time?

 

[MickeyNicki]

The food is much better at CP

 

[Minniemouse07]

We had a bad experience at CP (for dinner) and have LOVED our 1900 Park Fare visits (dinner 3x for dinner, 1x for breakfast) so I would opt for 1900 Park Fare.

Plus, you get to see Alice, the Mad Hatter, Mary Poppins as well as Tigger and Pooh!

 

[CindyIsMyFave]

Uh-oh. 1-1!

The character difference doesn't matter a ton to us . . . I just wanted to make sure we got one meal in.

I was slightly tempted to post on the Theme Parks board b/c it's almost a rides/timing question for me, you know?
Do I want to miss some extra time in MK b/c we traveled to 1900?
Or do I want to miss the end of "prime" morning time in MK if we choose CP?

 

[Minniemouse07]

I think you would get more "ride time" in on an 8am EMH morning w/ the later reservation than you would on a regular entry 8am w/ the earlier reservation.

 

[3pletprincesses]

I would pick 1900 because you'll be able to do EMH and taken advantage of the golden time before it gets too crowded

 

[MSSANDRA]

We have found the food to be better at 1900 PF sooooo. I think too you get more of EMH with this choice and can monorail to Epcot after ward.

 

[momabaarjo]

I like the menu at 1900 better...lobster egg benedict (so yummy), strawberry soup, and bread pudding...plus you get more than just pooh and tiger!

 

[debaone]

We prefer 1900 Park Fare by far. We also have two little girls. The food is also superior, in my opinion. One other consideration, it can take extra time to get to GF and back, so you are missing out on extra park time with 1900PF.

 

[Agri]

We greatly prefer CP for breakfast. When we ate at PF last year, we were 15 minutes early for our ADR and weren't seated until well after half an hour past out ADR time. There was a long line, we weren't allowed to skip the photo session, and they just generally seemed to lack basic customer service skills. (When I asked to skip the photo so we could be seated, I was told no, we had to do it because they have a 'system'. When I said my mom is diabetic and she really needs to eat I was told again - we couldn't skip the line and had to have our picture taken! It was weird and the tone of voice of the lady was very much 'how dare you ask for special treatment and hassle me with questions'. Luckily, mom was fine, it was just...odd. We ended up not getting to the MK until after 11:00 - our breakfast reservation had been for 8:30 and we're not slow eaters.)

The tables are crammed into the space and it feels so much more congested and frantic than CP. The characters are also much more accommodating - if you don't seem that interested, they'll just wave, blow kisses, or some other small interaction (as opposed to the Alice at PF that parked herself at our table randomly) and move on. There is plenty of space at the buffet and it is located in the center of the restaurant, away from the tables, which makes for a much easier, less harried experience.

Even if we were just comparing food, we'd pick CP hands down.

 

[jking6]

Another vote for CP I have done both and prefer it over 1900 Park Fare. So excited will be there in May...