What is the best time to make reservations for Donald's Breakfastasaurous?

[Ahnberg4]

We are planning on having breakfast at Donald's on the morning we visit AK. It is best to have an early breakfast, say at opening and then go to the park or should we go to the park for awhile and then have a late breakfast/brunch?

Thanks, Michelle

 

[LIZZIEANDTOMMYSMOM]

We love going before the park opens and being ready to go. That was only 8AM for us next week! It was nice last time

Brandi

 

[barbeml]

We always get the earliest possible. The most complaints seem to come from folks with later seatings. We have been twice, had 8:00 PS/ADR, got into AK before opening. The buffet was abundant, tasty and the hot food was fresh & hot. Servers were great, characters just right, and we were on our way to Dinosaur before too many people were even past the rope.

I hope you enjoy!

 

[MulanMom]

We've always had 8am breakfasts and all were positive experiences. We're usually done before the 9am park opening. My kids weren't into Dinosaur at the time, but starting in that section of the park was great. We did the triceratops spin and primeval whirl, the kids played in the boneyard, walked on to It's a Bug's Life 2x, then walked to the safari...all by 10am. With Expedition Everest, it may even be more advantageous to be in that section of the park at opening.

Hope this helps!

 

[MouseWorshipin]

I've done this half a dozen times, always the first seating. It is always horribly crowded, disorganized, and, IMHO, is the worst breakfast in all of WDW.

I'm very big on WDW restaurants, especially breakfast! I love the Crystal Palace, like 1900 Park Faire, and even the one at the Beach Club. I can sit through Chef Mickey's if I have to, but Donald's always makes me feel like I cannot wait to be outta there.

Maybe I've just had really bad luck.

Hope your breakfast goes better than mine have!!

 

[eeyoreiscool]

We have gone before the park opened and it was great. We were seated quickly and were able to see everyone before it got too crowded. Once the park opened, the place filled up quickly and outside was getting crowded as well.

 

[goofy4tink]

We like to eat there on an EMH morning...get to the park, do some stuff, and then head over to Donald's for a late morning seating. Yes, it can be a bit crowded, and we have always had to wait about 15 or so minutes to be seated. But, we get 10:15 seatings (one of the last times available) and we consider it brunch! The crowd usually thins out as we are getting ready to go to the buffet line and we have never felt rushed to leave.

 

[jtlover]

We always go for the earliest and are going again on 9th February

I read somewhere before that going later the food is not as plentiful?

 

[bigbabyblues]

As early as you can get. We've done that twice and been finished just before the park opened.

 

[wdwgoofeeee]

Just keep in mind that if you get an early reservation for Donald's that you MUST use the Disney bus. Some CM will tell you there is no early service, don't believe them. People driving the early breakfast at Donald's have been very frustrated because the parking lot does not open early. Only Disney buses are allowed through early in the morning.
Be at your resort bus stop about 45 minutes before your reservation in case you just miss a bus.

 

[scanne]

We're doing an 8am at Donald's in July. It's not an EMH morning, so we're hoping that at 9am my DH can run to Expedition Everest and get fastpasses, then we'll meet him, get in line, then use our FP's. Ah, I love a plan!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

We've done this breakfast early- and late... we prefer late. Probably because we usually do AK on it's morning EMH day and we'd rather get in rides during EMH and then have a late breakfast. Also probably because we don't particularly care for the food choices there for lunch and a late breakfast tides us over to an early dinner. But mostly because of the EMH.

When we have had the early seating- it seems to take forever to get in- and we end up being late for our ADR. Doesn't cause a huge problem getting a seat, not at all... but it only makes us even LATER getting OUT from that breakfast and then by that time the place is packed. Not to mention that if you want to do the safari before the line gets incredibly long- it's clear across the park from this breakfast! So early seating- forget it. By the time you eat and then go across the park, no matter if you have the earliest seating (been there done that) the line willl be long for the safari.

When we have the late seating we just grab something SMALL for breakfast (in the room or at the food court) to tide us over so we won't have the grumbly tummies- head to EMH at AK and ride safari then head over that side of the park and ride some of the rides over there (especially dinosaur)- then we eat, eat enough that we're not hungry again until an early dinner and NO RUSH since we're not trying to hurry and eat so we can ride things before it gets busy- we've already rode the "must do" list! Just seems to work much better for us.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

We're doing an 8am at Donald's in July. It's not an EMH morning, so we're hoping that at 9am my DH can run to Expedition Everest and get fastpasses, then we'll meet him, get in line, then use our FP's. Ah, I love a plan!

What will you be doing at 9am while he runs for those fastpasses? It's not our experience to be there for an hour at Donald's breakfast..

 

[tigger2esq]

I would avoid getting the very first seating of the morning --although being inside the park before it opened was really cool. I found the way they corralled everoneat once from the entrance to the restaurant made the seating chaotic as everyone sat at once and the chracters came out and I didnt even get a chance for some coffee!!! If I could have booked it 15 min later it would have been perfect. After breakfast, we walked out into the park as it was just oepening and it was divine.

 

[timandlesley]

We had the first seating of the morning last year and it was GREAT. LOVED walking in the park and having it to ourselves. Got some great professional pictures in front of the tree of life with no crowds in the background. The service/character interaction/ and food were GREAT. We were able to walk out of the restaraunt at 8:55 and walk right onto Dinosaur. Would think it would be a great option this year with the new roller coaster you could run over there and walk on or get a Fast Pass for later, that would be worth it for me.

 

[tweedlewtwinsmama]

Good question OP. It reassures me of our 8am ressies. I am worried about getting my hubby going that early. What time should we be at the Pop bus for an 8am breakfast?

 

[jennypenny]

When we did the 8am breakfast in August I was told the buses would start running at 7:15 and they did.

We're going again Feb 21st at 8am. We love getting in before the park opens. My kids always think mommy did something special to get us into the park early. I like getting some good pictures. Then one can go ahead and get fastpasses for the safari or kali while everyone else strolls over and looks at all of the animals that are tucked here and there that I miss later in the day.

We really enjoy this breakfast.

Jenny