Will our reservation cause us to miss out on all the fun?

[NaturalLove]

Hey y'all,

We'll be at DW the week of Thanksgiving. Sunday is our MK day. I made a reservation at the Crystal Palace for 8:05 a.m. Do you think that time is going to interfere with us being able to ride the rides before the big crowds start to arrive? I'm a little concerned because my understanding is that you get to the parks early to ensure that you get on the rides without the hassle of long lines. Please let me know what you think.

Thanks in advance!

 

[jillyb]

Hey y'all,

We'll be at DW the week of Thanksgiving. Sunday is our MK day. I made a reservation at the Crystal Palace for 8:05 a.m. Do you think that time is going to interfere with us being able to ride the rides before the big crowds start to arrive? I'm a little concerned because my understanding is that you get to the parks early to ensure that you get on the rides without the hassle of long lines. Please let me know what you think.

Thanks in advance!

When you're seated tell your server to bring your check and go ahead and pay for it then.

I've read where others have said that it may take some of the characters a long time to get to them. Tigger seems to be the worst for this. Go in with the plan that you will not stick around to see every character before you leave if one or more is taking too long.

Get the heck out of dodge when your done so you can hit those rides!

 

[juliemcalister]

Having been at Thanksgiving, I can't recommend strongly enough that you NOT do this. MK is having an EMH that morning so the entire time you're eating, people will be streaming into the park. Getting the check early won't help with the kinds of crowds that are there for Thanksgiving. This is the day for breakfast bars and fruit.

 

[septbaby]

Sunday before or after Thanksgiving? How long will you be there? Do you only plan to do MK one day? Have you ever been there before? Have your children been before?

One ADR isn't going to kill a day at MK and definitely don't take that mindset into the park. There is a lot of Magic to be had at MK.

 

[DisneyTravelers2008]

It would be a better use of your time to eat at CP btwn 12- 4 pm when the crowds are really high---early mornings are the BEST time to beat the crowds, collect fast passes to use later in the day, etc... You can get a lot of stuff done early mornings, especially on EMH days.

I would plan the meal later in the day and use that time to rest and relax....if it takes a long time to do the meal later in the day that would be better b/c you can be inside relaxing with personal attention of the characters and not waiting in line and fighting crowds....

 

[killendino]

Having been at Thanksgiving, I can't recommend strongly enough that you NOT do this. MK is having an EMH that morning so the entire time you're eating, people will be streaming into the park. Getting the check early won't help with the kinds of crowds that are there for Thanksgiving. This is the day for breakfast bars and fruit.

According to my resources (hope you're all ears), MK is not having morning or evening EMH on Sundays before and after Thanksgiving Day, so your information seems incorrect there.

Although I am not an expert, 8:05 seems like a good time to me, particularly since its a buffet. You don't have to wait for someone to take your order and deliver it. You can just pound food down while eyeballing the characters for their impending trip to your table. The only question is, is 55 minutes enough time to see all the characters? I'm guessing yes.

I have a question for the Disney vets: If you have a Crystal Palace for before the park opens, and you finish before the park opens, can you make your way to the rides, or do you have to wait around Crystal Palace until the park opens?

Lastly, if you do decide to cancel your reservations, let me know so I can grab them!! I've been looking for CP for that time-frame at MK for a while now.

 

[msminnieears]

It usually takes about an hour to see all the characters. That said you can arrive for you reservation early and hopefully be seated early. Remember you ADR's are not reservations per say. So you can be seated early if there are seats available. I would try to be there at least 30 minutes early. We do this and are seated about 10mins or more sometimes before our time. That said; if it is EMH and you are trying to beat the rush I would try to reschedule for a late lunch. Around 1:30 - 4:00 the park is usually extremely crowded during peak season I can only imagine during a holiday season. Good Luck

 

[msminnieears]

According to my resources (hope you're all ears),

I have a question for the Disney vets: If you have a Crystal Palace for before the park opens, and you finish before the park opens, can you make your way to the rides, or do you have to wait around Crystal Palace until the park opens?
You can go into the area under the castle and along the walkways to the different lands but there will be a rope up until opening.

 

[Microcell]

Well... I, for once am an expert on all possibilities where this is concerned!

First time we were soooo excited to get an 8:05 and when we got there the park was already full of people.. we were perplexed... then we found out it was morning EMH... Needless to say I felt stupid. Everything was crowded by the time we got out of breakfast!

Second, third and fourth times I carefully researched and planned.. and each time we got into an empty park and took pictures alll over mainstreet and near the castle with virtually no one around! Loved that part! We usually got out, after taking our time at right around 9. We headed straight for Fantasy land each time and got most of them out of the way, (Get Dumbo done first!) and even rode Peter Pan twice usually before it started getting backed up, and got a fast pass for it too. When we started out at CP we have felt like we got ooodles done before the crowds! We have always had little ones is why we went to Fantasy Land first.. I dunno about the Mountains... I have also never been there on a holiday..

Hoping it isn't EMH and yes I think you will have a good breakfast and the jump on things! Be sure if you wanna make rope drop to pay ahead like someone suggested.. I have not made it to Rope Drop yet doing the slow way!