You're Killing Me Disney...

[lcborn2run]

I was so happy that I got Breakfast ressies at BOG on the morning of my daughter's 16th birthday at 8:05. Great!! Get into the park early, and you know the rest of the plan. Well, apparently, not to be. Since I made that reservation months ago, that day has become one with a morning EMH at Magic Kingdom. As such, the reservation is now a waste. Or is it? Does it even pay? We have been to BOG, and while my daughter truly wanted to be there on her birthday, I don't see the point anymore. Thoughts? Thank you!

 

[CAS239]

I've never been to BoG but the general consensus on here seems to say that they only enjoy the breakfast if it gets them in the park ahead of the crowds. That the breakfast food isn't that great to cut time out of getting rides done at park opening.

So I would just weight the options if your daughter really wants to do BoG during that time or riding rides. If she just wants BoG in general I'd try to move the time to later in the day, maybe do dinner there

 

[Klayfish]

I'm sorry, I don't really understand complaints like this. You made a reservation at a restaurant. From what I can tell in your post, they haven't changed your individual reservation? However, they added an EMH, which is something they routinely do, for the benefit of all their onsite guests. That's going to ruin your daughters' 16th birthday, whom you said really wanted to be at BOG for? Why? And why is this a Disney issue? They don't make their park hours or EMH hours to suit individual guests.

Personally, I say relax, take your daughter where she wanted to go on her birthday and make the best of it.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm sorry, I don't really understand complaints like this. You made a reservation at a restaurant. From what I can tell in your post, they haven't changed your reservation? However, they added an EMH somewhere along the way. That's going to ruin your daughters' 16th birthday, whom you said really wanted to be at BOG for? Why? And why is this a Disney issue? They don't make their park hours or EMH hours to suit individual guests.

Personally, I say relax, take your daughter where she wanted to go on her birthday and make the best of it.

They wanted to do rope drop and breakfast. Now they can't do rope drop. I don't see how that's hard to understand. In this day of FP+, the first hour of park time for ride access is more important than ever.

OP, I would keep checking to see if you can find a lunch time instead.

 

[lcborn2run]

Klayfish-- Breakfast at BOG is not the greatest. I made the reservation purely to get into the park earlier than opening. I never said it was going to ruin my daughter's birthday. When you are forced to make reservations 6 months in advance based on published park hours, I don't feel the hours should then change. Disney forces you to plan ahead, (which if we weren't inclined to do we wouldn't be looking at these forums! lol) so I feel they should not then change hours.

As for the title of my post, it's a play on the Sandlot: You're Killing Me Smalls. Have a great day.

 

[Klayfish]

They wanted to do rope drop and breakfast. Now they can't do rope drop. I don't see how that's hard to understand. In this day of FP+, the first hour of park time for ride access is more important than every.

OP, I would keep checking to see if you can find a lunch time instead.

I fully understand the concept, but still fail to see why a) it's a big deal and b) it's a Disney issue. It's OPs' daughters b-day, who wanted to be at BOG. They've got that planned. So now they won't be part of rope drop? So what? If that's going to make or break someone's day/trip, then personally I think priorities are wrong. Yeah, the first hour can be productive for hitting rides, but it's still quite possible to get on them even without being there 30 minutes before the park opens and running with the rest of the herd.

I guess I just don't understand getting upset over these kinds of things. When we're at WDW, our priority is to have a good time with each other. Plans don't always go as they were laid out, regardless of if WDW changes hours, the weather changes, whatever. It seems to me so many people get hopelessly wrapped up in the planning and get so anxious about it that the slightest change throws them for a loop. So what?? Relax, enjoy, roll with it. If nobody else feels that way and I'm a lone wolf in these thoughts, that's cool. I just think it's a shame. WDW is supposed to be fun, not stressful.

 

[MinnieMSue]

I understand - same thing happened to us but not on a birthday. We eventually found a lunch time and changed the reservation. We got the best of both worlds that way - rope drop and eating at BOG.

 

[mom2rtk]

I fully understand the concept, but still fail to see why a) it's a big deal and b) it's a Disney issue. It's OPs' daughters b-day, who wanted to be at BOG. They've got that planned. So now they won't be part of rope drop? So what? If that's going to make or break someone's day/trip, then personally I think priorities are wrong. Yeah, the first hour can be productive for hitting rides, but it's still quite possible to get on them even without being there 30 minutes before the park opens and running with the rest of the herd.

I guess I just don't understand getting upset over these kinds of things. When we're at WDW, our priority is to have a good time with each other. Plans don't always go as they were laid out, regardless of if WDW changes hours, the weather changes, whatever. So what?? Relax, enjoy, roll with it.

Different things matter to different people. How is it even possible to have "wrong" priorities on a leisure trip? The OP already explained her title. She didn't say her day would be ruined. She's disappointed that she made her plans months ago and now she has to adjust on the fly. Hopefully she has learned to anticipate this next time (as many of us have). She was venting. Is it really that hard to understand and just sympathize?

Perhaps the suggestion to look for a lunch time will help her find a way to still maximize both things she wanted to do that day.

OP, I hope your daughter has a magical birthday!

 

[CAS239]

I fully understand the concept, but still fail to see why a) it's a big deal and b) it's a Disney issue. It's OPs' daughters b-day, who wanted to be at BOG. They've got that planned. So now they won't be part of rope drop? So what? If that's going to make or break someone's day/trip, then personally I think priorities are wrong. Yeah, the first hour can be productive for hitting rides, but it's still quite possible to get on them even without being there 30 minutes before the park opens and running with the rest of the herd.

I guess I just don't understand getting upset over these kinds of things. When we're at WDW, our priority is to have a good time with each other. Plans don't always go as they were laid out, regardless of if WDW changes hours, the weather changes, whatever. It seems to me so many people get hopelessly wrapped up in the planning and get so anxious about it that the slightest change throws them for a loop. So what?? Relax, enjoy, roll with it. If nobody else feels that way and I'm a lone wolf in these thoughts, that's cool. I just think it's a shame. WDW is supposed to be fun, not stressful.

The issue is that Disney essentially makes people have to choose ADR's at 6 months out. Some people select dinners or lunches, then some select pre park opening ADR's to quickly eat then get a jump on popular rides before the crowds come in. The reason Disney gets blamed is because they make you select ADR's at 6 months out, but for the past few months Disney has been changing park hours/EMH hours about a month in advance.

If you're offsite and then all of a sudden your pre park ADR now has its time during new EMH's, that puts a damper on plans. Then instead of eating breakfast and then getting on the popular rides first, you have to choose between eating breakfast or cancelling and doing rides

 

[Virtucomp]

I think people on the Disboard get a little sensitive to the wording of posts like this. There have been so many posts that imply that their WDW vacation is now completely ruined because little Suzie didn't get to ride the train at or they couldn't get reservations to a restaurant at the exact time they wanted. There are many who would love to be able to go to the park as often as others. I'm sure there are many who didn't have a good time because they don't know enough about the parks before they plan their trip.

The OP planned the early park entrance as part of the Birthday celebration and now that aspect of the trip won't be as special. I'm sure the Birthday breakfast will be fun and you'll still have time to enjoy the rides. Breakfast at BOG has to be better than Pop-tarts in the room. (our usually start of the day).

People who spend a lot of time planning for the big trip to WDW can get frustrated some times when things change and get in the way of the carefully prepared timetable. I find that I overplan in the beginning and then once we get there we go with the framework of the plan but just have fun.

Enjoy your daughter's Birthday. She's old enough for the Backstage Magic tour now.

 

[BurleyGirl]

OP, I completely get where you're coming from. I've experienced both scenarios...getting in pre-opening (and loved it!) and having my plan thwarted (major bummer!). There's something really special about getting that pre-park opening ADR because (for me) you a) get a chance to have a picture in front of the castle without the crowds in there with you and b) get a chance to ride one or two major rides without having to waste a FP or wait in a long line, so yes, it's a huge bummer to miss out. I also get that it's frustrating that Disney makes it necessary to plan so far in advance and then undermines your planning by throwing a curve ball in there. Yes, it's a double-edged sword...good for those who were not able to get the pre-opening ADR, but bad for those who did!
I hope you end up with a terrific day anyway!

 

[IrishNYC]

If your daughter requested breakfast there and you got the reservation, I don't see why you would cancel it.

 

[lcborn2run]

Thank you to all who replied and understand what I was frustrated at. I'm sure the birthday as well as the entire trip will be awesome!! I told my daughter about the change this morning and she was fine. Will try to get lunch that day. If we don't, we go with the flow. It's not that she wanted breakfast at BOG. We were actually looking most forward to entering a somewhat empty park and getting some pics.

BOG was booked right now for lunch/dinner, but you never know Hope you all have a great day

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I would continue trying for lunch. They opened up some while we were at WDW and I even cancelled one.

I'm sure you guys will have a magical trip.

 

[Miss Frankie J]

As frustrating as your situation is there is still hope! I stay offsite and I cant tell you how many times I've snagged hard to get Reservations within days of our trip. I would keep the reservation and continue to try for lunch or dinner and cancel when you get one. If your daughter doesn't mind not eating there even for breakfast then cancel even if you can't get one.

Wishing for the best for you!

 

[Klayfish]

Different things matter to different people. How is it even possible to have "wrong" priorities on a leisure trip? The OP already explained her title. She didn't say her day would be ruined. She's disappointed that she made her plans months ago and now she has to adjust on the fly. Hopefully she has learned to anticipate this next time (as many of us have). She was venting. Is it really that hard to understand and just sympathize?

Perhaps the suggestion to look for a lunch time will help her find a way to still maximize both things she wanted to do that day.

OP, I hope your daughter has a magical birthday!

I certainly agree that different things matter to different people. But yeah, for me, it is a bit hard to sympathize for these kinds of things. The OP post states that the daughter wanted to be at BOG for her 16th b-day. They have reservations for same. However, now that EMH is added to that day, the reservation is "a waste" and OP doesn't "see the point" anymore. Maybe I just read it wrong, but I don't get it. If it were one of my kids, would I be a bit bummed if they added EMH? Sure, but no way would it make my reservation a waste or dampen my spirits for that day at all.

One other thing I definitely agree with. Regardless of how the plans turn out, I hope she has a magical b-day. She's one lucky girl to get to spend her 16th b-day at WDW!!!

 

[bbak30]

I probably wouldn't keep the reservation. The breakfast is ok, but overpriced. The only reason to book it IMO, is to get in the park early.

 

[mom2rtk]

I certainly agree that different things matter to different people. But yeah, for me, it is a bit hard to sympathize for these kinds of things. The OP post states that the daughter wanted to be at BOG for her 16th b-day. They have reservations for same. However, now that EMH is added to that day, the reservation is "a waste" and OP doesn't "see the point" anymore. Maybe I just read it wrong, but I don't get it. If it were one of my kids, would I be a bit bummed if they added EMH? Sure, but no way would it make my reservation a waste or dampen my spirits for that day at all.

One other thing I definitely agree with. Regardless of how the plans turn out, I hope she has a magical b-day. She's one lucky girl to get to spend her 16th b-day at WDW!!!

OP just explained that her daughter was really more interested in the photos on an uncrowded Main Street, which I totally get. If you're not a big photo family, that might not occur to you.

My daughter spent her 16th birthday this past week going to school and tennis practice. I *might* have taken her out long enough to get her driver's license and go to lunch. But she would have definitely preferred Disney!

 

[Allison]

Overall, I would prefer that Disney extend park hours if they think they the anticipated attendance justifies it. That is a good thing for Disney to do, not a negative. People can still attend the breakfast reservations they made if the actual breakfast was what was important to them. If not, they have the opportunity to cancel.

Just my thoughts on things (not that it is important to anyone).

 

[Spoiledraf]

Seems it was more important to walk up Main St. before rope drop. That is a real treat.
I'm not sure if it was actually EMH or just extended hours. Seems Disney is making a lot of days 8am - midnight to make up for all the party nights where you have to leave the park by 7pm. They did that a couple days during our recent visit.