What are the benefits of in-park dining before opening?

[swiss family robinso]

If you aren't interested in a character breakfast, how would an 8a.m. ADR at CP in MK benefit you with a 9a.m. park opening? I'm seeing this more often as a touring "trick" yet I don't understand how it gets one into the park deeper or onto a ride quicker. Am I missing something?

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

I don't know about CP helping but we did BOG and ate really fast. We were able to ride 7DMT 3 times in the first 45 minutes ( walk on, 15 min wait then 30 min wait) then the flood gates opened and poof! 3 hour wait lol

 

[CAS239]

Crystal palace won't do you any good. To get past the morning crowd you'd need to go to Be Our Guest.

I'd say 90% of people schedule PPO ADR so they can eat quickly then hop on a ride or hop in line before the crowd gets there.

If you're doing a PPO ADR then it's mainly going to be either BoG at MK or Garden Grill at Epcot

 

[hakepb]

And Hollywood and Vine at DHS for an earlier Jedi training sign up.

 

[sharonabe]

If you aren't interested in a character breakfast, how would an 8a.m. ADR at CP in MK benefit you with a 9a.m. park opening? I'm seeing this more often as a touring "trick" yet I don't understand how it gets one into the park deeper or onto a ride quicker. Am I missing something?

It sounds like you're seeing some older "touring trick" information. When MK changed its opening procedure to allow everyone on Main St an hour before park opening of 9:00 a.m., that "trick" went away. When everyone was held OUTSIDE until just before 9 a.m., it was a very good trick to get in the park and be at or near your ride of choice before the hoards being held outside were let into the park.

For the "trick" to work now, you have to be beyond the castle, and Be Our Guest is the only restaurant that is there, so you are beyond the masses when park opens and ahead of them in line.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

For the "trick" to work now, you have to be beyond the castle, and Be Our Guest is the only restaurant that is there, so you are beyond the masses when park opens and ahead of them in line.

Technically Cinderella’s Royal Table too. But, obviously not usually seen as a “trick” since that meal is more of an experience / takes more time / one you may not want to rush.

 

[momto3pirates]

It works at Epcot. PPO breakfast at Askersus will get you to Frozen before the rush. I will caution you though...park hours frequently change as the date gets closer.

 

[123SA]

I find that the benefit to eating at CP, or Tusker House, which doesn't get you on a ride earlier, is

1. Not waiting in the sun in the rope drop crowd for the park to open

2. At Tusker House, I'm not rushing with the crowd to walk to KS from the rope drop point, but rather we join the crowd outside the restaurant...a much more pleasant walk in the morning.

 

[tori.bh3]

My favorite character meal in all of "The World" is Garden Grill at Epcot. It's family style, which is excellent. The characters come to you and no risk of missing them due to buffet visits. To answer your question, if you get the earliest reservation, often times they will put you on Soarin' before the park opens as a private ride for only restaurant goers.

 

[rg35]

There seems limited benefit to it these days. There are quite a number of posts on here about people who made PPO ADRs only to have park hours change on them and the ADR no longer being PPO. It doesn't really seem worth the hassle (or the cost) to rush through a meal simply to ride an attraction one extra time but to each their own.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Just keep an eye on park opening hours to ensure your PPO ADR is still worth it. I would think CP wouldn't really help since most RDs head for Fantasyland so I would do BOG as PPs mentioned. Now if your goal is to hit adventure land or liberty square attractions, than CP could help since you'll be in that direction but most park guests RD Fantasyland but CP isn't that fast of a dining experience unless you really zip through the buffet and stick to one round.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

And to add if you book a PPO ADR, and they offer tickets for Extra Morning Magic on that day, you'll be golden since park hours cannot change on those days, so MK will open at 9am.