Getting to CRT on time for early breakfast.

[tehSAC]

I have read/heard different ways to make it to the MK early for breakfast reservations. We have an 8:05 reservation for CRT on our first day in the parks. I'm trying to get an consensus on what the best way to get to the MK early. We are staying at the AKL, and will be driving our own car. So...

Should we use Disney Transportation? If so how early do we need to be at the bus stop to get to MK on time?

Should we drive to MK and use the Monorail/Ferry? If so how early do you suggest we get to the lot?

Should I go the route of Making a reservation at The Wave for breakfast and park at the Contemporary? With the full intention of canceling the reservation and walking to the turnstiles. If so how early do we arrive at the Contemporary, and would we have any hang ups?

I'm looking for what you do or have done in the past. Other suggestions are welcome and encouraged. I just dont want to miss this breakfast, my 4 yr old would be devastated.

 

[Rob562]

Buses will start running by 7am (if not earlier) to get people to early breakfast reservations. Sometimes they run on set routes with the park/hotel names on the front of the bus, other times it'll just be a generic "Character Breakfast" bus and you tell the driver where you want to go. They'll drop you off right at the park.

I'd say that you probably want to be at the bus stop around 7:00-7:15am. That'll allow enough time to take the bus, get into the park and walk leisurely to the restaurant (taking pics without other Guests in them along the way)

-Rob

 

[3girlswdwdreams]

We just did this on friday. We had 8:05 at Crystal Palace. We drove our own car from Port Orleans. We left the room at 7:15, a little later than what I was shooting for.
We parked right in the closest row and made the very short walk to the transportation center. We were informed the monorail started running at 7:00... what we didn't know was it was the resort monorail, not the express to the magic kingdom... so we had to make the 2 stops before the MK... this made me a little nervous.
Also they weren't filling the monorails, which was very frustrating. We seemed to hit a morning with a lot of tour groups at the transportation center... so we waited through 3 monorails I believe before we got on one. We couldn't figure out why they weren't filling them... I could only guess that maybe it was because they had to leave room for resort guests to get on them at the 2 deluxe resorts... really not sure.

In any case, even with that and a slower walk down Main Street and 2 photopass stops We made it with 5 minutes to spare.

The only bummer was there was a retirement or something going on on Main Street friday morning.. cast members everywhere and chairs set up in the middle of the street...so there went my dream of no-people pics A cute little surprise though was seeing Mickey and Minnie waiting to make an appearance for whatever the ceremony was, they were hanging out at the Casey's door.. and waved good morning to my kids... which was very cute.

We are not big bus fans... we take it sometimes, but mostly use our own vehicle when we're at WDW, just prefer it. If you leave the resort by 7:00 I would say you will have AMPLE time to get there with some time to spare.

(the ferry was not running when we got there.. we were told 8:00 am, so would stick with the monorail and not the boat)

 

[tehSAC]

So it would be a bad idea to try and park at one of the resorts?


Either way thanks for the replies.

 

[3girlswdwdreams]

Since you have to take the monorail either way it wouldn't seem to me to save much time to go through the trouble of trying to park at the resorts or to make a 'fake' ressie.
Last week we went to the comtemporary with a reservation and they were very strict on parking, checked our ressie, etc before allowing us through the gate... when we went to the Poly with a ressie they just asked what we were doing there and let us right in, so I suppose you could give it a try without a ressie, (we did have our parking pass from our resort in the window, may have made a difference)
But again, not going to save much time over just going to the transportation center.

 

[tehSAC]

My thought was to walk from the contemporary, but I inderstand what your saying.

 

[Master Yoda]

So it would be a bad idea to try and park at one of the resorts?


Either way thanks for the replies.

Technically this is not allowed. Resort parking is for guests of that resort and guests dining there. (Dining guests are typically given a three hour parking pass) Because of the Contemporary's proximity to the Magic Kingdom parking is enforced there a little more than at the other resorts. If you make it to the Ticket and Transportation center by 7:30 you will have no problem making an 8:05 breakfast reservation. If you want some picture time before your ADR, get there by 7:00 AM.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

So it would be a bad idea to try and park at one of the resorts?


Either way thanks for the replies.

There's no reason to, and you'll end up having to move your car after 3 hours anyway, especially if you're at the Contemporary (where the actually enforce the parking rules!).

 

[tehSAC]

Thanks for all the help guys.

I think we will just arrive at TTC around 7, just to make sure it all works out for us.

 

[obrienIII]

The fastest way would be to take a cab to the Contemporary and taking the short walk to the Magic Kingdom.

 

[Dwarful]

Ask at the front desk when you check in. Our last trip in June we had to be at the bus stop at 7 AM. The bus driver asked everyone which breakfast they were headed to and made the rounds. We were the second stop..Chef Mickey's was first. We were in the parks and taking pictures by 7:30. can't wait to do it again this summer with a whole new group of early breakfast first timers.

 

[jayhawkmickey]

My wife and I stayed at POP this September and had no trouble making our 8:00am breakfast at CRT. We did catch the first bus at 7:00am and we were in the park by 7:30. The best thing the world is to have the time to take pictures with an empty park in the daylight, especially Main Street. Just make sure you have your conf.# for entry into the park. Enjoy the french toast! Mmmmmm. :slurp:

 

[dreamscometrue]

Ahhh...double post. Ignore this...see next one.

 

[dreamscometrue]

Buses will start running by 7am (if not earlier) to get people to early breakfast reservations. Sometimes they run on set routes with the park/hotel names on the front of the bus, other times it'll just be a generic "Character Breakfast" bus and you tell the driver where you want to go. They'll drop you off right at the park.

-Rob

So, besides the regular park busses, there are 'Character Dining' busses that transport people to the parks? If so, do all resorts get them? Are they scheduled? Only for early a.m. character dining? If they don't have a set route, could we get on one and it'll take 'forever' to get us to our drop off?

Thanks, I just don't know anything about these.