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MK Restaurants For Breakfast Before Park Opening?

RMichael21

RMichael21

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We're currently looking at either Monday 7/25 or Tuesday 7/26 to have breakfast at Crystal Palace prior to park opening. We don't mind getting up early, so that's not an issue. Both days the parks open at 9, so how early should I make the reservation for? Also, after we finish eating (presumably before rope drop), where do I go? I'd also like to get some shots of empty main street, so the earlier the better. Reservations for Crystal Palace begin at 8 AM both days.
 
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DisneyFans4Life

DisneyFans4Life

Well-Known Member
Breakfast at CP can take longer since there are characters there...so taking an hour (or more) to eat isn't unheard of. After that...you can walk around the park and take pictures until the rides open.
 
RMichael21

RMichael21

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
DisneyFans4Life said:
Breakfast at CP can take longer since there are characters there...so taking an hour (or more) to eat isn't unheard of. After that...you can walk around the park and take pictures until the rides open.
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Sounds great! I think we'll be looking at an 8:00 AM Reservation. :D Thanks for the help!
 
R

Ray B

Member
DisneyFans4Life said:
Breakfast at CP can take longer since there are characters there...so taking an hour (or more) to eat isn't unheard of. After that...you can walk around the park and take pictures until the rides open.
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So if you are done with breakfast a little before park opening, they will let you walk around the park? How much access do you have?
 
Animaniac93-98

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
Ray B said:
So if you are done with breakfast a little before park opening, they will let you walk around the park? How much access do you have?
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Main Street & the hub walkways are open to allow breakfast guests to get to Crystal Palace and Cinderella's Royal Table, and for those with reservations at BBB. Beyond those pathways, no buildings or other sections are open. You can take pictures on MS or in front of the castle, but that's it.
 
Clamman73

Clamman73

Well-Known Member
Animaniac93-98 said:
Main Street & the hub walkways are open to allow breakfast guests to get to Crystal Palace and Cinderella's Royal Table, and for those with reservations at BBB. Beyond those pathways, no buildings or other sections are open. You can take pictures on MS or in front of the castle, but that's it.
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And Be Our Guest, but they won't let you go up to Gaston's/Mermaid area.
 
mergatroid

mergatroid

Well-Known Member
RMichael21 said:
We're currently looking at either Monday 7/25 or Tuesday 7/26 to have breakfast at Crystal Palace prior to park opening. We don't mind getting up early, so that's not an issue. Both days the parks open at 9, so how early should I make the reservation for? Also, after we finish eating (presumably before rope drop), where do I go? I'd also like to get some shots of empty main street, so the earlier the better. Reservations for Crystal Palace begin at 8 AM both days.
Click to expand...

We go each year now and get 8am reservations. Usually arrive at the MK entrance for about 7:45am and enter then. Have a great opportunity to get photos on Main Street with it practically deserted and the few people on (who are doing the same thing) are usually very understanding and stay out of our shots as we do theirs. To be honest we rarely finish before 9am as we love to take our time and watch the characters come round. For the price we pay we feel we should get our money's worth rather than rushing out for 9am.

Best advice is to get there 15-20 mins before 8 and take your photos on Main Street and check in at the CP. Book FP's starting with your first at 9-10am and if you're done before 9 fine, if not you've got till 10 to use your first FP, enjoy.
 
RMichael21

RMichael21

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Would I be able to make a reservation and not actually eat, just to get into the park early and take pictures? I'm not sure I would want to do that, but I'm just curious.
 
Animaniac93-98

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
RMichael21 said:
Would I be able to make a reservation and not actually eat, just to get into the park early and take pictures? I'm not sure I would want to do that, but I'm just curious.
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You would be charged $10 per person for failing to cancel a dining reservation less than 24 hours before hand. Keep in mind that there are many other people who would very much like to have and use that reservation. :)
 
Animaniac93-98

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
Another point on pictures, when I last had an 8:00am Crystal Palace seating Disney was doing some filming on Main Street. All guests had to stay to one side of the street so those taking pictures couldn't from certain spots. This obviously doesn't happen every day, but anything can. Remember, the park isn't "officially" open to the public at that time.

That same day there was fog so thick you couldn't even see the castle at the end of the street! Just a wall of grey...surprised they even bothered to film, but I guess that's something they just fix in post production.
 
mergatroid

mergatroid

Well-Known Member
RMichael21 said:
Would I be able to make a reservation and not actually eat, just to get into the park early and take pictures? I'm not sure I would want to do that, but I'm just curious.
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As pointed out by somebody else, you get charged if you don't show up. To make your reservation you have to provide a credit card number so there's no getting around this. To be honest the first time we went I was more excited about entering the park early for pictures, than I was for the meal itself. Once in, the almost empty Main Street was very enjoyable and unique but the fun having the meal and seeing the characters interact with people of various ages overshadowed that. There's something very satisfying about being in the Crystal Palace at about 8:10am, eating food, watching children hugging characters and knowing that when you're done you've still the rest of the day ahead of you in the park. It really is a very pleasurable way to pass some time and start the day :cool:
 
HouCuseChickie

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
As much as I like having the first ADR, I always seem to get better pics when we have slightly later pre-park opening ADRs. By 8am, most people are trying to check in to their restaurant, tour, or BBB...so, there's often a temporary lull in the pre-park opening crowds around that point which can mean people free pics by the Partners statue and the castle. Of course, you will be finishing up your meal a tad later.

I would get to MK by about 7:30a to get in the line to be let in for pre-park opening ADRs, tours, etc. We've always been let in between 7:40-7:45. We usually finish up right about 9am or just after when we've had the 8am slot, but really not too much later with the slightly later slots. Since they've started letting regular guests in around 8:45am, you won't really have issue with getting around in the park after your ADR. Considering the popularity of these ADRs, I personally wouldn't book it just to ditch it. I mean, it's nice to be in the parks early and see things with very low crowds, but aside from the common courtesy aspect...I don't think it's so cool that it's worth being assessed a $10 pp no show fee to just keep walking around and skip the meal.
 

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