MK rope drop and dining reservations

[IWantMyMagicBand]

What happens with regard to breakfast dining and the new rope drop if it's not EMH?
We have breakfast at CP 8.20. Can we walk through the castle if we eat quickly and be front of line-ish at PFH for Anna & Elsa or do we have to wait somewhere to merge with the rope drop masses?
I can't figure out how it would work if we had to wait and merge, but if the lands are all roped off I'm not sure how that works either.

 

[marni1971]

IIRC go to the right hand portal under the railroad. There should be a CM at the rope to check your ressie and let you in to the CP. After that the lands are usually roped off from the hubs I'll leave it to someone else to take it from here

 

[IWantMyMagicBand]

We've eaten pre-opening and pre-Frozen before so know how to get in but since the new rope drop procedure has been implemented, it's the after eating that is confusing me. Everything to do with official park opening is geared toward the Frozen crowd. I'd be pretty peeved if I was front for rope drop and as I approached the castle, was greeted by a hoard of people who had dining reservations that morning and were jumping in right ahead of me.
And what about those who eat at CRT, they are already the "other side" so why should they get in but not those eating at CP?

 

[draybook]

The people that have CRT reservations are roped off right before NFL begins, or at least that's how it was last year. Not sure it's that way still, but I'd imagine that's similar to the current setup.

 

[Tuvalu]

What happens with regard to breakfast dining and the new rope drop if it's not EMH?
We have breakfast at CP 8.20. Can we walk through the castle if we eat quickly and be front of line-ish at PFH for Anna & Elsa or do we have to wait somewhere to merge with the rope drop masses?
I can't figure out how it would work if we had to wait and merge, but if the lands are all roped off I'm not sure how that works either.

I think you are needlessly stressing. With an 8:20 ADR you would be hard pressed to get seated, eat and visit with the characters, get your check, reconcile the bill and still be at the castle before the 9 am rope drop into Fantasyland.

 

[IWantMyMagicBand]

I think you are needlessly stressing. With an 8:20 ADR you would be hard pressed to get seated, eat and visit with the characters, get your check, reconcile the bill and still be at the castle before the 9 am rope drop into Fantasyland.

Me and my daughter plan on leaving early if need be (even though we are all eat and runners anyway so we are likely to be done by 9). I'm just wondering about the mechanics of breakfast ADRs and early queuing for Frozen. The boys want to do something else, probably mine train or Pan. It was a middle of the night musing, maybe I should contact Disney direct....

 

[Disvillain63]

Not sure you'll be done at 9 with an 8:20 ADR...that's really fast. You're presuming that they'll have you seated by 8:20 and 30 minutes to eat and then be ready for RD.

 

[IWantMyMagicBand]

Not sure you'll be done at 9 with an 8:20 ADR...that's really fast. You're presuming that they'll have you seated by 8:20 and 30 minutes to eat and then be ready for RD.

Yes,we are quick eaters and we are not there for the characters. I can carry three plates in one go. We, as a family, are done eating quick as it's the least favourite thing for my kids to do.
And regardless whether I have the first reservation or a reservation when I do, my point is not to do with how quick we eat, if need be me and my daughter will leave if we have to to get to PFH. My point is how do breakfast ADRs get to through the castle, or merge with the rope drop masses.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

The people that have CRT reservations are roped off right before NFL begins, or at least that's how it was last year. Not sure it's that way still, but I'd imagine that's similar to the current setup.

In Feb the rope was across the two shops (Sir Mickey's and the dress shop) before the carousel and FTH.

 

[draybook]

In Feb the rope was across the two shops (Sir Mickey's and the dress shop) before the carousel and FTH.

Oops, that's what I meant.

 

[KingdomofDreams]

Not to de-rail the thread (sorry OP) but reading this kind of sparked a question in my mind about this. This is just curiosity on my part, but how does all this work when it's EMH that morning? I assume ropes are down to allow the resort guests to access the rides that are open. How do they filter out those who are resort guests and those who are non-resort guests who are there for early breakfast ADRs?

 

[wogwog]

Not to de-rail the thread (sorry OP) but reading this kind of sparked a question in my mind about this. This is just curiosity on my part, but how does all this work when it's EMH that morning? I assume ropes are down to allow the resort guests to access the rides that are open. How do they filter out those who are resort guests and those who are non-resort guests who are there for early breakfast ADRs?

Last I heard a couple of weeks ago from front gate cast reservations are confirmed for early breakfast at the park entrance now. This used to be a bit lax and use the honor system on early dining but like most things abused by guests who think they are "special" stopped all that with the Frozen dash, now turned into a walk. Security began challenging people in the park that did not look like they were heading for breakfast but just loitering to beat the rope drop.

 

[horizons82]

To answer the original question...

We've done the Crystal Palace twice before park opening on non-EMH days. One reservation was for 8:10 and another was for 8:30. In both cases we saw characters and enjoyed our food and were done before the rope-drop. For the 8:30 reservation we checked in early and were seated well before our 8:30 time, making it easy to still make it to the 'inner' rope drop.

As far as when you finish with your meal...

The last time we did this, you could freely walk around Main St. and the hub area as they were open, but the secondary ropes would keep you from going into the individual 'lands'. As for Fantasyland, there was a rope on the other side of the castle, just before the carousel. By the time 9am came, some people from CRT had also made their way to the rope, and there was a small crowd waiting for the drop. However, everyone seemed to go to different things, so it still felt very empty for a while. (Although this was before the whole Anna/Elsa M & G).

What was nice was that even though the front of the park had rope drop at the same time, it still took a while for those at the front to make their way back, so it was definitely worth it. In all, we felt like we had a good 30-45 minutes of an empty park, and then still another 2-3 hours of very low AM crowds and accomplished a LOT! Unless something has changed, I'd say those with early ADRs already there for the inner rope drop will have even more time now that the front entrance drop is now an orderly walk rather than a free-for-all run.

Even though I have not done this on EMH mornings, I'd assume the 'inner' ropes are down and after breakfast you'd be able to walk around the park, but maybe not get admitted onto the attractions...?

Good luck and hope this helps!

 

[horizons82]

Last I heard a couple of weeks ago from front gate cast reservations are confirmed for early breakfast at the park entrance now. This used to be a bit lax and use the honor system on early dining but like most things abused by guests who think they are "special" stopped all that with the Frozen dash, now turned into a walk. Security began challenging people in the park that did not look like they were heading for breakfast but just loitering to beat the rope drop.

I can say that one time we had pre-hours ADRs and they did not check for a reservation nor ask any questions. There was a sign showing where guests with early ADRs could go and we basically just walked in no questions asked (which really surprised me). Again, this was before the whole Anna/Elsa madness though...

Even then I wondered what kept people from making early reservations and just eating the $10 no-show fee (which would be cheaper than paying for the breakfast) just to have a chance to be inside early for the inner rope drop.

I'm sure with Anna & Elsa they are MUCH more vigilant to make sure people have reservations before getting in, but there is no way to 'force' people to have breakfast as opposed to just taking on the $10 fee, unless they were to start going to a pre-paid thing where you pay the flat rate even if you no-show.

 

[Tuvalu]

Even though I have not done this on EMH mornings, I'd assume the 'inner' ropes are down and after breakfast you'd be able to walk around the park, but maybe not get admitted onto the attractions...?

EMH guests are limited to Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. There are CMs and ropes blocking the entrances to the other lands until the regular 9 am opening.

 

[BigTxEars]

I still want to see you slog someone so if anybody gets out of line at rope drop....

 

[horizons82]

EMH guests are limited to Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. There are CMs and ropes blocking the entrances to the other lands until the regular 9 am opening.

But what about those who are in the park for early ADRs but are NOT hotel guests...they can't go on the attractions though, can they?

 

[Tuvalu]

I'm sure with Anna & Elsa they are MUCH more vigilant to make sure people have reservations before getting in, but there is no way to 'force' people to have breakfast as opposed to just taking on the $10 fee, unless they were to start going to a pre-paid thing where you pay the flat rate even if you no-show.

CRT must be paid in full when booked, so that would be an expensive no-show. Not sure about CP.

 

[Tuvalu]

But what about those who are in the park for early ADRs but are NOT hotel guests...they can't go on the attractions though, can they?

I don't know if this was enforced before, but since resort guests have MagicBands now I imagine those without bands could not ride during EMH.

 

[horizons82]

CRT must be paid in full when booked, so that would be an expensive no-show. Not sure about CP.

Yes, that is right about CRT...I forgot they do charge in advance, so yes that WOULD be an expensive no show!

Last time we were at CP though we didn't pay until the end of the meal.