Which is a better time for an ADR?

[squirrel]

I'm taking my 4 yr old niece who is only 42" (no EE or PW). The only times for Donald's Breakfast were 9:55 am or 8:35am.

Is it better to go with the one before park opens or the later one?

 

[lovesdumbo]

I voted 9:55 but I really think either would work. I have found that later is a bit quieter. If you did the later breakfast you could go in at rope drop and ride Safari then have breakfast.

BUT...if you did the early breakfast I think they would let you in earlier than you ADR time. I prefer an ADR closer to 8am to be out closer to park opening at 9am.

When I'm planning I always think the early breakfast ADR's are so great. "We'll get to park extra early and get a jump on the day...." Then when I'm on the trip the reality of getting up early hits. "We have to get up when? What was I thinking booking such an early breakfast?"

 

[squirrel]

It's our first park day. We have dinner booked at Kona Cafe 5pm the night before.

I think she will be awake early, she didn't do too well with the time change a few weeks ago though.

I like the idea of getting some photos done before the crowds arrive. KS is the only thing we will probably FP, so I don't think missing the opening of the park will make a huge difference.

I'm always up early. I spend an hour writing in my niece's journal (about the previous day) and getting myself dressed and ready before I wake my niece up. This however will be this niece's first trip-I have been taking her older sister for the past 3 yrs on Disney trips.

 

[bitohoney]

I voted for the earlier one. There's nothing like getting into a park before they open!

 

[squirrel]

Great, now the poll is tied!

I want to cancel one - Don't want to be double booked for too long.

I need to get back to bed-I only slept about 4 hrs before getting up to book ADR's.

 

[dancin Disney style]

OK so my vote is fo the earlier time mainly because you are going to have a 3 hour time change right? Most likely you and your niece will be up real early on the first day. Be there before 8am and I bet they will seat you early....then you will be finished around the time the park is opening.

I hope you both have a great vacay.

 

[squirrel]

Okay, I just cancelled the later one! Now I can go back to bed, hopefully.

Not too worried about the park opening while we are eating. We will have at least one more day at AK.

 

[jdisnut]

Sorry to complicate the matter further, but I voted for the later time. Tusker House definitely empties a bit after an early rush, which leads to better character interaction. You can use the first hour after the park opens to enjoy a few major attractions and work up a big appetite for Tusker House's delicious buffet. It is my favorite character breakfast on property.

 

[squirrel]

Last year we had a late breakfast-10:20am and it was great. Hardley anyone was there. Characters came sometimes twice.

 

[Steelersfan]

This was a tough one because they both have good and bad.

On the plus side of the early one, you will be in the park early for sure. You should be done eating by 9:45 so the park will be pretty empty. Plus, you couldn't do all that much before the meal anyhow.

On the flip side, maybe with the later one, as long as you would have been in the park at 9:00, you could have went and got a fast pass for Kali River Rapids and rode the Safari's before your meal. This is risky though because that can take awhile.

The best option is to get the latest breakfast you can on an EARLY ENTRY day. That gives you a ton of options, but it wasn't available for you.

If I were you, take the early ADR you made and get in the park by 8:00. This way you can take it all in and maybe they will get you in a little early.

When you are done, go get a fast pass for Safari's as soon as you are done. Then go do It's Tough to be a Bug, the animal trails and all the stuff in Dino land until your Fastpass is due. You could always just jump in line too for the safaris if the line happens to be bearable.

Have fun

 

[SGMCO]

Just because you have a latter ADR time doesn't mean that you can't get
to AK at RD. We did that last trip and rode Safari and after checked in for our ADR at Tusker House. You usually can't get 2 Ressies that close together
because it will ask you to choose one or the other.

 

[squirrel]

Up now, after 3 1/2 hrs of sleep.

I don't know why it let me put the other one in my cart and check out without giving me a warning that I had two reservations.

 

[squirrel]

I checked this morning and Donald's Safari Breakfast was available at 8:05am. I booked that one and cancelled the 8:35am one.

I didn't think that an earlier time would come available as this is at the begining of my trip.