Whats a good time for breakfast in Disney?

We are going for the first time. Im going to book Chef Mickey and the Tusker House for the breakfast buffets.

Should we hit up a few rides before or is it a good idea to get eating over with early like around 8ish? Or should I book reservations for around 10ish? What are your experiences?

Both of the days we were going to go the those particular parks are when they open an hour earlier for guests.

Re: Whats a good time for breakfast in Disney?

If you're going to get in early for the special hours, it would be kinda a waste to spend that time eating somewhere! I'd say go enjoy the quieter park and then make your reservation for more of the "prime time" when it'll be more crowded. Plus, if you eat a little later, you can have lunch a bit later, which means you'll be out enjoying rides while everyone else is eating.

Plan at least an hour for the meal itself -- maybe even a little more. It's a fun experience, so why rush it? What we did our last trip there was to bring small munchies to eat first thing in the morning (like granola bars) so we weren't starving, then getting to the park and going on some popular rides and also picking up a fast pass for something we'd want to go on after lunch, then going to eat.

There was one meal I remember we booked their first dinner reservation (i think at 3 pm) simply because we wanted to eat there but they weren't open for lunch. We shifted our schedule completely that day to stay up pretty late for late hours at another park, so it worked out. I'm pretty sure we just grabbed a late breakfast / early lunch to tide us over otherwise.

Re: Whats a good time for breakfast in Disney?

The days the parks are open early for Extra Magic Hours are their most crowded! I actually try to avoid the parks on their extra magic morning days. The extra magic evening hours are a different story - the parks are more crowded at night but seem to be a little emptier during the day.

But since you asked, I am a wake up and hit the parks early kind of person. I'd say on a normal day, I like to be at breakfast by 8 at the latest. If you were going to extra magic hours, I would actually hit up some rides first and then do breakfast around 10-10:30.

Re: Whats a good time for breakfast in Disney?

Well it depends I personally prefer to be done eating and at the gates at rope drop (when the park opens). So if you want to eat at Chef Mickey's I would want to be done about 40 mins before MK opens so you have time to walk over there (you don't have to take the monorail there is a walking path between the MK and the contemporary). This way you can hit the rides before the lines get long or when there is no line at all.

10 is prime park touring time - so it really depends on you. I like to take a break during the day esp when we traveled with young kids - so we would leave right around or after lunch. If you eat at say 10 am - you won't want to leave the park an hour or 2 later for a break. But it might not be such a big deal for you if you don't mind waiting in line, if it isn't a busy time of the year, or you don't intend to return to your resort b.c you plan to stay in the parks the entire day.

The advantage of having buffet breakfast at say 10 -is that you don't really need lunch you could just do breakfast and dinner with a mid day snack. Just keep in mind they ask you to check in approximately 15 mins before your ADR time so you would have to check in at 945 am - and you would not get park time prior to that (even if they open at 8 it would be tricky to do both unless you are eating in the park at a place like crystal palace). The 10 time might also work if you plan to stay late in the parks, and sleep in then head to the parks.

Re: Whats a good time for breakfast in Disney?

Re: Whats a good time for breakfast in Disney?

We also tend to stay away from the parks with Extra Magic Hours, but when you go and the overall crowd levels that are expected can make a big difference.

I find it rather pleasant having an ADR when the park is not yet open. You really get a whole different perspective, and if you're a shutterbug, it's a great time to get some photos.

That said, Animal Kingdom will let you in only as far as Tusker House, and I don't know that there is much to see on the way there (not like MK for instance). Since Chef Mickey's is not in a park, and early reservation won't yield you much, especially if the Magic Kingdom has a morning EMH.


Bob
Mouse Tales Travel

Re: Whats a good time for breakfast in Disney?

I just got back from Disney and I had 8:10 am reservations for Donald's safari (AK) and Princess breakfast (Epcot) when both those parks opened at 9 am...and It was great...both lines for the meals were EXTREMELY crowded to get in when we were leaving...and we were able to go get our morning fast-passes and start our day in the parks!

I def recommend it!

It was also pretty cool to walk through the parks with no one in it yet!

Re: Whats a good time for breakfast in Disney?

I never did a breakfast meal when I plan to go to the parks - we always save our character meal breakfast for the day we travel home. We are the type that rather eat a quick breakfast and spend most of our times at the parks. DH run down and grab something or we brought cereal or stuff for the room. One year we at conceirge service so ate fast there in the mornings for breakfast. I think it really depends on your game plan. On our travel days we plan it around the time to go home. Being we have to travel to the hotels to have breakfast - we usually like 9ish for breakfast.