PPO BoG Reservations: as of 2020 are they holding you to your ADR time?

Herding_Cats

DIS Veteran
Joined
Aug 3, 2017
Editing again to ask:
AS OF 2020, ARE PPO BOG RESERVATIONS BEING HELD UNTIL THEIR ADR TIMES OR ARE THEY CONTINUING TO ALLOW ALL PPO RESERVATIONS PAST THE CASTLE WHEN THEY ARRIVE?

Adding a question....a sort of CYA thing...IF they change the procedures and stop allowing PPO reservations to be seated upon arrival, is there any benefit to me breaking our group into a table of 1 and a table of 2? I'm assuming that since it's QS we can sit wherever we want and could just sit together? Because I can definitely get earlier times for a party of 1 and a party of 2.

I currently have a BoG res for 855am on a day with EMM (which we are not purchasing....9am park opening.) We will have an infant, and we aren't planning on 7dmt, space, splash, or thunder. Mostly we are planning on getting into the beast's castle, doing a couple of rides such as PP, IASW, carousel, etc with the baby and then park hopping. There are 0 lunch reservation times available. HOWEVER, there *is* at 1010. We have the qsdp, so the price of breakfast isn't really an issue.

With that in mind, if we pre-order our food, how long will the meal likely take? Since we lose the "no lines" benefit because of our current reservation time AND EMM, would we be better off switching to 1010 and RD'ing PP, stop at the carousel, and then going to breakfast? OR would I be better off to keep checking for a cancellation for an early lunch, and we could do all our rides, eat, and then hop?
 
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EMM won't really affect the crowds, so take that out of the consideration.

If you arrive a bit before 8 and go straight to BOG they will actually seat you in order of arrival and not make you wait until 8:55, unless they change their practices between now and then. If you can go early and get out before 9, this is worth it. If not, the line for Peter Pan will be very long by the time you get out.

If not, I would rope drop and do your rides and then go to breakfast. At rope drop you could probably do Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, IASW and the carousel before 10:10. Dumbo, Voyage of the Little Mermaid and whatever else over there after.
 
If you arrive a bit before 8 and go straight to BOG they will actually seat you in order of arrival and not make you wait until 8:55, unless they change their practices between now and then.


wait. WHAT?! Because I would totally do that. And it would give SOOOOO much more time to the rest of the to get stuff done. Since I'm thinking about that....are there Photo Pass photogs out that early? thinking back-of-the-castle pics with super low crowds........


If you can go early and get out before 9, this is worth it. If not, the line for Peter Pan will be very long by the time you get out.

Right. And that's my concern. Since we would be there early I'd like to "save" my fastpasses for a different park.

If not, I would rope drop and do your rides and then go to breakfast. At rope drop you could probably do Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, IASW and the carousel before 10:10. Dumbo, Voyage of the Little Mermaid and whatever else over there after.

All in an hour? Whoa. I'm used to herding around a much larger group than just myself and DH, and that just seems like a LOT.
 
wait. WHAT?! Because I would totally do that. And it would give SOOOOO much more time to the rest of the to get stuff done. Since I'm thinking about that....are there Photo Pass photogs out that early? thinking back-of-the-castle pics with super low crowds........




Right. And that's my concern. Since we would be there early I'd like to "save" my fastpasses for a different park.



All in an hour? Whoa. I'm used to herding around a much larger group than just myself and DH, and that just seems like a LOT.
1. Yes, unless, as I said they change their practice before your trip. And yes there are Photo Pass people out. Did you know that opening has changed? If the park is to open at 9, EVERYONE is allowed onto Main Street at 8. People without BOG or CRT reservations will be held on Main Street/In the Hub. People with PPO breakfasts will be allowed to pass. So the photographers are out, but its not as low crowds as it used to be. I haven't seen photographers behind the castle at the hour but I also haven't looked. There are definitely lots at the entrance and on Main Street.

3. For just 3 people, at Rope drop, with an hour and 10 minutes, I think you can definitely do these particular 4 rides, as long as you do them in the right order. They are all right near each other and near BOG so you do not have far to walk.
 


Yes. We have been a couple of times since they changed the RD procedures, so I know about getting held at the castle, etc. I did NOT know about the ability to just show up at BoG super early for our reservation. YAY!
 
(also asking in the OP now)
Adding an additional question....a sort of CYA thing...IF they change the procedures and stop allowing PPO reservations to be seated upon arrival, is there any benefit to me breaking our group into a table of 1 and a table of 2? I'm assuming that since it's QS we can sit wherever we want and could just sit together? Because I can definitely get earlier times for a party of 1 and a party of 2.
 
(also asking in the OP now)
Adding an additional question....a sort of CYA thing...IF they change the procedures and stop allowing PPO reservations to be seated upon arrival, is there any benefit to me breaking our group into a table of 1 and a table of 2? I'm assuming that since it's QS we can sit wherever we want and could just sit together? Because I can definitely get earlier times for a party of 1 and a party of 2.
Sorry to keep answering you lol. I keep getting notifications so I come back hahahaha!
If there are earlier reservations available, I think it would be good to switch them just in case. As it is QS you are right, you will be able to sit wherever you want.
 


(also asking in the OP now)
Adding an additional question....a sort of CYA thing...IF they change the procedures and stop allowing PPO reservations to be seated upon arrival, is there any benefit to me breaking our group into a table of 1 and a table of 2? I'm assuming that since it's QS we can sit wherever we want and could just sit together? Because I can definitely get earlier times for a party of 1 and a party of 2.

There were some reports last year that they had indeed changed their practice and were no longer allowing all PPO back behind the castle. I didn't keep up with the chatter, so not sure how that played out.

I would definitely take those earlier ADRs if they are still available.
 
Yeah I grabbed them (dh is 20min before the one I got for me and baby), and I think the plan is that if they don’t let us in together that dh will pre order something for us to split, and I’ll just get a cupcake so we aren’t waiting for food forever.
I had seen some reports from November that they were making people stick to their adr but it wasn’t being enforced consistently (like a lot of things at Disney)
 
In May 2019, we were able to be seated early (in order of arrival not ADR order) at BoG. We had an 8:40am ADR and arrived just after 8am, seated right away.

We just went in January, and this was no longer the case. We went down Main Street, steered left at the hub with all the breakfast folks and arrived at the castle right at 8am. We had an 8:35am ADR and they were checking groups in no earlier than 15 minutes before your ADR time. So we sat and waited. I was a little frustrated because I could have moved it up the night before, but did not because I didn't think we'd have this issue. I have only heard one other person say they were held back from checking in early for BoG PPO. Perhaps it was a one off, or many folks don't even know you can check in early.

We have another PPO reservation in May. It's 8:20am for now. I will definitely move that up in the days before our trip. OP, I would suggest moving your times earlier as well. As a party of 1 or 2 if needed. DH ordering early and you with just a cupcake is a great idea. I find great availability just a few days out at BoG, so you might find an early time for a party of 3 in the days before you go.
 
Yeah I grabbed them (dh is 20min before the one I got for me and baby), and I think the plan is that if they don’t let us in together that dh will pre order something for us to split, and I’ll just get a cupcake so we aren’t waiting for food forever.
I had seen some reports from November that they were making people stick to their adr but it wasn’t being enforced consistently (like a lot of things at Disney)

I think I would still preorder on DH's ADR and preorder the cupcake on your ADR. This will allow both of you to skip the ordering line should you not be able to enter together.
 
OK. One more question, AND I'm going to edit the op/title because i would really like to know how they are ACTUALLY doing this right now most of the time.

Right now DH has an 820 ressie, and baby girl and I have 840. If I SPLIT us into 3 1-person groups, I can get 8, 810, and 820 (maybe 815) but THEN we have to order something for the baby. Which seems dumb. But I do NOT want to still be eating/waiting for food when the park opens. Do I split us further and then continue to look for a "group" time for earlier? UUUUGH.
 

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