Character breakfast: What time?

[Alex2kMommy]

During our trip in September, the parks don't open until 10:00 a.m. on weekdays. I was thinking of scheduling a character breakfast, probably on a Wednesday (non-EE day.) I think my boys (DS5 and DS2) would enjoy Lilo & Stitch, and I was thinking of scheduling the breakfast beforehand. What time should I schedule it, allowing plenty of time for character interaction and getting to the park at opening? Thanks!

 

[agoofylover]

Hey Alex2Kmommy! I was going to ask this too, to see if I should change my time. I think your idea is good, unless you are like us and have breakfast included at your hotel. I'm trying to save some $, so we are going Mon @ 11am. This gives our EE from 9-10 and another 45 minutes at the park...then we have our "brunch" to tide us over and take a little break. They take reservations up until 11:30 and they are open for another 1-1/2 hours after that the cm said. I'm hoping the characters will still be around. The cm said that you just let a cm know if you haven't gotten enough attention and they will make it happen.

 

[hlbtimes2]

I would probably go at 8am. That gives you 1 1/2 hours to eat, 15 min to get to the park, and you are still in line before opening.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Linda, do you realize you have answered a huge amount of my questions? It's a good thing I don't know exactly where you live, or you might never hear the end of me and my questions!

Oh, and THANK YOU! I'll go make my PSes now...

 

[kimntrent]

If you want to go to a great Character Breakfast then head over to Storytellers in Grand Californian. It is amazing. There is a lot of one on one attention with the characters from brother bear, chip and dale, and more. They have a buffet and a regular menu. We have never done the buffet and that is what turns us off on character breakfasts, but the fact that we can get great menu items and the characters is great. Plus you are right at the enterance to DCA with their back enterance or 1/2 way to the enterance to DL. It has a very Wilderness Lodge design to the restaurant too.

 

[Dale-n-Chip]

They take reservations up until 11:30 and they are open for another 1-1/2 hours after that the cm said.

I vote for first seating or last seating. We were at first seating at Storytellers in Dec and had the place practically all to ourselves! DS5 got fabulous interaction with Dale (his namesake), Koda, Kenai, Terk and Ranger Dave (a CM in a forest ranger suit--probably the group's "handler"). Seriously, probably five families in the restaurant in the 40 minutes we took for breakfast. Plus the food on the buffet was FRESH--one of my major buffet complaints erased there.

The advantage of an 11:30 seating in my mind: 1. More time in your morning touring plan. 2. As families leave and they aren't being replaced at tables, your ratio of diners to characters becomes much more favorable. The characters are going to be there until 1, regardless of the number of patrons in the restaurant. and 3. It's a great transition from park to break-time.

Just my two cents!

mk

 

[agoofylover]

Dale-n-chip,

Your two cents are well taken! I was going to choose the 11:30, but remembered it was just a priority seating...and not exactly the set time.(atleast that is the recording said while I was on hold). I was worried that if we did that...and didn't get seated until 11:45 or later, that it would really cut down on our time for characters and food. I am thinking that 12:30 was what the cm said for closing, now that I really think about it. 11 would give us a little longer, who knows. Smart thinking Dale!!
agoofylover

 

[hlbtimes2]

Linda, do you realize you have answered a huge amount of my questions? It's a good thing I don't know exactly where you live, or you might never hear the end of me and my questions!

Oh, and THANK YOU! I'll go make my PSes now...

I'm probably just far enough south of you to make it not worth the drive to come bother me.

Hopefully all of my answers have actually been good ones. I would hate for you to be planning your trip around what I have told you and then have it suck!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

Having the parks open at 10 am really works in your favor there. I agree with doing it on a non EE day. This year we did it on Wednesday too, and had our reservation for 7:15 am. Which meant getting in to the park when it was already opened, I think we got to the parks around 8:45 am or so.

So yeah I would completely go with a 8 am reservation. Gives you plenty of time to eat, have the character experience and get to the parks before opening!

 

[Rapunsel]

PPH for Lilo and stitch is about a 15 minute walk from the security check point..

Just plan that in also. We went at 9:15 and soon after we arrived.. Lilo dissipeared for about 1 hour.. So that was not fun..

Food was good. though