We often talk about pre-park opening breakfast reservations, but not about the attraction perks that sometimes come along with those.
None of these are guaranteed, but are often added bonuses for people attending an early pre-park opening Disney World breakfast.
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Here’s how it works…
Some general Disney World breakfast advice
Make your dining reservation as early as possible
To increase your chances of being able to eat and visit an attraction before park opening, you’ll want to make your dining reservation as early as possible. The parks will usually open at 9:00, with the earliest breakfast reservation being at 8:05.
People with early reservations should be sure to show up by 7:15-7:30 to get into the breakfast reservation line and enter the park as soon as they allow. Be sure you know how you will navigate to the park to make sure you’re there on time.
What if you don’t have an 8:05 reservation? Let’s say your reservation is at 8:20 or 8:40. You will want to behave as though you have an 8:05 reservation and hope the restaurant will seat you earlier. This is more likely to happen at some places (like Garden Grill) than others (like Cinderella’s Royal Table), but it won’t hurt to try.
Some park hours warnings
There are some park hours things that can affect your Disney World breakfast reservations.
1.) Opening park hours sometimes change after you’ve made your dining reservation which might mean that the park will open at 8:00. That would mean you’ll be dining while the park is open and won’t get to ride anything before the park opens.
2.) Extra Magic Hours scheduled in the morning mean that lots of people will already be riding by the time you finish eating.
3.) Early Morning Magic at Magic Kingdom is a ticketed event that allows people to enter Magic Kingdom on select mornings and visit Fantasyland attractions. They don’t sell too many tickets to this so this shouldn’t affect you too much.
Pay for your food early
All of the restaurants below (except Be Our Guest) are fixed-price Table Service meals, so you should ask for your check shortly after being seated so you aren’t wasting time after eating waiting to pay.
Be Our Guest is the only exception because it’s a Quick Service location where you pay for your food before you get it. To save yourself some time at Be Our Guest, you can order food online up to 30 days beforehand. Get more info on ordering breakfast at Be Our Guest.
Magic Kingdom
The current park opening procedure at Magic Kingdom allows anybody to enter the park all the way to The Hub in front of the castle. However, people with early reservations will be able to go beyond that for their breakfast reservations. Just look for somebody holding the breakfast reservation sign in The Hub area telling you where to go.
Be Our Guest and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Be Our Guest is a fantastic Magic Kingdom pre-park opening breakfast choice since it’s the least expensive, quickest, and because people who are finished eating before the park opens are often allowed to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – a huge perk since it’s one of the hardest FastPass+ reservations to get, and the standby line builds FAST.
Cinderella’s Royal Table and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Cinderella’s Royal Table is another Magic Kingdom location where you can often ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train if you’re done before park opening, but it’s not easy to do since the meal takes much longer. However, if you happen to have a reservation right when it opens and are able to eat and meet characters quickly, you can head toward Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
Epcot
Garden Grill and Soarin’
Garden Grill is a WDW Prep favorite character meal at Disney World, and people dining there before Epcot opens who are finished by about 8:40 can often hop on Soarin’ before the park opens. Service is fast, food is delicious, you’ll get to see the characters, and then you often get to walk downstairs to board Soarin’.
Akershus and Frozen Ever After
Akershus princess breakfast is located right next to Frozen Ever After, and many people have been able to board before the park opens.
Hollywood Studios
Hollywood & Vine and Jedi Training Signup
Signing up for Jedi Training at Hollywood Studios is very competitive and requires being at Hollywood Studios early, but people with pre-park opening breakfast reservations often get to do it before they eat and before the crowds arrive.
Animal Kingdom
Tusker House and Kilimanjaro Safaris
Tusker House is located in the Africa section close to Safaris. People finishing up early are usually able to head to Safaris before the park opens.
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Have you been able to do a Disney World breakfast with a ride? Or have you done something else that’s not on the list? Please share in the comments.
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Lisa
Thursday 23rd of January 2020
We have a picky eater. Since BOG is quick service ..does everyone in party have to order an entrée? Have an 8:05 reservation and hoping to get to 7DMT before park opening. THANKS
Karan
Wednesday 11th of September 2019
If we do Hollywood and Vine character breakfast, would we be able to line up for one of the new Star Wars rides? We are going in January, so they both should be open.
Jenna Murphy
Tuesday 19th of March 2019
How do you get to the park if the buses don't leave until 45 minutes before the park opens?
Shannon Albert
Tuesday 19th of March 2019
The buses start much earlier than that, even if Disney says they don't. This link jumps you right to a section that gives you the times the transportation begins - https://wdwprepschool.com/guide-to-all-character-meals-at-disney-world/#Transportation_to_early_morning_character_meals_at_Disney_World
Heather
Saturday 1st of September 2018
Hello we have a reservation for BOG at 8:30 in November I plan to get there as early as possible to hopefully get seated sooner. I'm really wanting to get pictures in front of the castle before the park gets crowded. Would we be able to do that before heading to the reservation or after were done eating ? Thank you. This is our first trip! :)
Amanda
Friday 27th of September 2019
We went in January and we were able to get pictures before walking to breakfast for our 8:05am reservation at BOG. There are photographers on Main Street that early! After breakfast, we hopped in the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train line. They were off the ride two minutes after the park opened. It was so nice!
Stephanie Herrod
Thursday 30th of August 2018
What is the earliest possible reservation for Hollywood & Vine in Hollywood Studios? I have a 9:05 scheduled... but if earlier slots are sometimes available I will keep watching closely to bump it back earlier.