I have 8:05am ADRs at Garden Grill in the end of July, CL 5 day, park open 9:00. I assume an hour is plenty of time for breakfast, especially as we’re not too worried if we have to miss meeting a character.
The first item on my touringplan is Soarin’ at 9:07am. It has it as a 30 minute wait already at that point. Is that really what I should expect, given that I’ll already be in the park and even in the building? I chose to use my FPP on something else, as I figured there wouldn’t be a huge wait that early. I’d hate to wait 27 minutes for our first ride of the day.
Also, is it a bad choice to do Soarin’ right after we eat? I do get motion sick, but was hoping to be able to handle it as everyone loves it so much…
Interested in responses because we have an 810 at Garden Grill in October. I posted on another forum and the responses were that you would have enough time to eat, as long as you asked for the bill when they brought your drinks. I dont like rides so I am ok with waiting for the bill etc so everyone else can head down and get inline.
Some said they open Epcot early, sometimes as early as 830 but others said they then hold people inside the park before releasing them. Very mixed responses.
We had an early ADR for Garden Grill last December - we likely arrived a little late as the Epcot monorail wasn’t running yet which we didn’t realize until getting to the TTC & then we had to get a CM to hook us up with a bus. Despite the late start (maybe 8:20 arrival?), we ate in a comfortable time, saw all the characters and were able to get right on Soarin’. I think we pretty much walked up to the FP merge line with no wait and I’d guess we were riding in 10 minutes or less. Overall it was a very good experience. And for your trip you’ll have an extra theater running, at least presuming they staff all of them at rope drop.
While I love Soarin’, I don’t consider it a real thrill ride where I’d be worried about being motion sick so eating was no issue for us. YMMV of course if you’re normally sensitive to the flying effects from Soarin’…
We were there Saturday morning, park opened at 9. First at tapstile and then they brought us to another rope inside the park around 8:30. We were on the first Soarin ride of the day, were let into the building and to lines by 8:50. As long as you are done eating and out the door by 08:45 you will not have a long wait. But…every minute after that is going to cause you problems. By the time we got off the ride at 9:15, line was posted 120 minutes. I doubt it was this long, but it was at least an hour.
We’ve gone to DW every year since 1994. We’ve been to Epcot several times when they opened at 8:30am and we walked all the way to Soarin. Usually, they’ll stop the guests just before the fountain. It depends on the crowd level they’re expecting (time of year). Time wise? Hmmm? Soarin and Test Track are the big front runners in Epcot, so they will get busy early on. They should have opened a third theater in Soarin, but rarely do they start up the entire ride during the first minutes of opening. When they start showing the new movie in Soarin, the lines will get even longer very early on. With all of this being said, I suggest a few things. Get to Epcot early early. Walking from the entrance to the Garden Grill isn’t a short walk. It will take you some time especially if you have young children. In other words, be sure to get to the Garden Grill before your stated res. There will be a lot of guests lined up at Soarin just before 9am. I’d expect at least a 30 minute wait when you come out, but it depends on the crowd level. Going to Soarin right after eating should not be a problem. It’s not like you’ll be going upside down or having drops.
Thanks! Good to know about the walk to Garden Grill. I hadn’t planned much early time for that. Leaving AKL at 7am was my plan, though, for 8:05 ADRs. Hope that’s enough time?
I’m one that likes to get to my Disney destination early, which kills my wife. You can figure about a 30 minute drive from AKL to Epcot. If you take the bus add another 10 minute wait at your bus stop. My guess they’ll start letting the breakfast guests in some time between 7:30 and 7:40am… I’d be at the gates by 7:30am. When you get into the park, you’ll walk past Spaceship Earth and then all the way to The Land Pavilion. I’d do what momtwofour suggested and ask for your bill before you’re finish with your meal. You should be able to get out of GG at a good time. I read over your posting again about you being motion sick. Are you flying? If so, then think of Soarin like being on an airplane without all the turbulence associated with the airplane. There are no spins and it’s a very slow up and down motion. I can get dizzy on rides that spin. Soarin is a walk in the park compared to the Primeval Whirl in AK.
@lawmandy another consideration in terms of Epcot crowds would be how the new Frozen attractions effect peoples FP choices and RD decisions. I have the same plan as you for our trip in September, but in all honesty until I hear more about how crowds are being dispersed throughout the park with the new theater and people trying to make tier 1 choices, I’m not sure how confident I am in my plans at this point.
@lawmandy, I would love to hear back from you on how your plan turned out. We have an 8:00am ADR at Garden Grill in early January. I recently heard on a podcast that some Garden Grill diners were able to ride Soarin’ before park opening. Perhaps this was a fluke or a singular moment of magic for those that were there that day, but I’m hoping that it might be repeated when we are there. Have a fabulous trip and let us know how it goes!
ok, 8:10 ADR, we were seated right away, saw all characters, some twice, had plenty of time to eat, and left at about 8:45. headed downstairs, walked onto Soarin at 8:55. no wait, other than waiting to open the doorsame. kids and husband were all very impressed with both breakfast and ride, and therefore with me. I am a hero, lol!
You can figure about a 30 minute drive from AKL to Epcot. If you take the bus add another 10 minute wait at your bus stop. My guess they’ll start letting the breakfast guests in some time between 7:30 and 7:40am… I’d be at the gates by 7:30am. When you get into the park, you’ll walk past Spaceship Earth and then all the way to The Land Pavilion. I’d do what momtwofour suggested and ask for your bill before you’re finish with your meal. You should be able to get out of GG at a good time. I read over your posting again about you being motion sick. Are you flying? If so, then think of Soarin like being on an airplane without all the turbulence associated with the airplane. There are no spins and it’s a very slow up and down motion. I can get dizzy on rides that spin. Soarin is a walk in the park compared to the Primeval Whirl in AK.