Advantage to Garden Grill PPO for anything other than Soarin???

[4Rfamily]

It seems clear that the main advantage to PPO Garden Grill is to be one of the first to ride Soarin. While it is on my list, it's number 4 at Epcot and from what I understand it's easy enough to ride with short waits a little later. My daughter recently told us she loves Chip N Dale and we need 1 more reservation since we got free dining so I'm considering this option. My DH and I would like to ride Soarin but my kids (4 & 9) aren't sure yet.

Would we gain any advantage on RD crowds to skip Soarin after breakfast and head for FEA or Remy assuming we FP TT?

If the whole family does ride or just 1 parent (not attempting rider switch for this at RD), could we have enough time to join the RD crowd and get a decently short wait for FEA or Remy?

Trying to figure out if we might lose more than we gain with this strategy.

 

[epcotobsessed]

It's a great option if you have free dining. Not worth it at all if you're paying OOP but I know others would disagree. If your daughter loves Chip and Dale, that's another reason to go with GG. You definitely will NOT get a leg up on FEA or Remy if you go to GG and try to ride Soarin - they won't open Soarin until the park opens, maybe a few minutes before. If you want a leg up on FEA or Remy, book Akershus breakfast (and get an upgrade on food choices and quality from GG - again, my opinion).

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I would think you'd be behind the crowd for anything but Soarin'. I think the only real advantage with this ADR is the actual meal lol.

 

[Mango7100]

Yes, Soarin is the only advantage, and it is the easiest tier 1 FP to pick up day of so I don’t see a big advantage. I personally dont like dropping $41 per adult to feel rushed and eat in 45 min—I’m just the type that would be watching the clock the whole time. We did a 945 breakfast New Years week and spent well over an hour with a leisurely breakfast (and saw everyone twice)

 

[CalSea12]

I think it's a great restaurant with awesome food and character interaction so if you want that then def go! I usually do a PPO for Soarin.. but I dont think it will get you anything but Soarin.

We also really like Akershus PPO and do that for FEA. We do GG and Akershus each at least once a trip. If I had to choose one, then I would think which ride is most important to be bc TBH both breakfasts are great.

I really hope they do something for a breakfast over near France. How awesome would a little French breakfast followed by Remy be!

 

[azarine]

We have booked this and plan to head straight to Test Track after breakfast, then Soarin. Have read other reports that this worked well.

 

[YawningDodo]

I would think you'd be behind the crowd for anything but Soarin'. I think the only real advantage with this ADR is the actual meal lol.

Yep, this. And tbh I don't think it's hard to get on Soarin' at rope drop without an ADR these days.

 

[4Rfamily]

I think it's a great restaurant with awesome food and character interaction so if you want that then def go! I usually do a PPO for Soarin.. but I dont think it will get you anything but Soarin.

We also really like Akershus PPO and do that for FEA. We do GG and Akershus each at least once a trip. If I had to choose one, then I would think which ride is most important to be bc TBH both breakfasts are great.

I really hope they do something for a breakfast over near France. How awesome would a little French breakfast followed by Remy be!

Yes this seems like a better plan as far as ride strategy, however it's a challenge to plan for this far out since the ride and food options may not be open until much closer to our trip and certainly past our FP window. We will be there end of June/beginning of July. Right now we are only planning 1 Epcot ay at the beginning of our trip but we might considering coming back on the last day if we can get a FP or at RD just for Remy, depending on how our Epcot day goes.

 

[Tiki_Sara]

Is Akershus nearer to France than The Land?

 

[DGsAtBLT]

We don’t have any idea what rope drop will look like when Ratatouille opens, but I would think the biggest advantage would be just using IG at regular opening instead of trying to strategically use an ADR at one of the already existing breakfasts.

 

[wilkydelts]

Can someone please clarify how either character breakfast options help you at RD or get on rides earlier. I am unable to follow the explanations and abbreviations.

 

[Dug720]

Can someone please clarify how either character breakfast options help you at RD or get on rides earlier. I am unable to follow the explanations and abbreviations.

In the case being discussed here, if you have a Pre-Park Opening (PPO) Advance Dining Reservation (ADR) at Garden Grill (GG), you will be allowed into the park to go to the restaurant before it even opens. Reports are that as long as your ADR is PPO they will seat you in order of arrival regardless - so you could have an 8:45am ADR , get there just before 8, and be seated before someone with an 8:15 ADR who arrived on time.

At any rate, this has you in the park and right in the same building as Soarin' - and the servers seem to be under the impression that EVERYONE with a PPO ADR wants to ride Soarin' right after eating - so you can eat, pay your bill (some will even do this as soon as they are seated and order drinks so it's done) , and head to the line for Soarin' thus beating the Rope Drop (RD) crowd to the line.

I did the meal in July as PPO not for Soarin' but because I'm a naturally early riser. The meal was awesome (best salsa I've ever had), the characters were great, and my server had me out of there in time to go down and get the first ride of the day with only enough people to fill up B1. I would have been fine not going down, but I was finished - even without inhaling my food - and there, so why not.

I assume there is somewhat of a similar advantage for Akershus and the Frozen ride, but I've not done that one.

 

[WRLeGrand]

Not to be a buzzkill, but I think you are being overly optimistic to be planning on riding the Remy ride in late June/early July. Disney has simply stated Summer 2020 for that ride, so I would expect it to be closer to July/August time frame.

We will be there the last full week in June and it would be a pleasant surprise if it were open..but I really doubt it at this point in time...

 

[4Rfamily]

Not to be a buzzkill, but I think you are being overly optimistic to be planning on riding the Remy ride in late June/early July. Disney has simply stated Summer 2020 for that ride, so I would expect it to be closer to July/August time frame.

We will be there the last full week in June and it would be a pleasant surprise if it were open..but I really doubt it at this point in time...

Good point to consider. I have been assuming it would be open. We would love to ride as I can't say for sure if/when we would be back to Disney, but then again if it isn't open, it does simplify our planning for Epcot ;-)

 

[WRLeGrand]

Good point to consider. I have been assuming it would be open. We would love to ride as I can't say for sure if/when we would be back to Disney, but then again if it isn't open, it does simplify our planning for Epcot ;-)

I really, really hope it is open as well. But, based on the time lines on recent openings (i.e. Space restaurant) I am hesitant about it! Lets hope for mid-June opening for both of us!