EPCOT Breakfast/Rope Drop Strategy

[Kevin1281]

Hi All,

What is the more effective EPCOT strategy for Akershus, Frozen Ever After and Soarin'?

1) Attempt to get an 8:00 AM Akershus reservation on a 9:00 AM park opening day > head right to Frozen Ever After from breakfast and hope to beat the crowd > use FastPass for Soarin'

2) Rope drop Soarin' > Akershus breakfast > use FastPass for Frozen Ever After

 

[TIME4DIZ]

2

 

[ilovevacation]

I would go with the 1st or PPO Garden grill so you are already in the right pavillion for Soarin then FP+ Frozen.

 

[garris3404]

I would go with option #2. Not sure if you're locked into breakfast? But if you do lunch, then you could time your FEA FP to be just before lunch. This would also give to more time to experience other attractions in the morning before the park gets too crowded.

You might even consider rope dropping Test Track? With the addition of the 3rd screen at Soarin', it's not too bad to do standby.

 

[heatherly]

I’d rope drop TT or FEA depending on your group’s preference. And get a FP for which ever you don’t ride at park open. We were just there and had no trouble getting Soarin as a 4th FP. We even rode it several times in a row using FP. My daughter and I Rope Dropped FEA and had no trouble getting right on. Good luck!

 

[Alesia]

I'm not a fan of TS breakfasts in general, but if I had to do one, I would go with option 2.

They often let people into the park 15 to 20 minutes early, so if you go with option 1, you're going to have to rush through breakfast and be prepared to skip some characters.

 

[jenjersnap]

I have done option 1 several times now and it works great. Not saying it can’t happen, but we have never experienced day guests being let into the Frozen line 15-20 minutes early (in fact, Frozen has never opened until 9 am on the dot when we are doing this). I do ask for the check early on so we are ready to leave when we are ready.

I am not a big fan of eating during those magical 9-11 hours when crowds are relatively low, so I would skip Akershus entirely rather than do option 2.

 

[Kevin1281]

Have you ever felt rushed at Akershus doing option #1?

 

[Kevin1281]

While I'd love to be able to do the early breakfast, get to FEA before the crowd, and then use our Tier 1 FastPass for Soarin' or Test Track, I definitely don't want to rush through the breakfast. If we are able to get that 8:00 AM reservation at Akershus, is 1 hour there enough without feeling rushed???

 

[SantiJB]

Hi,

Following the same topic (more or less), what about this strategy for an early soarin ride without FP: an 8:50 AM Garden Grill reservation on a 9 AM park opening day, enter to the park before the rest of the public (at 8:40 AM for instance), go to soarin for a 9 AM ride and after that go to Garden Grill for breakfast a little late...

The other option will be a 8 AM Garden Grill reservation, first breakfast and finishing at 8:45 o 8:50 go to Soarin before the rest of the guests. However this option implies earlier wake-up and you do not know if you are going to be able to finish your breakfast before 9 AM

What are your opinions?

Thank you!!

 

[slw2206]

I'd go with option 2, or as we normally do... get a Garden Grill reservation and you can do Soarin multiple times before the rope drop + head to Test Track, then FP+ Frozen for later in the day when you're in the World Showcase.

 

[aymiewilson]

Does your breakfast reservation have to be before park opens? We have a 9:20 GG reservation for a day the park opens at 9 am. One person in my group is saying she's had that timing before and was still let into the park early. Our plan was to rope drop Soarin' and then go to our breakfast reservation. None of us care about riding Test Track, and we already have a FEA FP+ for noonish.

Even if we can't get into the park early... is 20 mins enough time to RD Soarin' and still make our breakfast? How early before park open do we need to be at the turnstiles to be far enough ahead in the line to make that timing work? We'll be doing EPCOT on Sunday, Feb 3.

 

[SantiJB]

I'd go with option 2, or as we normally do... get a Garden Grill reservation and you can do Soarin multiple times before the rope drop + head to Test Track, then FP+ Frozen for later in the day when you're in the World Showcase.

Multiple times??? What is the first hour that you can ride on Soarin when park opens at 9 am???

 

[lisa cameron]

Multiple times??? What is the first hour that you can ride on Soarin when park opens at 9 am???

We had breakfast at Garden Grill his last February. We were eating by 8:12am and then second in line for Soarin. By the time we walked off of Soarin, a huge mob of people came rushing into the cue, there was no time to get back into line without now waiting in standby. But, all the other low priorities were a walk on the next hour.

 

[SantiJB]

We had breakfast at Garden Grill his last February. We were eating by 8:12am and then second in line for Soarin. By the time we walked off of Soarin, a huge mob of people came rushing into the cue, there was no time to get back into line without now waiting in standby. But, all the other low priorities were a walk on the next hour.

Great information. However, if you had first your breakfast at 8:12 am, at what time you were in line for Soarin??? The first ride in the morning is at 9 AM or a little bit early???