Garden Grill pre-opening breakfast (barely) - how soon can we enter

[soma27]

Thanks to a generous DISer in the December reservations thread, I was able to get a pre-opening breakfast at Garden Grill in Epcot for 8:50 am (9am opening day).

Two questions:
1 - How early can I enter Epcot? I think I have read that anyone with pre-opening, regardless of time, can get in early.
2 - Is it possible to be seated early (like MK BOG breakfast), or will they not allow us to sit until closer to 8:50?

Getting out early from breakfast isn't a big, since its a first visit for our 2 year old and the headline attractions have too big a height limit. Rather, I know he would do much better eating closer to 8:30 before we start hitting all the lower priority attractions at Epcot (have FP for Frozen).

 

[Elsaspiritanimal]

Thanks to a generous DISer in the December reservations thread, I was able to get a pre-opening breakfast at Garden Grill in Epcot for 8:50 am (9am opening day).

Two questions:
1 - How early can I enter Epcot? I think I have read that anyone with pre-opening, regardless of time, can get in early.
2 - Is it possible to be seated early (like MK BOG breakfast), or will they not allow us to sit until closer to 8:50?

Getting out early from breakfast isn't a big, since its a first visit for our 2 year old and the headline attractions have too big a height limit. Rather, I know he would do much better eating closer to 8:30 before we start hitting all the lower priority attractions at Epcot (have FP for Frozen).

I've done this several times before. Get to the park early and they let us in around 7:45. As long as you have a PPO for GG, they will seat you pretty much as soon as you arrive. So you should plan to get there as early as possible - and if you are done eating by around 8:40 you can line up for Soarin' and beat the RD crowd and get the first ride of the day.

 

[Lisa F]

I've done this several times before. Get to the park early and they let us in around 7:45. As long as you have a PPO for GG, they will seat you pretty much as soon as you arrive. So you should plan to get there as early as possible - and if you are done eating by around 8:40 you can line up for Soarin' and beat the RD crowd and get the first ride of the day.

Also at that time of morning, the restaurant is not full. Your server will know this is what you want to do (I was going to mention it but our server straight out mentioned it). 40 minutes is PLENTY of time to eat breakfast if the food starts coming out right away and the characters made it around 2x in that time we were there. it didn't feel rushed but it sure was efficient. We were down at Soarin', got right on, were given the option to stay on a second time because RD crowds had not yet arrived. It was all truly magical!!!

 

[Hopefully]

I've done this several times before. Get to the park early and they let us in around 7:45. As long as you have a PPO for GG, they will seat you pretty much as soon as you arrive. So you should plan to get there as early as possible - and if you are done eating by around 8:40 you can line up for Soarin' and beat the RD crowd and get the first ride of the day.

Also at that time of morning, the restaurant is not full. Your server will know this is what you want to do (I was going to mention it but our server straight out mentioned it). 40 minutes is PLENTY of time to eat breakfast if the food starts coming out right away and the characters made it around 2x in that time we were there. it didn't feel rushed but it sure was efficient. We were down at Soarin', got right on, were given the option to stay on a second time because RD crowds had not yet arrived. It was all truly magical!!!

I believe the OP Stated the “Headliners” - is Soarin’, were not a consideration since their 2 YO son was not tall enough.
OP You should certainly be able to eat closer to 8:30.
Good Luck

 

[soma27]

Thanks everyone.

Yes - this will be the first time going with a kid (of our own) + a pregnant wife, so the headliners are not the priority. However this will still allow for a nice relaxing morning to hit all easier rides (FP) before an afternoon nap and heading back for world showcase + frozen in the early evening.