Breakfast morning of cruise

[Tulles]

What time is the latest you'd have a breakfast ADR on the morning of the cruise?

We will probably be staying at GF and want to eat at 1900 Park Fare that morning. The only ADR currently is 10:25 am.

Once we're done eating we'll be able to walk straight out to the bus. We don't have a PAT yet and would be willing to take a late one.

This is our first cruise and we have no idea of timing.

 

[Dug720]

There is ONE bus pick-up per resort, and I'm pretty sure it can be as early as 10:30. Definitely can be as early as 11am. You won't find out until the night before when your time frame is.

Personally I would NOT do that gambling on a later pick-up time. Because either the bus will not wait (most likely) or you will have a bus full of unhappy-with-you people who sit as you finish your brunch. People you will then be trapped on a ship with for the cruise duration.

I am pondering a stay at WDW prior to my upcoming Fantasy cruise, and the absolute latest I'd book a breakfast is 8:00 at the resort I choose to stay in (undecided yet). MAYBE 8:30 if I knew the restaurant didn't run late. (If I stay at the Poly, 7:45 is about as late as I'd go with 'Ohana.

 

[Barbydoll8]

I agree with the above poster. That's way too late. Eat a light breakfast anyway so you can eat lunch on the ship. I think the food is better on the cruise line but that's just me as some people will disagree with that statement.
It's about an hour drive from WDW traffic behaving so the busses keep to a strict schedule.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

or you will have a bus full of unhappy-with-you people who sit as you finish your brunch. People you will then be trapped on a ship with for the cruise duration.

Exactly. We had a 12:30 pick up at Port Orleans once. There was one family missing. After waiting about 20 minutes, the bus left and did a pick up at another resort, before heading out. 10 minutes down the road the driver got a call to return to Port Orleans for missing guests.

We didn't get to the ship until around 2:30 that trip.

 

[Tulles]

Alright so stalking for an 8am ADR is on the schedule. Otherwise, we'll estate at the QS.

Thanks!

 

[nycdisneygal]

Try to get an earlier time.
Or consider getting your own transport..

 

[JanBlessed]

Try to get an earlier time.
Or consider getting your own transport..

This is what I was going to say!

 

[Tulles]

I'm definitely going to try for earlier. Kids are set on taking the Disney bus.

 

[JenGC]

I thought you set your appointment time with the bus. I didn't know it was given to you. Wow.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I thought you set your appointment time with the bus. I didn't know it was given to you. Wow.

From the resorts, there is only one pick up at each. The actual time can vary - any time between 10:45-1:30. Each bus may pick up at up to 3 resorts, or just stop at one, depending on how many people are requiring transportation from each specific resort to the ship. They plan their pickups so as to fill the buses most efficiently.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We were at Saratoga springs last year and pick up time was 1130. There were already a lot of people on the bus.

 

[Tulles]

I thought you set your appointment time with the bus. I didn't know it was given to you. Wow.

Me neither. Which is why I love this site. So many helpful people answering my newbie questions.

 

[BCV23]

The GF is a small resort compared to the moderates and values. It is a very short walk from 1900 to the lobby.....like 30 seconds. I think 10:25 would work if your pickup is 11:30 but you will not know the assigned time until the evening before the cruise. At that point, you could still cancel 1900 Park Fare and order room service breakfast or enjoy Gasparillas. Still an earlier time would be more relaxing and allow you to enjoy the characters more fully. Good luck snagging one and most importantly, happy sailing.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

Talk them off of the bus and get a taxi. Then you can make that ADR and still get to the ship.

 

[RedSox68]

What time is the latest you'd have a breakfast ADR on the morning of the cruise?

We will probably be staying at GF and want to eat at 1900 Park Fare that morning. The only ADR currently is 10:25 am.

Once we're done eating we'll be able to walk straight out to the bus. We don't have a PAT yet and would be willing to take a late one.

This is our first cruise and we have no idea of timing.

Personally, if it is your first cruise, I'd be more interested in doing the embarkation luncheon. We always find that an exciting way to start our cruise and the atmosphere is electric with everyone having a good time. GF does have a grand breakfast, but I think that a 10:25 seating (which isn't guaranteed you will be seated at that time) is a risk. The only other suggestion would be to get private transfers -- then you can pick your own pick-up time and go straight to the port.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Two things -- why are your kids more interested in the bus than in a character breakfast?

Second, Gasparilla's is the worst place we've ever eaten at WDW, so for us that wouldn't be an alternative.

 

[Tulles]

Two things -- why are your kids more interested in the bus than in a character breakfast?

Second, Gasparilla's is the worst place we've ever eaten at WDW, so for us that wouldn't be an alternative.

It's not that they're more interested in the bus than the character meal. It's the fact they've seen the cruise bus while we've stayed at the resorts before and to them THAT's the way you get to the ship. They'd be disappointed with other transportation.

Plus we could always do the breakfast next time. Not sure if we'll ever do another cruise.

 

[Donna M]

Do the kids know the bus has a movie too? As far as PAT goes, I'm almost positive it won't matter for you since you will check in when the bus gets you to the port.

 

[Tulles]

They do know about the movie or least the TV screens because we've taken the Magical Express numerous times.

 

[Dug720]

It's not that they're more interested in the bus than the character meal. It's the fact they've seen the cruise bus while we've stayed at the resorts before and to them THAT's the way you get to the ship. They'd be disappointed with other transportation.

Plus we could always do the breakfast next time. Not sure if we'll ever do another cruise.

Then I would be honest with them - especially if nothing earlier opens up before you leave. They have a choice (if you want to go that route and not make the decision yourself): they can have a character breakfast and take a car to the cruise (because lots of people do get there not on the bus) OR they can ride the bus and not have a character breakfast (really brunch at that hour).

Because even if you got assigned an 11:30 pick-up, I believe it is like DME in that you should be there 15 minutes before which would only leave you 50 minutes to get seated, eat, see characters, pay, and get to the pick-up point. I just think it is way too tight and everything would have to go perfectly - which we all know never happens. (Plus you could get the earliest pick-up time rendering a 10:25 brunch absolutely impossible.)