Say cheese, Claudia! Since Disney photos are the most magical on Earth, let's talk about booking your own private photography session on your upcoming
Walt Disney World Resort visit. I hope everyone is neat and pretty!
First of all, congrats on snagging a fabulous convention ticket. You'll be arriving at
Magic Kingdom Park when many guests are heading back to their resort for a nap by the pool. You're going to have an amazing time!
I chatted with a friendly Cast Member who said if your ticket has a 1:00 PM admission time, then that is probably the earliest you'll be able to enter the theme park. There's always a chance you can explain your situation at the entrance, but since I can't guarantee they'll let you in early, I think we need to look at other options.
I checked availability for your arrival date, and I see several afternoon time slots available for a
Capture Your Moment: Magic Kingdom Park session. One option is to try to
modify your dining reservation and
book your photos for 1:30 PM. That will give you time to enter the park and reach the Liberty Square Ticket Office, where you'll check in with your photographer. If you can move your lunch to around 2:30 PM, I think you can make it all work.
If you prefer to keep your lunch at 1:20 PM, I'd recommend scheduling your photo session for 3:30 PM. The
Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade will probably be out of Liberty Square and Cinderella Castle by then. And
in this answer, my pal Matt gives another guest some solid advice about having a photo shoot during the parade. Those PhotoPass photographers are like Fairy Godmothers; they're pros at finding the best locations for amazing pictures.
My final tip is to cancel your table-service lunch and opt for a quick-service lunch instead. That will free up your day to schedule your photo shoot. My husband and I love
Columbia Harbour House; the Lobster Roll is amazing!
Claudia, I admire your planning prowess. I hope I've given you some options to work with so you can have your photos and eat lunch, too. Get ready for your close-up, and please stop by
planDisney anytime!
Magic awaits,
Elaine