When do you eat your largest meal of the day and why?

[MaC410]

On our first trip my wife and I booked mostly dinners around (6pm-7pm) as our big meal of the day. For our second trip we decided to try booking mostly lunches around (12pm-1pm) as our big meal of the day and then having small food/snacks around the park during the evening.

For our third and upcoming trip we decided to stick with the plan to book mostly lunches. It allows us to have a little bit of a break during the day or if we got a later start it would allow us to save a bit of money by skipping breakfast. On our first trip, with big dinners booked we found ourselves not wanting to try some of the great park snacks/food because we didn't want to be full for dinner. During our second trip we found ourselves really enjoying being hungry and night and trying some fun park food/snacks.

So, what is your plan usually like? Do you tend to stick to one time during the day for your big meal? If so, what makes you decide when?

 

[wdw&sonny]

We snack for breakfast and then do TS for lunch and dinner. But, we have learned to eat a lighter/shared lunches and sometimes share an appetizer and entree for dinner, too. We know that our appetites change while on vacation and have adjusted so we don't get stuffed and can enjoy some snacks between meals.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Doing TS at lunch is smart because as you mentioned, during the day you would avoid snacks to avoid spoiling your appetite. This way, with a lunch ADR, you can eat whatever you want around dinner time. Its nice not being tied down to an ADR in the evenings. Plus, there seems to be a lot more going on at night in the parks (ROL-AK, HEA-MK, Illuminations-Epcot, etc). Its just easier to plan when you're not tied to an ADR.

During my trips i will have one or two dinners planned thou. But the majority are either breakfast or lunch. Another reason why I like lunch ADRs is because its a nice break from the parks.

 

[a742246]

We eat our big meal at lunch (around 2 -2:30) we have good luck with getting good restaurants without a ressie.

 

[Farro]

Dinner.

It's just us two (normally), so we book a dinner around 8. We will have a couple glasses of wine with dinner and relax. Then we either go to a late night at a park, or a hotel bar to end the evening.

There will be some days that we want to experience a park at night, so on those nights we will schedule a dinner earlier (around 6) to give us plenty of park time after dinner.

Breakfast is usually bagel, fruit and coffee in the room. Then we either snack all day or split a counter service for lunch.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Last time we had mostly dinners booked, but I like your thinking with switching the big meal earlier. - I might try that next time!

 

[addiln]

We always do dinner as our biggest meal of the day. We mostly do a breakfast bar or something like in the am and grab something small/shareable for lunch. After dinner we tend to watch the fireworks and relax. We don't want to eat to much we are so full in the parks as we are enjoying the day.

 

[goofy4prez]

For us, we plan our largest meal for dinner. I'm at the point that I am no longer a park commando where I have to run from Rope Drop to park closure and chase FP's, run to the next attraction, try to get ahead of a tour group, hurry back again to the next attraction, catch this show, see that parade and etc. I am now at the point in my life where we just enjoy our day, not get stressed out, content to set my FP's and enjoy a great relaxing meal at dinner which is almost always a signature restaurant. For me, our dining experiences are just as much a part of our planning and our experience as it is to see the fireworks, shows and attractions. But that is what's so neat about Disney, what works for one doesn't work for another.

 

[BelleBriarRose]

We make lunch the big meal of the day because it gives us a break during the hottest, busiest part of the day. I like having restaurant reservations and FPs booked during that time to remove the stress of standing in lines when they're at their peak.

 

[LynnTH]

We do a bit of both. But this upcoming trip I am doing more Table Service during lunch instead of dinner (we have the regular dining plan). We like to park hop so having the TS earlier gives us the flexibility to park hop later if we want to instead of having to stay at the park and wait for our ADR.

 

[Teamabcdefg]

On our first trip my wife and I booked mostly dinners around (6pm-7pm) as our big meal of the day. For our second trip we decided to try booking mostly lunches around (12pm-1pm) as our big meal of the day and then having small food/snacks around the park during the evening.

For our third and upcoming trip we decided to stick with the plan to book mostly lunches. It allows us to have a little bit of a break during the day or if we got a later start it would allow us to save a bit of money by skipping breakfast. On our first trip, with big dinners booked we found ourselves not wanting to try some of the great park snacks/food because we didn't want to be full for dinner. During our second trip we found ourselves really enjoying being hungry and night and trying some fun park food/snacks.

So, what is your plan usually like? Do you tend to stick to one time during the day for your big meal? If so, what makes you decide when?

On this trip ours will be divided between early breakfasts and evening meals for the bigger meal of the day as there are some 8pm park closings and we decided if we make the non breakfast adrs for 8:30pm we don’t miss any park time. Our whole group is adults so no bedtime issues.

 

[Destinyz12]

On both my previous trip from last year, and my upcoming trip next week, I did a mix of late breakfasts, early lunches and normal timed dinners (5-6ish) for my 1 TS meal per day. I found myself pretty flexible on the last trip with adjusting to doing things differently each day with food, as long as it fit into my touring plans. I was on the regular dining plan and knew 1 TS, 1 QS and 2 snacks would fill me up just the same regardless of order, as long as they were spread out enough. The only times I don't like having meals are early morning (not much appetite when I first wake up) and too late at night, with the exception of maybe a snack.

 

[DizMinMouse]

Dinner is always our biggest meal solely because that’s the time of day my legs are ready for a nice long rest. I’m usually pretty tired by then because of the early start and constant running about.

 

[CynBeth]

I have family members with food allergies so we pretty much eat all meals at TS. We try to eat lighter at lunch and have our bigger meal at dinner.

 

[Hopefully]

Dinner almost every day. We relax over dinner at the end of the day. We have been visiting since the late 80’s so we are past commando touring. Nice restaurant dinners are as much a part of our enjoyment as the rides.

 

[Lovetherodent]

I've tried both. Both work, but I think I prefer dinner because the parks are busier and TS gets us out of the crowd. Next trip, I want to hit some signatures, and some of those aren't open for lunch.

 

[LilyWDW]

Depends on the rest of my schedule for the day...

Early start? I will have a big dinner after I leave the parks.

Late start? Usually will do a big breakfast or lunch.

Also depends on the park, the food options, if it is Food and Wine... the variables go on!

 

[kiramay]

We typically eat a light breakfast of snacks in our room or on the way to rope drop (7/8 am). Then it depends on where we are that day. We do a lot of buffets so I try to book late lunches/early dinners and eat light the rest of the day.

MK- BOG lunch around noon and a TS around 5, or CP for a late lunch (2-3) and snacks.
Epcot- Biergarten used to be a late lunch (2:30-3) for the cheaper price. Not sure when we’ll eat next trip. Early dinner, 4-5?
HS- lunches (1ish) at Sci Fi and H&V so we can hop in the evening.
AK- lunch at Satuli Canteen and we hop to Epcot WS for dinner.

 

[Disneylover99]

Early lunch because we're hungry. We generally don't eat breakfast.

 

[disneycat321]

Dinner is our biggest meal. For the next trip, we have a TS every night, usually somewhere around 6. 3 days have TS for lunch as well, although one is technically brunch. On departure day, we have a TS for breakfast at our neighboring resort (Cape May Cafe). We have hoppers, so dinner is typically at (or near if it’s a resort restaurant) our second park of the day, or near our resort if we’re planning to hang out there for the evening.

We typically eat breakfast in room, but probably will be stopping by nearby bakeries this year (Boardwalk and Les Halles) a couple times. We tend to snack either in the morning before lunch or late at night after dinner, since we eat dinner relatively early. It just depends.

I am intrigued by the big meal at lunch idea, but since we eat at a lot of resort restaurants, I’m not sure I’d like a hard deadline to have to be out of our first park. Several of our restaurant choices are also dinner only. I do see how it could definitely work, though.