Best time to have dinner?

[KJeff90]

With that amazing 180-day mark upon my group of 8, and I... we're finalizing our choices for restaurants that we want to dine at in August with the Disney Dining Plan. This will be a first visit to Walt Disney World, and for some the East Coast in general. The one variable we're still figuring out is what time to dine. I understand that availability of ADRs is a determining factor aside from our preferences.

We're running on Disneyland time (Pacific Standard Time), and not Walt Disney World time(Eastern Standard Time). For those who travel from one time zone to visit WDW, do you usually eat meals at the time you would back home(in our case, PST) or that same time but in the local time(EST). I just wonder if there are any benefits(health, timing, availability, etc.) to adjusting to the local time or keeping as if we never left home.

 

[fizzymint]

I'm a west coaster and expected to stay on west coast time the whole time. Boy was I wrong. I'm glad I ate late the first night, but as soon as I got up early to get to the park at opening, I was on east coast time something fierce! If you're hungry people, I'd maybe adjust after the first day or two!

 

[KJeff90]

I'm a west coaster and expected to stay on west coast time the whole time. Boy was I wrong. I'm glad I ate late the first night, but as soon as I got up early to get to the park at opening, I was on east coast time something fierce! If you're hungry people, I'd maybe adjust after the first day or two!

I think for the first day, our meals may be potentially spread out because we're taking a red-eye flight that arrives 6:30amEST. I was thinking about starting off the morning with a character breakfast (potentially 'Ohana) at around 10am. It'd be both a great intro to the WDW with some character interaction, and a hearty meal that could last us until we' feel peckish later on in the day(whenever that may be). Then I think for the rest of the other days (6 nights/7 days total), have all our TSR ADRs be dinners... Does this seem practical?

 

[fizzymint]

If I were arriving in the morning, I'd do the same. Sounds like a great plan to me. The last time we were there, all of our ADRs were dinners as well, and the only issue we ran into was our Coral Reef reservation running late and almost bumping into our Frozen Ever After Dessert Party.

We liked getting to the attractions right away, grazing most of the day, and then taking a load off with a nice dinner after being on our feet all day. Earlier reservations are less likely to run late, FYI.

 

[Hopefully]

I always adjust to the time zone I am in. I feel much better after the first day doing it This way

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I always adjust to the time zone I am in. I feel much better after the first day doing it This way

I agree. We always adjust to the time zone we go to.

 

[JessicaW1234]

Are you going for a longer trip? That would decide for me whether to adjust.

 

[KJeff90]

Are you going for a longer trip? That would decide for me whether to adjust.

We'll be staying a total of 6 nights/7days. Our arrival day is after a red-eye that arrives at 6:30amEST.

 

[JessicaW1234]

We'll be staying a total of 6 nights/7days. Our arrival day is after a red-eye that arrives at 6:30amEST.

I agree with making ADRs for dinners- what time do you usually eat dinner? (Late or early?) I would try to book around An hour & 1/2/2 hours after your normal dinner hour EST (so in between the three hour time difference)
I am on the east coast & when I went to CA , my stomach was on its usual clock if you KWIM!

 

[KJeff90]

I agree with making ADRs for dinners- what time do you usually eat dinner? (Late or early?)

I personally like a dinner around 8pm-ish.

 

[ncc1701]

Make your ADRS for the same time you would if you were in you're living in this Time Zone. We usually eat lunch around noon and dinner at 6:30 ( live on the East coast).So on our trips to the California or Vegas we kept to that schedule on their Time Zone.

 

[Hopefully]

We'll be staying a total of 6 nights/7days. Our arrival day is after a red-eye that arrives at 6:30amEST.

I used to frequently fly to Europe for work on a red eye, arriving at my destination mid morning. I force myself to stay awake until near normal bedtime. I sleep and eat on as normal a schedule as I possibly can in the new time zone. On occasion I will take a 1 hour nap on arrival day, but never more than that.
Good Luck