Dining with kids, which is easier?

[MickeyNicki]

For a TS, is lunch or dinner easier? I am taking a 6 and 12.5 year old, we have 2 TS breakfasts booked but I am wondering if it is better to have a nice lunch and re-charge and hit the parks or end the day with a nice dinner. We are going in late Jan.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

At 6 and 12.5 I would think that any meal would be easy. Personally I prefer breakfasts or dinners though.

 

[carj]

Our kids were 7 and 4 when we went in June. My preference would be:
1. An in-park ADR before park opening at MK
2. Lunch
3. Dinner
4. Any other breakfast time, other than the first sitting in a park.

Also, with kids, I LOVED the family style meals. Much easier that trekking back and forth to the buffet.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

At 6 and 12 they should be pretty flexible so I think you won't have any problems with your ADRS. I wouldn't make too many lunch ones in case they want to take mid-day breaks at the hotel but I wouldn't stress too much about it.

 

[bangzoom6877]

We have very little kids and found that TS dinners were fine with them (ages 3 and 1). We went to the parks very early in the morning, left by 2PM and took a break in the hotel room before dinner. The kids were well-rested (even if they did not take a nap and just had some plain old down time), and behaved very well. We did 5 TS dinners on a 5-night stay, and 2 TS breakfasts. 5 out of our 7 TS meals were with characters and 2 had none. The kids behaved at all of them!

 

[EthansMom]

My young kids usually seem to do best with TS meals for an early dinner (around 5 p.m.).

We usually go with the following schedule: breakfast at the food court or wait and pick up a bakery item in the park, at park near opening time, pick up healthy snack (fresh fruit, for instance) as necessary, stop for CS meal either around 11 a.m. or 1:30ish (to avoid crowds), head back to our resort for an afternoon swim/rest, have dinner at the resort food court or eat an early dinner in the park or DTD.

Usually, we have later evenings back in the park (for parades & shows) about half the nights we're at WDW. Taking an afternoon break really gives us a chance to recharge.

 

[tjmw2727]

Of course everyone is different but we like a late lunch or late breakfast for TS with an occasional dinner.

My kids are 11 and 13 now but since they were toddlers a late lunch was ideal. We have breakfast in the room or food court and then toured a park with a healthy snack or two. By 1ish we were all ready for a break, cool down and a nice meal. I found the lunch selections great and at a reduced cost than dinner and the kids could sit longer as they needed the rest.

Then its usually quick serve for dinner at a park, DTD or the resort.

There are a few character meals only offered for breakfast in which case we would do the last seating after touring the parks for the morning.

TJ

 

[DVC Sadie]

I have to admit that when my son was between the ages of 2 and 4 years of age it was a lot easier to eat a late breakfast or lunch while having table service.

When he was 5 and older it no longer mattered, he did just fine as long as the meal was not too late in the evening.

 

[WDWorBUST]

I think that you will be fine whatever you choose. I will say that I HATE buffets with a passion. Granted DD is only 4 - but there is nothing worse than DH getting his food. Then me going and getting DD's food. THEN finally I go get my food and they are almost ready to leave before I even get to sit down. I LOVE the family style meals - Ohana, Garden Grill, CRT.

 

[MO Nurse]

My kids were 12 and 15 when we went and this next time they will be 16 and 13. We found that TS gave us a chance to sit down and have conversation about what they wanted to do next and how much fun we were having.

On our next trip my DH is going with us and we have just a few TS scheduled and the rest we will do in the room or CS.

Crystal Palace-Breakfast for other DD who wants to be one of the few in park
Trails End-Dinner for me
Chef Mickeys-Dinner for my DH who is the biggest Mickey collector ever
Ohanas-Breakfast for my DD who is a Stitch lover
Yachtsman Steakhouse-Dinner for mom and dad's adult night

Have a great trip!

 

[MickeyNicki]

Well I did mix it up a bit with TS breakfasts, lunches and one dinner. My decision was based on which characters they want to see and what foods they would eat because they are pretty picky kids.

I called this morning and here is what I ended up with (BTW all the times and days were wide open so I could be very choosy with the times):

Thurs Jan 22 breakfast at Ohana
Thurs Jan 22 lunch at Pinocchio Haus or Cosmic Rays
Thurs Jan 22 dinner at CP

Friday Jan 23 breakfast at the POP
Friday Jan 23 lunch at Coral Reef
Friday Jan 24 dinner at the POP (or if they are not tired at Epcot)

Sat Jan 24 breakfast at the POP
Sat Jan 24 lunch at Tonys in MK
Sat Jan 24 dinner at the POP (or if they are not tired at HS)

Sun Jan 25 breakfast at Tusker House
lunch at Pizzafari for the kids Flame Tree for DH and I