How late do you eat dinner at The World?

[Farro]

My sister has decreed that she won't eat dinner any later than 7:00.

We are here for a few days before she arrives, we are eating around 8 or 8:30 each of our nights before the others arrive. (except for Halloween party, skipping sit down dinner that night)

It's October, most parks will close by 9 except for MK and possibly AK. I like to eat later, for a few reasons. It's a nice way to end the day with some drinks, certain restaurants you can see the fireworks from, and sometimes we are looking for things to do at night. If we eat later, can head back to hotel for another cocktail and then it's time to sleep!

We'll figure it out, after all I'm in charge of making the ADRs, maybe I won't be able to find anything earlier than 7:30 ... (we are 5 adults by the way)

So when do you all typically eat?

 

[ErinsMommy]

6:00 pm "ish. Never later than 700, I'm an early riser and if we crash by 10, I don't like sleeping on a full stomach.

 

[Disneylover99]

4pm. We like to hit the restaurants before the crowds.

 

[izzylovesmickey]

We like to eat on the early side-6-7:30 reservations. That way when we overeat we have time to walk it off at the parks or around the resort.

 

[VAfamily1998]

I actually prefer to have a big late lunch--like around 2 or 3 pm. Then just snack/extra dessert around 7 or 8 pm.

We usually just do one table service per day.

 

[Farro]

Hmm. Maybe it's because we never go to sleep before 11:30. We don't do rope-drop all that much anymore since the new fast pass, so we sleep until 8 or so.

 

[JZCubed]

My sister has decreed that she won't eat dinner any later than 7:00.

We are here for a few days before she arrives, we are eating around 8 or 8:30 each of our nights before the others arrive. (except for Halloween party, skipping sit down dinner that night)

It's October, most parks will close by 9 except for MK and possibly AK. I like to eat later, for a few reasons. It's a nice way to end the day with some drinks, certain restaurants you can see the fireworks from, and sometimes we are looking for things to do at night. If we eat later, can head back to hotel for another cocktail and then it's time to sleep!

We'll figure it out, after all I'm in charge of making the ADRs, maybe I won't be able to find anything earlier than 7:30 ... (we are 5 adults by the way)

So when do you all typically eat?

Your question really includes, "How do you Tour Disney?"

Everyone is different.

Early risers who make 'rope drop' their priority are likely to give you an early-ish hour for dinner.

Folks who make 'evening activities' (i.e., Fantasmic!, Illuminations, Star Wars Spectacular, Wishes fireworks) their priority are likely to give you a completely different time they prefer - some eat before the Shows, some after, depending on timing.

People managing bedtimes for children of all-ages, they are going to have completely different answers. Then again, some folks enjoy naps and it is astonishing the number of young children inside, let's say Magic Kingdom, at hours far past 'typical' for all too many youngsters.

And adults-only vacationers can be anything - depending on how they Tour.

Then you get into the nuance of - do you want to have cocktails where you are enjoying dinner? For instance, Kona has lovely food, but I'm not sticking around for cocktails if I can get into Trader Sam's. A fun meal can be had at 1900 Park Fare, but cocktails at Mizner's Lounge can be way more fun.

Also, does anyone in your party/family have dietary/health reasons for eating by a particular hour? For instance, many people have blood-sugar issues that you may have noticed - they get ornery if they have a meal too late. Some folks need to take medications by a certain hour and with food. And on and on.

Everyone is different.


A word of advice, since you are 5-adults, search dining reservations for 6-people, you are likely to get more options in your query.

 

[amberpi]

I rope drop and stay up late - and take a really nice break in the heat/crowded mid day. I often eat after Illuminations. 9:45 at CG or 9:30 at Bluezoo/FF/IlMuliano is a favorite. 7:30 is the EARLIEST I even consider eating dinner, which is about the time I at home, by the time you wrap work for the day, work out and make dinner or get cleaned up to go to dinner, its just that time.

Have you traveled with this group before? Really early dinners would not be a fun vacation for me at all, and would upset my happy day pace. But that's the great thing about WDW, they seat for long periods to make everyone happy!

That said, because I can't plan at 180 days out, I will take ANY reservation I can get at V&A even if it feels like its far too early. I go all day on very little to have that much food that early in the evening.

 

[Farro]

I know Everyone is different.

Just a question to see when people eat dinner, not critiquing their choices...

 

[DISNEY1975]

Earlier. We usually only eat breakfast and dinner, so we cant wait the long! 5:30 - 6:30 for us. Also, I dont want to go to bed right after dinner, and other then a special night, we are in bed by 10.

 

[Farro]

I rope drop and stay up late - and take a really nice break in the heat/crowded mid day. I often eat after Illuminations. 9:45 at CG or 9:30 at Bluezoo/FF/IlMuliano is a favorite. 7:30 is the EARLIEST I even consider eating dinner, which is about the time I at home, by the time you wrap work for the day, work out and make dinner or get cleaned up to go to dinner, its just that time.

Have you traveled with this group before? Really early dinners would not be a fun vacation for me at all, and would upset my happy day pace. But that's the great thing about WDW, they seat for long periods to make everyone happy!

That said, because I can't plan at 180 days out, I will take ANY reservation I can get at V&A even if it feels like its far too early. I go all day on very little to have that much food that early in the evening.

This is the first time two of my sisters and my brother are joining us for a few nights. I think 7:30 would be a good compromise, we can do our late dinners before everyone gets there I suppose.

I just don't want to end up in the hotel bar by 9 every night. Although if it's a non-party night at MK, we can always go there if its open until at least 11 pm.

I will also say I do plan to eat early on one of our Animal Kingdom days, if they are open late night. Go to AK in the early afternoon, Sanaa at 5, and then back to the park for the night!

 

[amberpi]

I love what the previous poster said about how its all about how you tour! It really is. Conflicting styles would be tough to manage.

 

[amberpi]

This is the first time two of my sisters and my brother are joining us for a few nights. I think 7:30 would be a good compromise, we can do our late dinners before everyone gets there I suppose.

I just don't want to end up in the hotel bar by 9 every night.

Yep. 7:30 is just dead middle. Not late or early. No one can complain, especially, if you can get those times! Like I said, its good I like to eat late, since I don't have as much planning time as most folks.

 

[Trap]

530 to 630 most of the time

 

[Dis703]

We eat the same time we would normally eat at home so I shoot for 5:30-6pm ADRs but will go as late as 6:30. At home I tend to eat as early as right after work so 4pm. 6:30 is already quite late for me.

 

[Farro]

At home, we cook and eat after work, so between 6 and 6:30.
When we go out to dinner at home, reservations are usually at 8 or so. I guess I follow the same pattern on vacation.

 

[izzylovesmickey]

Hmm. Maybe it's because we never go to sleep before 11:30. We don't do rope-drop all that much anymore since the new fast pass, so we sleep until 8 or so.

We're not rope drop people for the most part-only if we schedule a tour that's early. We tend to stay up later but we also tend to go to WDW during summer, Christmas or during F&W so there are some later hours at the parks. That's why we will do a 7:30 at our latest so that we can catch the last few hours in a park or at DS and walk off the meal. DS will be 21 this summer so we can hit the lounges later from now on if we want to. Looking forward to the change!

 

[Regan117]

We eat late dinners on vacation - 9:00 or later. Generally, we do breakfast around 11am and light lunch around 3.

 

[TeresaWen]

At Disney every day is different for us depending on what we are doing that day / night.

When we go somewhere tropical we almost always eat late. We go with friends who like to eat early. We compromise a few nights (a few early and a few late). Other times we meet in the middle for drinks.

 

[JeanfromBNA]

We prefer to eat between 8 and 10, unless we are touring with others.