How much time between meals?

[Matt71]

I've posted my ADRs a few times now and I keep getting people saying my meals are too close together and I won't be hungry enough to eat all our meals. The majority of our meals are spaced out about the same as at home (lunch at noon, dinner between 5pm and 6pm), so I'm not seeing where there will be an issue. Plus, I can generally eat ANY time.

So, I'm wondering, how much time to you put between your ADRs? I'm particularly interested in those of you on the DxDDP (like us).

 

[madalex]

If the time spacing works for you and your eating habits, what difference does it make as to what anyone else thinks?

 

[Matt71]

If the time spacing works for you and your eating habits, what difference does it make as to what anyone else thinks?

It doesn't make any difference, but it does make me curious about how far out of the norm we are.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

Okay we did the Platimun Plan back in April . We did 7:00 am breakfast, 12:00 Lunch and 6:00 dinner. We had a hard time. I only booked this plan cause it was our 25th ann. And I thought with all the walking I thought we be okay . It was hard. That's just my opinion.
We had other things schedule so I had to plan around the tours & show & cruise.

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

The majority of our meals are spaced out about the same as at home (lunch at noon, dinner between 5pm and 6pm), so I'm not seeing where there will be an issue.

The reason I need more time between meals at Disney is because I'm eating WAY bigger portions than I would at home. So eating a light breakfast at home at 8 or 9 a.m. and then being ready for lunch at Noon is feasible, but when I eat a big breakfast at Disney I'm no where near ready to eat again at noon.

 

[Suellen]

This trip is our second with Deluxe Dining (was it new last year? we didn't do it in 07 and I don't know why) I learned a lot last time.... i.e. just because my three year old gets up at 6:30 when we are home doesn't mean she will at Disney! So this time I tried to go with everything later.

9-9:30 breakfasts
1-2 Lunchs
6-7 Dinners

I thought last time that I wouldn't be hungry to eat (again) at some of the times. But I really found that I we really didn't eat a whole lot at breakfast but loved having some things to munch on while seeing the characters... and then I didn't eat nearly as much at the buffets as I thought. It really wasn't a problem of being too full.

The other thing to consider besides being hungry is what do you want to do in between and are they in the same area.

So this time I was more careful to do at least breakfast and lunch near each other so we could do more stuff in between.

Just some things I learned from last trip! I am sure I will learn more this time too!

 

[cmesq61]

Matt71: My family of 4, with 2 teens, did DxDP last year. We had all early breakfasts--the latest was 8:10 at CP, lunch noonish, dinner 7-8 PM. The days we did breakfast buffets--which were most days--we weren't so hungry by noon. SUpper was noproblem. On our next trip, we won't have the hungry teens so we are doing sit down breakfasts and only the CP buffet as I love it, mostly snacking through the day and doing lots of signature dinners (2TS credits). Only you know your family's eating habits, but I think you'll be fine. Enjoy!

 

[summersalt]

We're also on the deluxe dining plan. We are NOT early risers so early breakfast ADR's are out of the question. Here's my wish list for ADR's if you want to compare:

Arrival day = Arrive at airport 9:50 (We can alway rise early to leave for DISNEY)
Lunch - 1:00 - Kona
Dinner - 7:00 - Jiko

Day 2 - AK
Breakfast - 9:00 - Boma
Lunch - Snack
Dinner - 5:00 - Yak &Yeti

Day 3 - EP
Breakfast - Snack
Lunch - 12:00 Chef's de France
Dinner - 7:00 Le Cellier

Day 4 - Free Day
Breakfast - 9:00 - Kona
Lunch - 2:00 - Beaches & Cream
Dinner - 8:00 - Ragland Rd

Day 5 - MK
Breakfast - Snack at Main St Bakery
Lunch - 12:00 - The Plaza
Dinner - 7:00 - Citricos

Day 6 - DS
Breakfast - 1 CS to share from Capt Cooks
Lunch - 12:00 - Mama Melrose
Dinner - 7:00 - Narcoosee's

Day 7 - EP
Breakfast - 1CS to share from Capt Cooks
Lunch - 12:00 Marrakesh
Dinner - 7:00 California Grill

Day 8 - Departure
Breakfast - 9:00 Kona


We plan to use snack credits for water and drinks at the parks. I'm sure we'll be too full to actually eat anything else!

I'd love to try a kitchen sink but since it's just the two of us we'll have to settle for the no way jose.

Let me know what you think!

 

[Pumbaa_]

with a noon ts, you aren't really eating at noon. Ny the time you are seated and order and go through your 3 courses, you aren't done eating until 1-1:30. so then it is just 3.5 hrs til your next 3 course meal

Also, at home do you have an appy, entreee and dessert with every single meal i know we dont!

Especially with TS or buffets. 3 courses is a lot of food and a lot of time! Allow 60-90 minuted for each meal, minimum!

 

[Matt71]

with a noon ts, you aren't really eating at noon. Ny the time you are seated and order and go through your 3 courses, you aren't done eating until 1-1:30. so then it is just 3.5 hrs til your next 3 course meal

But then our next meal will start later by an equal amount too right? Assuming our next meal is TS and not CS of course.

Also, at home do you have an appy, entreee and dessert with every single meal i know we dont!

That's true, we don't. We also don't eat breakfast at home (though we probably should). There's no doubt we will never be "hungry", but I think I can always make room for more

Especially with TS or buffets. 3 courses is a lot of food and a lot of time! Allow 60-90 minuted for each meal, minimum!

90 minutes?! The only time I ever take taht long is when I'm with a group of people and we linger to chit chat. Will just be DW and I this time around, so it'll be in and out in most cases. We'll probably linger a bit at dinner, but by then we don't have much we need to rush for.

 

[patsal]

First it isn't the same as at home and when you have so very much in such a short time span you may be basically running from venue to venue with very little time to get in anything other than eating.

Rule of thumb most signature dining will take about 2 hours, most regular TS an hour to hour and a half depending up on how busy they are, and buffetts are pretty self directed once they get to seating you. Sometimes those noon ADR won't get you seated immediately (or any ADR for that matter), sometimes the wait can be for a long while--I have waited as long as an hour and a half during busy times of the year. They are not going to bring your entree immediately while you are eating your appy at signature dining venues (really any venue), they are going to clear the table before they bring your dessert as well. I think you will be seeng lots of restaurants and very little else. The fullness factor will kick in and than you will want to cancel evening things after having been in two TS already that day, Just MHO of course and this may not happen to you.
Worse case scenario you don't eat the food that is brought to you but you go and enjoy whatever it is that you have chosen. My thought though is that you really do not eat this way at home just at these times. I'm thinking maybe you try to eat soemthing at these times, but your not talking the equivalent of three three course meals per day every day for several days in a row.
Quick question, are you planning on doing anything in the parks or just winging what you get to do and see between meals? I don't mean to sound snarky, but if you have breakfast at 8, eat and pay there's 9, now transport unless you have a car add another 45 minutes to an hour, get at park and through the gate by 10am, now there are lines and such, get in three attractions or so, now time for lunch, supposed to check in 15 minutes prior to the time your ADR is so 11:30 you head to where your ADR is, 11:45 you check in , maybe seated by 12:15. Order drinks, order food, eat, finish up and pay 1:30/1:45 you're out of there and now you have about three hours to do and see things before getting ready to get moving to dinner unless that dinner means transportation to another resort or park that involves another hour for the transport. Now dinner is another 2-3 hours depending upon transportation, ADR wait and food ordering/delivery, check out and tip process and now transport back to park if you have evening things planned. You may or may not get attractions done depending upon showtimes and crowds. Of course this will depend on when you are going, if there are low crowd times or if parks close early, if it is high park crowd times they are open longer so that could be to your advantage. Good luck, I hope it works the way you have planned!

 

[Matt71]

First it isn't the same as at home and when you have so very much in such a short time span you may be basically running from venue to venue with very little time to get in anything other than eating.

Obviously it's not exactly the same.

Rule of thumb most signature dining will take about 2 hours, most regular TS an hour to hour and a half depending up on how busy they are, and buffetts are pretty self directed once they get to seating you.

I'm pretty sure I've got things covered. I have 2 hours or more scheduled for all of our signature dining and we're eating at a lot of buffets. On top of that, I have allot more time than I think we need to everything else. Heck, I have a whole hour allotted for one ride in most cases (note: I will never spend that kind of time in a line, so there's no way it will all be used up).

Sometimes those noon ADR won't get you seated immediately (or any ADR for that matter), sometimes the wait can be for a long while--I have waited as long as an hour and a half during busy times of the year.

Good thing we are going in 10 days then We didn't have any problems with our ADRs during spring break last year (including walk-ups at 50's and last minute ADRs at Sci Fi), so I think we'll be fine.

They are not going to bring your entree immediately while you are eating your appy at signature dining venues (really any venue), they are going to clear the table before they bring your dessert as well.

Do you think I've never eaten out before?

I think you will be seeing lots of restaurants and very little else. The fullness factor will kick in and than you will want to cancel evening things after having been in two TS already that day, Just MHO of course and this may not happen to you.

First, there is a reason we are on the DxDDP - we WANT to see the restaurants. Second, if I do anything well, it's budget my time; this isn't my first rodeo - we'll see plenty.

Worse case scenario you don't eat the food that is brought to you but you go and enjoy whatever it is that you have chosen. My thought though is that you really do not eat this way at home just at these times. I'm thinking maybe you try to eat soemthing at these times, but your not talking the equivalent of three three course meals per day every day for several days in a row.

Sure, we don't eat three course meals 3 times a day, but we won't at Disney either. Breakfast doesn't have 3 courses and we're only eating breafast half the days of our trip (and I suspect we'll skip half of those in exchange for sleep). Also, quite a few of our meals are buffets or family style so we'll be served what we are hungry for. Finally, I may not eat 3 courses at home at every meal, but I'm pretty confident I eat much larger portions.

Quick question, are you planning on doing anything in the parks or just winging what you get to do and see between meals?

You can see our itinerary in my sig. I'm pretty confident we can stay close to it. We'll have no kids with us and we're flexible and work well on the fly.


I really didn't start this thread to debate my itinerary. I've been adjusting it for months and it's pretty much where I want it. I'd rather hear about everyone else's dining plans and how they compare with mine.

 

[patsal]

Obviously it's not exactly the same.



I'm pretty sure I've got things covered. I have 2 hours or more scheduled for all of our signature dining and we're eating at a lot of buffets. On top of that, I have allot more time than I think we need to everything else. Heck, I have a whole hour allotted for one ride in most cases (note: I will never spend that kind of time in a line, so there's no way it will all be used up).



Good thing we are going in 10 days then We didn't have any problems with our ADRs during spring break last year (including walk-ups at 50's and last minute ADRs at Sci Fi), so I think we'll be fine.


Do you think I've never eaten out before?



First, there is a reason we are on the DxDDP - we WANT to see the restaurants. Second, if I do anything well, it's budget my time; this isn't my first rodeo - we'll see plenty.



Sure, we don't eat three course meals 3 times a day, but we won't at Disney either. Breakfast doesn't have 3 courses and we're only eating breafast half the days of our trip (and I suspect we'll skip half of those in exchange for sleep). Also, quite a few of our meals are buffets or family style so we'll be served what we are hungry for. Finally, I may not eat 3 courses at home at every meal, but I'm pretty confident I eat much larger portions.



You can see our itinerary in my sig. I'm pretty confident we can stay close to it. We'll have no kids with us and we're flexible and work well on the fly.


I really didn't start this thread to debate my itinerary. I've been adjusting it for months and it's pretty much where I want it. I'd rather hear about everyone else's dining plans and how they compare with mine.

Mea Culpa. You obviously have it totally under control and didn't need any suggestions or input.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Well, look at it from a different aspect (not saying your plan is right or wrong, I just LIKE numbers).

For convenience, and yes, I realize this will not be true of every meal every day, but let's say each meal takes you an hour, and you are seated exactly on time. You start eating at buffets exactly when you are seated, and served order meals immediately, where it takes fifteen minutes for the food to arrive:

Tuesday: Boma 8:20-9:20; Yak & Yeti 12, eat 12:15-1:15; Aloho Dinner Show I don't know how long after you're seated the food arrives. It could be 5:30, it could be 6, it could be 7. The time between when you finish eating breakfast and when you start eating lunch is only 3:05. The time between when you finish lunch and when you start dinner is a more reasonable 4:15 to 4:45 to 5:45.

Wednesday: Akershus 11:45-12:45; Biergarten 5:45-6:45; Kitchen Sink not before 10, what with staying for Illuminations, then getting to and waiting for a table at Beaches & Cream. Okay, not bad, Five hours between lunch-end and dinner-start.

Thursday: Liberty Tree Tavern 12:05, eat 12:20-1:20; Crystal Palace 5:15-6:15. Just under four hours between when you finish lunch and when you start dinner. Then, I think you said somewhere else that you really didn't expect to eat much at Hoop-De-Doo, that you're going mainly for the entertainment?

Friday: Maya Grill 8:00, eat 8:15-9:15; Planet Hollywood 12:00, eat 12:15-1:15; Spoodles 5:05, eat 5:20-6:20. Three hours between the end of breakfast and the start of lunch, 4:05 between the end of lunch and the start of dinner.

Saturday: 50s Prime Time 12:15, eat 12:30-1:30; Citricos 5:55 eat 6:10-8 (exception to length of dining time due to restaurant ambience, and opinion that you should sit and relax for a change ). Four hours and ten minutes between meals.

Sunday: 1900 Park Fare 10:45-11:45; 'Ohana 5:00-6:30 (see 'exception' under Saturday ). Five hours fifteen minutes between meals.

--

You ask how much time we put between our reservations. My response, for me: More than that. In my opinion (and again, for me), your meals start too close to the end of the previous ones to be of any value to me. I simply would not be hungry for lunch a mere three hours after finishing breakfast.


I do realize the likelihood of being seated / starting to eat based on the timing in my examples is extremely rare, if not downright impossible. These numbers are just samples, to display a possible scenario.

 

[Matt71]

Well, look at it from a different aspect (not saying your plan is right or wrong, I just LIKE numbers).

Trust me, I have looked at it from that angle and completely understand why it won't work for a lot of people. I have made quite a few changes to our schedule to accommodate the timing. Some things are tight, I'll admit, but they were also the best I could get when booking my ADRs.

Some places were are going just for shows and characters, so we don't care if we're not hungry. The food is already paid for, so it's not like we'll save or lose by not eating.

Tuesday: Boma 8:20-9:20; Yak & Yeti 12, eat 12:15-1:15; Aloho Dinner Show I don't know how long after you're seated the food arrives. It could be 5:30, it could be 6, it could be 7. The time between when you finish eating breakfast and when you start eating lunch is only 3:05. The time between when you finish lunch and when you start dinner is a more reasonable 4:15 to 4:45 to 5:45.

We're probably going to cancel Boma. I've tried quite a few times to get an earlier time, but 8:20 is the earliest we could get. Aloha Dinner show only has 2 available time slots and one prevents us from going to the beach to watch wishes and the water parade, so it is what it is. If we're not hungry, we'll still get the show.

Wednesday: Akershus 11:45-12:45; Biergarten 5:45-6:45; Kitchen Sink not before 10, what with staying for Illuminations, then getting to and waiting for a table at Beaches & Cream. Okay, not bad, Five hours between lunch-end and dinner-start.

We don't plan to watch Illumination's that day to avoid the crowds at B&C. If we're not hungry, we'll skip the KS (it's OOP anyway) and do Illuminations twice. We're considering the KS more of an event than a meal. We missed it last year and this was where we could squeeze it into the schedule without having to do a lot of traveling.

Thursday: Liberty Tree Tavern 12:05, eat 12:20-1:20; Crystal Palace 5:15-6:15. Just under four hours between when you finish lunch and when you start dinner.

LTT won't take us an hour to eat once our food arrives. We'll be done by 1pm easy. I'm not terribly excited about eating there now that there are no characters, so if there is a long wait to be seated we might cancel and do CS at CHH.

Then, I think you said somewhere else that you really didn't expect to eat much at Hoop-De-Doo, that you're going mainly for the entertainment?

I don't think I said that, but that is the case. We had two extra credits, so we said what teh heck. We might snack, but probably won't eat much.

Friday: Maya Grill 8:00, eat 8:15-9:15; Planet Hollywood 12:00, eat 12:15-1:15; Spoodles 5:05, eat 5:20-6:20. Three hours between the end of breakfast and the start of lunch, 4:05 between the end of lunch and the start of dinner.

Maya Grill is later than we'd like and we might cancel and do PM around 7 or 7:30 instead. We might skip it all together and sleep in since that is our DTD day. 4 hours between lunch and dinner works fine for us. Also like I mentioned, it doesn't take us an hour to eat our food.

You ask how much time we put between our reservations. My response, for me: More than that. In my opinion (and again, for me), your meals start too close to the end of the previous ones to be of any value to me. I simply would not be hungry for lunch a mere three hours after finishing breakfast.

Good thing you're not eating with us then, I guess

I do realize the likelihood of being seated / starting to eat based on the timing in my examples is extremely rare, if not downright impossible. These numbers are just samples, to display a possible scenario.

Like I said previously - I know the possibilities, we're flexible and we eat A LOT. If it doesn't work out, I'll be the first to admit it. I think we'll be fine though.

You also need to keep in mind that a good number of our meals have been effected by availability, location and other factors outside our control. We also don't mind doggie bags. I'd rather take my uneaten NY strip back to the resort than eat counter service

 

[Eeyore's-tail-tack]

I eat breakfast at home about 7 am, go to work we stop at a store to get a drink for the day about 8 30 am, sometimes i buy a bag of chips for the 8 30 as well, then by 11 30 or noon, i am having my lunch, then dinner at about 5 30, i don't think it sounds too close at all

 

[kaytieeldr]

Some places were are going just for shows and characters, so we don't care if we're not hungry. The food is already paid for, so it's not like we'll save or lose by not eating.

Yeah, I thought I remembered that from other threads - that's why I stressed why your schedule wouldn't fit me. Of course, I can get a good salad to last three or four meals.

You ask how much time we put between our reservations. My response, for me:

Good thing you're not eating with us then, I guess

You do realize, I hope, that I would have gone without eating all day Wednesday for the opportunity to dig into that Kitchen Sink with you, right?

 

[Matt71]

Yeah, I thought I remembered that from other threads - that's why I stressed why your schedule wouldn't fit me. Of course, I can get a good salad to last three or four meals.

You do realize, I hope, that I would have gone without eating all day Wednesday for the opportunity to dig into that Kitchen Sink with you, right?

I do, and as much as I love ice cream, I love steak and sausage more

Honestly, part of me doesn't want me to be "really" hungry when we get to the KS. If DW and I were to finish that on our own we'd probably become diabetic on the spot, not to mention a bit ashamed of ourselves.

It's the same reason I'm reluctant to tackle one of these:
http://www.bbqaddicts.com/bacon-explosion.html

 

[disney4us2002]

Only you know your eating habits. I will say that for whatever reason, we just weren't that hungry at Disney. We got to about day 5 and all of us really felt like "ughhhh, it's time to eat again!" and that was with just one sit-down per day. You'd think (as I did when I planned the trip) that with getting up early and all that walking that we'd be starving but it just wasn't the case.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Hey, I thought of something else. You don't really want counter service, right? But since you'll (probably) have unused credits, rather than let them go to waste entirely you could use them for sandwiches/salads from the food court, which you can take home with you.