Meal time strategy

[Max Rebo]

In order to avoid crowds at restaurants (counter service) I have been contemplating the notion of trying to get our meals at unconventional times. For instance, we could eat a light breakfast before we leave the hotel, then maybe grab lunch at 10-10:30, then eat supper around 4 p.m. (and maybe grab a snack later in the evening).

I was wondering if anyone had tried this, and what success they've had. Specifically, I'm wondering when the CS restaurants start serving lunch.

 

[GarrettJD]

This is actually a good idea... but 10 to 10:30 is still a little early. If you're going to eat an early CS meal, I'd shoot for 11:00 to 11:30. The time between 9:00-11:00 AM is prime attraction time, as the lines don't usually start really building until around 11:00. The CS restaurants usually don't start developing large lines until closer to 12:00. Remember, most people don't show up for rope drop, so they probably won't get hungry until later on.

 

[baileybelle]

Most CS don't open until 11am. TS restaurants open between 11am and 12 noon.

 

[daisyduck123]

Here's what works great for us (always on the Dining Plan):

Eat counter-service lunch about 11:00am
Have a snack in mid-afternoon (usually not necessry due to the BIG lunches on the DP)
Have a dinner ADR 6:00pm-7:00pm

Eating lunch then works great for us. An hour or two later we always walk by the counter-service places, look at the very long lines, & say to each other, "Alright!!! Thank goodness we're not in those lines"!!!

 

[gonemousin']

Here's what works great for us (always on the Dining Plan):

Eat counter-service lunch about 11:00am
Have a snack in mid-afternoon (usually not necessry due to the BIG lunches on the DP)
Have a dinner ADR 6:00pm-7:00pm

Eating lunch then works great for us. An hour or two later we always walk by the counter-service places, look at the very long lines, & say to each other, "Alright!!! Thank goodness we're not in those lines"!!!

This is EXACTLY what we do (AND what we say to each other as we walk by an hour later!! ). It works great - we get to the parks at rope drop and by the time we're down hopping on the rides (without lines), we're ready for lunch. There's never a line if you go at 11am (when most CS places open anyway) and you have your choice of tables. Then we plan TS dinner ADR's for 5:30-6:30pm, with a snack in between if necessary. Works very well for our clan!

 

[The Sweetness]

We are early eaters. 11 or 12 for lunch, and 5ish for supper. by then, it'll be time to get my 2y old back to the room for a bath and bed (figuring at least an hour for dinner, an hour to get back to the room, then a bath and maybe a story... nighty-night baby)

 

[SnwflkCts]

I am all for the early lunch too ... normally 11-11:30. When we went at that time, it was never crowded.

I think we went later than that at Electric Umbrella (Epcot) (arrival day - late into park) and Tusker House (AK)(got caught too long on Safari!) and it was much more crowded and hard to find tables to sit at.

Eating light breakfast is good if you eat an early lunch.

Now, I do believe in slightly later ADRs if you are eating Table Service at night. You will get in close to the time you make the ressie for ... and the crowds are managable in a TS. (Well I should mention I didn't go to any buffets so maybe I am wrong about that). Since the lunches are so large and you might not be able to resist a MICKEY ICE CREAM at the parks ... later may be better. At least between 6-7 ... That's what I think ... and I think and plan alot (too much)!!!

Wow ... I just realized daisyduck123 and I must think alike. She said much the same thing!

 

[PenguinWaiters]

In order to avoid crowds at restaurants (counter service) I have been contemplating the notion of trying to get our meals at unconventional times. For instance, we could eat a light breakfast before we leave the hotel, then maybe grab lunch at 10-10:30, then eat supper around 4 p.m. (and maybe grab a snack later in the evening).

I was wondering if anyone had tried this, and what success they've had. Specifically, I'm wondering when the CS restaurants start serving lunch.

This is more or less what we are planning to do, but we are planning to do the last seating at a breakfast instead of lunch. Someone mentioned that they had more time with the characters that way at character breakfasts. Also, we need to head back to the room mid-day for a nap for me (and maybe DD!) and we will also need to eat supper early so that we can get back to our room for DD's bedtime.

We are not going until Feb. so I am interested in hearing how this strategy works out for you.

 

[Max Rebo]

We are not going until Feb. so I am interested in hearing how this strategy works out for you.

Actually, we're not going until June, so you'll have to report back to me.

 

[LoriMistress]

My DH and I either bring our breakfest or eat breakfest at the park, buy a snack for lunch, and eat dinner around 3-4pm to save money.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Here's what works great for us (always on the Dining Plan):

Eat counter-service lunch about 11:00am
Have a snack in mid-afternoon (usually not necessry due to the BIG lunches on the DP)
Have a dinner ADR 6:00pm-7:00pm

Eating lunch then works great for us. An hour or two later we always walk by the counter-service places, look at the very long lines, & say to each other, "Alright!!! Thank goodness we're not in those lines"!!!

We also do this. However, if we're having dinner at a buffet, I try to book as early as I can.

 

[tjmw2727]

We like to have a cold breakfast in the room, and then a late TS lunch as our big meal of the day. Same great menus with better prices and I can always get a lunch seating at say 1:30 - 2ish. This also works great as the kids sit longer at a late lunch then a longer dinner and we all get a break from the heat and touring the parks.

Dinner is usually a quick counter service meal, this way we can eat when and what we want. In Epcot my dd's like the chicken nuggets, or the China pavillion, I like the mexican counter service and dh likes the fish & chips.

The only exception to this is if we have a character breakfast, then its the last breakfast seating so its more like brunch and then a CS dinner.

TJ

 

[AdventureGuru]

posting so I remember this...*NOTE TO SELF*

 

[gssmks]

Do you guys use this same plan for the busy times of the year? We always go during off season, but this year we are going at Christmas. I read that if you do not get ADR's for lunch and dinner you will stand in line for about an hour to eat any meal. If I eat my lunch around 11:00 and dinner around 5:00, will I miss the lines? As you know, the CS places do not make ADR and I do not want to eat that many full meals.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Do you guys use this same plan for the busy times of the year? We always go during off season, but this year we are going at Christmas. I read that if you do not get ADR's for lunch and dinner you will stand in line for about an hour to eat any meal. If I eat my lunch around 11:00 and dinner around 5:00, will I miss the lines? As you know, the CS places do not make ADR and I do not want to eat that many full meals.

Since I don't pull my son out of school for disney trips, we have only visited during school vacations. (Peak and regular season)

I've only had to deal with long lines once. I made the mistake of going to the CS place in America about 45 minutes before Illuminations started.

I won't do that again.

Early lunch CS and early dinner ADRs have worked like a charm for us.

If you're planning to do CS dinner before a parade or fireworks show, get in line early.

 

[Haveamagicalday!]

In order to avoid crowds at restaurants (counter service) I have been contemplating the notion of trying to get our meals at unconventional times. For instance, we could eat a light breakfast before we leave the hotel, then maybe grab lunch at 10-10:30, then eat supper around 4 p.m. (and maybe grab a snack later in the evening).

I was wondering if anyone had tried this, and what success they've had. Specifically, I'm wondering when the CS restaurants start serving lunch.

This is a good idea, unless you are on the Dining plan or can get a nightly table service, in which case I reccomend you make ADRs for dinner. It seems it is nearly impossible without ADR's now, so make them ASAP! We usually have an early lunch (usually CS) at about 10:30. This works very well for us but we don't eat too big or heavy of a breakfast, just cereal or fruit or something. Eating earlier really does help tone down the crowds and leaves optimum riding time while others are eating! Hope this helps! Have fun!