Scheduling ADR's

[have2getaway]

I am having a hard time deciding what time would be best to schedule our ADR's. We are traveling with our 4 year old son who is on a set schedule most of the time and he typically eats around 9 am for breakfast and around 5:30-6:00 for dinner with lunch in the middle. I originally planned to have most of our breakfast ADR's (mainly character buffets) around 10am, because I figured we would want to take advantage of the little ones extra magic hours. I thought I could simply give him an early morning snack to tie him over. What are most families with small children doing? We are traveling the second week in September. Will getting up early for the park even matter? Should we simply schedule a 9 am breakfast and see the park afterward. I scheduled most of our dinner meals around the 6 pm mark (some earlier and some later) because I thought we might have a later lunch and spend time at the pool and wind up eating a late dinner. We plan to simply do CS for lunches. Does this sound reasonable or will I regret not keeping to his schedule? Any feedback from parents with small ones is appreciated!!!

Thanks,
Have2getaway

 

[mmmears]

We have done pretty much what you are talking about. Depending on how far you are from WDW, the little ones can get off their schedule just from the travelling part of the vacation. We always gave our daughter a morning snack (and carried more with us just in case) and toured the parks first thing. Then when you break for breakfast, you get a break and you have worked up an appetite. And the lines for rides never get shorter than they are first thing in the morning. Just be sure to have some familiar snacks on hand when out, that tides them over and doesn't fill their little bellies with something too big or full of sugar each time they feel a little hungry. (We've carried raisins, cheerios, granola bars,etc. and it really made a difference).

We have also done dinner early -- it is quicker to get seated and then you can walk it off at the hotel or at the parks!

Have a great trip!

 

[MJMcBride]

One thing I noticed last time w/ my son. Schedules went by the board. He would just crash with a nap. Sometimes during lunch. Sometimes later. It was kind of hard to predict. I also liked eating bigger at lunch. Often he would tried and crabby by the evening. Something quick was best then I thought.

 

[indigoxtreme]

Last Sept we took our 4 yr old DGD and we tried to keep the time to eat around 5 to 6. It worked out wonderful for us as it is considered the early time. We ate cereal poptart etc in the room for breakfast, then had lunch around 11:30 to 12:30 and we were ready for dinner at 5 or 6. We did the early HoopdeDoo show, I think it was at 5 or 5:30 and it was a great time to go she loved it.