Three TS in One Day - overkill?

[DisneyAdventurer]

Trying to fit all of my wanted reservations into a nice little bow-tied box, and need your lovely opinion.

First of four days- traveling to MK in the morning - probably until around 3ish, to Epcot at night (a EMH night) after taking a break at the hotel (possibly). Traveling with 2 adults and 2 children and here's what I have:

Chef Mickeys - 7:40am
Crystal Palace - 12:50pm
Garden Grill - 7:55pm

Is sitting down for three meals in one day at Dinsey overkill? I'd really like the Crystal Palace moved to the third or fourth (and final) day we're there but nothing is available (yet) that meshes with other plans. So I might only end up having two meals sitting down that day if I can find the other one in the next 6 weeks.

Just wanted opinions if any families have ever eaten this many meals out? Have free dining, so not looking for everyone to stuff theirselves at each meal and won't be disappointed if the girls have one chicken finger at lunch because they're too full from breakfast.

Thanks!

 

[TDC Nala]

Three all you can eat meals in one day is quite a lot. However, you seem to have them spaced out pretty far, and you don't care if no one eats anything. It will, however, take a lot of time out of park touring, especially if you also intend to take a break at your resort. You might also get burned out on that many character meals in one day (or you might not).

 

[MishyMouse]

We eat three sit downs at least 4 times over a 7 day trip. It isn't too much for us at all.

 

[Sassagoula Billy]

I know I couldn't do it, especially not three all-you-can eat meals. Aside from the quantity of food, I would think the experience monotonous. Maybe switch up lunch, at least, for a regular sit down.

 

[pixiemagic30]

Personally, 3 sit downs in one day is way too much food -- especially at a buffet. I would move the Crystal Palace to another day. Having 2 in one at opposite ends of the day would probably fine. Also, like another poster has stated, having all those meals in one day does take a lot of time away from the parks.

 

[crazyfordisney2000]

Yes, overkill. Just my opinion. Also, since it's your first day, do you want to take that much time out of touring?

 

[wizzzzzard]

We did something like this ourselves back during our Christmas trip in 08. We did Tusker House (in AK) for breakfast, and WCC (at WL) for lunch, and Chef Mickey's for dinner. We were so full by dinner time I barely ate a thing. I think we also got sick from something we at at WCC, but that's beside the point.

I too would move the middle buffet to a different day. Have a light CS meal at lunch if possible. Try Cosmic Rays for something lighter, or maybe the hot dog stand on Main Street.

I will not do 3 buffets in a single day ever again.

 

[DisneyAdventurer]

Thanks for all the help/opinions. Ideally I would like to move the middle buffet to a different day, just waiting for availability to show up (it's booked when we're available to eat). So hopefully that will end up being the case!
Thanks again!!

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

I would worry about time more then appetite. We have never done more then 2 in a day and my kids were begging to skip he second meal because fo the time it took up. I agree, it's too much. But I see your problem. Keep calling, people change all the time!

 

[TLSnell1981]

We sometimes plan 3 TS meals a day...unless it just the two of us. We eat what we want (not a member of the clean plate club), share the highlights of our day and rest our weary bodies.

We make the most of the fastpass system. Instead of standing in line for an hour...we sit in an air conditioned restaurant.

 

[MHSweb79]

You should budget 1.5 - 2 hours for every sit-down meal, which allows for wait time before you are seated. That's 4-6 hours out of your park time.

Is the food worth it? Definitely not. Will you be hungry for every meal? My family wouldn't. We can't handle more than 1 TS meal a day, unless we have an early character breakfast, light snack for lunch, and dinner in late afternoon/ early evening.

 

[MHSweb79]

Looking again at your ADR's - you will probably get to MK around 9-9:15 a.m. after Chef Mickey's. Then you can tour for about three hours, getting to Crystal Palace around 12:30 or so. You'll get out of there around 2, so another hour left at MK. That really doesn't leave you much time for MK attractions, since the lines will be long after lunch.

With just 4 park days, I really wouldn't waste too much time inside restaurants.

 

[wdwfan1]

I dont think there is any way you can enjoy all three in one day. We did 2 (lunch and dinner) once and thought it was too much food! Besides, when will you have time for anything else?

I would spread it out. Enjoy your trip!

 

[Kathy Z]

I think everyone is agreed that if you can get an ADR for Crystal Palace on another day that would be the best plan. And I know that is what you are trying to do.

I agree with another poster that I do not worry about eating to get the most for my money at a buffet. The buffets I choose are either for the variety they offer (Boma) or the characters (CP, Ohana breakfast etc.)

We found on the trip we made with our granddaughters that the 7 year-old took almost as long to eat at CS as at TS. We seemed to always spend anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes no matter where we ate. Part of it was that she just needed a break from the pace of doing a park. I don't know your kids so I'm not sure if that would be a factor for them.

When it was just DH & I we purposely took longer for some TS meals but we were not in a mode of needing to do every attraction and we had a full week at WDW.

 

[Soph&HanMom]

We have two children 5 & 8 that needed the breaks from the park and we scheduled three TS meals everyday. The little one hardly ate anything for breakfast and was hungry and tired enough at lunch time to need the break. The best time the kids had were at character meals and we did not wait in lines for characters in the parks giving us more time to ride the rides. I don't think it is a "waste" of time when the character meals were the highlight of my kids vacation. Everyone feels differently I guess and I feel that dining in WDW is part of the overall experience.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

We did it on our Anniversary it's a ton of food.

 

[ccw7759]

We have two children 5 & 8 that needed the breaks from the park and we scheduled three TS meals everyday. The little one hardly ate anything for breakfast and was hungry and tired enough at lunch time to need the break. The best time the kids had were at character meals and we did not wait in lines for characters in the parks giving us more time to ride the rides. I don't think it is a "waste" of time when the character meals were the highlight of my kids vacation. Everyone feels differently I guess and I feel that dining in WDW is part of the overall experience.

I totally agree that dining is part of the overall experience. I think you should
treat your dining reservations as an "attraction" and enjoy it. Not the food... after all, food is just food... but the experience, whether it be in a "country" or a character meal. If you end up having all three TS meals that day... just enjoy that day for what it is!!

 

[DisneyFamily123]

Looks good to me. Meals are spaced out. We did the deluxe dining plan last year and will do it again this next trip -- so lots of credits to use.

On our next trip, there are 3 days with breakfast, lunch, and dinner in restaurants... A character breakfast around 8am, lunch around 1pm, and dinner about 7pm. Works for us. We do this only for the characters at breakfast. But, if I wanted to... I could easily pig out at breakfast or an early lunch and be plenty full all day until dinner!

The other days, we just grab a quick breakfast at the resort (pancakes or something) since it opens at 6am... we eat it in our room while getting ready. We pay cash for that since it's cheap (about $5) and use up our other dining credits on some signature restaurants/shows... plus we dine on our arrival and departure days too (we arrive early and depart late as possible).

Trying to fit all of my wanted reservations into a nice little bow-tied box, and need your lovely opinion.

First of four days- traveling to MK in the morning - probably until around 3ish, to Epcot at night (a EMH night) after taking a break at the hotel (possibly). Traveling with 2 adults and 2 children and here's what I have:

Chef Mickeys - 7:40am
Crystal Palace - 12:50pm
Garden Grill - 7:55pm

Is sitting down for three meals in one day at Dinsey overkill? I'd really like the Crystal Palace moved to the third or fourth (and final) day we're there but nothing is available (yet) that meshes with other plans. So I might only end up having two meals sitting down that day if I can find the other one in the next 6 weeks.

Just wanted opinions if any families have ever eaten this many meals out? Have free dining, so not looking for everyone to stuff theirselves at each meal and won't be disappointed if the girls have one chicken finger at lunch because they're too full from breakfast.

Thanks!

 

[TosaTrio]

I think it depends if your ok with your day revolving around food...

I would vote no

 

[crazyfordisney2000]

Just another thought. How old are your kids? 7:40am to 7:55pm (finish dinner at 9:00 at the earliest) not including transportation time. I know my kids would be begging me by 8pm at night to go swimming in the resort pool. Our kids were 6 & 8 last year and most days we tried to be back at resort by 8pm to have down time before bed so we could get up a reasonable time the next morning. Just another thought..... Enjoy your trip, planning is half the fun!