What time to people tend to eat at Disney?

[Daysleeper40]

I wasn't going to make any dinner reservations for our days at Disney but I have just cracked and booked Coral Reef for 4pm on 11th May as my OH is really keen to try it.

Having booked it I'm now wondering how busy it will be. I'm assuming 4pm isn't a very popular time for dinner (perfect for us though!) but then I wondered if people with young kids tend to eat around this time?

 

[2Tiggies]

I think that is your best shot at a quiet dining experience to be honest, all depending on how busy it is at the time you are going. Still a little early even for those with little ones. Most go for times between 6 and 8 pm. If you are hoping to avoid the worst of the rush, I think you are right on the money with your ressie time IMO

 

[Daysleeper40]

I think that is your best shot at a quiet dining experience to be honest, all depending on how busy it is at the time you are going. Still a little early even for those with little ones. Most go for times between 6 and 8 pm. If you are hoping to avoid the worst of the rush, I think you are right on the money with your ressie time IMO

Excellent news!

I didn't think it would be a popular time - which is probably why I can book it a few weeks before hand.

We will be picked up at 8am to travel from International Drive to Epcot and then we are staying late for Illuminations - it will be a long day. The plan is a late brekky / early lunch about 11am, dinner at 4pm and then I thought we could stop at Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe for coffee and cake while we wait for / watch the fireworks.

 

[2Tiggies]

Excellent news!

I didn't think it would be a popular time - which is probably why I can book it a few weeks before hand.

We will be picked up at 8am to travel from International Drive to Epcot and then we are staying late for Illuminations - it will be a long day. The plan is a late brekky / early lunch about 11am, dinner at 4pm and then I thought we could stop at Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe for coffee and cake while we wait for / watch the fireworks.

I think you have it all worked out For the Bakery, give yourself plenty of time before the fireworks start to get your snacks. A couple of years ago we found that way too many folk had the same idea at 8 pm and ended up missing it. Granted it was Easter week, but better get them early and save them up than leave it too late. Enjoy!

 

[Daysleeper40]

Thanks for the tip- will do

 

[Goofyish]

I tend to have an early lunch if I'm eating CS - 11 to 11:30 depending on the opening times of the restaurant.

CS dinners I tend to eat when I'm hungary but avoid the main dinner period (Americans seem to be creatures of habit and eat at 'regular' meal times lol).

If you are eating dinner quite early then it may be cheaper to get a late lunch ADR just before the restaurant changes to the dinner menu.

 

[wayneg]

We ate at Coral Reef early last year, would have to see if I still have the time at home but we still had a fair wait and I don't think there was a table without young children (except ours) it was far too noisy and not what I expected.

In my thread I post "Food was OK but we ate early, I just didn't like the environment, might have been better if we had been able to see the tank, we were furthest away you can get."

More thoughts & pics in post #182
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2524489&page=13

For lunch we like to eat at 12 Noon, evening meal 7pm.

 

[Jedana]

That's a great time! Eat a big brunch around 11 and then a good dinner at 4--throw in some dessert/snacks around 7 and you're good to go.

We do this sometimes on the weekends at home. DS will get up and eat some cereal around 7, but the rest of us get out of bed and just eat late, so only 2 meals that day.

 

[Daysleeper40]

Thanks all - I am pretty pleased with the timing and fingers crossed we have a good experience at Coral Reef.

I have read very mixed reviews so it could go either way! The only other place we were seriously considering was Biergarten... and this is going to sound really anti-social but when we read that it is banquet seating and you could end up sat with another party that put us off a bit.

I'm still not sure where we will be for lunch - any CS suggestions anyone? I was thinking Sunshine Seasons or Tangierine Cafe.

 

[wayneg]

If I had a choice of Biergarten or Coral Reef I would take Coral Reef, although we got sat with a very nice family neither the show nor the food was our sort of thing at Biergarten.

 

[2Tiggies]

I have read very mixed reviews so it could go either way!

That is true for every restaurant. They all have their fair share of good and bad reviews. It only takes a server having a bad day or a fantastic chef having a good day for two parties to leave completely different reviews for the same place.

I'm still not sure where we will be for lunch - any CS suggestions anyone? I was thinking Sunshine Seasons or Tangierine Cafe.

You have named our two favourite CS in Epcot. You can't go wrong with either. Both have good quality food and very generous portons.

Sunshine Seasons = great selection and variety

Tangierine Cafe = something a little different.

 

[catherine]

We've been to Coral Reef several times and while we've always had very good experiences once we've been seated (food & service) we have always had to wait way beyond our ADR time. We've never been as early as you are proposing to go, so hopefully you'll be seated on time! IMHO it's well worth going, but it can be very noisy!

 

[Daysleeper40]

Yep - agree that you can't completely rely on reviews and any eatery can have an off day. What I have been interested to read about though is the general ambiance... and I'm starting to think Coral Reef might not be our top pick now...

I know I could keep second guessing this forever but it stands to reason that Coral Reef will be popular with families - and being Disney I do obviously expect kids to be everywhere but some restaraunts will be more kid friendly than others and I think Coral Reef is one of them.

Doesn't matter how good the food is - if there are screaming small people everywhere or kids running around our table (and this is what I keep seeing in review) then that will spoil the experience for us.

Soooo I have now also booked the San Angel Inn for 16:30 - now I need to decide which one to cancel!!

Lunch I think we will decide on the day but Tangierine Cafe is winning at the moment as it is something a bit different for us - and we keep saying we would like to try new things on this trip.

 

[wayneg]

We really enjoyed San Angel, I think we have a res there again this year.

 

[gemmybear83]

We ate at Coral Reef early last year, would have to see if I still have the time at home but we still had a fair wait and I don't think there was a table without young children (except ours) it was far too noisy and not what I expected.

In my thread I post "Food was OK but we ate early, I just didn't like the environment, might have been better if we had been able to see the tank, we were furthest away you can get."

More thoughts & pics in post #182
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2524489&page=13

For lunch we like to eat at 12 Noon, evening meal 7pm.

Same with us when we went, we had a reservation for 4pm and I thought it would be quiet - instead it was maniac!

 

[Daysleeper40]

Thanks both - I am definately veering towards San Angel now. Not sure if my OH agrees though!

Can I keep both reservations right up until the day and then cancel one last minute?

 

[wayneg]

Thanks both - I am definately veering towards San Angel now. Not sure if my OH agrees though!

Can I keep both reservations right up until the day and then cancel one last minute?

Not the done thing, not fair on others wanting to make reservations.

We all enjoyed out San Angel meal, here's what we had

 

[Daysleeper40]

I'd better decide and get one cancelled in the next week then...

food looks good at SAI - you pretty much have me sold. Now to convince my OH!