When to eat?

Thanks for all the great insight!!!

Based on the make up of the DL vistors it makes sense why dining isn't as big of a deal. If I was going for only one day I don't think I'd want a TS meal either. Both my DH and I enjoy dining out however we don't do a lot of it at home because Nashville has so many chain restaurants and that's just kinda boring. So when we vacation we like to try new places to eat. Neither of us is really set on a time to eat. At home we eat late dinners but we are flexible to whatever is condusive to getting the most out of our vacation.

Teatime - I love your idea of eating at WCT and seeing the electric parade! I think I'm going to have to do that too. So should I make a PS for around 7:30? What time is the parade?

Blackjackdelta - I'm with you about optimizing the experience. What times do you usually schedule your PS?

At WDW it's easy. We do lunch at 11 am when they first start serving so few people and food comes quicker and dinner 8 pm or later because people are finishing up and most people don't want those times (unless it's free dining...ARG and you have to get what you can).

It starts at 8:45 and I think Im going to bump up that reservation to 8:00 so I do not have to sit forever :lol: a sandwich ( or lasagna) will not take me 1 hour to eat :lol: I would like to enjoy my ice cream while its going on.
 
I always respect what your opinion is. I use it to tailor my plans and REALLY do enjoy your in depth analysis of the goings on at the parks. You have been a major asset to the boards. I was being a bit silly which does not really go along with my personality.
I am a USC alum and enjoy many visits since opening day, just wish I could go more in my latter years, just not possible with 3 kids in college.

Jack
Jack
We're cool! I am by no means an authority on dining at Disney! I really want to try all the cool restaurants there. Napa Rose? Never been. Steakhouse 55? Nope. Blue Bayou? Yes, three times! Because I always, always wanted to eat there when I was a kid but - well - dining was not a priority for my family. :goodvibes
 
I think I read where going to the Blue Bayou at 11:30 ( reservation) will get you a water side seat. is this true? I would love to go there during lunch just to experience this once again. last time I went I was in the back :( never had a waterside table.
 
I think I read where going to the Blue Bayou at 11:30 ( reservation) will get you a water side seat. is this true? I would love to go there during lunch just to experience this once again. last time I went I was in the back :( never had a waterside table.
BB opens at 11:30 for lunch. When you make the PS (reservation) then request a waterside seat. They will tell you that they can put in the request it but cannot guarantee it. You should arrive about 11:15 and check-in early and remind the servers you would like a waterside seat. Then keep your fingers crossed. We have done it twice and it has worked both times. :)
 

BB opens at 11:30 for lunch. When you make the PS (reservation) then request a waterside seat. They will tell you that they can put in the request it but cannot guarantee it. You should arrive about 11:15 and check-in early and remind the servers you would like a waterside seat. Then keep your fingers crossed. We have done it twice and it has worked both times. :)

This has worked for us 5 out of 6 times.

Jack
 
I made reservations!!!!!! I decided to go there instead of a few other places. I want my kids to experience this and remember it :) I think they will really enjoy it as you know kids love to eat in the dark LOL and with the boats going by how fun!! Thank you all for your help!
 
I made reservations!!!!!! I decided to go there instead of a few other places. I want my kids to experience this and remember it :) I think they will really enjoy it as you know kids love to eat in the dark LOL and with the boats going by how fun!! Thank you all for your help!
Make sure you take them on the POTC ride sometime before the BB! It will make the BB better.
 
Uhhh, 6.5 times? ;)

My perspective comes from someone who grew up there and went a lot in high school, college, etc. with other folks and family. And then interaction with all my friends growing, etc. You just grasp the priorities of everyone you know. All I can say is after all that it surprised me to see how the WDW vets (or regulars) placed such a high priority on dining because I did not know anyone at DLR who did.

Now that I am on DIS I am exposed to a wider spectrum of people and I know such people exist who get into dining at DLR.

I do think it is fair to suggest people look on MiceChat and see how many posts there are on dining. Not very many I think. IMO MiceChat caters more directly to the bread and butter of DLR - SoCal locals - while DIS caters more to non-locals and non-regulars.

Does anyone know of any Internet forums specifically on dining at DLR? WDW has one here on DIS. I also have seen them for DLR Paris. But never for DLR.

Do people get into dining at DLR? Well of course. My point is that the average DLR visitor holds in much lower priority than the average WDW visitor.

OK, this is making me hungry! Off to find some food! :goodvibes

As a WDW vet of many,many trips, dining IS important to me. I'm grateful that it is NOT as important to the DLR vets! :goodvibes Makes my life much easier. I'm not used to calling at 60 days out and getting the exact times I want at each restaurant. I haven't made reservations under the new 90 day rule at WDW yet, but I am used to the 180 day rule there! Yes, I plan my trips and meals THAT far in advance.

So, thanks to all of you DLR people who just don't care about your dining plans. Really. :)
 
As a WDW vet of many,many trips, dining IS important to me. I'm grateful that it is NOT as important to the DLR vets! :goodvibes Makes my life much easier. I'm not used to calling at 60 days out and getting the exact times I want at each restaurant. I haven't made reservations under the new 90 day rule at WDW yet, but I am used to the 180 day rule there! Yes, I plan my trips and meals THAT far in advance.

So, thanks to all of you DLR people who just don't care about your dining plans. Really. :)

I do! I do!:yay::yay: I am a DLR vet and I care about my dining plans, and meals have become a very important part of our trips now, not just for sustenance, but for relaxation and catching up with friends I don't get to see very often! Not all of us DLR vets feel that way - and I happen to think that making a PS is a very smart idea for anyone, having been someone who waited a loooooooong time to be seated too often, for too many meals, when we didn't have a PS.
 
I do! I do!:yay::yay: I am a DLR vet and I care about my dining plans, and meals have become a very important part of our trips now, not just for sustenance, but for relaxation and catching up with friends I don't get to see very often! Not all of us DLR vets feel that way - and I happen to think that making a PS is a very smart idea for anyone, having been someone who waited a loooooooong time to be seated too often, for too many meals, when we didn't have a PS.
Enjoy it while it lasts. :) While DLR will always be a resort that caters more to locals than does WDW, as many of us know (including Sherry I am sure) Disney is trying to make DLR more of a vacation destination. They just built the Garden Walk, there are more hotels going in, and there is the massive $1 Billion upgrade going on at DCA. There are now the DVC units at the GCH. Eventually they will build a third theme park. There has been talk of connecting all of these by the monorail or some overhead tram system. When all of that comes to fruition I think you are going to see a higher proportion of non-locals who want more dining options of quality and creativity. Then dining at DLR will start looking more like WDW and demand will increase. I would give it maybe 10 more years. :cool2:
 
When to eat? Why when your vacant interior demands to be satisfied of course. ;)
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