What would you do? Too early vs. too late?

[January-2007]

If given the option, which would you choose? Either a too early dinner of around 4PM or a too late dinner of around 9:30PM? If there were just adults in the party. Trying to change around some ADRs after our most recent trip and the time slots are obviously hard to come by at a normal time because of the Free Dining Plan. Just curious what you all choose.

[RedSoxFan]

I think I would choose an early dinner. Have a light snack for lunch so that you could eat dinner at 4pm. 9:30pm is too late me -- either w/ or w/out kids. And if you have dinner at 4pm, you'll be hungry enough later for dessert.

[ibrowse17]

For me, that would depend on park hours and firework viewing plans. I would lean toward the later dinner, simply because I would not want to be full from dinner and walking around a park.

[snifflesmcg]

If given the option, which would you choose? Either a too early dinner of around 4PM or a too late dinner of around 9:30PM? If there were just adults in the party. Trying to change around some ADRs after our most recent trip and the time slots are obviously hard to come by at a normal time because of the Free Dining Plan. Just curious what you all choose.

I'm having the same problems. Anyway, if you guys are all adults, I'd go with the later of the two. I'm sure it will be less crowded and less kids. That way you can grab a light breakfast, a counter service lunch around 3 and then eat dinner after the parks close. You won't be cutting into park time that way. Only problem you may have is getting to your ADR on time since most will be exiting the park around the same time.

[tinksmom02]

I would go earlier, but we almost always have DD with us...let me just daydream about an adults-only dinner for a moment...

I would say the later ADR, if you weren't concerned about catching fireworks or anything...less kids, I would think (if that matters, to you), but I would think the crowds would be lighter in general, which might work to your advantage.

[Guya103]

We would prefer to eat a bit earlier so that we could walk it off. If we have to wait to eat too late, we tend to cancel and skip it b/c we don't care and are too exhausted.:mickey:

[chrisandmattsmom]

I would do an early dinner and then have a late snack.

[pixiegoose]

We had the situation for one of our September ADRs and we chose the earlier rather than later. It's just my husband and me but I'd rather eat earlier and then grab a snack later if need be and not feel completely stuffed when I'm trying to get to sleep. And once I hit a certain tiredness level, I'm not hungry so a late dinner just doesn't work well for me.

[Nicki'sMom]

Imagine this....an early dinner followed by a little touring and then drinks and appetizers later that evening at the Cali Grill or Blue Zoo or Narcossee's! Sounds wonderful!

[ghost of christmas past]

We always choose an early dinner. That way you get to walk off your meal and maybe enjoy a dessert later. Besides it's not good to eat that late and then go to bed soon after.

:marg:

[Natazu]

Rachel and I find late dinners much more relaxing and enjoyable than early ones. We tend to use our dinner TS meals to end the day and kind of wind down.

[mrsgaribaldi]

I would eat late:thumbsup:

[moe513]

I would eat late as long as it didnt interfer with your plans for fireworks,fantasmic or spectromagic. I bet eating late is more relaxing.

[LibertyTreeGal]

Early, it is just soooo hard to sleep after I've just eaten a big meal. Plus, knowing myself I'd be snacking too much to make it that late.

[dolphinmickey9170]

We have to agree with Natazu......later is good for us and quite relaxing, no screaming kids (usually). We love it. Have a coffee and baked good for breakfast, a 2:30-3:00 CS lunch and then have your late dinner.

[DSNYMOM4JJ]

I think I would plan my meals around what park you wil be in on certain days...if in Epcot I would say eat early then enjoy the Food & Wine Festival in the evening..when in AK I would eat a late lunch then head over to DTD for a late dinner at Captn Jacks and then hit some of the night life-comedy clubs,dancing, etc..or even the Boardwalk area for Espn or Jellyrolls.

Now for the MK I would say eat early if the park was closing early..but for EMH I would make late plans so that you could utilize all the extra park time, I would plan on exiting the park before closing and eating late relaxing meal at one of the monrail resorts so that you would miss the congestion when the park shuts down. And lastly I would eat late in MGM if Fantasmic isnt in your plans, or perhaps eat early in that park and then try to hit Cirque in DTD for an early showing then have a great dessert at Ghiridelis (sp) in DTD...just a suggestion...

hope it helps, but I would make rezzies and then keep checking back perhaps something better might come open.:mickey:

[KAT1811]

I'd love to know where it is that you are contemplating dining. I would go with the later seating. We (without children) prefer to eat later in the evening (heading out locally Sat. night for 8:30 reservations with our group of 10). Plus I love walking around the park at night when it is almost empty.

DM and I had dinner late one evening at Alfrodo's (DD#1 slept in the stroller in the dining room the entire time). When we emerged from the restaurant the park was just about empty, the torches were all burning aroung the lake and we slowly took it all in, breathtaking!

Enjoy!!

[MickeyandTink]

I think a lot depends on what your normal schedule is like. Most of our ADR's are set for 6:00 or so because DD :princess: usually eats around 6 or 7 o'clock at home. If it was just DW :tink: and I :smickey:, then I'd take the later one because we usually don't eat until after the kids are down for the night (9:00 or so).

What would you do if you were going out to dinner at a popular restuarant at home and you had the same choice of times?

[vamaggie]

I do not have any experience with later dining at WDW (kids!) but my concern would be what if the 9:30 ADR ends up being seated at 10 or later? It owuld be nice to eat later than 4 but if I had to choose (with kids or not) I would take the earlier one.

[glenpreece]

I ran into this as well. I chose the late dinners because we normally eat later anyways 7:30ish so I figured if we had a light b fast and a 1pm lunch we should be fine till dinner with a sanck in between.

[Katarch]

Without kids I would eat late, it more relaxing.:mickey:

[elmjimmlm]

Last year we ate at 50s at 11pm...We didnt have a reservation and went in at 10 and they said to come back 1/2 hour later...it was great...it was late night MGM and our kids didnt have a problem eating or staying up so late...Its Disney World...time doesnt matter there.

[NewmanFamily6]

Well if it were us we would have to go with the early dinner and a late snack. With 4 children 10, 6, & 4 yr old twins we just would never make it to the 9:30.

[SBETigg]

We love later meals, especially at WDW. A lot of the families with younger children pick the earlier times, so the late hours feel more like relaxing adult time (though I have no objection to eating with little ones around- it's WDW). Plus, it's hard to function in the parks on a full stomach. I would rather enjoy the parks earlier and then eat later.

[katzctkpt]

:number1: ditto on all the above

[Goes4FastPass]

A reality of WDW vacationing is how magically mealtimes anywhere near 'regular' times disappear.

I try to have an idea of what our touring plans are before I make ADRs. It amazes me how many people plan their whole vacation around their ADRs.

We always end up with at least one early and one late dinner but we then plan our other eating accordingly: Early dinner = 10:30am 'brunch' (what a stupid word) and late dinner = early breakfast and late lunch.

We also split CS credits when the ADR square dance requires us to eat dinner early or late. When I say, "split" I mean my wife and I split a single CS meal at, say, 9:30pm if we ate dinner at 4pm or a split CS at 4pm if we know dinner isn't until 9:30pm. Many CS meals are larger than any adult should eat at a single sitting.

[pshokie]

Boy, this one really depends on if you are a "nighttime person".

As for me, I'll side with the early bunch. For me, it is not just about the time you are seated, but also what time you are finished. For a 9:30 ADR, you will be finished between 10:30 and 11:00 pm. A little late for me to be eating such a big meal.

Where as a 4:00 ADR will have you finishing up at 5/5:30. With that one, there is always the option of grabbing a late night snck if you feel the need.

[MsMin]

Since we are big on meal skipping here we would tend to eat early w/ no lunch. It's our rest time and we love to be in the parks late esp MK when the crowds are lower and we love the fireworks. I hate going to sleep w/ a full stomach and would be w/ the group that would prefer to eat early and maybe have a snack later or a great desert and coffee.
I've found the 1st round w/ dinner doesn't have the table wait like the later too.
I plan most of our meals around 5 and it tends to be great for attitude adjustment esp w/ a pre dinner cocktail since they are all over 21.