Yes! By eating lunch earlier you avoid crowds. I've heard for dinner, it should be later and not earlier. Avoiding 6 - 6:30 pm times. We've never done the dining plan. My husband and I don't "watch" what we spend on food/dining on vacation. It's the one time we "splurge" a little. I found as my husband and I get older, we don't each as much. For our next trip I only made ADR's for dinner. I plan on eating lighter for lunch (or else just snack thru it..yum!). Many times I split with my daughter who doesn't eat all that much either.