Dining options on the 7 day cruises

[Captainkate]

We don't want to do the rotation dinners for all 7 nights. I have not been on a 7 day cruise yet and was thinking there must be other options on these longer cruises.
Do they offer a buffet for some of the dinners?
Or maybe the 'wait staff training' dinners like they used to have in the old days at Beach Blanket and Topsiders.
Any info or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We don't want to do the rotation dinners for all 7 nights. I have not been on a 7 day cruise yet and was thinking there must be other options on these longer cruises.
Do they offer a buffet for some of the dinners?
Or maybe the 'wait staff training' dinners like they used to have in the old days at Beach Blanket and Topsiders.
Any info or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks!

The buffet (Cabanas/Beach Blanket) is a sit-down table service for dinner. With a menu of selected items available on the menu(s) being served in the MDRs that evening, as well as a salad bar and carving station. So you won't really be avoiding the food being served in the MDRs for dinner.

It's not open the first and last nights of the cruise.

Occasionally, on port days that the departure time is after the regular dinner seating time, they may offer an actual buffet service. But I've only seen that on the Magic.

Of course, there's always room service, Palo (or Remy), or the quick serve locations on the pool deck.

Lots of options.

 

[Captainkate]

We are going out of Galveston to Key West, Nassau and then Castaway Cay. I was so hoping they would do the buffet for dinner. Thanks for the info! We have done the sit down table service at the Buffet restaurants. The servers told us that it is for training purposes. They eventually graduate to the main dining area. It was nice because DH could order steak and potatoes. I do enjoy those dinners, but they take too long sometimes. Buffet would be perfect.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We are going out of Galveston to Key West, Nassau and then Castaway Cay. I was so hoping they would do the buffet for dinner. Thanks for the info! We have done the sit down table service at the Buffet restaurants. The servers told us that it is for training purposes. They eventually graduate to the main dining area. It was nice because DH could order steak and potatoes. I do enjoy those dinners, but they take too long sometimes. Buffet would be perfect.

It's always possible to ask your MDR servers to serve more quickly. Generally, dinners run about 1 1/2 hours, but can be done much quicker, if you let your servers know that's what you want. And letting your servers know that "steak and potatoes" will do for you, they'll usually see that you have it.

 

[Captainkate]

Well that's good to know! This is my 11th cruise and I did not know that. Thank you PrincessShmoo!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Well that's good to know! This is my 11th cruise and I did not know that. Thank you PrincessShmoo!

Another thing, anyone can order off off either menu (regular or kid's) in the dining room. Sometimes I find the stuff on the kid's menu is more to my liking.

 

[Captainkate]

Oh me too! I may do that if there is pasta.

 

[Jennifer777]

We usually look up the menu on our navigator app before dinner so we're ready to order by the time we sit down. We order everything at once, including dessert and we are almost always out in less than an hour. If you're looking for something super quick, there's always the quick service foods like burgers, chicken strips and fries by the pool as well.

 

[tinkerone]

shmoo, we have been to cabanas once for dinner but many many years ago. I don't remember what the dress code was. is it casual as in shorts or same as in the dinning rooms. I just can't recall.

 

[natesmama]

Not to mention, even on the MDR menus, way at the bottom there are "alternate meals". I forget what they are listed as, maybe something about health? Either way, you have the option for a plain steak, roasted chicken, or fish with baked potatoes or rice. This is available every night!

 

[jdb in AZ]

shmoo, we have been to cabanas once for dinner but many many years ago. I don't remember what the dress code was. is it casual as in shorts or same as in the dinning rooms. I just can't recall.

Even the main dining rooms allow shorts these days.

 

[tinkerone]

Even the main dining rooms allow shorts these days.

sorry, i should have said shorts and tanks. i'm talking going from the pool right to dinner casual.

 

[Trera]

Not to mention, even on the MDR menus, way at the bottom there are "alternate meals". I forget what they are listed as, maybe something about health? Either way, you have the option for a plain steak, roasted chicken, or fish with baked potatoes or rice. This is available every night!

I sometimes even order from the menu in one of the other dining rooms without a problem. I really like the baked potato soup that is served in Animators but have enjoyed it before in Enchanted Garden or the RP as well.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

sorry, i should have said shorts and tanks. i'm talking going from the pool right to dinner casual.

Time was that the "buffet" was considered the "less formal" option for dinner. Now, it falls under the same "dress code", as far as I know. That is (from the DCL website):
most meals are "Cruise Casual"—no swimwear or tank tops.
https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/...uise-plans/faqs/onboard-dining/dining-attire/

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I sometimes even order from the menu in one of the other dining rooms without a problem. I really like the baked potato soup that is served in Animators but have enjoyed it before in Enchanted Garden or the RP as well.

Yes, that can be done. But, generally, only on those nights that the rotational menus are being served. As in, if it's Prince and Princess menu night (same menu in all dining rooms) that item won't be available.

 

[Trera]

Yes, that can be done. But, generally, only on those nights that the rotational menus are being served. As in, if it's Prince and Princess menu night (same menu in all dining rooms) that item won't be available.

Correct.

 

[SuperDry]

Another option if you want a quicker MDR experience is to simply skip dessert and tea/coffee at the end. This way, as soon as you finish your entree, you can leave, especially since there's no bill to pay (ask to pay for your drinks earlier if you have alcohol). This cuts what seems like 45 minutes from each meal.

 

[Trera]

Another option if you want a quicker MDR experience is to simply skip dessert and tea/coffee at the end. This way, as soon as you finish your entree, you can leave, especially since there's no bill to pay (ask to pay for your drinks earlier if you have alcohol). This cuts what seems like 45 minutes from each meal.

I would think if you express your desire for the meal to move a little more quickly, they would be happy to make that happen? The sooner you are gone, the more time they have to ready the table for the next service.

I think the biggest thing we have going for us is that we know our dining team well and are sitting in our chairs ready to order promptly at 5:45. This allows our server to get our food in process quickly and before his other tables have ordered. They know we like to get our DDs food to her quickly and they always manage to do so.

On our cruise a couple of weeks ago, i routinely saw some families coming to dinner 30-45 min late..............that has to put undue pressure on the serving teams dealing with those individuals.

 

[icesk8abc]

We like service to be fast as my husband prefers not to linger over a meal. We let our preference be known and never had a problem getting out in under an hour eating all the courses. I second the recommendation for using the app to look over the menu ahead of time. It is also posted outside the dining room during the day.

The other thing you may want to do is request your own table. If you are seated with others who prefer a different speed of service, it could be more difficult to get finished quickly.

 

[mitsguy2001]

We don't want to do the rotation dinners for all 7 nights. I have not been on a 7 day cruise yet and was thinking there must be other options on these longer cruises.
Do they offer a buffet for some of the dinners?
Or maybe the 'wait staff training' dinners like they used to have in the old days at Beach Blanket and Topsiders.
Any info or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks!

Just out of curiosity, why do you not want to do the rotation dinners all 7 nights? To me, the rotation dinners are one of the best parts of a Disney cruise!