Dinner question for 3 y/o

[katiefried]

We will be sailing this June on the Dream, just 4 nights. My son will turn 3 a couple months prior. I'm curious about the length of dinners in the MDRs... I've heard 2-2.5 hours? Right now my son can sit through a meal at, say an Applebee's type restaurant if he has something like an iPad, but even then usually my quick-eating husband has to walk around with him while I finish eating. Assuming he either won't want to be left in the kids club or potty trained yet (although that's the goal!) and will be with us all through dinner, can you ask for your food to come out quicker at the MDRs? I've read some posts where they did that for kids but what about the adults too? Even if they can rush the food out to you, would it then be worth it to go to the MDR at all? Or would you just go to one of the quick service restaurants or order room service? How entertaining really are the MDRs for a newly turned 3 y/o? I was thinking Animator's Palate might be fun but should we skip the others? Any tips or previous experience is appreciated!

 

[Silverfox97]

Definitely DO NOT skip the MDRs!!! If you have early dining, you shouldn't take that long. Be on time. We are usually out by 7pm and only once in eight cruises were there until 7:20pm (Animation Show night on Fantasy). We started cruising when our daughter was 3.5 & never had a problem. Of note, she's happy with crayons and some games of tic tac toe to this day

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[ATLMinnie]

We took our kids on their first cruise when they were 2 and 4, and they went to dinner every night. Their menus are also coloring books, and the servers were AWESOME! They took their orders, brought their food first, and did tricks/performances for the kids while DH and I ate. Our longest dinner was just over an hour. There is no way they could have made it through a 2.5 hour meal. We did the early dining. Even then, there were a couple of nights where they finished "early" and ran around/crawled under the table. Of course we would have preferred that they stay in their chairs, but they weren't bothering any other tables, and we weren't sitting with anyone else. When we looked around, there were lots of other kids having similar behavior, so we really didn't think anything about it. We would have left if we felt that they were truly bothering other people (of course there are some people that are bothered by just the sight of children, but we were not concerned about them). I would say go to dinner when you want to, and take your son with you. The worst that can happen is that you have to leave, but he will probably love it, and there is so much going on in the dining room that he won't want to miss it, and neither will you.

 

[3Adevas]

We did our first cruise on the Dream too! Our son was 2 1/2 the first time and then we sailed on the Fantasy for a 7 day Western when he was 3 1/2! We had great experience in the dining rooms most night both times. They did bring my son's food out first but the adult meals are served in groups like they take care of it in synchrony or something lol! We were usually in and out in 2 hours and the dining staff was great with him..they even distracted him for a bit by allowing him to color all over the table clothes with crayons and taught him to draw Mickey If you have a tablet or phone to distract you lil one that will help too! Room service, Cabanas sit down service, or quick service are all viable options if you are just having a hard time in the MDR's and want to try a different avenue but I recommend not missing the opportunity for enjoying all the dining rooms since you are on a 4 day!

On the Fantasy, he was big enough to go to kids club and we had late dining (Which we prefer because that is our home schedule anyway) and the kids club staff round on each dining room to pick up kids in the lobby about an hour into service...that worked for 2 nights and we enjoyed the rest of our meal. We skipped MDR one night and sat down for dinner service at Cabanas which was only about an hour then we hit the Aquaduck while everyone else was still in the MDR's

 

[katiefried]

Thanks for all the tips! Sounds like we should at least give it a try, and I need to remember since its disney we probably won't be the only ones with an active kid at dinner as some of you have shared!

 

[sparty7798]

We did dinner on the last cruise with a 8 month old and a 5 year old and it was not a problem. Our first cruise, our son was 3 and did fine. There is a lot to look at in the dining rooms and the servers go out of their way to try and make them happy. They will also bring the kids their food as soon it is ready so that was always helpful.

I think one night he would not make it through dinner so they put our desert go boxes. If he is not potty trained by then, the nursery is really good. We left the baby there several times to do different events with our older son and it was great.

I hope you have a great time!

 

[daisy112878]

Try it but just prepare that one of you might have to leave. Our cruise was with a 2yo and 9 month old. I don't think my dh and I ever ate a whole meal in the MDR. We leave on the 22nd for a four night on the dream with a 4yo, almost 3yo and 1 yo. We are hoping the best but are prepared for not eating n the MDRs. We will be bring their iPads as a last resort. I have no problems using them at the end of meals when we are finishing up and they are getting restless.