Dress for Dinner

[Scoot]

A couple (or so) of questions about dining:
1. What is the dress for guys at dinner? Seems like I remember somewhere that Jackets were required (at Triton's ) but I can't confirm it anywhere. (We won't be eating at Palo's)
2. Do we have to make reservations for dinner each night (we already have an assigned seating) for the restaraunt we want or will that be automatically assigned?
3. What about lunch. Is that pretty much on our own - and what places on board serve lunch?
Many Thanks

 

[xABearx]

1) On the casual nights, a pair of Khakis and a Polo shirt is what I wear.....on the formal/semi-formal nights, I wear a suit.

2) You will be assigned an early or a late seating for dinner, so there is no need to make a reservation.

3) Yes, for lunch you are on your own....you can either go to 1 on the sit down or buffet restaurants or you get some of the fast food they serve on the pool deck.....burgers, dogs, pizza, etc...

Hope this helps, I'm sure there will be others with opinions as well.....Andy

 

[ThreeCircles]

Originally posted by Scoot
A couple (or so) of questions about dining:
1. What is the dress for guys at dinner? Seems like I remember somewhere that Jackets were required (at Triton's ) but I can't confirm it anywhere. (We won't be eating at Palo's)

Here is the official information on dinner wear from the Disney Cruise Line site:


What do I bring for evenings?

Let's talk about dinner clothes: We kindly request that no shorts, T-shirts or jeans be worn in any of our restaurants in the evening. Evening attire for the Animator's Palate and Parrot Cay dining rooms is casual. Button-down, open collar shirts or polo shirts and slacks are recommended for men. Pants and a blouse or a casual dress are appropriate for ladies. For Lumière's and Triton's restaurants and our adults-only alternative dinner restaurant, Palo, it is suggested that men wear jackets or a button-down shirt and tie and ladies wear dresses or pantsuits. Aboard our 7-night cruises, one dinner is semi-formal. Another evening requires more formal - or "black-tie-optional"- attire. Tuxedo rentals are available, in advance. Other themed evenings aboard our 7-night cruises that adults might want to pack for include salutes to the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

2. Do we have to make reservations for dinner each night (we already have an assigned seating) for the restaurant we want or will that be automatically assigned?

Once you check in at the port you will be assigned a dining rotation. You will be able to find this information printed on your Key to the World Card. The info will resemble a string of letters, 3 letters for the 3-night cruise and 4 for the 4-night cruise. This string of letters represents your dining rotation and each letter corresponds to the first letter of the restaurant. For example, if you found TAP printed on your card you would eat in Triton's the first night, Animator's Palette the second, and Parrot Cay the third. In short, the only reservations you have to make are for Palo. Everything else is automatically assigned.

3. What about lunch. Is that pretty much on our own - and what places on board serve lunch?
Many Thanks

Each night you'll receive a Personal Navigator for the following day. This multi-page "newspaper" will detail all of the day's activities, movie times, show times, shop and bar hours, etc. Also located on the Navigator will be lists showing where breakfast and lunch will be served for that day. Usually, you'll have many different choices to choose from. Lunch, for example, may be served at Triton's (table service), Parrot Cay (buffet), and Beach Blanket (also buffet). In addition, you'll always have the option of room service and generally quick-meal counter service foods on Deck 9.

 

[Chattyaholic]

DH and I have done the Eastern and Western Magic cruises, and just last month we did the 4-day Wonder. On both 7-day cruises DH wore a suit and tie for "formal" nights, but on the Wonder cruise we took my parents along and they didn't care about "dressing up" for dinner so we left the "formal clothes" at home. DH wore khaki slacks and polo shirts each night, and had a button down "tropical print" short sleeve shirt for our night at Parrot Cay. He did not feel "out of place" in the slightest. MOST men were dressed similarly. A FEW wore jackets and ties, but very few. You will be fine if you don't want to wear a suit/tie. The Wonder seems more "casual" than the Magic, maybe because the cruises are shorter, I don't know.

Your dining time and restaurant schedule will be printed right on your KTTW card.

For lunch there are several choices: at least one of the main dining rooms will be open for "sit down" lunch, you can order "room service" to be delivered to your room (limited items), you can go to Pluto's for hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken strips, fries, etc. or you can go to Topsider's/Beach Blanket buffet and enjoy a wonderful buffet (usually a different "theme" each day) including hot entrees, a variety of salads, wonderful desserts.

 

[kcashner]

You've seen the requested attire section from DCL (posted above.) Reality is "anything goes".....the only place you will be denied admission for not having a jacket is Palo.

On our 2/7 cruise, one of my dinner companions commented, "I thought you said no shorts in the dining room for dinner." I replied that no shorts is the DCL request, but they do not make it mandatory. A sport jacket will take you anywhere....you may choose to be as formal as a tux on formal nite, but a sports coat will also be fine.

 

[rae519]

ThreeCircles - you guys look great in shorts!
But then again, I'm an "oogler" from way back!!!

Seriously though, just remember that not everyone wants to see all the skin you have and you may not look as good as you did 20-30-40-50-60 years ago in that bikini, mini skirt, short shorts, or thong! And yes, I've seen some winning outfits at dinner too - (but the thong thing was just my imagination working overtime!)

Rae

 

[rae519]

Originally posted by kcashner
the only place you will be denied admission for not having a jacket is Palo.

We thought this was also true, but on one cruise, there was a couple who was in the WDW suite and the gentleman's son did NOT wear a jacket to dinner at Palo. He did have a shortsleeve shirt (wrinkled and ill fitting) and a tie on!

Guess there are exceptions to every rule depending on who you are and what number stateroom you have!

Rae

 

[budwmn]

On our Wonder New Year's Eve Cruise, my father forget their "hang-up" bag in the trunk at the airport. It had all of their dressier clothes in it. I thought my mother was going to kill him.

When we got on board, my father worked with guest services to try and get at least a sports jacket, but they had nothing and the stores didn't sell anything like that either. As a result, my dad wore a buttoned down shirt and borrowed one of my husbands ties. The folks at guest services said it wasn't a big deal. I called Palo just to be sure. Ivan (the manager) said it wouldn't be a problem and took our reservations.

As it turned out, my father was MORE dressed up then many of the men on New Year's Eve, and fit in just fine at Palo. (My mother's still mad at him, though!)

 

[inkkognito]

At Palo they now have a sign that says "no jeans." I saw people without jackets, but no jeans on our last two trips. Used to see 'em before that, so hopefully they are enforcing that. Normally I'm the kind of person who could care less what others wear, but Palo is special and I think that no jeans is reasonable there. It kind of spoils the romantic, classy atmosphere when you see a girl in jeans and barefoot or a guy in jeans and a bright flamingo pink t-shirt with his significant other wearing a sun dress and flip flops (yes, I have personally seen both of those).
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[jrabbit]

On the 7 night cruises, this is what I wear:
Non theme nights: Polo shirt and slacks
Mexicalli/Tropically... Tropical shirt and slacks
Formal/semi formal: Dress shirt, tie and slacks

Never been to Palo for dinner but I would wear the Dress shirt, tie and slacks

Palo for Brunch: Polo shirt and slacks

Oh yes, the shoes of choice: sandals with dark socks none the less!