Another Palo question...sorry

[Hatay]

So I was unable to book Palo for brunch when our booking window opened. I’d really prefer brunch over dinner, but we’re also open to dinner. My issue is that I’d still like to go to the MDR with our kids while they eat and then send them to the kids area. I don’t want to miss a MDR experience. We have early seating. I also feel bad about missing any of the shows or post dinner entertainment. Can anybody tell me what they’ve done when doing Palo for dinner? Do we have pretty decent odds of booking brunch on board the ship? Does Disney ever release more reservations for online booking before the cruise (should I keep checking the website)?
Thank you!!!

 

[southerngirl528]

So I was unable to book Palo for brunch when our booking window opened. I’d really prefer brunch over dinner, but we’re also open to dinner. My issue is that I’d still like to go to the MDR with our kids while they eat and then send them to the kids area. I don’t want to miss a MDR experience. We have early seating. I also feel bad about missing any of the shows or post dinner entertainment. Can anybody tell me what they’ve done when doing Palo for dinner? Do we have pretty decent odds of booking brunch on board the ship? Does Disney ever release more reservations for online booking before the cruise (should I keep checking the website)?
Thank you!!!

When my kids were teens, I would book Palo for a dinner time opposite of our dining seating time so that I could be with the kids for at least most of the meal ( I would just push a salad around rather than really eating), & then leave for Palo dinner!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

How long is your cruise and how many days is Palo brunch being offered? If it is a longer cruise, I'd say your chances are pretty good of getting a brunch when you board.

 

[Hatay]

Thank you, it’s 7 days, 2 brunch days offered

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

The longer the cruise/ the more at sea days you have, the better your odds are of booking onboard.

You can definitely go to the MDR with your kids and not eat there. We opt to go to Palo on pirate night because the menu is the same in all of the dining rooms and we aren't so in love with it that we'd miss it. We're out of Palo in plenty of time for the deck party and fireworks.

 

[skiingwife]

I'd say your chances are pretty good. If you go to the location where they are taking reservations/changing dining assignments about 20 minutes before the opening time and try to be one of the first in line (I think it was 1:00 in Royal Court, but that could change... check the navigator). There are always openings at least for the first several people, in my experience anyway.
I've left my kids to eat dinner alone while my husband and I went to Palo. They actually loved being able to dine alone and then head off to the club. The serving team took such good care of them!

 

[Weedy]

I know you’re excited about the dining rooms but when my kids were little they really enjoyed skipping a night or two of the long sit down dinners.
We would pick up dinner at one of the quick service restaurants on the pool deck or order room service (most items are free but you should tip a few $$). Then the kids would eat in the cabin and watch a little TV as we got ready for Palo.
There are 3 main Disney shows on a 7 day cruise and Pirate Night. You probably want to do all of those. Maybe do Palo on one of the other nights and skip the dining room.
Have a great cruise

 

[Hatay]

Thanks for the responses. And honestly I never considered that my kids may enjoy a break from longer dinners.
Next question...if I book Palo dinner for 6, can we still pick the kids up from the clubs and make the 8:30 show?

 

[dcassetta]

Thanks for the responses. And honestly I never considered that my kids may enjoy a break from longer dinners.
Next question...if I book Palo dinner for 6, can we still pick the kids up from the clubs and make the 8:30 show?

I don't think you would have an issue with this timing at all. But, make sure and let your server know that you'd like to be on time for the show, and they will pace your dinner appropriately.

 

[lilsonicfan]

we did brunch at Palo for that reason, didn't want to take the kids out of the MDR (which they love, honestly) - but I didn't get a reservation until about 3-4 weeks ahead of the cruise, I literally stalked the site every single day multiple times a day. I probably could have gotten one on board, but obsessive tendencies took over.... lol.

 

[Weedy]

One more thing... we did the early show and the fed the kids and then Palo. That way we didn’t have to rush. So early show 6:15, feed kids 7:30ish, Palo 8:00.
No reservations are needed for the shows you can go to either one.
You’ll enjoy what ever you do/works for your family. I just wanted to give you an idea

 

[cadien]

I know you’re excited about the dining rooms but when my kids were little they really enjoyed skipping a night or two of the long sit down dinners.

That's a good point. Especially when the restaurants repeat. I wasn't expecting my son to ask to have a night to eat in the kids club instead, but he did.

 

[Sytrace]

So I was unable to book Palo for brunch when our booking window opened. I’d really prefer brunch over dinner, but we’re also open to dinner. My issue is that I’d still like to go to the MDR with our kids while they eat and then send them to the kids area. I don’t want to miss a MDR experience. We have early seating. I also feel bad about missing any of the shows or post dinner entertainment. Can anybody tell me what they’ve done when doing Palo for dinner? Do we have pretty decent odds of booking brunch on board the ship? Does Disney ever release more reservations for online booking before the cruise (should I keep checking the website)?
Thank you!!!

You could check for Palo Brunch at 3 to 5 days before sailing. They shut down access at 3 days prior at 11:59 PM so I always recommend looking starting at 5 days before sailing up until that cut off point. Things tend to open up by then.
Of course, you could always check on the ship to see if there are any if you don't secure it prior.

If you are on a 7 night or longer cruise with 3 sea days your chances for brunch are going to be much greater than on a shorter cruise with only 1 sea day or a 3 night cruise with no sea days but they have brunch on Nassau day.. (obviously)

If you did decide to have dinner at Palo, you could make a later reservation (like 7 PM) go sit with your kids at dinner and then drop them off at the kids clubs and head to Palo with no problem.