Anyone Not Dress For Formal?

[disneydebk]

Some people showing up in their birthday suits may even ADD to your enjoyment of dinner.....

 

[Cruisin]

well, you never can tell, it just might at that !

 

[tigger53]

formal night always makes me uncomfortable as i'm a very low key dresser. my daughter loves to get dressed up to the nines, my son counts the minutes till dinner is over so he can change back into shorts and a tee, (he's 19, daughter is 21). i work in a cold warehouse and wear jeans and a sweatshirt so getting dressed up to me is not what everyone would consider dressed up for them, i like to be comfortable and enjoy myself, like someone already posted it is a vacation and an expensive one at that. the way i see it, i thought i was dressing up for me, not someone else. i am in no means trying to ruin someones magic by dressing how i like to, so i in turn don't feel i should eat in a different dinning setting because i don't meet someone expectations on my dress attire. we all enjoy our time off on the disney cruises so i don't see why how we dress should ruin it for others.

 

[MrsPete]

Personally, I lean toward the "do as the host has requested and dress formally" side -- especially since everyone has plenty of casual options available.

However, since there's so much discrepancy about this . . . perhaps we should suggest to Disney that they allow people to request not only their dinner TIME SLOT but also their DRESS PREFERENCE. One rotation could be for people who wish to dress elegantly on formal night; another rotation could be for those who have no problem with wearing cut-offs while eating lobster in Lumiere's.

 

[Alex]

I've always blamed DCL for this. It's really very simple. Either have a rule or don't have one!! This "suggesting" is just confusing to people and causes a lot of strife.
If they want a formal nite they should just come right and say "no jeans, no shorts" whatever whatever
They do it at Palo now

 

[dzneprincess]

I have never understood why the way someone else dresses on your vacation would have such a negative impact on ones enjoyment of said vacation? Anytime I have cruised, I have just been so happy to be on vacation, and whats more, be aboard the Disney Magic! Quite honestly I never paid attention to what everyone else was wearing. ?I have always been to busy enjoying my family's company and the entertainment and service provided by the serving team. One other point, the reasoning that since one can afford the cruise, one should shell out extra money for the appropriate dress is, well, for lack of a better word, poppycock! I find that to be a very elitest statement. Many middle class people are just trying to afford to go cruising, and are not concerned with the extra budget for clothing. WHO CARES??? Why give it so much power?

 

[disneydebk]

I'm not sure if that was said "tongue in cheek" or not (What Mrs.Pete mentioned), but it does raise an interesting point. Just because folks don't want to dress doesn't mean they should be banished to eating pizza and fries. Maybe Topsiders, etc. should offer the same filet, lobster, etc. that is being served elsewhere.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by Alex
I've always blamed DCL for this. It's really very simple. Either have a rule or don't have one!! This "suggesting" is just confusing to people and causes a lot of strife.
If they want a formal nite they should just come right and say "no jeans, no shorts" whatever whatever
They do it at Palo now

Even on casual nights, DCL already clearly writes, "no shorts or jeans" in the daily Navigators. But, politely, they add the word please, making it "no shorts or jeans please." For some reason, there are people who think that the word please makes it optional.

I don't think it's unreasonable to enforce the "no jeans, no shorts" rule.

DCL doesn't define formal or semi-formal, relying instead on their guests' interpretations. Most guests are up to the task.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

It realy isn't much more baggage, and since yuo rotate, you can wear somethng more than once.

A little off-topic... but I have been thinking about this. I have seen comments such as the one quoted above mentioned many times on the board- but when I think about it... I think.... um, you're rotating with the same people, maybe even those people are at the same table as you night after night, with the same servers... you're just in a different dining room rotating from dining room to dining room- but the people around you are the same, your servers are the same! I think I would feel kinda odd wearing the same clothes over and over -the same people & servers will see you wearing the same outfits over and over. Our family is 5- we either bring a TON of clothes (for daytime, ports of call, a little dressier for dinners, then clothes for semi-formal, formal, and Palo) -which I do not want to do.. or we wear the same things over and over and everyone will notice all 5 of us wearing the same stuff over and over? Atleast those at our table, near our tables and our servers would notice this- wouldn't they???

So you can't really wear the same thing- even wearing things more than once (let's say twice) is still a lot of clothes for 7 nights (that's 4 nicer outfits each) right??

 

[PinClubs]

Originally posted by BibbidyBobbidyBoo
Our family is 5- we either bring a TON of clothes (for daytime, ports of call, a little dressier for dinners, then clothes for semi-formal, formal, and Palo) -which I do not want to do.. or we wear the same things over and over and everyone will notice all 5 of us wearing the same stuff over and over? Atleast those at our table, near our tables and our servers would notice this- wouldn't they???

So you can't really wear the same thing- even wearing things more than once (let's say twice) is still a lot of clothes for 7 nights (that's 4 nicer outfits each) right??

I am sorry but this concerns me...worrying about what other people think while I am on vacation?!?!

When the ship is full there are approximately 2,800 passengers and almost a thousand crew members none of which you will probably ever see again the rest of your life and I am suppose to be concerned about what they might about my clothes?!?!

Sorry, life is too short.

 

[Mickeyhugger]

Sandygirl -

Hi! No, you didn't start this debate. I think I did when I mentioned to have 'some respect' for the Disney Cruise guidelines.

I was actually referring to (no particular ONE individual) those who said 'wear whatever you want.'

I'd no idea it would start all of this.

My apologies for offending anyone. And it's my problem, okay? I still would feel uncomfortable 'dressed casually' if most others were dressed in semi-formal or formal attire. I equate 'formal night' attire w/that of a wedding. If it's requested attire per Disney, and TO ME, it's just a matter of respect, plain and simple.

And rereading your post, I understand where you're coming from, as my DD loves to dress up too. I'd be a tough decision for me.

I hope you have a wonderful time.

 

[trishy]

Alex brings up a great point as did Horace about DCL clarifying the rules, but I think at this point DCL wants to leave it up to the passenger to interpret what THEY feel is formal attire for themselves - possibly to leave it to each passenger's personal budget (imagine that). In 3 cruises I have yet to see any passenger show up in cut-offs as Mrs. Pete suggested or even jeans or shorts to formal night (I have seen seen shorts on Semi, though). I'm not a member of the "formal-police", but I'm absolutely positive I would've noticed cut-offs, jeans or shorts. The least dressed I've seen would be khaki pants and a button-up collared shirt. I wouldn't even look down on that. My dh enjoys wearing a tux and I enjoy wearing my good jewelry in my formal clothes, but we don't get to go out to places that require a tux or formal gown that often so this is extremely fun to US - and our 3 dd's insist on it because they LOVE to get all dolled up. I have no problem sharing a table with guests who want to wear their khaki pants w/collared shirts(for him), regular dresses or pantsuits(for her), though. I hate to hear about people feeling their dinner is ruined by other passengers' apparel choices. I like the suggestion that Topsider's offer the exact same menu choices on Formal and Semi-formal nights - though it wouldn't really help for Animators because of the show the passengers would be missing. At least it would be a step in the right direction to please more passengers.

 

[Alex]

There was a table in shorts on our last cruise on the first night. I turned around to DW and said "I wonder if their luggage was lost" she said "you know I hadn't thought of that"
It happens

 

[trishy]

That's a great point! Honestly, on our July 5 cruise, the couple we were vacationing with (at BWV) forgot to pack her formal gown. BWV staff were the sweetest, though. They helped us arrange to get it to the resort - with the help of her dd - luckily it arrived before our cruise. Yes, things like lost luggage and forgotten apparel does happen.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Originally posted by PinClubs
I am sorry but this concerns me...worrying about what other people think while I am on vacation?!?!

When the ship is full there are approximately 2,800 passengers and almost a thousand crew members none of which you will probably ever see again the rest of your life and I am suppose to be concerned about what they might about my clothes?!?!

Sorry, life is too short.

Um, first of all... I think I specifically spoke about wearing the same clothes night after night- I didn't say I cared or worried about what they might think about WHAT I was wearing- I said specifically wearing it over and over- all 5 of us. And I also spoke specifically about those sitting possibly at the same table as us plus our servers- who would see us wearing the same clothing night after night. What that has to do with how many passengers and crew members on the ship is beyond me. Everyone talks about how well they get to know their table-mates and their servers- they get to know them that well but somehow I'm supposed to believe that after 7 nights those same people aren't going to notice my family of 5 are wearing the same clothes night after night?
LOL Come on now...

I suppose I could wash them (and I definitely would have to- atleast with my DH and my kids... they can't eat a meal without atleast a spot here or there- all of them LOL)- but every day?

Anyway, I just said I was thinking about this- because it's either pack a bunch of clothes or wash clothes daily & wear the same things night after night- and I wondered how tablemates and servers wouldn't notice this... I mean really- if people are so upset about to what degree people are dressing up at dinner- surely it's a no-no to wear the same clothes 7 nights in a row- right? LOL

 

[The4OfUs]

Originally posted by BibbidyBobbidyBoo
Anyway, I just said I was thinking about this- because it's either pack a bunch of clothes or wash clothes daily & wear the same things night after night- and I wondered how tablemates and servers wouldn't notice this... I mean really- if people are so upset about to what degree people are dressing up at dinner- surely it's a no-no to wear the same clothes 7 nights in a row- right? LOL

But it's not "night after night", as there's only one formal night and one "semi-formal" night, right? I'll probably wear the same dress to Palo as I do to semi-formal night, unless I find another I feel like taking along...

I was talking to my mother-in-law last night, who is also my travel agent, and a cruise veteran, about this subject. She was shocked that Disney does not enforce what it requests and said for the most part she has not seen that on any other cruise line she's been on (and she's been on just about all of them) except once on the RCCL, at formal night one man at her table showed up in stained jeans, workboots, a flannel shirt and suspenders! Now surely THAT strikes people as disrespectful! *grin* She said that was the one cruise line where they wouldn't ask the person to go change - she has not done Disney yet, but said she was surprised that they don't do what Alex notes they did at Palo's. She also told me that if she was at a table on formal night and someone showed up very unformal, SHE would ask them to find a new place to eat, or ask the host to get her a different table...I don't think I'd EVER do that, but that's MIL for you! (i love her, but she has some extreme opinions)

She also described to me the new QM2, where what you book as accomodations = where you eat, and noted that you'd never see this discussion there...well, duh, it's the QM2! *laugh*

 

[MHopkins2]

I'm not even going to get started on the main part of this discussion, but re the "taking an extra suitcase for each person..." I took a 7-day Carnival cruise when I graduated from college. I had lounging-by-the-pool outfits, daytime outfits, and outfits for dinner each night, including TWO different formal dresses. All those clothes, four or five pairs of shoes, several miscellaneous items (e.g., hairdryer), plus all my purchases during the cruise fit in one standard size American Tourister. It isn't the 1950's - "formal dress" does not have to mean seven cubic yards of crinoline.

And re the budget issue, I can't speak for men's attire, but you can typically find a very nice dress in department store clearance sales (look ~ December and June to hit the post-Homecoming and post-Prom clearance) for $20 or $30.

 

[bianca]

Just wanted to offer up another perspective for those few people who may consider dressing up formally for dinner "elitist" or think that others are judging them. Our family of four is taking our first cruise next January barring any forthcoming health failures. It could also be our last cruise together, as my husband has a terminal illness (currently in remission). We don't feel sorry for ourselves, but instead try to enjoy every moment and treasure it as a lasting family memory. I am sure that we are not the first (or last) family that has taken the "vacation of a life-time" on the DCL. With all of that being said, when we dress up for dinner on those formal and semi-formal nights, it will be because we really WANT to and don't exactly have the opportunity at home. In all likelihood, our cruise will provide the only "formal" photo taken of our family, as there is no guarantee that my DH will be posing for wedding photos with our 2 teen-age daughters. Our girls can't WAIT for this opportunity to dress up for dinner and we hope that it truly is a memorable experience for them. In my opinion (and in a perfect world), perfection would be that everyone attending dinner on "formal" and "semi-formal" night would dress accordingly ..... just my opinion!

 

[The4OfUs]

Wow bianca, what a wonderful way to look at things in the face of such hardships, that's truly inspiring. Thank you for sharing that point - I'd love it if I thought that my dressing up helped to make an experience like your family will have just that much more "magical" and special.

 

[bianca]

Thanks! That is the exact reason I posted. I am hoping that others will see that by dressing "up" they are part of CREATING the magic ..... not just experiencing it!