Anyone Not Dress For Formal?

[MrsPete]

I don't understand the "too much luggage" thing. My family of four just returned from a four-night cruise, and we took one 30' pullman suitcase -- not one each, ONE TOTAL. It's do-able, if you pack only what you really need -- not what you think might come in handy. We were careful of our shoes -- they take up more space than clothing.

We packed casual day wear, swimsuits, and an outfit for dinner each night. The only dinner "repeats" were the clothes that my husband and I wore to Luminere's one night and Palo the next night.

When we go on the seven-night cruise next time, we'll probably need two suitcases.

 

[QueenTrident]

bianca - Thank you for posting. I hope you guys have a magical cruise. Your post just reiterates that we are all different.

For me, and what my family and I have been through this year, perfection would be no formal night so that we didn't have to stress about it.

We won't be doing ballgowns and tuxes, but will try our best to be dresses to least offend. But, the whole experience will be more stressful because I know we might ruin someone's magic or offend our table mates. However, because we won't be dressed to the nines, I don't think we should be relegated elsewhere on the ship.

I think someone earlier said it best, we'll all have to agree to disagree.

 

[MHopkins2]

I think someone earlier said it best, we'll all have to agree to disagree.

Yep - unless Disney decides to enforce the "suggestion" (or get rid of it altogether).

 

[disneydebk]

Queen Trident and Bianca,

I hope that 2004 is a better year for both of you and that you both enjoy your cruises.

I wouldn't have a problem with certain places enforcing the formal dress rule that night if I had access to the same food, considering I paid just as much to cruise as the next guest. And they should consider this when running the AP show so that it doesn't fall on formal night, so that all may be able to enjoy it.

 

[The4OfUs]

I hope they don't ever get rid of it altogether, in today's society there aren't many places left where one has a reason to get dressy! However, I loved the suggestion someone else made - wouldn't it be cool if they did something to allow BOTH schools of thought to be happy - maybe one night do "normal" for the early seating and "formal" for the late, and you choose which to do. Probably a total scheduling nightmare, but it would be neat!

 

[wide awake]

Thank-you dzneprincess and Queen Trident for posts which I agree with. I can't imagine being upset by someone else's attire. Now if they were wearing something wonderful I might ooh and aah...In reply to MHopkins2...that formals can be picked up for $20 or $30...not by me...I'm 5'11 with small hips, long legs, and a large bust...all of my clothing is from specialty stores, which gets pretty pricey.

 

[MHopkins2]

Originally posted by disneydebk
I wouldn't have a problem with certain places enforcing the formal dress rule that night if I had access to the same food, considering I paid just as much to cruise as the next guest. And they should consider this when running the AP show so that it doesn't fall on formal night, so that all may be able to enjoy it.

As long as they're clear up front (e.g., before you "buy" the cruise), this shouldn't be an issue either.

 

[MHopkins2]

I'm 5'11 with small hips, long legs, and a large bust...all of my clothing is from specialty stores, which gets pretty pricey.

I'm sure you'll understand, when I read your description of your figure, me not feeling very sorry for you!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Well feel sorry for me then- at 5'2 if I find a dress that fits me AND isn't dragging the floor 6 inches or so- I feel like I've won the lottery... and if I found one for $20-30 I would probably faint right there.
LOL
(Where do you find formal wear that cheap? I haven't seen any resale shops where I live that carry things like prom-dresses and such. It's mostly children's clothes or maternity wear- the only resale I see of other adult wear is at Goodwill and sure haven't seen formal wear there....)

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...

You still have to dress up the other nights- you can't wear shorts. If you read my post I mentioned swimsuits, daywear (ie: shorts/tees), clothes for excursions (keep in mind we're going in Feb- so we'll have to bring clothes for cool and warm weather= it's not a given that it will be warm during that trip), as well as dining clothes. Others have mentioned on many threads about wearing the same clothes to dinner- and my point was don't people start noticing a family wearing the same clothes 7 nights in a row? And even if every outfit for dinner is worn twice- that's still 4 outfits times 5 people JUST for dinner... not including all the other clothes for the trip. Remember that to some of us "resort casual" IS dressing up more than we're used to on a normal basis... and dinner clothing even for nights that aren't semi-formal, formal and Palo's is not clothing we'd wear during the day on our vacation. I wasn't talking about only formal wear- I was talking about what we wear for dinner and all 5 of us can't wear the same clothing night after night without our table-mates and servers noticing that- right?
Oh and btw- it's not necessarily "just" semi-formal night, formal night, and possibly Palo's. Depending on what your dining rotation is- you might be expected to dress up more than "resort casual" on more nights than that- if Lumiere's falls on opposite nights than semi&formal nights. For instance- you could have Lumiere's 2 nights, then ALSO semi-formal, formal and Palo's if you choose to. So ultimately it could be 5 nights out of 7 that you need to dress up more.
But anyway... I wasn't talking about strictly formal clothing- I was talking about dining attire in general and trying to figure out how to get away with taking less clothes yet not having our tablemates and servers look at us funny on the 7th night of wearing the same clothing. (which I was thinking would be just a little more on the "formal" side so we wouldn't be underdressed on formal nights)

Originally posted by 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.

You are a better woman than me. Can I pay you to come pack for me? I don't know how you did that... and the other person that said ONE luggage for a family of 4 on a 4 day trip? Even making that two (for a 7 day trip) for a family of 4 seems unbelievable to me. And I only usually bring one or two pairs of shoes also! So it's not like we pile in a bunch of shoes- but I still don't see how you do that... how did you take enough clothes for 7 days of lounging by the pool outfits, daytime outfits, and outfits for dinner EACH night, plus 2 formal dresses, 4-5 pairs of shoes and hairdryer/etc plus your purchases ALL in one standard size luggage? It sounds like you're a magician or something... LOL Seriously- HOW did you do that? Gosh....

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by BibbidyBobbidyBoo
Depending on what your dining rotation is- you might be expected to dress up more than "resort casual" on more nights than that- if Lumiere's falls on opposite nights than semi&formal nights. For instance- you could have Lumiere's 2 nights, then ALSO semi-formal, formal and Palo's if you choose to. So ultimately it could be 5 nights out of 7 that you need to dress up more.

The suggested attire in Lumiere's is identical to the suggested attire in Parrot Cay and Animator's Palate. Regardless of your rotation, there's one formal evening, one semi-formal evening, and five casual evenings (one of which is tropical/casual on the Eastern or Mexican/tropical/casual on the Western).

A few years ago, DCL suggested jackets in Lumiere's, but that's no longer the case.

So please don't worry about where Lumiere's falls on your rotation.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I thought on DCL website it even mentioned different attire or there was some kind of suggestion about dressing up more for Lumiere's/Triton's? If that's changed- then why did I read that? The website just not updated yet?
So confused now... expected to be dressed "better" for Lumiere's or not?

And don't even get me started with tropical night.. I'm trying to not even think about that as it would add yet another outfit times 5 people. LOL

 

[MHopkins2]

Originally posted by BibbidyBobbidyBoo
Well feel sorry for me then- at 5'2 if I find a dress that fits me AND isn't dragging the floor 6 inches or so- I feel like I've won the lottery...

A decent (and inexpensive) tailor/seamstress is your best friend. I used to have to get everything altered too (waist tapered and sometimes hem shortened), and if you find the right person, it only adds another $10-$15 for a dress that now looks made for you.

Where do you find formal wear that cheap?

Department store after-event clearance: very nice $150 dress 70% off = $45, plus "extra 40% off the clearance rack" = $27. Those are just sample numbers of course, but I see stuff like that all the time.

You are a better woman than me. Can I pay you to come pack for me? I don't know how you did that... and the other person that said ONE luggage for a family of 4 on a 4 day trip? Even making that two (for a 7 day trip) for a family of 4 seems unbelievable to me. And I only usually bring one or two pairs of shoes also! So it's not like we pile in a bunch of shoes- but I still don't see how you do that... how did you take enough clothes for 7 days of lounging by the pool outfits, daytime outfits, and outfits for dinner EACH night, plus 2 formal dresses, 4-5 pairs of shoes and hairdryer/etc plus your purchases ALL in one standard size luggage? It sounds like you're a magician or something... LOL Seriously- HOW did you do that? Gosh....

I got skills baby. Just kidding! Seriously, though, you just have to know how to pack: rolling, putting socks in shoes, etc. Consider that day time and pool outfits aren't very substantial for a trip to the Caribbean (typical port day outfit for me was a skirt and polo or dressy t-shirt), plus I purposely chose dinner outfits that were easy to pack and easy to wear: well-cut (i.e., not sloppy or droopy) knit dresses, black flare pants and a silk sweater, etc. Piece of cake!!! I share your awe at the lady who packed a family of four in ONE HONKING SUITCASE, though - wow!!! (Where's that "I'm not worthy!" smileyman when you need him? Nick, do you read the Cruise board?? )

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by BibbidyBobbidyBoo
I thought on DCL website it even mentioned different attire or there was some kind of suggestion about dressing up more for Lumiere's/Triton's? If that's changed- then why did I read that? The website just not updated yet?
So confused now... expected to be dressed "better" for Lumiere's or not?

On the Disney Wonder, they suggest a Jacket at Triton's. The 3- and 4-night cruises on the Wonder don't include any formal evenings, so Triton's is the dress-up opportunity.

But on the Disney Magic, they don't make any special suggestions for Lumiere's. There is no difference in the suggested attire in any of the three dining rooms. The suggested dress is based on the day, not the dining room.

You can confirm this by looking at the Navigators at http://www.dcltribute.com/ or http://www.castawayclub.com/

Originally posted by BibbidyBobbidyBoo
And don't even get me started with tropical night.. I'm trying to not even think about that as it would add yet another outfit times 5 people. LOL

Please don't be concerned about the tropical attire. You can treat it like any other casual night. You might want to save your most colorful casual attire for that evening, but it really doesn't need to have to pictures of parrots or hibiscus flowers or tiki gods.

Seriously, don't worry about the suggested dress on the Magic. Just wear comfortable clothes, avoiding jeans and shorts. Bring something a little dressier for the formal and semi-formal evenings, but you don't have to dress like you're going the Academy Awards. Enjoy the multi-course meals and the festivities that surround them. And have fun!

 

[ClarabelleCow]

We just packed in 1 suitecase for 2 adults for a 3 night cruise, I have an all purpose black skirt and top, I change the top and there is 2 outfits, plus a shawl thing for the formal night, DH has 1 black suit, I bring different colored shirts and ties. For the daytime, while on deck at sea, a bathing suit and a cover up, no need to put on shorts and shirts unless you are going for a sit down lunch. While in port, shorts and shirt. For shoes, wear sneakers, pack dress shoes and tevas for on deck. Carry on toiletries and learn to consolidate, you don't need anything, if its an emergency, the infirmary will have what you need, get a travel size hair dryer, and get those little bottles for shampoo and conditioner, no need to bring the big Costco size!!

 

[MHopkins2]

Side note to BBB - you're on my "list," missy! You mentioned magician and packing in the same sentence, and I now have the following playing on an endless loop in my brain:

Hoggity, poggity, woggity, wack,
Odds and ends, and bric and brac,
Shrink in size, very small,
We've got to save enough room for all!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Yeah, if I added up how much I've had to pay for alterations in my lifetime... it'd be a lot! LOL

Department store after-event clearance: very nice $150 dress 70% off = $45, plus "extra 40% off the clearance rack" = $27. Those are just sample numbers of course, but I see stuff like that all the time.

Hmm, maybe I should move to OH.
LOL
You do have skills on packing.. I was thinking the same thing about that one suitcase but I'm feeling "not worthy" even with your 1 suitcase with all that stuff in it!!! LOL

Horace, read on the disney cruise line website -

What should I wear to dinner?
For more specific suggestions, look under "What do I bring for evenings?" The attire for Animator's Palate and Parrot Cay is casual. Lumière's, Triton's and Palo are more formal. We kindly request that no shorts, swimsuits, T-shirts or jeans be worn in any of our restaurants in the evening.

So there is where I got the idea that more formal attire is expected/suggested at Lumiere's.

Under what do I bring for evenings:

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.

So it's mentioned twice that more formal evening attire is expected at Lumiere's.

I'm not concerning myself with the tropical attire. I doubt I'll have anything "colorful" for that night for myself- but maybe my kids will have something more colorful to wear- especially the girls dresses or something. That's why I said I'm not even going to think about it... lalalala fingers in ears pretending it doesn't exist so I won't want to buy & bring yet one more outfit for that night..... LOL

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by BibbidyBobbidyBoo
So it's mentioned twice that more formal evening attire is expected at Lumiere's.

Good point. The official DCL website should make a distinction between Triton's and Lumiere's, but it doesn't. It's unfortunate that DCL never updated their website to match what they print in the Navigators on the Disney Magic.

According to the Navigators on the Disney Magic, the suggested attire is based on the day, not the dining room. That seems like the right approach, considering that they don't tell you your rotation ahead of time.

As noted in my previous post, recent Navigators can be seen at http://www.dcltribute.com/ or http://www.castawayclub.com/

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Yes, if that has changed they really should update that on their site- considering most people would plan their attire & what they pack to bring with them on what their website says rather than recent navigators. (like what about those that don't see recent navigators on other's websites? They go by DCL info shown I'm sure!)

What's the difference now between Triton's & Lumiere's? Is Lumiere's not considered like Triton's because of Palo on that ship? (Or is Palo on the Wonder also??) If Palo isn't on the Wonder... is Triton's now like Palo for that ship and that's why Lumiere's isn't considered necessary to dress more formally like Triton's?

 

[NCRedding]

BBB: Tritons is on the Wonder, Lumieres on the Magic. They are located in the same spot, and have the same menu on rotational dining. There are subtle differences in decorations but they are essentially the same restaurant. Palo is on both the Wonder and the Magic. I had not noticed that they had changed the suggestions on the 7 night until HH pointed it out. My guess would be that they did so because of the formal nights on the ship. Our rotation on our eastern cruise was such that we had our formal/semi-formal night in AP and PC, so that my husband ended up wearing a suit or jacket to dinner 5 nights on board (Palo, formal night, lumieres, and semi-formal night, and lumieres again) He wears a suit everyday, so he was used to it and didn't complain, but I can see where others might have difficulty enjoying that many nights in a suit while on vacation.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

for tropical night, find a parao, Or however you spell it. I personally couldnt fit one around me!! But I have seen people do this while on St. Maarten. Wrap yourself up in it and put a flower in your hair, throw on sandles, and you are all set. then while in the next port, use it to lay on at the beach!!!

Regarding shoping for dresses, here in CT, now is the time to hit those clearance racks, Filenes, Macy's and Lord and Taylor, its amazing what you can get especially with those coupons, last year my DSis bought a bunch of dress, she pulled one out last week on the cruise we were on, the tags were still on it, $165.00, and she paid no more than $20.00 last Feb or March!!