Armchair Imagineering: Rotational Dining Restaurants

[Gusey]

Just thought we'd have bit of fun with something I've notice recently about Rotational Dining. On the Magic, the Wonder and the Wish the three rotational dining restaurants are all unique in style: One screen dinner show (Animator's Palate/ Worlds of Marvel), one stage dinner show (Rapunzel's/Tiana's/Frozen) and one "static" restaurant without dinner entertainment (Lumiere's, Triton's and 1923). However, both the Dream and the Fantasy have the same three restaurants, one screen dinner show (Animator's Palate) and two "static" restaurants (Royal Court & Enchanted Garden)

If the next time either the Dream or Fantasy went into dry dock they swapped one of the "static" restaurants for a stage dinner show restaurant, which one would you want to replace and with what IP for the dinner show? Also, what three themes do you think we'll see on the Treasure?

 

[Gusey]

For me, I'd like to see Enchanted Garden on the Dream replaced with a Encanto dinner show and Royal Court on the Fantasy replaced with a Beauty and the Beast dinner show, that way there are unique offerings on each ship without getting rid of either original dining room.

On the Treasure, I'm expecting them to have 1923 for the "static", and Worlds of Marvel for the screen dinner show, but a Moana stage dinner show

 

[RedHead0186]

For me, I'd like to see Enchanted Garden on the Dream replaced with a Encanto dinner show and Royal Court on the Fantasy replaced with a Beauty and the Beast dinner show, that way there are unique offerings on each ship without getting rid of either original dining room.

Oooh, I love this idea!

 

[CamColt]

I'll be the grumpy old lady here and say none! I like to enjoy dinner without all sorts of hoopla happening around me. There is a show every night for those who want to see shows. IMO, there is no need for another show during dinner. In fact, I really wanted to do an itinerary on the Magic for 2024 and was very close to not booking it for the sole reason of there being a dinner show.

When my kids were younger dinner was one of the few times we actually saw them on a cruise. We enjoyed catching up on the day, finding out what they had done, and even chatting with our servers. Those are some of the best memories for me. If we had a show every night that wouldn't have happened.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I like to enjoy dinner without all sorts of hoopla happening around me.

I agree. I find the dining rooms too noisy as it is. Adding those shows just makes it noisier, and (obviously) not every one has a "good" seat for the show anyway.

 

[Pens Fan]

I'll join the grumpy old lady bandwagon - no new dinner shows. They are just not my thing. The dining rooms on DCL are chaotic enough. I don't need more hoopla.

Now get off my lawn!!!!

 

[holula]

For me, I'd like to see Enchanted Garden on the Dream replaced with a Encanto dinner show and Royal Court on the Fantasy replaced with a Beauty and the Beast dinner show, that way there are unique offerings on each ship without getting rid of either original dining room.

I love EG how it is, and that dining room already feels small in comparison to say, Tiana’s and Rapunzel’s, so I can’t imagine putting a dinner show in EG.

If they are going to retheme I would love to see an Aladdin themed restaurant with Arabic inspired food.

Also if they do turn it into a dinner show, those poor people on deck two who have staterooms next to EG.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

I think a Star Wars dining room would be cool. I don’t think I’d like an elaborate “show” though with a lot of screens like Marvel. But maybe some screens and some props that have some movement.

 

[mamaburrito]

I would love for the Crush show to be replaced with something that is more timeless. I can see that show getting pretty boring on repeat cruises. I was bored by it on my first sailing on the Fantasy.

 

[holula]

I would love for the Crush show to be replaced with something that is more timeless. I can see that show getting pretty boring on repeat cruises. I was bored by it on my first sailing on the Fantasy.

Same. I really dislike the Crush show. If you aren’t right by a screen it’s just so annoying and loud.

 

[auntlynne]

I don’t think of myself as Grumpy, but I am definitely opinionated - and perhaps easily annoyed (is that Grumpy, if it’s only situational, between being Happy and Dopey?).

Give us one ship that doesn’t have 2 (or 3) venues with loud dinners. I can’t afford Viking and I do enjoy the rest of the entertainment and atmosphere on Disney ships. For those who want a constant barrage of stimulus, they have that on Carnival and Royal. For less money. Or just put the ”entertainment” MDRs on the new ships going forward.

 

[squirk]

For me, I'd like to see Enchanted Garden on the Dream replaced with a Encanto dinner show and Royal Court on the Fantasy replaced with a Beauty and the Beast dinner show, that way there are unique offerings on each ship without getting rid of either original dining room.

Having trouble following you here. How would we not be getting rid of the original fin-de-siecle French restaurant if we replaced it with a dinner show featuring a magical family from Colombia?

Making Royal Court a BatB dinner show would allow them to preserve most of the “castle” theme of the restaurant, including the existing BatB touches, (though not worth losing those mosaics, IMO), but I don’t see how you could preserve anything in EG to fit with Encanto. Maybe Isabela’s flower powers, but that would be a stretch.

 

[greensombrero]

It's interesting to see the different opinions. I haven't found the show dinners to be louder than the non show dinners but maybe I'm just not very noise sensitive.
I do really like the screens in animator's palate because they use them on other nights like pirates night etc to display artwork and they can be easily repurposed for different themes. I find the displays to be great conversation points at dinner with my kids as well as helping entertain them while waiting for food etc. Yet the screens don't have to be super distracting all the time if you want to ignore them. I wouldn't be opposed to more of them instead of the Tiana's/Rapunzel's style too.

To the original question though because I've missed the more character/show nights on the Dream/Fantasy compared to the Magic/Wonder. I'd personally prefer they retheme Enchanted Garden on both ships but to different themes on each for the variety.

I'd love to see an Emperor's New Groove themed restaurant because Kronk loves to cook and it is my favorite albeit often under appreciated Disney movie.

I'd like to see more ethnic food too to be honest. So a Mulan themed Chinese restaurant or Coco Mexican would be awesome. They seemed to hint we might see Coco on the Treasure.

The dinner shows are a big draw for me on DCL so I'd be happy with anything and really do hope they add to the Dream/Fantasy on their next dry dock.

 

[bigAWL]

The Dream and Fantasy don't have as much of Princess representation front and center as much as the other ships (Magic and Wonder each have two restaurants that are princess themed, plus the Wonder's Ariel statue; Wish has the Cinderella statue, Rapunzel on the aft, and a Frozen restaurant). So for the Dream and Fantasy, I feel they need to keep the Royal restaurants for the general princess inclusion.

They stand out with the Enchanted Garden venues that are not really IP-based (I don't think of the Mickey Cupid fountain as theming). So this is where there's potential to do something like what they did with the old Parrot Cay spaces on the classic ships, though I don't think adding more dinner shows is necessary. One limitation I see with theming an MDR is that it has to be able to hold up to the elegance of a formal night dinner. So while I'd love to see something like Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, or even a Jungle Cruise restaurant, I don't think they'd work out so well as an MDR. I could see any of these being used:

• Mary Poppins - "Carousel"
• Hercules - "Olympus"
• Aladdin - "Agrabah"
• Alice - "Wonderland"
• 20000 Leagues - "Nautilus"

Here are some options for Treasure restaurants and lounges that could take it in a much different direction from the classic fairytale vibe of the Wish:

• Encanto (Arendelle)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (World of Marvel)
• Avatar or Tron (Hyperspace)
• Lion King or Jungle Book (Bayou)
• Indiana Jones or SEA (Keg and Compass)
• Soul NYC nightclub (Nightingales)

 

[epcotrulz]

I would just like to see them fix the Enchanted Garden effects on the Dream … that little day to night show is good enough for me.

 

[Anna131517]

I don’t think of myself as Grumpy, but I am definitely opinionated - and perhaps easily annoyed (is that Grumpy, if it’s only situational, between being Happy and Dopey?).

Give us one ship that doesn’t have 2 (or 3) venues with loud dinners. I can’t afford Viking and I do enjoy the rest of the entertainment and atmosphere on Disney ships. For those who want a constant barrage of stimulus, they have that on Carnival and Royal. For less money. Or just put the ”entertainment” MDRs on the new ships going forward.

I liked the Marvel dinner on the Wish because it wasn’t loud. My kids paid attention to the screens and what was going on but I was able to just enjoy dinner. By splitting the dining rooms on the Wish (Marvel and 1923) they really managed to cut down on the volume. I really struggled with how loud and crowded dinners were on the Fantasy, and the split dining rooms is one of the reasons I really enjoyed the Wish. I know they can’t fix the dining room layout on the older ships but they can introduce more soft surfaces like carpet, drapes, padded booths, etc. And if they add another “show” I would prefer another one with screens, not live entertainment, for the noise reason.

 

[auntlynne]

I liked the Marvel dinner on the Wish because it wasn’t loud. My kids paid attention to the screens and what was going on but I was able to just enjoy dinner. By splitting the dining rooms on the Wish (Marvel and 1923) they really managed to cut down on the volume. I really struggled with how loud and crowded dinners were on the Fantasy, and the split dining rooms is one of the reasons I really enjoyed the Wish. I know they can’t fix the dining room layout on the older ships but they can introduce more soft surfaces like carpet, drapes, padded booths, etc. And if they add another “show” I would prefer another one with screens, not live entertainment, for the noise reason.

And the Dream and Fantasy dining rooms were designed with more sound deadeners, I thought, compared to the Magic class. But, of course, carrying more passengers.

I like the idea of the split 1923. Someone reported it as boring. That’s exactly what I’m hoping for.

Glad to hear that Marvel may not be the noise overload that the pictures lead me to believe it would be.

I do enjoy the Dream class Animator’s Palate with its little sections. And I like watching Crush swim from one screen to the next. So, I’m not totally adverse to entertainment.

And none of this has kept me from repeat cruising.

 

[CamColt]

I would just like to see them fix the Enchanted Garden effects on the Dream … that little day to night show is good enough for me.

Exactly! I even like the original AP with the walls changing colors, and the drawing night in AP. Those I don't find intrusive. And I will admit I think Crush is a cool concept for kids, or if you are into that. Me however, I do not want to be put on the spot and asked questions in front of an audience, while I'm trying to enjoy my dinner.

... Glad to hear that Marvel may not be the noise overload that the pictures lead me to believe it would be.

I found Marvel very loud, and surprisingly more intrusive than Arandelle. We were seated right next to a screen though so maybe that was why. My biggest gripe was one of the videos just showed a bunch of giant bugs...NOT what I want to see while trying to eat my appetizer.

 

[RedHead0186]

Exactly! I even like the original AP with the walls changing colors, and the drawing night in AP. Those I don't find intrusive. And I will admit I think Crush is a cool concept for kids, or if you are into that. Me however, I do not want to be put on the spot and asked questions in front of an audience, while I'm trying to enjoy my dinner.

My dad (in his 60s) got to see the Crush show for the first time last September on the Fantasy, and he loved it! He still talks about it. So, to each their own I guess?

 

[Kwami]

I would just like to see them fix the Enchanted Garden effects on the Dream … that little day to night show is good enough for me.

I don't think I've ever seen it working.