Desperate to get early dinner seating

[alanabey]

When I made my MAGIC Eastern cruise reservation, I requested early dinner seating. I am traveling with a 3-year old and 7-year old, who are usually in bed by 8pm. My cruise documents indicate I have confirmed late dinner seating. I have called DCL several times, as well as my TA, and requested the early seating, with no luck. I am on the wait list. Does anyone have suggestions as to how I can get changed to the early seating? What are the chances I will get early seating if I request it once boarding the ship?

Alanabey

 

[din]

On out last cruise there were a number of request for early seating, spring break. I found this out by asking the head waiter why there are so many empty tables at the late seating and he mentioned that they tried to accommadate as many as the request that they could without max out the capacity of the dinning room.

based on that I would say your best best is once you get on the ship request for the change and you may just get it. Good luck!!!

 

[DisneyKids]

Keep calling...that's probably your best bet. And check on the ship, if you get that far. If it doesn't happen, don't worry. When you cruise, you'll see that time is very different on the ship. Things are going on at all times of the day/night. With all of that, the late seating may not matter (I don't know your kids as well as you do, of course). We have cruised 2 times...both with late seating. We have 2 more scheduled and have requested late on both. On the first cruise, our kids were 2 and 6. On the second, they were 5 and 9. Our next 2 (back to back 3 and 4 day), they will be 6 and 10. It has never been an issue.

Don't forget, even if you eat early, you'll be attending the late shows (if you choose to)...the "ending time" of dinner/show or show/dinner is pretty much the same.

It'll be great either way. Good luck on getting things changed and have a great trip!

 

[castawayfan]

We called every day prior to our cruise. Eventually the DCL rep kept checking for me every day and called me. They don't pull from the wait list except for every 3 days or so and if someone cancels or changes then you may not get it from the waitlist. The best time to check is around the 60 day mark because people will cancel. If you can't change before you get to the ship, get to the place they designate for changes EARLY - like at least 1/2 hour early. They set up early and we did not know that on our first cruise and we were so far back in line we could not change. Our last cruise, my DH got there 45 minutes early and they were just opening up, he not only got us switched to early dinner, but got us a table for 4.

 

[D A P & I]

We were to have the second seating, and wait listed for the first. We have a 4yr & 8yr. When we checked in, and handed our KTTW cards we were on first seating, we didn't have to do anything.

I will say this. You eat at 5:30, there is a lot going on on the boat, if we get a next time we will try second seating. Everyday we rushed to get ready for dinner, we were always having fun.

Anne

WISHING TO GO AGAIN

 

[alanabey]

Thank you all for your prompt and helpful advice!
I will keep calling DCL, as well as get to the spot on board
the ship early to try to change our dining times!

Alanabey