Dinging times

[jfs9900]

Ok I suggested before that Disney should consider starting dining times earlier than the current 6:30 and 8:30 seatings. Most people said that Disney had already tried earlier times and they were just too early.

So my next question is why don't they 'stack' the dining times? They could have 6 different dining start times: first shift 5:30, 6, and 6:30 then second shift 7:30pm, 8, and 8:30.

The dining times would remain the same and then just rotate around the three dining rooms.

Or am I just crazy?

 

[tvguy]

I think it would be physically impossible to pull off. You can't have folks wandering in at various times. Actually early seating is 6 pm not 6:30. We have always had late seating, even on our Alaska cruise. I can not imagine being ready in time for 6 pm seating, especially on port days when you normally set sail at 5 pm. Just too much to do before dinner
I think that is why almost every line except NCL sticks with 6 and 8:30 seating. NCL is all freestyle now, I think they start service at 5:30 and continue seating folks until 10:30.
In our household it's at least 6 pm before everyone is home from work and school. So, unless we have hot dogs or Kraft Mac and cheese, it's usually 7 before dinner is on the table. Now, if it's a soccer or baseball night it may be 8 or 8:30 before everyone is home, so dinner may be at 9. That's what happen when both parents work and you have two teenagers.

 

[twinglez]

With a snack I am sure my kids will last. But I don't have teenagers, just preschoolers and we tend to eat at 5:15...latest is usally 6pm if they are preoccupied enough and have had a snack. I can't imgaine eating at 7pm...that is bath time here!

But different ages have different needs, I think 6 will work ok for those who tend to eat around 5, just grab something to snack on around 4 to help you last till 6.

 

[disneybride96]

Our next trip is with our nephews and we will be doing the main seating for the first time. Personally, I am dreading this...but for the sake of the kids, ya know!

I love the late seating....there were times when our table was the last out of the dining room and we never felt rushed. Not sure how I will be ready at 6pm, especially at port days. We also skipped some of the variety shows so we could relax in the tropical rainforest all by ourselves. I have to admit though,,,,we are DINKS (Dual Income, No Kids)...so our idea of fun is a little skewed!

 

[disneybride96]

twinglez -

Don't forget about your time zone change. That may work to your advantage if you can keep the kids on a home schedule.

 

[twinglez]

disneybridge...I forgot about the time change....will see how things go. They will also be 5 by the time we go and they may be more flexible. Right now we are on the wait list for the early time.

Thanks for the heads up about the time change

 

[crisi]

Originally posted by jfs9900
Ok I suggested before that Disney should consider starting dining times earlier than the current 6:30 and 8:30 seatings. Most people said that Disney had already tried earlier times and they were just too early.

So my next question is why don't they 'stack' the dining times? They could have 6 different dining start times: first shift 5:30, 6, and 6:30 then second shift 7:30pm, 8, and 8:30.

The dining times would remain the same and then just rotate around the three dining rooms.

Or am I just crazy?

One of the things I like about cruising over a restaurant is that the "moving around" hubbub of a restaurant is minimized. You aren't disturbed in the middle of your entree by people arriving or leaving.

With the style of service, they have a lot of tables packed close together. Most restaurants I've been in where they have assistant servers, you have much more space between the tables for people to move around. I'd guess adding more guests moving around would make service harder.

And it would make the kitchen's job harder as well. The kitchen and staff are currently optimized to produce a few hundred salads, followed by a few hundred entrees and a few hundred desserts. Making salads and desserts similtanously may make their jobs harder as well.

Not that these things are insurmountable. There may be a time DCL decides to try some version of freestyle dining.

 

[jfs9900]

Maybe I didn't say want I meant....



Ok there are three dining rotations.... PLAPLAP, LAPLAPL, APLAPLA;
PLAPLAP could be at 5:30 and 7:30, LAPLAPL could be at 6pm and 8pm, APLAPLA could be at 6:30 and 8:30....

This way each dining room would be all seated at the same time, and you dinging rotation be set specifically to the time that you eat.

 

[tvguy]

I just don't think they could start dinner any sooner after lunch than they do. And don't the restaurants share at least part of the kitchen? Boy, the would be a mad house if you had to have entrees ready at 6 different times each day instead of 2. And you are only allowing 2 hours between meals instead of 2 1/2. You're going to give some servers a heart attack trying to set up after early seating for late seating.

DD is 13, and DS is 17. She players soccer, he plays baseball.
DW works 8:30 to 5:30, with a 30 minute drive home so we're lucky if everyone is home and dinner is on the table by 7, sometimes 8. And I do most of the cooking (I work graveyard), otherwise it would be even later.
Enjoy the little ones and the quiet life while you can, soon you won't have a life of your own!!!!!!