Dining on the Dream - How does this work?

[LisaTN]

This will be my first cruise (June 2015). We are planning on a 4-day bahamian cruise on the Disney Dream.

I see the Main Dining rotation, three restaurants...
1. how does this work... you go to each restaurant for dinner one night?
2. Or can you do lunch or breakfast at the Main Dining places?
3. What about the 4th night?

While DH and I are foodies and would LOVE to try a signature restaurant, this trip is a birthday trip for our 6yo (will be 7 for the trip) - so we will probably skip the signatures this time around and keep it about her.

4. How/when do you select your times? DD goes to bed about 8:00 so we would really really prefer the earlier dining times... is this hard to get?
5. Anything else a newbie should know?

Just curious how it works. THANKS!!!!

 

[jdb in AZ]

This will be my first cruise (June 2015). We are planning on a 4-day bahamian cruise on the Disney Dream.

I see the Main Dining rotation, three restaurants...
1. how does this work... you go to each restaurant for dinner one night?
2. Or can you do lunch or breakfast at the Main Dining places?
3. What about the 4th night?

You will be assigned each restaurant for dinner one night; repeat one of the restaurants on Pirate night. Your assignments will be printed on your Key to the World Card (room key card.) Each day you'll receive a Navigator (newsletter) in your room, detailing which restaurant is open for breakfast or lunch. Or you can opt for the buffet Cabanas up on deck, or the fast-food places.

While DH and I are foodies and would LOVE to try a signature restaurant, this trip is a birthday trip for our 6yo (will be 7 for the trip) - so we will probably skip the signatures this time around and keep it about her.

4. How/when do you select your times? DD goes to bed about 8:00 so we would really really prefer the earlier dining times... is this hard to get?
B] Our travel agent requests early (main) dining for us. If you didn't use a travel agent, call Disney and request it. Ten months before your cruise, early dining should still be available. Hopefully. If not, put in a request, and check back every twice in awhile til they give it to you.

Just curious how it works. THANKS!!!!

Have a great cruise!

 

[LisaTN]

Have a great cruise!

Wonderful! Thanks so much for the pointers.

6. Do we get to choose which restaurant we repeat?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

This will be my first cruise (June 2015). We are planning on a 4-day bahamian cruise on the Disney Dream.

I see the Main Dining rotation, three restaurants...
1. how does this work... you go to each restaurant for dinner one night?
2. Or can you do lunch or breakfast at the Main Dining places?
3. What about the 4th night?

While DH and I are foodies and would LOVE to try a signature restaurant, this trip is a birthday trip for our 6yo (will be 7 for the trip) - so we will probably skip the signatures this time around and keep it about her.

4. How/when do you select your times? DD goes to bed about 8:00 so we would really really prefer the earlier dining times... is this hard to get?
5. Anything else a newbie should know?

Just curious how it works. THANKS!!!!

There are 3 Main Dining Rooms onboard the Dream: Enchanted Garden (E), Royal Court (R), and Animator's Palate (A).

When you check in at the port, your Key to the World card will have a dining "rotation" noted on it. This rotation, typically for 4 night cruise is 1223 (ERRA; RAAE; AEER). You will dine in each MDR once during your cruise and one of them two times. The repeated MDR (night 3) is typically Pirate night. Each MDR serves it's own Signature Menu, and on Pirate night all the MDRs serve the same Pirate menu.

For breakfast & lunch Cabanas (the buffet) is open as well as one of the MDRs (sorry, don't know which one). The MDR will have a sit-down table service (same menu all days).

When you make your reservation for the cruise one of the options that you can select is Main seating (early) or Second seating (late). If you book a cruise fairly close to the actual cruise date, you may not have a choice and will probably be assigned the second seating. That is the default during the reservation process, so you have to change it to Main seating, if it's available. If it's not, you can call DCL and ask to be placed on the wait list for Main dining. If you don't get early dining, you can eat in Cabanas for dinner. Except for the first and last nights of the cruise, Cabanas is a sit-down table service with select items from the other MDRs menus. You can go anytime during their serving hours. Or there's room service 24/7, as well as the poolside quick serve locations (burgers, pizza, etc).

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Wonderful! Thanks so much for the pointers.

6. Do we get to choose which restaurant we repeat?

You will be assigned to a specific rotation. However, you can call DCL and request a specific rotation if you want(not guaranteed, but generally granted).

 

[mmfox316]

Wonderful! Thanks so much for the pointers.

6. Do we get to choose which restaurant we repeat?

No. They assign it at check in and it is printed on your key to the world. Your tablemates and you, as well as your wait staff, move from restaurant to restaurant each night.

 

[LisaTN]

There are 3 Main Dining Rooms onboard the Dream: Enchanted Garden (E), Royal Court (R), and Animator's Palate (A).

When you check in at the port, your Key to the World card will have a dining "rotation" noted on it. This rotation, typically for 4 night cruise is 1223 (ERRA; RAAE; AEER). You will dine in each MDR once during your cruise and one of them two times. The repeated MDR (night 3) is typically Pirate night. Each MDR serves it's own Signature Menu, and on Pirate night all the MDRs serve the same Pirate menu.

For breakfast & lunch Cabanas (the buffet) is open as well as one of the MDRs (sorry, don't know which one). The MDR will have a sit-down table service (same menu all days).

When you make your reservation for the cruise one of the options that you can select is Main seating (early) or Second seating (late). If you book a cruise fairly close to the actual cruise date, you may not have a choice and will probably be assigned the second seating. That is the default during the reservation process, so you have to change it to Main seating, if it's available. If it's not, you can call DCL and ask to be placed on the wait list for Main dining. If you don't get early dining, you can eat in Cabanas for dinner. Except for the first and last nights of the cruise, Cabanas is a sit-down table service with select items from the other MDRs menus. You can go anytime during their serving hours. Or there's room service 24/7, as well as the poolside quick serve locations (burgers, pizza, etc).

Wonderful!!!! THANKS!!

 

[JavaHound]

We also will be skipping Palo and Remy for dinner on our upcoming 4 day cruise on the Dream so that we can focus more on family time, but will be catching brunch at Palo on our day at sea. That is one option to consider.

(In all fairness, skipping Palo and Remy is easier this time since my wife and I have an upcoming 7 night for our 25th anniversary )

 

[monorailrabbit]

Also a newbie here - is ALL food included? (breakfast, lunch, snacks, poolsides, as WELL as dinner??) Our first cruise is coming up in April - can't wait! Also, what is dress code? We are on a 3 night Bahama cruise on the Dream. Can DH wear shorts/flip flops and t shirt? TIA!!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Also a newbie here - is ALL food included? (breakfast, lunch, snacks, poolsides, as WELL as dinner??) Our first cruise is coming up in April - can't wait! Also, what is dress code? We are on a 3 night Bahama cruise on the Dream. Can DH wear shorts/flip flops and t shirt? TIA!!

All meals served in the Main Dining Rooms, in the Buffet, from room service, and at the quick serve locations poolside are included in your cruisefare. Meals served in the adult-only dining venues (Remy & Palo) have an upcharge.

The only "dress code" in the MDRs is "no swimwear or tank tops for dinner". Beyond that, you'll pretty much everything else.

 

[scgustafson]

This will be my first cruise (June 2015). We are planning on a 4-day bahamian cruise on the Disney Dream.

I see the Main Dining rotation, three restaurants...
1. how does this work... you go to each restaurant for dinner one night?
2. Or can you do lunch or breakfast at the Main Dining places?
3. What about the 4th night?

While DH and I are foodies and would LOVE to try a signature restaurant, this trip is a birthday trip for our 6yo (will be 7 for the trip) - so we will probably skip the signatures this time around and keep it about her.

4. How/when do you select your times? DD goes to bed about 8:00 so we would really really prefer the earlier dining times... is this hard to get?
5. Anything else a newbie should know?

Just curious how it works. THANKS!!!!

Since it looks like you other questions have been answered, I would like to add that you should call Disney and have the fact that it is your daughter's birthday to your reservation. On her birthday, you should go get her a birthday button from Guest Service in the morning so that she will be wished a Happy Birthday by all of the Cast Members. At dinner, your server team should give her a small birthday mousse cake and sing Happy Birthday to her. Sometimes it pays to remind them of which day this will be. If you would like to do something bigger for her, you can add a larger cake for a charge. Your travel agent, if you have one, or the DCL phone customer service can provide you other options. I hope she enjoys her birthday cruise.

 

[disneylove69]

Also a newbie here - is ALL food included? (breakfast, lunch, snacks, poolsides, as WELL as dinner??) Our first cruise is coming up in April - can't wait! Also, what is dress code? We are on a 3 night Bahama cruise on the Dream. Can DH wear shorts/flip flops and t shirt? TIA!!

In the main dining you can do jeans or nice shorts. No flip flops.

 

[holula]

In the main dining you can do jeans or nice shorts. No flip flops.

You can wear flip flops to the MDR. The dress code only prohibits swimwear and tank tops.

 

[Raenstoirm]

In the main dining you can do jeans or nice shorts. No flip flops.

Cant comment on DCL since our first cruise is next month, but on RCCL I have not had issues wearing flip flops in the MDR every night but formal nights. That said, I am female and my flops are "designer" so not the plastic beach ones, but I never got the impression anybody cared either way.

 

[bats]

In the main dining you can do jeans or nice shorts. No flip flops.

I wear flip flops in the MDRs .. I don't wear shorts though!!

 

[steph12]

You can definitely request which MDR rotation you would like. Just call Disney and request which one you would like to repeat twice and they can look up the rotation for your cruise. You can also request early or late seating, but you need to do this soon if you want first seating.

 

[damcha]

Thank you for the information on meals