Dining Preferences Poll

[mylittlebuttercup]

One of the other dining threads made me curious, and I don't see polls on here that often.

So cast your vote: Do you prefer being seated with other families or with just your own family? (Or something different...)

 

[DISNEYFAN3260]

One of the other dining threads made me curious, and I don't see polls on here that often.

So cast your vote: Do you prefer being seated with other families or with just your own family? (Or something different...)

It depends. When it's just me and my husband, we enjoy sitting with others and meeting new people. When we've got the kids, I'd prefer it to just be us, which it is in our case since we're 6. But if that weren't the case it would still be my preference.

 

[Bonacker]

Following . . . (We haven't had our first cruise yet, so I can't answer.)

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I did say with other families, but it really doesn't matter to me. But I had to choose one or the other.

 

[kiford]

We sat with two other couples and two brothers in 2013 on our Med cruise. We had a great time with all - closed down the dining room most of the times. We continued to correspond on a casual basis after the cruise. When we decided to go on the Northern European cruise this summer, we mentioned it to one of the couples who said that they were planning on it with some friends from the UK. We both booked the same cruise and arranged to sit with them and their friends for dinner. When I went in to my account a couple of weeks ago to make some changes to excursions, I noticed another room connected to ours - it was the brothers. So we'll be reunited in July. It's almost like cruising with family. Very excited and looking forward to it. We've also been matched up twice for dinner with the same couple on different cruises. Neither of us knew in advance (I'm assuming that DCL made that matching) and had a great time. We also still correspond with a couple from a 2010 Med cruise. We've had some nice, but not memorable dinner companions, but you can also meet some other people who can become part of your own larger circle of friends if you're willing to take the chance, or opportunity, to move out of your normal comfort zone or family circle.

 

[Duffy Bear]

Another .....following....first cruise in September!!!

 

[sharksfinatic17]

My vote is for my own family, but that is because there are 10 of us. My parents, brother and his family and my family. Now if is was just my immediate family or just my husband and I, my answer would be different.

 

[Transit]

We are child free, and I enjoyed sitting with other adult couples on our last cruise. One couple was sociable, the husband went to the same college as me. The other couple kept to themselves. On our first, we sat with my family (about 15 people).

 

[muse7mom]

We've only gone once but we very much enjoyed having a family to talk to at dinner time. There are only DH, DD and I and we do everything together (which we love) so having someone to share stories of "what did you do today" with really added to the memory making. DH and I are both teachers so we meet people for a living and DD is an only child who is very social. We are very much hoping for another great family to join us on our July cruise!

 

[Sir William]

It depends. When it's just me and my husband, we enjoy sitting with others and meeting new people. When we've got the kids, I'd prefer it to just be us, which it is in our case since we're 6. But if that weren't the case it would still be my preference.

Same here. Most times it's just DW and I, and we've been seated with two other couples, though on our last cruise one of the two couples never once showed. We've always been lucky and had good table mates and usually something in common. When my two adult kids have been along we've been assigned a four top.

 

[GrumpyBelle]

We have dined with other families on 2 different cruises. The one, the family was matched to our family dynamics. We had nice conversation each evening. This was on a Disney Cruise. The second time was not a Disney cruise. We were seated with others at whatever table had room. We did have a couple of very nice meals with others on this one as well. We also had a meal with a family who kept to themselves. They weren't rude and it wasn't awkward, they just conversed amongst themselves and we did the same.

 

[ubish00]

I've dined with other families on both my previous Disney cruises. The first time was good and I stayed in contact with one family. We did an excursion together as well. On our last cruise they matched my niece with another little girl who was 2 days older than her. They also had a miracle baby. That little guy never fussed the whole cruise. They were a really nice couple and the girls were inseparable. We spent a lot of time together during the sea days and each evening. We are cruising together this year. Disney does a great job matching you up.

 

[abitagirl916]

I answered with just my family which is actually only myself and my adult mentally challenged daughter. The reason I choose to dine just the two of us is because my daughter unfortunately doesn't have the best table manners and I like to spare other people of this. If I could dine with others that understand this (and I am sure there are many people who would), I would welcome the opportunity to have others dine with us.

 

[dcassetta]

I've always had good luck with tablemates, so I chose "with other families". Abitagirl - I would be happy to share a table with you and your daughter!

 

[KKKKCS]

One of the other dining threads made me curious, and I don't see polls on here that often.

So cast your vote: Do you prefer being seated with other families or with just your own family? (Or something different...)

On some cruises we have had enough family to fill the table, but on the others we have had wonderful table mates and have kept in touch with several of them over the years.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

We have never had a dining disaster when seated with other families; or couples when it's just wife and me cruising. We have had fun table mates, with good conversations. We have had two cruises where we were dining alone. And both time a little disappointed.

 

[Flossbolna]

I find it interesting that over half of the people who answered the poll question want to dine just with their family. But the majority of the people who then posted on the thread seem to be happy to have tablemates. I guess people who like table mates are more likely to take part in the discussions. And I don't mean that in a negative sense, but it kind of shows that the selection of people who find the DIS and then choose to post are maybe not always a representative selection of all cruisers.

And for the record: I want to eat just with my own group. While I enjoy meeting others, I prefer to be on my own terms as to when and for how long I am spending time with strangers and not have a set time every day during dinner.

 

[dotfurio]

I prefer to dine with just my family. I'm not one for small talk, more of an introvert, and it would make the whole dining experience uncomfortable for me. Although we were at separate tables, I didn't even particularly enjoy being seated near the same family for all of our rotations because by the end of the cruise our kids were chatty with theirs which prompted the adults to have conversations as well. Luckily my husband is an extrovert and enjoys chatting

 

[Dug720]

Since I typically cruise solo, I picked "other" - with other being just me. If my sister isn't on her vacation (and I'm on "her" ship) and gets permission to dine with me, we try to get it re-arranged so we have our own table just so she can eat and not have to answer questions all through dinner if I'm not given my request of a solo table. (I mean, for me, solo IS family, but many people don't see it like that - hence "other").

I didn't bother checking on this cruise in Feb (she was on vacation) and discovered the first night that my request was NOT granted and I had two tablemates - both guys traveling solo. They hit it off well - both into kind of the same things, both conservative, etc. And then there was me - not into the things they were and quite liberal. The second night I had Palo, so no problem there as they don't mix parties there. Then I figured I'd give Cabanas a whirl the third night, but it was like they took my least favorite things (or things I would never eat) off the MDR menus and made that the Cabanas menu. So... I spoke with a MDR manager about changing, and she flagged my name and had me check in with the person at the front when second seating started - did that and no problem, I got changed to my own table and was much happier.

Fingers crossed my request is honored for my cruise in April - and I will definitely be checking with them when I board!

 

[apple9117]

Its always just been the DW and I. We've gone on 4 cruises so far. 1 time we sat alone at our own table, but the other 3 times we were paired up with another couple. It's nice to sit alone, as you don't have to make awkward conversations, but at the same time, getting paired up with strangers give you a chance to make new friends!