Dining rotation...is there a formula?

[tekmnky]

I would like to res for Palo on some future cruise but don't want to give up one of the Lumiere's or AP nights. Is there any way to predict what my dining rotation will be before I get on the ship? With the new advanced ressie process I'm afraid there will never be any Palo slots open by the time I get on the ship and see my rotation.

I sail solo and go for late seating and always go Cat 5, if any of that makes any difference.

Anybody got the inside scoop on the dining rotations?

 

[scrapperjill]

Some say....

If your traveling with young kids you'll more than likely get....APL
If your traveling with older kids...You'll more than likely get PLA
And if your traveling with adults you'll more than likely get LAP

This of course if for the Magic...on the Wonder I'd think you'd just substitue the L with a T. This is also an "idea" of what the trend is...and it all varies on how many kids are sailing...along with how many are young and old...and how many adults they have sailing. You CAN'T expect for them to allways go by these guides....

Matter of fact last cruise we were on we met two other families with younger kids....One of which had PLA and the other had LAP...so just goes to show you they DON'T allways go by this rule.

So in all ...there is really NO way of knowing....what you'll be assigned. But from what I understand...it really isn't that hard to move to a diffrent rotation once your on the ship... So I'd suggest picking when you want Palo then hope you get the rotation that goes along with what you picked..and if not...either try for another Palo night once your on board....or try and switch rotations.

I really don't think being a single cruiser you'll have any trouble changing rotations...now if you were a large group it may not be possable.

 

[tekmnky]

So I'd suggest picking when you want Palo then hope you get the rotation that goes along with what you picked..and if not...either try for another Palo night once your on board....or try and switch rotations.

I really don't think being a single cruiser you'll have any trouble changing rotations...now if you were a large group it may not be possable.

I like that idea! You're probably right - I likely would have no trouble changing rotations, if necessary . Think I'll try that! Thanks!

 

[pppiglet]

I planned by what the other Disers thought it would be for all adults. (LAP) And that is what they gave us when we got on the ship. (there were 3 of us) You could make your plans for Palo that way and then change if necessary on board.

 

[tekmnky]

I'm starting to see a pattern here! Thinking back to the two Wonder cruises I've been on the rotation I got for both of them was LAP. Thanks pppiglet and scrapperjill! It looks like both of you are right on the money.

I appreciate your helping me see the light!

 

[mousebrat]

If you're on a seven night, sign up for Palo on one of your last four nights. The AP show is only on the first time you go there, so you wouldn't miss that. You are gauranteed to be assigned to each restaurant twice, so the only real concern is not missing the AP show.

 

[crisi]

I think using the "rule of thumb" is good, as long as you don't get too hung up on "its only a guideline" You have a 33% chance of picking the right rotation if its random. If Disney does, in fact, use the "rule of thumb" you have a better than 33% chance of guessing your rotation - probably better than 50%. Then if you don't get the rotation you expect, see if you can switch Palo or switch your rotation. You can always book Palo on the alternate seating (i.e. you have early seating, book late at Palo) as well, and eat two meals lightly (or not so lightly).

 

[kcashner]

They save back some of the Palo and spa ressies--first, the concierge holds some for guests in cat 1-3. If they don't fill them on the first day, they are released to the general population. Secondly, some ressies are held back for on-board use. Not everyone knows or can access online ressies.

So, make your ressies. The, if you don't like what you have when you board, you can change them. The above is right...the show in Animator's only happens on your first seating there.

 

[whome?]

Bill, glad you asked this question as I've been wanting to know too.

There's a very strong possibility my FIRST Disney cruise will be solo....do you have any suggestions or hints on getting the most out of solo trip?

 

[FirstTimeCruiser]

Maybe it was different because we were on the west coast cruise, but our first night in Animators Palette was on Sunday which was Formal night. Because it was Formal night, they did not do the color show and did it on our second AP night instead.

Suzy

 

[tekmnky]

Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions! Sounds like there are some easy ways to go ahead and make the ressie in advance, like during one of the last 4 days, and still not miss out on my favorite dining rooms/activities.

 

[tekmnky]

There's a very strong possibility my FIRST Disney cruise will be solo....do you have any suggestions or hints on getting the most out of solo trip?

No real hints that I can think of. You'll have a great time! Going solo has it's advantages in that you can do whatever YOU want whenever YOU want to do it. I'm not an outrageously outgoing person - not anti-social or anything, just comfortable being a "loner". I enjoy the dining room opportunities and getting to know my tablemates. And I do excursions of some kind at each port of call. The only caution I would throw to you is that on some of the excursions (particularly, the kayak tour at CC) you may get paired up with another solo excursion participant (two-person kayaks). That can be fun, or it can be irritating as hell, depending on who you get partnered with! My last experience with that was on a RCI cruise and the guy wasn't the least bit coordinated or inclined to help move the kayak! I ended up paddling both of us around the route on my own!

So...come and go as you please, eat whatever you want whenever you want and thoroughly enjoy yourself!

 

[gouodux]

What if you are traveling with friends and would like to share a table with them? Is it possible to request this? Both of us have main. We saw large tables on our past cruises but didn't really checked to see how many they could seat. We are a family of four and they are a family of seven.

 

[crisi]

Ask to have your reservations linked for dining. DCL will try to accomodate you. I do believe there are tables for twelve.

 

[Turtlegirl]

I've been searcing to no avail...I booked palo for wed. night of 7 night, is this pirate night? If not, what night is pirate night? Thanks a lot

 

[scrapperjill]

On the 7 night Western, Pirate night is the night were at Cozumel (I think)...at least from what I have seen that's what I've found. Which would be...Wednesday.

I don't know about anyone else...but I find it odd that they would pick that night out of all nights to do Pirate night. Just because were able to stay on shore later than at other ports. IMO...it would make more sence to pick like the night were at Grand Cayman...since we have to board the ship so much earler.

Last year when we cruised...we did Palo on the same night of Pirate night...and really wished we hadn't. Palo was wonderful...but after hearing how fun the dinning room was...I wish we didn't miss it. Plus they handed out the special pirate menus as souviners and pirate bandanas at dinner time....if I had to select the same night at Pirate night...I would try and work it so I could do Palo before or after my scheduled dinning time (we had late dinning...so I would pick and early palo time)..then go to the dinning rotation for the fun....then hit the deck party afterwards.

But even if you have to miss the dinning room..you can still ask your servers for the bandanas and menus (that's what we did)...and still make the deck party that night.....I don't think it starts until 10ish.

Oh...another thing...you should check out some of the personal navagators to see what has taken place lately on the ships...to see exactly when/what nights are what. I'm not sure what web sites have the newest ones...and with the Magic being on the West coast and now heading back...real recent ones may be totally diffrent than what they'll be heading out of Flordia. Hopefully somebody will post some updated ones when the Magic starts doing cruises from PC again.