Dining rotation/Palo questions

[Jenrausch84]

Just a foreword that I really appreciate all the help you guys give out. It's my hubby and my first cruise and first Disney cruise so I've been a lost little duckling without all these answers. My booking window is going to open up soon and I think my husband would like me to try and be able to book Palo brunch/dinner or both during our cruise. I understand that my choices are going to be limited given that we have the latest booking window, but if we look at best case scenario how do we figure out the best night to book Palo? We're going on the Dec 7 Merrytime on the Magic. It looks like Day 1, we leave, Day 2 at sea, Day 3 Grand Cayman (Pirate Night), Day 4 At Sea and Day 5 Castaway. It's out first cruise and I don't really want to miss any of the dining venues. So rotation would be 1, 2, 3, 1, 2 ? Right? One of the thoughts would be that we could skip Pirate Night but that would be our 3 dining rotation? So I would miss that restaurant right? Any thoughts or helpful suggestions? I just want to make sure I know my best plan should I be able to do it when it opens.

 

[Trera]

It is a personal choice for sure. We have been numerous times and do Palo dinner on Pirate night because we don't love the Pirate night menu.

I would call and ask what the rotation is. On some cruises you do the same dinning room back to back if the first night is pirate night. For example 1, 2, 3, 3, 1.

if you wanted to see all the restaurants, the maybe you do day 4

 

[Cruising Engineer]

Yes, call and verify your rotation. Palo on Pirate is our choice also. Can't help you for brunch on a sea day; we're Gold CC and still have not been able to score a spot.

 

[Dug720]

Just as a note, they will generally not be able to tell you the rotation as that is subject to change. I have never had them tell me an exact rotation - so I make my request "First night in Animator's Palate" or "Pirate Night in Animator's Palate".

The nights you would repeat a dining room would be Pirate Night and the final night on a 5-night cruise. (Not that you'll repeat that room both times. Example from the Dream 5-night Double Dip this past July was AERAE - Animator's, Enchanted, Royal, Animator's, Enchanted.) I opted to do Palo on the 3rd night because I don't like that menu (and I actually do like the Pirate menu). Royal is my least favorite of the MDRs so I was fine with missing it - I did do breakfast in there one morning. If you want to go to each of the MDRs on their unique menu night, you would need to schedule Palo dinner for Pirate Night or the last night (just remember that your breakfast the next morning will be in the MDR you were scheduled for the final night).

I would caution you... I know time slots may be slim when first time cruisers can schedule (I've only not gotten Palo brunch on one cruise where it was offered - just did my 6th, so most of those cruises were as Silver), but I strongly caution against doing Palo dinner and Palo brunch on consecutive days - at least in the dinner then brunch order. (And I would NEVER do them the same day).

 

[Weedy]

If you are unable to book either brunch or dinner in advance don’t worry. They hold some back for people to book once onboard. There will be an area listed in the Navigator (usually one of the restaurants or bars) that you will be able to make or change reservations. You should do this as soon as you board.
FYI brunch is harder to get because it’s only offered on “sea days”
**if there is no sea day it will be on the Nassau day.

 

[MomOTwins]

We are silver and could not get any kind of brunch (Palo or Remy) at midnight on our booking day, so here is my strategy: I'm going to go to the desk on the ship when it opens and try for the brunch. If unavailable, at least I will know my dining rotation, so I can pick which night to try to get dinner (for us, it would be the first night in Enchanted Garden, as I don't care for their "signature" menu after trying four different entrees on it).