Dining Rotation Question

[awatt]

I have noticed people prefer certain rotations. I was wondering why. Would appreciate your comments.

 

[DisneyKids]

When considering formal night, themed nights, etc., you may prefer to be in a certain restaurant during that night. For example, many feel Lumière's\Triton's (or Palo) is the more formal of the 3 and would prefer the formal night to hit when they are in that resaurant. Or, if you may want to coordinate it with any excursions, Palo reservations, etc. Also, if you are doing a 7 night, you will eat in one of the three a third time. Check here for each cruise "dinner schedule".

http://www.dcltribute.com/menus/

Mostly, I think it's personal preference and really doesn't matter when it's all said and done!

 

[kcashner]

DCL arranges the rotations by the predominant age of the children in the group. You, of course, may wish to change that for some reason. However, one rotation will start more with the "under 5" set, another with the 5-8s, etc. Obviously, this is not entirely possible as many families travel with children of multiple ages, but Dis makes an effort.

 

[rae519]

I just prefer particular servers - you know those who I've already had and enjoy their company/service.

But as for rotation - I don't care much for AP, so any rotation that has us there only twice is fine with me.

Rae

 

[Hans Solo]

There is a DIS'er (which I believe is mmouse37) that put togther these dinning rotation charts for the 7-night cruises onboard the Magic. We found them extremely helpful in planning our Easter 2003 cruise and plan to use them again for our Easter 2004 cruise.

http://community.webshots.com/album/52061656POshCr

 

[mmouse37]

Yes, thank you Hans Solo.....I did create those charts but would love to update them if any recent cruisers would like to tell me if the rotations or menu nights have changed.

As others have said, we like to have formal night in Lumeire's and tropical night in Parrot Cay....it really is no big deal, but is just what we prefer. We have often not gotten the rotation we would have liked but still have enjoyed all 9 of our DCL cruises!!

MJ

 

[SeaSpray]

MJ:

The chart is wonderful! Thank you! I'm going on the western caribbean cruise next summer and I knew I'd like the "APL" rotation, but now that I was able to see it all in front of me at one time, I see that the "PLA" rotation would be Ok, too. That would put us in Animator's Palate for semi-formal and formal nights.

We have LATE seating, we're a party of 6; DH and I, DS16, DS13, and SIL and BIL. I know that APL has been mentioned to be for the "younger" kids, but at the second seating there are supposedly less younger kids, so I'm hoping we'll get that rotation. Once we're onboard, is this something we can ask to have changed, just like you can request a different table location??

 

[Hans Solo]

Hi mmouse37
I guess my memory serves me well. I was pretty sure it was you that put together the dinning rotation charts.
I was just over at Tony & Barb's site
http://www.castawayclub.com/
and was looking at the 10/11/03 Western Navigators. It looks like the "It's A Small World" is now on Tuesday night and the "Best of Dining" is now on Friday. The rest of the week is the same as your chart.

To SeaSpray
We advised our TA which rotation we would like to have and she forwards the request on to DCL. It has worked out for us.

 

[mmouse37]

sea spray...

Thanks you so much for you kind words about the charts. It does help to see it all mapped out in one place. I have had luck changing our rotation once on board at the dining changes table. It will be listed in the Navigator and takes place the first afternoon.

Hans Solo...thank you for the update..as soon as the holiday madness is over I will update the charts.

MJ

 

[disneyholic family]

i don't care what the rotation is, as long as we get second seating and there aren't any little kids....
as for reasons for picking one rotation over another: on the 4 day, your first dining room will be in your rotation twice.....some people prefer that to be a specific dining room (i like tritons better than parrot cay for example)...
but i really don't care....as long as there aren't any kids on my rotation, i'm happy.....and since they usually save at least one rotation for people like me, i would never ask for anything specific....i leave it up to them...

 

[kcashner]

I don't think there's such a thing as a rotation with NO kids. However...late seating has far fewer kids than early, and one of the rotations is PRIMARILY older kids and no kid families.

 

[rolyjp]

I checked several websites and it appears that the dining rotation for the eastern 7 night cruise is as follows:

saturday - restaurant menu / casual
Sunday - Captain Gala / formal
Monday - restaurant menu / casual
Tuesday - Tropicali / caribbean
Wednesday - Restaurant menu / casual
Thursday - Best of menu / semi-formal
Friday - small world /casual

Can anyone who has recently been on this cruise verify this?

 

[rae519]

Originally posted by disneyholic family
i don't care what the rotation is, as long as we get second seating and there aren't any little kids....
as for reasons for picking one rotation over another: on the 4 day, your first dining room will be in your rotation twice.....some people prefer that to be a specific dining room (i like tritons better than parrot cay for example)...
but i really don't care....as long as there aren't any kids on my rotation, i'm happy.....and since they usually save at least one rotation for people like me, i would never ask for anything specific....i leave it up to them...

NO KIDS?????
Are you sure that you want a Disney cruise?????

You could post your cruise date and ask for table mates that have the same preference that you do and maybe that way you'd be comfortably seated with adults only - but as for "no kids" on a rotation.........doesn't happen with Disney, my friend!!!!

Rae (still a kid at 48, but I promise not to start a food fight)

 

[jvas]

That's interesting...since our youngest will be 18 when we take the cruise, does that mean chances are we will be eating with
more adults then kids in the restaurants on out rotation?

Originally posted by kcashner
DCL arranges the rotations by the predominant age of the children in the group. You, of course, may wish to change that for some reason. However, one rotation will start more with the "under 5" set, another with the 5-8s, etc. Obviously, this is not entirely possible as many families travel with children of multiple ages, but Dis makes an effort.

 

[BearFan]

We were told by our server a week ago that the dining rotations generally go this way:

Families with small children will get Animator's first
General family rotation begins in Parrot Cay
Groups with adults will begin in Lumiere's

Of course people do get slid into other rotations as the need arises but generally speaking, that's how it goes. The servers themselves get a different rotation every cruise. All rotations currently go this way Parrot Cay - Lumiere's - Animator's. I can attest to this as we just did 2 back-to-back cruises and wanted to keep the same server. Cruise one began in Animators and cruise 2 began in Parrot Cay.

 

[brack]

Our two cruises as adults with no kids started at Lumiere's. We had 2nd seating. This next cruise we picked the 1st seating to be different. We don't mind kids. My DW is a grandma wanna be.

 

[SueEllen]

Originally posted by rolyjp
I checked several websites and it appears that the dining rotation for the eastern 7 night cruise is as follows:

saturday - restaurant menu / casual
Sunday - Captain Gala / formal
Monday - restaurant menu / casual
Tuesday - Tropicali / caribbean
Wednesday - Restaurant menu / casual
Thursday - Best of menu / semi-formal
Friday - small world /casual

Can anyone who has recently been on this cruise verify this?

Sunday night is a standard restaurant menu night. The Captain's gala was later in the cruise. Also Tropical/Mexicali night was on Wednesday night.

Sue Ellen

 

[disneyholic family]

we were on the 3 day cruise, had second seating and began in tritons...
and there were NO LITTLE KIDS.....the only kids were the same age as my kids and older (mine were 15 and 18 at the time)..
i asked the concierge about this and he said that rotation was the no little kids rotation...

and yes, you can not like to be around other people's little kids even on disney.....we love disney....not other people's kids...two different things entirely.......
i can't stand kids who run around in restaurants....it's completely unacceptable, but since some parents are unwilling to teach their children proper behavior, i'd rather not be around the little beasts...

have a nice time flaming me...

 

[rae519]

Hey, no flames from me! I had two cruises with rotations that had children with NO manners what so ever - want to talk about taking food off my plate, spitting, spilling drinks, kicking my leg, smearing food on their faces ---- age was around 7, old enough to know better and if you don't want to blame the child, then blame the parents who totally ignored their little darling so they could have quality time.

I am NOT the babysitter and I was very, very annoyed. When we have had other children (YOUNGER) who have had excellent manners and gracious parents who paid attention to their children at mealtime....well, like I said, no flames from me.

Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression with my comment - I AM not a big fan of children with poor manners!!!

Personally, most children would rather stay and play at the clubs, but Mom and Dad drag them to dinner, tired, cranky and definitely acting out. Is this fair???? Not to anyone.

But I do suggest that parents "book end" their little darlings, so that no other adult has to have a child sitting next to them. That's what we do with our son and he has very good manners - if he didn't, he would be excused from the table immediately.

We are so particular about having our "special servers" that we often get the "kiddie rotation" - but it's not always so bad, especially if you can make prior dining arrangements with some one who is also cruising on your ship - it does work well.

Rae

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Hey, they aren't ALL little beasts! In fact, none of them are... the ones that misbehave and don't sit properly during dinners at restaurants have parents that are doing them an injustice. They aren't beasts though- just little people not being taught properly.
I have 3 young children- and they won't EVER be allowed to play with their food, get up from the table at a restaurant (besides holding my hand to walk to the restroom maybe- but that's it), etc. I have 3 young children and *I* can't stand parents who let their children behave poorly at restaurants! Very annoying.

I also agree that those with young children should "sandwich" them with adults on the outside- if possible (or older children on the outsides also- if you don't want two young ones next to one another on the inside- that can cause problems sometimes)- it's not fair to make other guests (when sitting at large tables where more than one party is at the table is what I mean- ofcourse) sit next to your children and "deal" with them in any way whatsoever. Their yours.. not theirs.

If mine want to stay in the club for dinner- more power to them. LOL Just gives us more alone/adult time.