dining rotation???

[kellimomo3]

Okay all you experiened Disney cruisers out there.....
What is the best dining rotation for a family with three kids (8,6,4) & early seating??? We are on the 7 day wetern Magic in January. We were told we could request a certain rotation and I wanted to get some input.
Thanks!!

 

[mmouse37]

Are you staying on Concierge level or booking a special package? That is the only way I know of picking your specific dining rotation.

Yes, anyone can ask Disney for either early or late, but the actual dining rotation (which restaurant you start in) is not known until you check-in.

You can, by all means request a specific dining rotation, but it is only a request and may not be honored.

There is a quasi formula on how DCL picks a rotation based on family dynamics...but I do not have that list...I know other Diser's will be able to provide which rotation might be best, but there really is no major differences between them.

We have sailed DCL 10 times and always have picked late seating...we just love...my kids are all older now (H.S. & college) but even when they were younger we always took late seating.

Hope this helps some...

MJ

 

[jrabbit]

Any dinning rotation on the ship is better than being at home. I don't believe that it really makes any difference which dinning room you are in on any given night. Who really cares if you are in Lumiere's for tropical night and Parrot Cay on formal night. The restaurants and theming are nice, but after the first 5 minutes, you should be engaged with your family, the wait staff and your tablemates and the suroundings kinda disappear.

With the make up of your family, my guess is that you will probably start in Annimators Palate, or secondly in Parrot Cay. Now that I've said it, DCL will put you in Lumier's just to spite me

 

[kellimomo3]

I should have clarified as to why I was asking....
We are thingking about the Romantic Escape at Sea package and our TA was explaining that it included being able to determine your own dining rotation, I guess to make your Palo reservations on the night you want? I was just wondering if it really matters. I had rea in Passporter that we will probably have APLAPLA rotation which would be fine then I would make Palo reservations on night 5. Thanks for the input...

 

[CheapMom]

I was given the dining rotation choice and I am not on any special package. We chose the late seating because we can always order snack from room service if the kids are hungry before 8:30 and that way we can have more time at ports of call and we don't have to go to breakfast at 6:00 on the last day.
(AlsoI think if you have late seating you see the show before dinner and if you have 1st seating you see the show after.
My little one (2) will probably be better behaved at the earlier show, that was my other reason.)

 

[mmouse37]

cheapmom....were you given a specific dining ROTATION choice, or just a choice between early or late dining? Everybody gets to choose between early or late (although if you book too late early seating may not be available).

Unless this is a new policy DCL does not let you pick your ROTATION unless you book a special package like the Romantic Escape or you are staying in Concierge levels Cats 1, 2 or 3.

MJ

 

[KAMLEM]

I cannot find the information on formal, semi-formal and tropical nights right now. Will APLAPLA mean you would be in Lumiere's for formal and semi-formal and Parrot Cay for tropical or did I get something wrong?

 

[kellimomo3]

We would be in Lumiere's for formal night and semi formal (Captain's Gala), Parrot Cay for Mexicali (that is the night I think we will do Palo). This is according to Passporter not any official Disney docs.