Dining time change complaints

[kamgen]

This is just my opinion and I know I am going to get some flames for it , but just stating how I feel

I realize that some people are unhappy with the change in dining times, especially those who choose early seating. But, I guess I am just curious what all the fuss is about?
I mean, I see that it means those with early seating must miss out on some activities or get ready earlier, but who doesn't??
There are activities all day, most that overlap, so you always have to miss out on something.

I guess we are always just so happy to be on vacation and on DCL, that we would eat at 11pm if they told us that is when they were serving our meal (I know that is extreme, but you know what I mean. ).

There are always going to be activities we have to miss to do other things. I look at it this way, if you want to eat in the dining room versus the other casual option, you have to miss out on some things. JMHO.

I noticed on our last cruise when we had late seating, we were always late for the night activites that started at 9:30 or 10pm. If we wanted to make it, we had to rush through our dinner. It happens to everyone at one point.

I guess I just don't see how in the grand scheme of life, this is that much to fuss about. JMHO.

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

Kamy

 

[kamgen]

WOW! No flames?!?!?!?!

 

[taswira]

No flames from me! - But then, I always choose late seating. I do agree with you that altering the times a bit should not cause such an uproar, but that's JMHO. To each his own!

 

[mcnuss]

I'm with you, kamgen. I've been reading all the posts and cannot understand what difference half hour really makes. I see a lot of people saying "we eat a 6 at home..." or some variation on the theme, but fact is, if the seating is at 5:30, you are not going to be eating precisely at 5:30, it'll be more like 6:00. I also think you hit the nail on the head when you said that on the ship, there are always trade-offs in terms of the activities.

As obsessive compulsive as I can be about my planning, this is the one thing I am not the least bit concerned about. In fact, I did not really care which seating I got (and I do have a young child). We ended up with late seating and I figured that if, after the show, DD does not want to come to the dining room, she can go to the Club and since there are 20 million food options on the ship, she would certainly not go hungry.

I just cannot worry about that 1/2 change. I'll just worry about at least 200 other things!!

 

[hydster]

When we take our kids with us we re-arrange THEIR schedules to meet with what we need to do. They are older (youngest is almost 4) so that may help but we figure if we arent home, at work, or at school and I am not the one cooking things are already looking up. We have been on several cruises (not on Disney yet however) but we have NEVER changed our dining times and things were just fine. I feel on vacation I shouldnt have to sweat anything and we just roll with it.
I am glad I am not the only one who feels this way. I have been reading these boards to get info on my Disney cruise since we have only cruised Carnival and Norwegian and I had no idea that seating times and the time you get on the ship were such a huge deal. I think we will just get there when we get there and not sweat it. If we dont get a reservation for something oh well at least we arent home driving in the snow! LOL
Anyway thanks for letting me know we arent alone in this thought process!
Heidi

 

[jlmcantwait]

Hey Heidi,
Gee.....being a mother of a almost 4yr old also, one thing I have learned you can't pre plan everything or your vacation is going to be a disapointment. I am like you, just being away from home and with my family is good enough. We will "wing it all too!". What will be will be and there will be a surprise around every corner!!!!
OK!!! I do need to be HONEST. I did PLAN on putting Matthew in the kids program......lets just cross our fingers and hope my PLANS pan out!!!! Laurie

 

[CRB#33]

I try to realize that I just need to adjust and figure out what will be best. Never occurs to me to whine about it. I'm just thrilled to be going!!!!

 

[hydster]

Yep...if you try to plan it all before you go down to the last second something bad is bound to happen and shoot your plans right down the drain!!! I am just so happy to be away from my house and my hubby's job and my kids out of school I could eat in the linen closet at midnight and still be happy! LOL It just doesnt seem like a huge deal to worry about...now making sure there is enough to eat is a big deal to me (LOL J/K) but when I eat it or where just doesnt get to me...at least it isnt in my kitchen after I went to the grocery store to buy it! LOL
As for the kids club I am PLANNING on that but not really hard! My older 2 kids will love them I am sure and since they are 9,7 and I may put them together in the 7 year old part but we will have to see. The 4 year old may be a challenge however but if he wont go...we have grandparents to throw him at! LOL

Heidi

 

[jlmcantwait]

Youv'e got your bases covered! I like it! L

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

I'm not flaming here but do want to add a note. The earlier half hour doesn't mean you might have to miss some things but if you're looking at the excursion times it eliminates a significant number of them if you're going to be back on time for an early seating. Especially since you don't always get back by the posted end times as Barb has noted in her trip reports.

So that means if you're at 5:30 you really have to be back on the ship between 4 & 4:30 to move through the system and get 4 people cleaned up from a day doing whatever. There are excursions that we want to do as part of our vacation. Sooo...

If the times are changing fine - we'll request a move to late seating. My point has been I just wish they'd make up their minds so we can decide. Rather than leaving everything in limbo.

Now you can flame me if you want.

Deb

 

[Hygiene99]

ok so like Kammy said may be u will have to do another dining option if u r going to get back late on that day ....
it is still just a test is it not ??? there r other dining choice besides dinner in the dining room ..... so how would that
elimanate the excursions ????
im sure many of u with children deal with this alot of the time ... this child needs to be here and this one also has to be there for this and so ..... this one will not bve back in time for dinner and so on ..................
peter

kammy have a great trip ............................

 

[shmoogrrrl]

Kamy,

No flames here! I'm with you! I think that people tend to read these boards and decide that they HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING or else their vatation will be ruined. No matter what time you eat Dinner you will miss something.

I plan to relax and enjoy my trip regardless of when I have to eat Dinner!

Kathy

 

[Deniseibase]

I know I'm REALLY in the minority here but I was glad to see we'll be eating at 5:30. We eat at 5 at home and I wasn't too sure how my two year old would handle the later dinner time. So no flames from me!

Denise

 

[cmraman]

Missing some excursions in favor of others (Or dinner) makes the perfect excuse to schedule the next cruise. Think about it, has anyone here done everything at WDW? This will be my eleventh trip and I'm not even close.

And remember: If you're lucky enough to be on a Disney cruise, you're lucky enough.

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

It isn't a matter of doing everything but being able to make the choices with accurate information.

That was the only point I was trying to communicate. Yes, it is about choices - although the choice of another cruise isn't an option for everyone. But it is nice to be able to make those choices with accurate information.

 

[cmraman]

I absolutely agree that the information should be accurate but I remain flexible enough regardless of the changes. I originally booked for the Oct 20th Wonder because DS 10's birthday is the 20th and DW's 40th is the 22nd. I also confirmed several times that there was no Freeport stop (Been there, done that, never again!) When Disney renewed their contract to dock in Freeport, my cruise was changed to include a stop there. Am I peeved? YES. Does it help? NO. What to do? I changed my sailing date. Wasn't easy but I learned a long time ago to change what I can, and adapt when I can't change things. If my work had been less understanding, or a different sailing date unavailable, I would have had a "Wonder-ful day at sea" while docked. I will have to be just as flexible if the weather doesn't cooperate with my plans to swim with dolphins in Nassau or parasail at Castaway Cay. Since I booked the dolphin swim privately, if the ship doesn't get to Nassau for any reason, I'm out $305. If that happens, I won't be happy about it, but I won't let it ruin my day.

 

[Doctor P]

I agree with you...as long as we get the late seating we requested!

 

[adrien32]

I for one LOVE the fact that they've changed the times. We've been on the Magic once and have another cruise booked for spring break, and we've been stuck with late seating both times, even though we have a small child. Late seating is really difficult for folks like us. My daughter slept through dinner (with her little head on the table) two of the nights. Maybe moving the times will encourage more folks to switch to late seating and therefore open up the early seating more.