Dining with strangers

[Juney]

Am I the only one who would just prefer to eat with my family? Getting stuck at a bad table can really ruin your whole vacation.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

You are not alone. While I would enjoy eating with another family, DH would hate it. He is very quite and shy and it would be awkward for him.

 

[sambycat]

no but we've never had a problem with it. part of "the experience"!

 

[kcashner]

And getting a good table can make the experience. We have several table mates that we are still in contact with years later.

If you prefer to be seated as "just our family," call DCL and have this request added to your reservation. It can't be promised, but is likely to be granted. If there are 2 of you, you will be at a 4 top table--no problem; we've had that several times.

The funniest one I had was when I was the adult with a bunch of new high school graduates. DCL couldn't quit laughing when I explained that I wished to have a table for "just us" because NO ONE would want to share a table with a bunch of teens that they weren't related to.

 

[NancyIL]

I can eat with my family any time, and I enjoy dining with different people on cruises.

 

[bceagle76]

10 Total Cruises 8 with DCL
On 1 trip we were dumped by our table mates but we had Godwin as a server he was the best server we ever had. Had he again by request on another cruise. I believe he is Head Server now.
On last trip we dumped our table mates. My wife was driven crazy by the other wifes demands. We wait until 3rd night because the parents were going to Palo and teenage kids we would be there alone.

 

[Juney]

If you prefer to be seated as "just our family," call DCL and have this request added to your reservation. It can't be promised, but is likely to be granted. If there are 2 of you, you will be at a 4 top table--no problem; we've had that several times.

LOL Did that two years ago when we booked onboard for our upcoming trip!

 

[chinarider]

As a single parent, I look forward to dining with other people. I just try to make sure that there are other children around my daughters age at the table as well.

 

[Juney]

I can eat with my family any time, and I enjoy dining with different people on cruises.

That probably makes a difference too. With our business, my husband travels a great deal. We don't have that time family dinner time together nearly as much as we would like.

 

[MagicFan75]

The two cruises DH and I took before we had children, we were seated with other folks. The first time (on our honeymoon cruise), it turned out great and we learned that we had a lot in common with the other family. The second time, we were paired with a guy traveling completely solo on the cruise, and well, he was a little strange (not because he was traveling solo on a Disney cruise but for other reasons). But we made the best of it and tried to make friendly conversation, ate at Palo a couple of times by ourselves, and one night, some of the ship's officers came and ate with us, so that was pretty cool. If you ever have a real problem with dining arrangements, the dining room staff is more than happy to make alternate arrangements for you.

 

[arje]

We look at it as an opportunity to possibly form friendships with an American family (or another nationality perhaps) and impart some knowledge and stories of Australian life.

 

[magrudersmakes3]

No. We were at a table by ourselves last month. Please don't get me wrong I love my family dearly, but was looking forward to the whole meeting new people experience as we are very social people. I have actually put a request in for our next cruise to have table mates.

 

[mhsjax]

No you aren't the only one. There are a couple of reasons why I don't like this.
1. We don't get to eat together as a family that often and

2. The biggest reason, I am a very social person, I love nothing more than getting together for dinner, HOWEVER, I must first know you and like you and actually want to have dinner with you because I know and like you. I have NO desire to find out if I like you by having dinner with you.

 

[PizzieDuster]

Am I the only one who would just prefer to eat with my family? Getting stuck at a bad table can really ruin your whole vacation.

I've had it both ways. First experience we loved our table mates. Second we dined just our family. Then one cruise we were seated with a family that just ignored us and I felt terribly bad that my son was sitting next to a father who just ignored him the entire time. We switched tables and then had wonderful table mates. I prefer alone with my family I can't enjoy myself if I think my kids are uncomfortable.

 

[Disneytwinsmom]

I was actually concerned about this myself. I didnt realize that I could request that it just be the four of us at dinner. I am going to call tomorrow and put in the request. Two of the four of us are outgoing, the other two are very shy and I want this to be a great experience for all of us!

 

[ditty3199]

I took my first cruise last year. family of 4 (3A, 1C). We had a table to ourselves. I was kind of disappointed. I was hoping we would have another kid at the table for company. we basically became friendly with our neighboring table. We had a GREAT time. I'm hoping to have table mates on our next cruise(FMV). I think its part of the cruise experience.

 

[Tink lives with me]

I remember on my first cruise I was worried about this too. Many times I travel alone since it is for work, so I got used to it really quickly. DH doesn't like it at all, but I have always enjoyed my table mates and even keep in touch with some! Disney does try very hard to meet your requests though!

 

[h2only]

I am very outgoing but I also prefer to have "my" time at dinners. So I was concerned about sharing a table as well, that all changed the first meal, our tablemates were great, we hit it off right away. We had nearly identical personalities, same hobbies and interest. They had a girl who was about 1 1/2 years younger than our son (7) and those two seemed like lifelong friends by the end of the first dinner. By the 2nd night we had to make sure the seats for the 2 kids were right next to each other, it was very cute. Now thanks to facebook we are able to keep connected with them.
I really think dinner would have not been as fun on our own. We also liked "knowing" them if we would run into other at the ports, or around the ship and the parties.

 

[yukongirl123]

I enjoy having tablemates, usually when we travel its just my son & I so I really enjoy the opportunity to have some adult conversation while travelling. Love meeting new people, several past tablemates we keep in touch with also.

 

[NancyIL]

On my Dream cruise in February, my cruise buddy and I linked our dining with a DIS friend who was traveling solo. The 3 of us were seated at a 4-top. I would've loved to have been at a larger table, but we weren't.