Dinner seating time for Tweens/Teens

[Susan B.]

HI, We are taking our first DCL trip next year with our two kids, 11 and 14. Which dinner seating will be best for the kids to engage in any evening activities at Edge & Vibe?

The early dinner time obviously allows for plenty of evening time to hang out, but the later time means less little ones and our kids being able to handle a later eating time (we're west coasters, so this will be 'early' for our bodies anyway). I'm wondering if this later meal time will prevent participation in Edge/Vibe stuff.

Any thoughts from those who have travelled with young teens before?

 

[dclpluto]

HI, We are taking our first DCL trip next year with our two kids, 11 and 14. Which dinner seating will be best for the kids to engage in any evening activities at Edge & Vibe?

The early dinner time obviously allows for plenty of evening time to hang out, but the later time means less little ones and our kids being able to handle a later eating time (we're west coasters, so this will be 'early' for our bodies anyway). I'm wondering if this later meal time will prevent participation in Edge/Vibe stuff.

Any thoughts from those who have travelled with young teens before?

It should matter. Late dinner starts at 8:15. The show for the main dining starts at 8:30. So your dinner will probably get done just a little bit later than the main show. I will choose the late dining since you are from the west coast.

 

[KristiMc]

We have always done late seating and our kids have not missed anything. They wait till after dinner/show to start the evening activities.

 

[party-of-five]

You can see the ages of my kiddos below. (we live on the east coast). We sailed in Sept 2015 and again last month.

Our first cruise we had late dining. Our second cruise we had early dining. The kids preferred the early dining. They liked eating dinner, going to the club for a little bit before the show, and then going back to the clubs for the rest of the evening. I don't think they 'missed out' on anything with the late seating, I think they just liked the flow of the evening better with the early seating.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

The late dinner does not mean less little ones. There are plenty of little kids at the late dinner.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

We have done late seating on both of our cruises. My 16yo asked if we can do early seating next time. We would finish late dinner at around 10. We want her back in our room at 1 and she said three hours wasn't enough time to hang with friends!

 

[CamColt]

We have always done late seating and while sometimes the kids have been concerned about missing things, they usually eat and run so they do make it on time.

 

[kuhltiffany]

Evening activities tended to start about 9 or 9:30, it depends on how fast they eat if you do late seating...

 

[SnowWhite2]

My kids always hated late seating because the 'fun" stuff happened around 9 pm in the Edge/Vibe. They always requested early seating.

 

[PurplePencil]

My family usually does 2nd seating, and I still have been able to participate in evening activities. If your 11 year old is doing anything in the kids clubs as well, they can participate in Dine & Play, which involves getting their meal early, and then the counselors come around and sign the kids out. When attending activities in Edge, I usually leave slightly after that (missing dessert) and would grab either a Mickey bar or Ice Cream with friends from Edge. My family feels that 2nd seating is quiet, and less rushed.

 

[Ofinn]

My teens have never missed anything. It's rare they stay through dessert. If there's chocolate lava cake they may stick around, but they are usually long gong before we leave.

 

[cheermom2four]

Just cruised on the Fantasy last month with our 16 year old son and we had late dining. He never missed anything and was at dinner every night. He would though, just take off right after dessert and we wouldnt see him again till like 2am since he really enjoyed hanging out with his friends.

 

[cheermom2four]

My kids always hated late seating because the 'fun" stuff happened around 9 pm in the Edge/Vibe. They always requested early seating.

Maybe its an Edge thing but in Vibe my son didnt miss anything having 2nd seating

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

We had four teens with us, and although we had early seating (to accommodate us old folks who didn't want to eat too late!) the teens tended to go to the shows with us or do other ship board activities until about 10:00 when they would head to Vibe for the nightly activities. So they would have been fine with the late seating. Getting them to come home was another matter!

 

[Stinkerbell1973]

HI, We are taking our first DCL trip next year with our two kids, 11 and 14. Which dinner seating will be best for the kids to engage in any evening activities at Edge & Vibe?

The early dinner time obviously allows for plenty of evening time to hang out, but the later time means less little ones and our kids being able to handle a later eating time (we're west coasters, so this will be 'early' for our bodies anyway). I'm wondering if this later meal time will prevent participation in Edge/Vibe stuff.

Any thoughts from those who have travelled with young teens before?

For us.....it more depends on when the other kids my daughter meets in Edge is having dinner! We are just off the Dream last Friday, we had first seating and all of the friends she made had second! So every night I heard "I wish we had second seating".

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

For us.....it more depends on when the other kids my daughter meets in Edge is having dinner!

So file that under "Best Laid Plans," huh? No way to tell what seating the friends she hasn't made yet are gonna have. I guess that is a good lesson to all of us to not sweat the details too much. Choose the seating you would like. 50/50 chance that it will match up with the kids that your kids meet on board.