dinner seating time question with 9 and 11yo's

[tjmw2727]

Hi all

Finally booked, yippee and booked with the 6:00 dinner due to the ages of my kids but I am now reconsidering. It seemed obvious at the time as we usually eat about 6:30 but now I wonder. After hitting all the great websites recommended here, as well as this one, it looks like alot of fun family things happen during the 7ish hour. I wonder if we will have enough time to do the early seating and then the activities or should I change to the 8:30?

I would appreciate opions from anyone and especially someone with kids around the 8-12 age group on what seating they like. Are my kids going to want to eat with the kids club and do the activities or will they want to eat with us, I wonder?? They are used to eating out and I don't worry about manners but will we have more diners at the 8:30 who would rather not dine with kiddos?

I hope they will join us for at least the animators dinner and I would love to do the family activities together. It looks like they are all in the early evening so now I am considering doing the 8:30 seating rather than the 6:00 - man I thought that was going to be the easy decision, LOL

TIA - again
TJ

 

[depomas]

Hi the last time (sept) my ds8 and dd5 were so dissapointed in our early seating time. The previous 2 cruises were late seating, and this was our first chance to have the early, and we were happy.

I will definitely always choose late from here on in. Yes, there is a lot of stuff happening at that hour. But, for us, it is the rush rush to get ready for 6 at the latest. Especially on port days. If you want to see the island, shop, beach, whatever, I find the rush rush of knowing 4 of us have to be showered, dressed, and ready for 6 a headache. The kids also snack more during the day (and us too) They did eat a few times with the kids clubs, and we had a hard time to convince them to dine with us. The first cruises I insisted, and this time was a little more leniant.


The shows are all repeated twice, so no fear of missing those.

 

[LissafromSJ]

We too are going with 11 year olds (twins) and a nine year old, and originally wanted early seating. After getting our confirmation, I noticed late seating and after researching these boards, probably won't ask to change. Even though we eat around 6:30 to 7 at home, I think that whole "three girls in the shower" routine to get ready for a nice dinner would be too hectic. I'll keep the late seating. Plus, then I figure we can really enjoy lunch without having to worry about being too full for the early seating dinner. I hate eating lunch much before 1, and this way we won't feel stuffed all the time! (Gee, can you tell I'm looking forward to eating?) Have fun! Melissa

 

[Mickeyhugger]

If your family is wanting to take in shore excursions you most definitely will want the later seating.

We had some friends who did early seating on their first DCL who didn't get to fully enjoy their excursions as they had to rush back and shower for dinner and booked 2nd seating the following year. (Lesson well-learned.)

Also, you asked 'will we have more diners at 8:30 who would rather not dine with kiddos?' What cruise line are you referring to? This is DISNEY! There are many kids at both seatings! (However, you might see more preschoolers at the first seating.)

You and your family will have time to relax before dinner, and you children probably won't notice that you're dining later. (Room service is great for a late afternoon snack beforehand, and it's free!) Hope this info helps!

 

[tjmw2727]

Thanks all I am definately going to change to the later seating. LOL Mickey - yes we have some looks and some forboding grins and even some unwelcome comments when dining later with the girls, here at home and at WDW. Luckly at least a few of those originally wishing we were not in the dining room were the frirst to comment on how well behaved the girls were by the end of the dinner! It happens and I expect there are some, even on disney cruise, who want a bit of adult time.

Now that I know there will be kiddos at the later time we will definately do what works best for the family without worry. TIA and I am sure I will have many more "duh" questions in the next year.

I will try and answer more newbie questions on the theme park boards where I know "my stuff" to make up for it.

TJ

 

[jacobatt1]

I could probably argue this either way. We have a 6 and a 10 y.o. and had late seating last cruise.

PROS: Didn't have to rush in from port/CC
Saw shows first

CONS: DD6 fell asleep at dinner 2 nights
kids hungry earlier than 8:30
never got to have buffet after dinner (too full)
finished dinner at 10:30 every night

When we booked, the CM told us late seating is great and less rushed; it is true--we got a lot of afternoon relaxation. But we sort of felt that we didn't have enough time to see characters, roam around the ship, etc. b/c when we finished dinner at night, we all felt like going to bed!!

From a lot of the navigators I've seen, it looks like many kids club things are after early seating; great if you want your kids to go to the club, bad if you want them to eat with you. We had to get chicken fingers from the pool area 2 nights before dinner b/c the kids just couldn't wait that long.

My dd will be older when we go next, so the sleeping through dinner is prob. no longer an issue--but I wanted to sit out on the deck, swim, or eat the dessert buffet (got to get your money's worth, lol) at night and we just couldn't. We're trying early next time. JMO


Amy

 

[Red71]

How long does dinner last , when you have the 6:00 seating? I was thinking only an hour because they have to get ready for the 8:30 group? Anyone remember?

 

[depomas]

Dinner is about an hour. Especially the first seating, so they can ready it for the second one. WE were always out in an hour or a bit more.(like 15 min max)

 

[tjmw2727]

Ok - so falling asleep won't be an issue esp with a 9 and 11yo as I imagine we will be sleeping in and staying out. If the kids are hungry early we can grab snacks or even a meal for them at the kids club at 5ish right? (I read this on some posted navigators).

Still thinking of changing to the late seating but I am open to suggestions of pro's and con's. I want to let my kids spend time in the club but we want to do as much as a family as we can as well. So the family things are more important to us than the things in the kids club except maybe the show.

Keep um coming and thank you so much.
TJ

 

[jacobatt1]

I think this was jrabbit's list several months ago:

Helps a lot!


Posts: 2,056 Here's a list of pros and cons of the different seating times that apply to me and my family.

Dinner Seating: Early vs. Late
Early Pros:
>Ready for the late night desserts
>Won’t go to bed stuffed
>Kids club schedules better timed with early seating
>“You’ve got the whole evening before you”
>Won't miss the evenings Adult Caberett shows or late night buffetts (pirates now)

Early Cons:
>On port days, gotta get back on board to clean up and be at dinner by 6
>Need to make a choice: go to the family cabaret shows and then sit farther back for the main show in the Walt Disney Theater or skip the family cabaret shows
>Stuffed from dinner – hard to stay awake in the nice and cozy darkened theater for the main shows
>Disembarkation Day: breakfast at 6:45am vs. 8am for Late seating

Late Pros:
>Have an extra 1/2 hour to get cleaned up after a busy day onshore (or onboard)
>Don’t have to be at the main show until 6:30 and you don’t even have to be “dressed up”
>If you do get dressed up for the 6:30 show, you can go to the family cabaret without feeling rushed (you’ve got a reserved seat for dinner)
>Won’t feel like snacking (as much ) late at night on the desserts (maybe this is a con)
>Overall, you’re not as rushed (getting ready for dinner and at dinner)
>Less children (if that’s important to you)
>Time to snack at scoops/plutos/Pinocchio's in the afternoon w/o spoiling dinner
>More time to "sleep in" on last day - Breakfast at 8am vs 6:45am

Late Cons:
>If your dinner runs long, you’ll miss the “adult” cabaret shows and the sail away parties (pirates)
>If you’re tired, I’m too stuffed from dinner to go to bed for quite a while
>May interfere with evening kids and teen activities (the kids might prefer to eat in the club/lab or elsewhere to be able to participate)

This is back to me again:
I've also read, and it was true for us, the late seating takes a little longer (don't know why?) and is usually almost 2 hours long, or 1 hr .45 minutes. I sounded negative about late seating before and actually we enjoyed it--we just wanted to try earlier to see if it was more fun at night. And a 6 y.o. is a lot different than 11!!! Even my 10 ds was tired at night though after so much action during the day, so we're hoping it will be better for him too. You know your kids the best, so I'm sure they'll be fine!

Last bit of advice: I wouldn't change times until you're absolutely sure, b/c it's easy to change to late, but if you give up early, you might not be able to get it again!

I'm sure you'll love it no matter which seating!

HTH

Amy

 

[tjmw2727]

Ok thank you Amy - I think, LOL. Just when I thought I had it nailed you gave me some reasons to think about keeping the early seating.

Man - I am never wishy washy but feeling so right now. I don't mind the kids doing the kids club dinner a couple of times if it means more family time in the long run. THanks for the heads up on the moving to 8:30 being easier than changing back. I will do some more research and keep the early seaing for now. On to read more -
TIA
TJ

 

[Red71]

Dinner is about an hour. Especially the first seating, so they can ready it for the second one. WE were always out in an hour or a bit more.(like 15 min max)

Thanks!