Dinner Time - When Are You ABLE To Choose?

[shb5007]

Not new to Disney World... or trip planning... but am new to DCL and cruise planning.

We are looking at the Wish in 2023. Aiming for May. Found some rooms (connecting) online... will be 6 of us total (2 cabins).

We would like to sit together... what are the chances of early dining? We NEED early dining with a 2 and 5 year old.

When I try to book online... it doesn't let me pick a dining time. When are we ABLE to choose? Not until after we pay?

I don't want to book / pay... only to find out the early dining is full...

 

[soniam]

I think it defaults to second dining, and then you have to change it after you book. Maybe someone on that specific cruise can look to see if early is available. Also, you can get in the waitlist if it is full, but you won’t find out until later or maybe even in the ship.

 

[onesam319]

We requested early dining as soon as we booked. If you book early, like in the first weeks that your itinerary is scheduled, you most likely will get your request.

 

[Marc D]

Early dining is a must for a lot of families with young children. To make sure those spots go in priority to those who truly need them, DCL only makes a small portion of early dining slots available online and defaults most guests to late. They then switch families that request early dining. They only do so by going over the waitlist once or twice before the cruise, and lately very close to sailing.

Book the cruise, call to request early dining and your odds of getting it are excellent. If they do not switch you before sailing, which would be surprising, you can go and meet a head server once you board and they'll be able to switch you then.

The DCL agents on the phone are not able to switch you so there's no point in calling them again after you request early dining. You can also look on the website once in a while and if someone cancelled, there might be an open spot available.

 

[AquaDame]

Not new to Disney World... or trip planning... but am new to DCL and cruise planning.

We are looking at the Wish in 2023. Aiming for May. Found some rooms (connecting) online... will be 6 of us total (2 cabins).

We would like to sit together... what are the chances of early dining? We NEED early dining with a 2 and 5 year old.

When I try to book online... it doesn't let me pick a dining time. When are we ABLE to choose? Not until after we pay?

I don't want to book / pay... only to find out the early dining is full...

You should be able to put a hold on the cruise without paying anything, though you will have to put in names, ages etc to "book" it. After it is booked you should be able to go in and see if you can switch to main dining - as a PP said, it defaults to 2nd. You could also call in instead of doing it online, or work with a TA to find a cruise that can guarantee it before you put down actual money as well.

PS - if you are able to switch and want to keep the cruise, make certain you pay the required deposit before the hold drops! You'll have a couple of days to do so.