Disney Fantasy - Dining rotation and Animator's Palate appetizer question

[steph12]

Has anyone had any luck asking your servers the night before AP if they could give you a different app for the 2nd AP night? Maybe even a salad? It seems like such a shame to miss out on some of the apps on the special nights just because you are in AP.

 

[lbgraves]

Cool idea. I have never done the animation night. Do all of the drawings make it on to the screens? Any ther tips for making your drawing stand out?

Each section includes all of the drawings from those tables.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Does anyone know how much of the themed menus are served in Cabanas at night (i.e, are most of the themed apps and entrees available?)? Maybe that's a solution if missing the Animation is not an issue for you?

I did take pictures of the menu in Animator's Palate the night we had the animation show (the Prince & Princess menu):

As well as the menu available that same night in Cabanas:

 

[Scillycruisers]

I agree. They should at least give you the choice. I don't like potatoes, so there is no chance I'd like that potato soup. As for the appetizers: does everybody get a sampler plate, or just one for the table?

Everyone gets a sampler plate.
Last time I ordered the app from the kids menu as I preferred it to the adults choice.

 

[mitsguy2001]

I did take pictures of the menu in Animator's Palate the night we had the animation show (the Prince & Princess menu):

So it looks like you get screwed out of dessert choices too.

 

[lbgraves]

No. The deserts are listed on a separate smaller menu that you receive at the end of your meal.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

No. The deserts are listed on a separate smaller menu that you receive at the end of your meal.

Not on the AP animation show menu (at least the one we had) The desserts are listed at the bottom of the second page.

 

[gigi1313]

You can definitely order apps and salad from the kids' menu that night... we did for my older kids (who are typically not kids' menu kids) and had no issues...

 

[lbgraves]

Not on the AP animation show menu (at least the one we had) The desserts are listed at the bottom of the second page.

Looks like they made a change then. We were in AP the last night for each cruise on the Fantasy and I definitely got the celebration cake and triple chocolate decadence deserts. I get both of those on the last night every cruise. I don't see the reason for the limited deserts. By that point it really doesn't affect the service timing.

 

[Deb in IA]

If I understand the dining rotations on the Fantasy (Eastern Caribbean), they works like this:

Nights 1-3: You get the regular menu for whichever restaurant you are in that night. Night 2 is the formal night, but has the regular menu for that restaurant.

Night 4: Pirate night, and pirate menu in all dining rooms

Night 5: Prince and Princess menu. But if you have Animator's Palate that night, you get a reduced menu, with only 1 appetizer and 1 soup (no choices)

Night 6: Captain's gala / second formal night. Menu includes lobster. But if you have Animator's Palate that night, you get a reduced menu, with only 1 appetizer and 1 soup (no choices)

Night 7: See you real soon menu. But if you have Animator's Palate that night, you get a reduced menu, with only 1 appetizer and 1 soup (no choices)

My first question is, am I correct that on Nights 5, 6, and 7, on the night that you are in Animator's Palate, you get a reduced menu, rather than the normal menu for that night (prince and princess, captain's gala, or see you real soon)? Why is that? Am I correct that the entrees and desserts are the same as at the other restaurants? Am I correct that the difference is that you get only 1 appetizer and only 1 soup, with no choices? If so, what is the one appetizer, and what is the 1 soup? If you request, can you get an appetizer and a soup or salad that is served at the other 2 dining rooms that night?

Also, which formal night is more formal? Usually it's the first one. But in this case, the first one just has the normal menu, but the second has the lobster menu. What is the difference between the two formal nights?

My wife wants to request a rotation based on matching attire to the dining room. But I'm thinking it makes more sense to choose whichever one has Animator's Palate on the night (5, 6, or 7) that has the least impressive appetizer and soup / salad selection, given that it appears that Disney is denying us the opportunity to have the usual appetizers and soups / salads for that night. Or, as I asked earlier, can they bring us an appetizer and soup / salad from the other 2 dining rooms if we request? I have a feeling this is a typical male / female dilemma (female prioritizing attire, male prioritizing food). lol

Finally, is one rotation more geared toward adult couples with no kids? At the time of the cruise, I will be 36 and my wife will be 37, and we have no kids yet. If we request no rotation, which one will we most likely get, or will it be completely random? We have late dining.

My wife is thinking we should request AERAERA. This would put us in Enchanted Garden for the first formal night, and Royal Court for the 2nd formal night. Is the 2nd one more major? It also puts us in Animator's Palate for pirate night, which I have read is desirable. On the other hand, I read that tends to be the rotation for little children. Or is that not an issue with late dining? It gives us the reduced menu for the 7th night. Not sure if that's good or bad.

If the first formal night is more major, then my wife is thinking ERAERAE, so that we have Royal Court on the first formal night. But that puts us in Animator's Palate and with the reduced menu on the 2nd formal night, so that's not idea. Also, with prince and princess night in Royal Court, we wonder if that tends to be the little girl rotation.

Finally, we wonder if the adult rotation, if one exists, might be RAERAER, since it goes to the most formal restaurant, Royal Court, 3 times. But it puts us in Animator's Palate for the first formal night.

I know, this is a lot of questions. Thanks.

I can't answer all your questions but I wanted to say that we did the Eastern Caribbean on the Fantasy January 10 - 17 and had the AERAERA rotation, and we were fine. We did note a "reduced" menu on the last night, but weren't really bothered. We were more excited for the animation show, and we'd certainly had enough to eat by then! The app sampler was fine (confit is salt curing and cooking in fat, by the way, for whoever asked), and the baked potato/mac and cheese soup even got a thumbs up from our super picky son.

Night 2 was Formal Night; Night 6 was Semi-Formal night.

 

[mitsguy2001]

No. The deserts are listed on a separate smaller menu that you receive at the end of your meal.

The menu that was posted listed the desserts, and listed only the Sweet Temptations, and Princess Jasmine's Bread Pudding. The regular menu for that night presumably has more choices. I've been told that Sweet Temptations is not good.

 

[mitsguy2001]

Looks like they made a change then. We were in AP the last night for each cruise on the Fantasy and I definitely got the celebration cake and triple chocolate decadence deserts. I get both of those on the last night every cruise. I don't see the reason for the limited deserts. By that point it really doesn't affect the service timing.

Honestly, I think that Disney is use using the timing of the show as an excuse. The likely reason is either because Disney wants to save a few bucks, or the Animator's Palate galley can't handle certain items, or because they want to split the rotation requests between all 3 rotations.

What I don't understand is, why don't they have the Animator's show on your first night in Animator's Palate, when you get the Animator's Palate menu. that way, everybody gets the substandard appetizer, soup, and dessert menu. And then they can serve the full Prince and Princess, Captain's Gala, or See You Real Soon menu at Animator's Palate, so everybody gets the same food options, regardless of rotation.

 

[mitsguy2001]

I can't answer all your questions but I wanted to say that we did the Eastern Caribbean on the Fantasy January 10 - 17 and had the AERAERA rotation, and we were fine. We did note a "reduced" menu on the last night, but weren't really bothered. We were more excited for the animation show, and we'd certainly had enough to eat by then! The app sampler was fine (confit is salt curing and cooking in fat, by the way, for whoever asked), and the baked potato/mac and cheese soup even got a thumbs up from our super picky son.

Night 2 was Formal Night; Night 6 was Semi-Formal night.

Thanks. What is the difference between formal and semi-formal night? Someone mentioned tuxedos for formal night, but I doubt anyone wears a tuxedo on Disney anymore.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

The menu that was posted listed the desserts, and listed only the Sweet Temptations, and Princess Jasmine's Bread Pudding. The regular menu for that night presumably has more choices. I've been told that Sweet Temptations is not good.

I almost always order the Sweet Temptations (they have it on most dessert menus). That way I get to try 3 different desserts, with smaller servings.

 

[mitsguy2001]

I almost always order the Sweet Temptations (they have it on most dessert menus). That way I get to try 3 different desserts, with smaller servings.

I remember one of my tablemates on the Dream saying that the Sweet Temptations sounds good in theory, but in practice doesn't taste as good as the full sized dessert would have been. Maybe that's just her opinion. Although the bread pudding sounds good. Then again, the appetizer plate sounded good to me (at least parts of it), but nobody here seems to like it.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I remember one of my tablemates on the Dream saying that the Sweet Temptations sounds good in theory, but in practice doesn't taste as good as the full sized dessert would have been. Maybe that's just her opinion. Although the bread pudding sounds good. Then again, the appetizer plate sounded good to me (at least parts of it), but nobody here seems to like it.

Well, I liked the appetizer plate. It gave me a chance to try duck (a new item for me). And I like mozzarella/tomato combinations. I didn't really care for the lobster/shrimp item, though. But, it did give me a chance to find that out. DH liked it (but then he's a lobster aficionado).

 

[Deb in IA]

Thanks. What is the difference between formal and semi-formal night? Someone mentioned tuxedos for formal night, but I doubt anyone wears a tuxedo on Disney anymore.

Saw a few tuxes on Formal Night. DH and DS have their own and usually wear them for Formal Night (DS sings in the University Choir here and had to purchase one for their concerts), but we did not pack them this time. We saw more on our longer cruises (transatlantic and 12-night Mediterranean). I wore a full-length gown.

You'll get a range on Semi-Formal night, from suits/ties to folks just wearing their regular stuff. I wore a cocktail dress.

We like to get pictures, so we tend to dress up.

 

[lbgraves]

What I don't understand is, why don't they have the Animator's show on your first night in Animator's Palate, when you get the Animator's Palate menu. that way, everybody gets the substandard appetizer, soup, and dessert menu. And then they can serve the full Prince and Princess, Captain's Gala, or See You Real Soon menu at Animator's Palate, so everybody gets the same food options, regardless of rotation.

If this one point is stressing you out that much, then simply talk to your head server about it the first night and tell him exactly which deserts you wish to have on the night you are in AP for the animation show. With enough notice, they can do just about anything. When the chef came out and asked us how our meal was on Pirate night, I mentioned being disappointed they didn't have the white chocolate cheesecake anymore. We had it served to our table the next three nights. While it didn't ruin my cruise to not have it on the menu, I had looked forward to it and simply mentioned that I would like to see it return.

 

[Deb in IA]

If this one point is stressing you out that much, then simply talk to your head server about it the first night and tell him exactly which deserts you wish to have on the night you are in AP for the animation show. With enough notice, they can do just about anything. When the chef came out and asked us how our meal was on Pirate night, I mentioned being disappointed they didn't have the white chocolate cheesecake anymore. We had it served to our table the next three nights. While it didn't ruin my cruise to not have it on the menu, I had looked forward to it and simply mentioned that I would like to see it return.

Yes, the DCL dining team can (and do) all kinds of things that are not on the menu!

We mentioned on our second night, that our son's favorite foods are seared scallops and creme brulee. Well, the scallops were on the menu, and our server gave him a second portion. And he got creme brulee for dessert, but it wasn't even on the menu that night!

 

[Kimosabe]

Yes, the DCL dining team can (and do) all kinds of things that are not on the menu!

We mentioned on our second night, that our son's favorite foods are seared scallops and creme brulee. Well, the scallops were on the menu, and our server gave him a second portion. And he got creme brulee for dessert, but it wasn't even on the menu that night!

We randomly asked our server early in a cruise whether any restaurant on board had coconut shrimp on a menu, as it was our daughter's (age 10 at the time) favorite food. The answer was no (at least not in the MDRs)...and yet a big ol' plate of them showed up at our table for the next two nights. Somehow, the head waiter had gotten involved and made it happen. He got a nice tip at the end of the week!