Do people skip some of their MDR seatings?

[BigredNole]

A little background to understand my thoughts on this. I am a sit down, get the drink orders in, when the drinks come out, the appetizer order goes in, while eating the appetizer, we look at the menu to order. We are more of the "Steak" people instead of the 25 word french name for ruining a good cut of beef people.

Between going to the room, showering, getting dressed, going to the MDR, ordering, and everything else, I do not want it to be a 3 hour ordeal. If I have a 5:30 seating time, going to start getting ready at 3:30, sitting, and getting out at 7:30 is a huge waste of time in my opinion.

Do some people just say heck with it and get meals at the walk up places and/or room service instead of going to some of the MDRs?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

A little background to understand my thoughts on this. I am a sit down, get the drink orders in, when the drinks come out, the appetizer order goes in, while eating the appetizer, we look at the menu to order. We are more of the "Steak" people instead of the 25 word french name for ruining a good cut of beef people.

Between going to the room, showering, getting dressed, going to the MDR, ordering, and everything else, I do not want it to be a 3 hour ordeal. If I have a 5:30 seating time, going to start getting ready at 3:30, sitting, and getting out at 7:30 is a huge waste of time in my opinion.

Do some people just say heck with it and get meals at the walk up places and/or room service instead of going to some of the MDRs?

Of course. That's why those options are available.

But it doesn't have to be a 3 hour "ordeal". If you have a 5:30 seating, why do you start getting ready at 3:30? It's not a fancy event that you have to spend hours preparing for. Typically from seating time to finished, it's about 1/1/2 hour-2 hours tops. Unless you have excellent dining companions and linger a bit.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

We usually miss 1 night for Palos and 1 night we go the cabanas and sit on the after deck there. I guess we are just faster, but is never takes us more then a hour to get ready and usual head right to the shows after dinner....

AKK

 

[cgolf]

The last 2 cruises I have found dinner service to be quicker than the past. As for getting ready for meals, it is usually less than a 15 minute process for me, just enough time to change clothes and head down for our meal.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

A little background to understand my thoughts on this. I am a sit down, get the drink orders in, when the drinks come out, the appetizer order goes in, while eating the appetizer, we look at the menu to order. We are more of the "Steak" people instead of the 25 word french name for ruining a good cut of beef people.

Between going to the room, showering, getting dressed, going to the MDR, ordering, and everything else, I do not want it to be a 3 hour ordeal. If I have a 5:30 seating time, going to start getting ready at 3:30, sitting, and getting out at 7:30 is a huge waste of time in my opinion.

Do some people just say heck with it and get meals at the walk up places and/or room service instead of going to some of the MDRs?

1) Your drink order will be taken first by the assistant server. But then the server generally wants you to order the appetizer, soup/salad, and entree courses all at once. The courses will obviously be delivered separately but they are ordered all at once.

2) I will admit to being very low maintenance, but I can't wrap my head around taking 2 hours to get ready for dinner at the MDRs. Maybe on formal night, but even then 2 hours to get ready seems too long. On the "cruise casual" nights, you definitely don't need to spend 2 hours getting ready for dinner.

We usually end up going to the MDR because we enjoy the experience, but this coming cruise may be the one where we have one dinner be room service or at Cabanas. BTW, Cabanas is a sit down restaurant at dinner, but you aren't tied to your dining time if you go there.

 

[BigredNole]

2) I will admit to being very low maintenance, but I can't wrap my head around taking 2 hours to get ready for dinner at the MDRs.

I am extremely low maintenance too. I can be ready in 3 minutes or less. I was figuring, maybe too loosely, the time it takes to get from where you are to your room, each person getting ready, the time it takes to get to the MDR.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I am extremely low maintenance too. I can be ready in 3 minutes or less. I was figuring, maybe too loosely, the time it takes to get from where you are to your room, each person getting ready, the time it takes to get to the MDR.

Well, depending on what you were doing prior to dinner, you may only need to wash your hands. That you can do enroute to the dining room.

 

[DisneyMissy]

Our only cruise so far was a 4 day so we went to dinner every night and really enjoyed the experience. Our daughter was 2 at the time and I never felt like dinner was taking too long. On our upcoming 7 day we plan to skip the MDR one night in favor of watching a movie on the pool deck with some quick serve food then enjoying an almost empty pool.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I am extremely low maintenance too. I can be ready in 3 minutes or less. I was figuring, maybe too loosely, the time it takes to get from where you are to your room, each person getting ready, the time it takes to get to the MDR.

It would take longer if you have more people needing to take showers. It's usually just my daughter and I so we can be pretty quick, and we aren't always doing something before dinner that would require a shower before heading out to eat. If you have a lot of people needing to take showers, the adults can use the showers in the spa locker room area.

 

[lanejudy]

MDR dinners, in our experience, have typically run about 1 hour 15 minutes, which is fairly typical of a sit-down restaurant here at home. I don't believe we've ever spent more than 90 minutes at an MDR meal. We always had time to kill before going to the later show in the theater.

But yes, to answer your question, you absolutely have other options:

• Quick service type food is available by the pool.
• Cabanas is open most nights excluding the first and last nights of your cruise, though it is a sit-down meal and not buffet.
• Adult dining options of Palo or Remy, though if you think MDR is long you probably don't want either of those.
• Or room service is generally free (a few items include a charge).

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[bumbershoot]

People do skip them, sure.

I am a sit down, get the drink orders in, when the drinks come out, the appetizer order goes in, while eating the appetizer, we look at the menu to order.

If you order in that way, you're going ot make the process longer. They have you order appetizer, soup/salad, entree all at the same time.

Between going to the room, showering, getting dressed, going to the MDR, ordering, and everything else, I do not want it to be a 3 hour ordeal. If

The ships aren't THAT big. In my family we do take showers before dinner, because we dress nicely for every dinner (even on the 3 night cruise), but it doesn't take us a huge amount of time to do that. And no one is just sitting doing nothing while the other is in the shower; first person showers and the others are getting their clothes out. Second person showers while first showerer is getting ready. Third person showers while first is finishing (often me because there's some hair and mascara to consider along with putting on nylons (I get cold in the dining rooms so I do tend to wear them) and the second is getting ready. Third person is, hopefully, the fastest (so, for right now, DS because there is no shaving involved yet). Then we all go.

And still it's never actually taken us THAT long to get ready.

Even if it did, though, where's the ordeal? Getting ready is a process, then you're walking, then you're having your drinks, then you're eating, then having dessert, and then there's the rest of the evening to look forward to, and you're all ready! What else did you have planned to do, besides eating, chatting, and spending time together?

 

[Control4Hermosa]

We always enjoy dining in the MDR with our staff. Only exception is final breakfast but we usually go to hand out tips. Maybe it's us but I don't think we've ever spent more than one hour there start to finish. On Palo nights we still go there for the kids and a quick bite of whatever the staff are insisting we try. In that case, it's 20 mins. We aren't the kind of family that shows-up in stuff we wore to the pool that afternoon. Still, 1/2 prep time is max then down the hallway to the MDR.

 

[cgolf]

It would take longer if you have more people needing to take showers. It's usually just my daughter and I so we can be pretty quick, and we aren't always doing something before dinner that would require a shower before heading out to eat. If you have a lot of people needing to take showers, the adults can use the showers in the spa locker room area.

And once you use the showers in the spa locker room, you will never use the one in the room again. It took me 3 years of listening to my wife talk about how nice they were before I used them and got hooked as well.

 

[The Sasquatch]

one thing that hasnt been mentioned is that your servers will typically tailor the speed to your preference. I think they have less ability to do so at early dining because you have a second group of people coming in behind you so you cant camp out for 3 hours. But like others have said, you answered your own question. If you dont want to delay it, order your drinks, read the menu and order everything at once. I am sure they prefer it that way and there is not much to ponder. Just remember if you want to try two things, they are more than happy to bring it.

 

[AquaDame]

A little background to understand my thoughts on this. I am a sit down, get the drink orders in, when the drinks come out, the appetizer order goes in, while eating the appetizer, we look at the menu to order. We are more of the "Steak" people instead of the 25 word french name for ruining a good cut of beef people.

Between going to the room, showering, getting dressed, going to the MDR, ordering, and everything else, I do not want it to be a 3 hour ordeal. If I have a 5:30 seating time, going to start getting ready at 3:30, sitting, and getting out at 7:30 is a huge waste of time in my opinion.

Do some people just say heck with it and get meals at the walk up places and/or room service instead of going to some of the MDRs?

Absolutely, we've skipped the MDR a number of times for one reason or another. I don't feel like it will take that long though, so if time is your only concern order everything at once and you'll have no trouble. They are very good at pacing the meal regardless of putting it all in, you will not be rushed either!

Every night there are more basic protein options available as well as the 'fancy' options. I hope you enjoy your cruise!

 

[com_op_2000]

Two stories:
DD's family on one of our family cruises chose to have room service for a dinner meal, instead of going to the MDR.
DW was not feeling well on a sea day. She stayed in the room most of the day. I went to talk with our head waiter after lunch while clean-up was going on. He gave me that evening's menu, ordered our dinners then, and our waiter's brought our dinners to our stateroom between the two evening seating.

 

[mkymouse40]

Do people wear shorts and t-shirts to dinner, or do we have to dress a little better?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Do people wear shorts and t-shirts to dinner, or do we have to dress a little better?

The only "dress code" for dinner is "no swimwear or tank tops for dinner". Beyond that, you'll see all manner of dress, even on formal nights.

 

[MickeyEarrings]

I've read in trip reports of the "mid-cruise crisis" where people can't handle four-course dinners any more, and people take a night here and there to skip the main dining room. We will likely do this a few times on our WBPC in April.

 

[joyjanet]

And once you use the showers in the spa locker room, you will never use the one in the room again. It took me 3 years of listening to my wife talk about how nice they were before I used them and got hooked as well.

I used the spa shower on the last cruise and I totally agree. It was really nice. All the little amenities that they offer are fantastic. Easier to use because you don't have to climb into a small tub!