Does anyone dress up for dinner anymore?

[TavieP]

I only dress up for signature dining and for me "dressing up" means I neaten my hair and put on a clean jersey sundress or my Mickey Mouse shirt-and-skirt set.

 

[AquaDame]

We don't... having to take the bus back to the resort to change and make it back to the other resort for dinner just takes too much time out of the day for us. Disney hours are at a premium!

 

[Sagginit]

For signature resort meals like Artist's Point or California Grill yes. We typically go back to the room for a midday break and plan on giving ourselves enough time to shower and get dressed. I usually just wear a nice dress and sandals that I can walk across the resorts in with a nice clutch. My mother does a dressier top and dress capris with nicer sandals finished with a clutch. For us we plan to have that one night to relax at the meal and not be rushed. I do understand the thought that it adds to the ambiance when people are dressed nicer. I have actually seen someone eating with a fanny pack on and thought it just looked uncomfortable. This is also an occasion for us to get some nice pictures taken.

In parks we never really dress up, but since we take a midday break we often have on fresh clothes for evening. I wear sneakers but tend to wear sundresses at night if we aren't going there for a lot of major rides (ex. evening in Epcot that will just be rides like Soaring). If it is hot out I hate not being able to take a shower and have to go to dinner sweaty, especially if it is going to be three courses and could be up to two hours. I get that it is Disney and people are on tight schedules, but I still think it is nice when people dress up a little for the more adult restaurants for dinner. Honestly nice khaki pants with a polo, a sundress, or many other casual dressy options are just as comfortable. You can still stand in them to watch fireworks or a parade afterwards and even go on rides in clothes like that.

 

[need2travel]

DH & I always dress up for signature restaurants, we enjoy it & it makes the evening feel a little more special. I do capris, cute top/blouse, heels & a clutch. DH does khakis & a button down or golf shirt with boat shoes. I'd rather be overdressed than underdressed.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I like to dress nicer for Signature Restaurants and I do on my solo trips. My husband would prefer to wear his normal shorts and a tshirt - he has zero interest in going to restaurants that require nicer clothing.

One time for our anniversary dinner, I booked us Artists Point and got him to put on khaki's and a polo shirt and I wore a pretty dress - we were seated next to a family who looked like they just got in from the parks - tank tops, flip flops, shorts and even the guy was in a tank top.
My husband complained the whole dinner about having to dress up when those people weren't and it made for a disappointing dinner. I thought the rule was no tank tops or shorts in signature restaurants but I guess not anymore.

I've dressed up for solo meals at California Grill and even a late dinner at BOG - that was fun, I got quite a bit of attention in the pretty dress I chose to wear - Beast even danced with me. LOL

 

[warrenz1963]

We'll dress for an occasion, but not for a place. If there is no specific dress code, and I'm not going to be prohibited from entering because of what I'm wearing, I'm good with that. My food tastes the same regardless of what I'm wearing.

If the way I'm dressed has an effect on your experience, that's on you, not me.

 

[Momof2Singers]

We dress up a little for Shula's, feel out of place if we don't. Having two daughters 17 and 22 that love dresses, they do dress for dinner for Shula's, and they will for CRT and BOG dinners we have this trip..and are currently looking for something tropical for Ohanas. They are at the age that they like to look good in photos. I think it is personal preference and whether you want to leave a park to change.

 

[Uncleromulus]

I like to dress nicer for Signature Restaurants and I do on my solo trips. My husband would prefer to wear his normal shorts and a tshirt - he has zero interest in going to restaurants that require nicer clothing.

One time for our anniversary dinner, I booked us Artists Point and got him to put on khaki's and a polo shirt and I wore a pretty dress - we were seated next to a family who looked like they just got in from the parks - tank tops, flip flops, shorts and even the guy was in a tank top.
My husband complained the whole dinner about having to dress up when those people weren't and it made for a disappointing dinner. I thought the rule was no tank tops or shorts in signature restaurants but I guess not anymore.

I've dressed up for solo meals at California Grill and even a late dinner at BOG - that was fun, I got quite a bit of attention in the pretty dress I chose to wear - Beast even danced with me. LOL

Shorts are perfectly acceptable as part of the Signature dress "code". Footwear isn't even mentioned.

However a tank top on men is one of the not permitted items and that gentleman should not have been allowed in the restaurant.

 

[LovesTimone]

What I have noticed that earlier meal times for dinner you get a more of a family crowd with younger children, the later it gets it seem that the family make-up changes to older children, then with the latest seating you will find couples, and groups of adults, or families with more adult children.

We normally take a break mid day, head back to the resort and swim, nap, relax... Then change and get ready for dinner if we are doing a signature or another nicer restaurant. Our DD's enjoyed getting dresses up a bit for dinner, when they were in school. I personally think that its fun to have the family sorta dress up for the evening, for me it makes it more special.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

If we have a nicer reservation I try to wear a nice dress to the parks and look put together. If we are eating at chef mickeys I'm in my shorts and tank top.

 

[Lisa F]

I wear slacks and a polo--Mrs U wears jeans and a sweater/top at all the Signatures.

Of course we have plenty of time to dress and go to the restaurant. We have a car, and our time these days at any theme park is quite limited..we're rarely at a Park much after 1:00 in the afternoon.

But many folks are in the parks all day or depend on Disney Transportation to get them back and forth. Many go back to the parks after dinner.For them to waste many hours getting "dressed" just for dinner and thence to the restaurant is something they will not do.

Disney understands this I believe and that is why theme park attire (shorts and t's) is acceptable--and why you see so many folks dressed that way at the Signatures.

exactly. I try to bring some nicer park wear for sigs that is also comfortable in the parks (I do not wear dresses casually, dresses are a big deal to me). Comfortable capris and a nicer knit t-shirt/tunic for me (non logo, nice fabric, solid color) and khaki shorts and also a nicer tshirt for the kiddo. If we are not coming from the parks we are going to the parks after and need to be comfortable. You're right that disney knows this, which is why the dress codes are what they are.... nothing truly sloppy, armpit hair revealing or offensive but neat park wear is just fine.

I also stick to first seating (as close to 5 as I can get it) with signatures with my kiddo... it's nice and quiet and not chaotic and the servers are fresh and the meal goes quickly and we can do nighttime stuff at the parks afterwards. I do think maybe as the evening goes on that dress gets a bit nicer.

 

[sumismommy]

Yes, me and my family dress up. love it, my daughter will wear a party dress with shorts under, my son and husband will wear a button down shirt or polo, and I will wear a comfortable dress. This is what we might wear on a typical disney day anyways!

 

[Lehuaann]

We do.

Aside from V&A, where we truly "dress up"...we do business/dressy for resort signatures and casual w/ collars for park signatures.

 

[oceanmarina]

We always go in the heat of August. We go back to the hotel and change / shower before dinner. But both DH and I both wear dress shorts to dinner - the heat demands it as we head out to the parks after dinner. DH wears a polo if we are going to Narcoosees, otherwise a nice T. The same for my son polo and dress shorts for signature shorts and nice T for TS. My daughter will wear a sundress for the signatures and shorts and a pretty tshirt for TS.

 

[Her Dotness]

We always dress up. My husband brings shirt and tie, and I bring dresses and heels. It's nice. We don't really pay attention to the others around us. Last time we were at GF for Citricos, they mistakenly thought we were there for V&A.

We like to dress for dinner, too, and always do for dinner at a Sig. I don't typically wear a dress and heels, usually a dressy pants outfit. I did wear a dress, heels and a dressy hat for Afternoon Tea last year and really felt it enhanced my enjoyment.

I when I read that people assumed you were dining at V&A. That's happened to us, too. It was rather fun the first time we did eat there to have someone remark as we headed to the elevator (stayed GF RPC), "I bet I know where you're eating dinner."

 

[suse66]

I love dressing up for dinner and will usually pack a few pretty dresses with comfortable (but cute!) sandals. The signature restaurants were the only ones I asked the boys to change into khakis and a dress shirt for. At 1 TS restaurants I was fine with them wearing a T and shorts. For my August trip I am dining at California Grill, Hollywood Brown Derby (lunch) and afternoon tea at the Gardenview Lounge. I will definitely dress up for these three meals as I know I'll feel more comfortable that way. Just what I like to do.

 

[Farro]

I am not sure how I feel about this. On our last trip, we took dress clothes to wear to California Grill and Artist's Point. The people seated next to us at Cali looked like they had come in from the pool. I notice we were one of a few guests who wore something other than shorts and a tshirt. I one hand, I was a bit irritated, because it kind of took away from the whole 'experience". On the other hand, I thought it was nice because I could forget about bringing dress clothes for the next trip and just wear whatever I wanted. So what is your philosophy on dressing and dining?

We enjoy looking nice for dinner. At home and on vacation!

 

[mom2my3kids]

I can see the five star restaurants, because most don't come from the parks but dress up then go but others I think what you would wear at the parks is just fine..

 

[Dis703]

The only restaurant in Disney we would dress up for is V&A. I'm also not one to ever notice what other guests are wearing in the restaurants so I'm always curious about why this sort of thing bothers other people. I follow the dress code, which is extremely lax, but beyond that I'm dressed the same way I dress for the park that day. We also always eat in or near the park we are going to be at and returning to the resort to change before and after dinner just to make other people happy isn't something I'm about to waste my time doing. I'm clean and dressed and all of the appropriate body parts are covered and that's good enough as far as I'm concerned.

 

[LBlovesM&WDW]

We follow the dress code, but don't get dressed up. We are scheduled enough and just want to enjoy our vacation without having to worry about going to change. We also return to a park after dinner most times, so comfort is key. Also, I'm too enthralled with the atmosphere, my family and the food to notice or be bothered by what other people wear.