Does dining rotation really matter?

[Strikan]

Let's see if I can explain this simply - There are 3 dining rooms. Let's say we're talking about the Fantasy. The order that people go to the dining rooms is usually Enchanted Garden followed by Royal Court followed by Animator's Palate followed by Enchanted Garden, etc.

The passenger complement is divided up roughly in 6 groups, 3 on early seating, 3 on late seating.

Each 1/3 (or 1/6th, depending on how you're looking at it) starts in a different dining room. That dining room will be #1. And the order is typically (but not always) 1231231.

For those that start in Enchanted Garden the rotation is ERAERAE.
For those that start in Royal Court the rotation is RAERAER.
For those that start in Animator's Palate the rotation is AERAERA.

On some cruises the rotation might be 1231223. Thus, ERAERRA; RAERAAE; AERAEER.

This is so helpful - thank you.

We are going on our first Disney cruise and there is so much new stuff to figure out.

 

[lovingeire]

Let's see if I can explain this simply - There are 3 dining rooms. Let's say we're talking about the Fantasy. The order that people go to the dining rooms is usually Enchanted Garden followed by Royal Court followed by Animator's Palate followed by Enchanted Garden, etc.

The passenger complement is divided up roughly in 6 groups, 3 on early seating, 3 on late seating.

Each 1/3 (or 1/6th, depending on how you're looking at it) starts in a different dining room. That dining room will be #1. And the order is typically (but not always) 1231231.

For those that start in Enchanted Garden the rotation is ERAERAE.
For those that start in Royal Court the rotation is RAERAER.
For those that start in Animator's Palate the rotation is AERAERA.

On some cruises the rotation might be 1231223. Thus, ERAERRA; RAERAAE; AERAEER.

Interesting, thank you for putting that together. I have seen a lot of different requests mentioned in trip reports. I've only done a 3 day so the rotation didn't really matter. But looking at a 7 day and excited for all the extra things I didn't experience last time.

 

[Strikan]

How and when do you make requests for a specific dinning rotation? Also, as a family of four will you typically be seated with another family? Can you request a table that seats 4?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

How and when do you make requests for a specific dinning rotation? Also, as a family of four will you typically be seated with another family? Can you request a table that seats 4?

You call DCL and ask for the request to be placed on your reservation. A family of 4 may or may not be seated with others. There are 4 tops, 6 tops, and 8 top tables.

You can call whenever you'd like, but it should be done before a week out from the cruise.

If you used a TA, the TA would need to call to make the request.

 

[puzzledprincess]

How and when do you make requests for a specific dinning rotation? Also, as a family of four will you typically be seated with another family? Can you request a table that seats 4?

You can make requests by calling them but it doesn't guarantee that they can honor the request. I have travelled with 4 people on 5 Disney cruises and we have always had a table to ourselves (without making a request.)