Dressing for dinner - will DH be embarrassingly out of place in shorts every night?

[abbiep]

The way I look at this, I paid a lot of money for this vacation, its my vacation, I am going to wear what I want and I don't really care what anyone else thinks. I will never see any of these people again. We don't do dress up at home, its just not us. I don't even have dress up clothes, why would I go spend money on clothes to wear one time and then have to pack them. Some people like to dress up and they do look very nice. Its your vacation, do what makes you comfortable and stop stressing about what others may think.

 

[mmouse37]

While I don't think you should look like a slob with dirty cut off jeans shorts or gym shorts.....nice shorts and a polo are perfectly acceptable in the dining rooms. My husband wore shorts about 4 nights out of our 7 night cruise. First night he wore jeans as it was chilly, next night was formal night so he wore dress clothes, 3rd, 4th and 5th nights were shorts, 6th night was Dockers as he was chilly and 7th night was jeans as that was what he was going to wear home the next morning.

MJ

 

[kenthanson]

We cruised with a couple of other families and had dinner with one of them and both the husband and myself both wore shorts for every dinner except for formal night.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

The way I look at this, I paid a lot of money for this vacation, its my vacation, I am going to wear what I want and I don't really care what anyone else thinks. I will never see any of these people again. We don't do dress up at home, its just not us. I don't even have dress up clothes, why would I go spend money on clothes to wear one time and then have to pack them. Some people like to dress up and they do look very nice. Its your vacation, do what makes you comfortable and stop stressing about what others may think.

Yes, this. We abide by DCL dress code rules (which are listed here https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faq/dining-food-beverages/dining-dress-codes/) which clearly state "cruise casual" in the MDRs includes shorts and t-shirts and formal nights are optional. People who dress otherwise (pants, polos, formalwear, etc.) do it by choice not because it is DCL policy. I care that we abide by DCL rules, but I certainly don't care what other guests think about our clothing.

 

[remlap]

We generally always wear shorts to the main dining room. I bring one pair of dockers to wear at Palo and if on a 7 night to wear on formal night. I have never seen anyone on a Disney Cruise dressed formal and even semi formal is wear. However most people do step it up a notch that night. However if you want to wear shorts every night, go for it. It’s your vacation.

 

[Racer X]

The way I look at this, I paid a lot of money for this vacation, its my vacation, I am going to wear what I want and I don't really care what anyone else thinks. I will never see any of these people again. We don't do dress up at home, its just not us. I don't even have dress up clothes, why would I go spend money on clothes to wear one time and then have to pack them. Some people like to dress up and they do look very nice. Its your vacation, do what makes you comfortable and stop stressing about what others may think.

I guess rules don't apply to you. You know what i find really annoying? People who think they are above the rules. You won't be allowed to wear whatever you want. Yes, there are still limits to what is acceptable even though they have been relaxed over the years.

 

[gotomu212]

I guess rules don't apply to you. You know what i find really annoying? People who think they are above the rules. You won't be allowed to wear whatever you want. Yes, there are still limits to what is acceptable even though they have been relaxed over the years.

I don’t see where he’s saying he’s not going to follow the rules- just that he’s not dressing up. Frankly unless someone is in underwear or a bikini they aren’t turned away in the MDRs. Pajamas? Swim trunks worn as shorts? Cutoffs? None of those folks are turned away.

 

[Racer X]

I paid a lot of money for this vacation, its my vacation, I am going to wear what I want

 

[Budzooka]

What someone else is wearing does not impact my enjoyment of a meal with my family while on vacation. I couldn't care less if others are wearing shorts or a tuxedo. I'm certainly not going to the trouble of dressing up while on vacation, but others can knock themselves out if they want. Everybody gets to make that choice for.

 

[tlynk]

My husband always wears shorts and a shirt of his choice (not gym or swim shorts though) and I usually wear Capri pants and a nice blouse to dinner with the exception of Formal or Semi-Formal nights. We prefer to be casual and comfortable.

 

[Shanti]

My teenage son wears long pants and a collared shirt to the MDRs every night, and a suit on formal nights & semi-formal nights. I am bringing him up properly and he's happy with it. It's a shame that the current generation of kids is growing up with so few opportunities to dress up just a little and feel the specialness of the occasion, because so many adults can't be bothered to make an effort.

 

[Budzooka]

My teenage son wears long pants and a collared shirt to the MDRs every night, and a suit on formal nights & semi-formal nights. I am bringing him up properly and he's happy with it. It's a shame that the current generation of kids is growing up with so few opportunities to dress up just a little and feel the specialness of the occasion, because so many adults can't be bothered to make an effort.

It’s a shame that some people have to dress up to have a special occasion. I have plenty of special occasions with my family and how we are dressed doesn’t enhance or detract from our family time.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Shorts of course are acceptable.

Some of the problem seems to be that some people confuse "casual" with disgustingly sloppy----

 

[CarolynU]

In Palo last week I even saw scruffy jeans, running shoes and t shirts being allowed. I'm quite sure if Palo no longer has an enforceable dress code anything goes in the MDR's.

 

[DCSWO]

In Palo last week I even saw scruffy jeans, running shoes and t shirts being allowed. I'm quite sure if Palo no longer has an enforceable dress code anything goes in the MDR's.

That’s just sad. Those clothes wouldn’t get you in the door at an equivalent restaurant off ship, they shouldn’t get you in the door on the ship. Shame on the staff for not enforcing the rules that are in place. I guess filling the reservations and collecting the upcharges is more important than maintaining decorum.

 

[DLgal]

At home and when we travel, we dress to match the atmosphere of the restaurant we are going to. We are teaching our children how to present themselves appropriately by showing them how to do this.

The restaurants on the DCL ships are what we would consider "fancy" at home. There are table cloths, proper place settings, etc. For us this means pants and collared shirts for the boys/men and nice pants and a blouse, skirt or dress for the girls.

I think Animator's Palette is probably the only restaurant where super casual clothing looks okay and basically fits in with the theme/decor. The rest command stepping it up a bit, IMO.

 

[hertamaniac]

The way I look at this, I paid a lot of money for this vacation, its my vacation, I am going to wear what I want and I don't really care what anyone else thinks. I will never see any of these people again. We don't do dress up at home, its just not us. I don't even have dress up clothes, why would I go spend money on clothes to wear one time and then have to pack them. Some people like to dress up and they do look very nice. Its your vacation, do what makes you comfortable and stop stressing about what others may think.

Couldn't agree more so long as it isn't generally offensive t-shirts, etc. Now how to define that is a different question.

In fact, I have chosen purposely to "dress down" to see if I would be treated any differently.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

In Palo last week I even saw scruffy jeans, running shoes and t shirts being allowed. I'm quite sure if Palo no longer has an enforceable dress code anything goes in the MDR's.

So, that's an example of the stated DCL rules actually being broken. Men are supposed to be wearing collared shirts and "tennis shoes" aren't allowed in Palo. I guess they let people wear running shoes instead!

We tend to be quite casual (yet clean) in the MDR's (shorts, t-shirts, sundresses, etc.), but we follow the rules and do so on all cruise lines we go on (we were just on Paul Gauguin and they were quite strict on pants, collared shirts and closed toed shoes for men in their dining rooms. They absolutely would turn people away if they weren't dressed according to the rules). We are actually cancelling our upcoming Remy dinner because DH just doesn't want to bring or wear a jacket to dinner. I honestly don't care what people wear as long as they follow the cruise line's dress codes. Why have rules if you aren't going to enforce them? Even then, honestly, it might take my focus briefly (as the teenager in pajama pants and bunny slippers walks by - yes saw that in a MDR), but it's not going to anger me or ruin my evening.

I really take offense to some PP's comments about bringing up their children "properly" because they have created their own family rules for how they should dress in the MDR's and think their rules should be imposed on everyone else even if they aren't DCL's rules. And if people don't follow their family's rules, other parents are delinquent or negligent in some way. It's DCL's ship. It's DCL's rules. I teach my son that he has to follow rules. How is it I'm bringing him up "improperly" because he is dressing for dinner in accordance with DCL rules? We will not be wearing formal wear on formal night. We will not be dressing up like pirates. We will not be wearing Star Wars clothing on Star Wars day. But we will adhere to all DCL dress codes, so why does anyone care about what we are wearing? Sorry, you with the prom dress and suit and tie - you aren't any better than we are. You are definitely less comfortable though!

 

[Racer X]

^^^ Clearly everyone's version of "proper" is different. Don't think i remember reading about prom dresses and suits anywhere. Me thinks thou dost protest too much.

 

[BillO]

You can wear or do whatever you want. We had a guy who brought a Yeti tumbler to spit his chew juice into during dinner. His group was usually dressed in swim trunks and t-shirts. A couple of nights cut-off shorts.