First timer: Have a made a horrible mistake?

[Rob1872]

My wife has wanted to try a Disney cruise for a while, so we've made reservations on Magic for a 3 night cruise at the end of March. When I made the reservation, it said that there was only second seating dining available. I was worried that this would be too late, but the agent said that there was a program where kids would be served quickly and staff would be able to take them down to the children's activities. While looking on another Disney site today, it was saying that for an 8:15 dinner, that the kids would be picked up at 9:15. How long is the dinner, if being picked up after an hour is being served quickly???? My kids usually are getting ready for bed at 9:15. How likely is it that we will be able to shift to the early dinner time? I'm worried that we won't be able to do any dinners that aren't quick service pizza/burgers or room service. How flexible is Disney on moving your cruise to a later date? (which would probably make us have to delay to spring break in 2017). When they said that the kids were being served quickly, I was thinking that they'd eat for 20 minutes or so, and we'd be picking them up after our dinner by 9:30.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

My wife has wanted to try a Disney cruise for a while, so we've made reservations on Magic for a 3 night cruise at the end of March. When I made the reservation, it said that there was only second seating dining available. I was worried that this would be too late, but the agent said that there was a program where kids would be served quickly and staff would be able to take them down to the children's activities. While looking on another Disney site today, it was saying that for an 8:15 dinner, that the kids would be picked up at 9:15. How long is the dinner, if being picked up after an hour is being served quickly???? My kids usually are getting ready for bed at 9:15. How likely is it that we will be able to shift to the early dinner time? I'm worried that we won't be able to do any dinners that aren't quick service pizza/burgers or room service. How flexible is Disney on moving your cruise to a later date? (which would probably make us have to delay to spring break in 2017). When they said that the kids were being served quickly, I was thinking that they'd eat for 20 minutes or so, and we'd be picking them up after our dinner by 9:30.

Dinner service can run anywhere from 1 1/2 - 2 hours. You can ask your servers to go a little more quickly, if you want it faster. If you notify your servers that you are participating in Dine N Play, the kid's entrees will be served while you are having your appetizers.

Re: switching to Main (early) dining - did you request to be placed on the wait list for your cruise? If not, call DCL now and ask to have the request for early dining placed on your reservation. Then, every so often give DCL a call to "confirm" that the request is still on the reservation (remember the squeaky wheel?). If the early seating has not come through by the time you board the ship, go to where the dining changes are being handled (it'll be listed in the Navigator you get at check in) and ask again. Many times, these procedures will work. Sometimes not.

You can always eat dinner in Cabanas (the buffet space). It's a sit-down table service with selected items from the other MDR menus, plus a salad bar and carving station. It's not open the first and last nights of the cruise, however.

If you are before your Paid In Full date, there are no issues with moving your cruise date. In fact, most times, you can change your cruise date at any time, but you will pay the cost of the "new" cruise at the prevailing rate the day you change.

 

[Weedy]

You may be surprised how late your kids stay up on a cruise. when our kids were young we always did an early bedtime but on a cruise they satyed up very late. One night when my son was about 8 years old he stayed out later than we did. The kids clubs have lots of activities that don't even start until 9pm.

Also our kids liked the clubs better than a sit down dinner. We would feed them either from the pool deck you can get fruit and milk or order room service. They would eat a quick dinner, we would drop them off at the kids club, then my husband and I would have a quiet adult dinner.

 

[MunFam]

You may be surprised how late your kids stay up on a cruise. when our kids were young we always did an early bedtime but on a cruise they satyed up very late. One night when my son was about 8 years old he stayed out later than we did. The kids clubs have lots of activities that don't even start until 9pm.

Also our kids liked the clubs better than a sit down dinner. We would feed them either from the pool deck you can get fruit and milk or order room service. They would eat a quick dinner, we would drop them off at the kids club, then my husband and I would have a quiet adult dinner.

All of this is true for us as well. My 4 year old stayed up very late. Also, if you preorder your kiddos meal the night before, they can pretty much have it ready when you sit down to eat. Our DD has food allergies, so we preordered every night. You will be surprised how fast the hour goes by. If they are done and restless early, you can always take them up to the club on your own between courses. You don't have to wait for the cast members to get the kids. Thats just a nice service they offer so parents do not have to leave the dining room.

We actually chose late dinner on our 14 night cruise because we knew we would want to be at the pool, at character greetings etc. and not rushing off at 3:30 or 4 to clean up and dress for dinner. It was super awesome. I will never do early dinner again. (PS, our DD goes to bed between 6:30 and 7pm every night, and late seating STILL worked out great for us.)

 

[drnp]

don't forget about the time zone. If you are not on eastern time, that 8:15 dinner could be an hour or two earlier to your child's system.

 

[avgsuperheroine]

I agree that your time may just be completely different. We usually eat at 5pm and kids in bed at 8pm, but on a trip we have done both times and they're fine. The boys are usually up until 12pm-1am every night on vacation, that's part of the fun.

 

[Rob1872]

OK, thanks for the input. I guess the key will be to try to be flexible and hope that everyone adapts to the change. (Part of it is just not knowing a lot of the specifics of what we are getting into.)

 

[shelleyr25]

We always do the late dinner....to rush to get ready for the early seating seemed too crazy for us. My kids would always just have 2 dinners: one at the pool (chicken fingers, burger, pizza etc) around 6:00 and then our dinner at 8:30. Their food would be brought to them right away and then they were off to the clubs for the night.

 

[anricat]

We love late seating. Coming from central time zone, my daughter doesn't change super easily and we love it. She did the dine and play a couple of times but was also content to hang out with us. Either way, it was a nice option.

And if you're eating early, you still have a show during the late dining time. Either way you're up. And it's super easy to grab snacks and food if you're hungry between lunch and dinner.

 

[GioCruise]

My son is turning 8...routine bedtime is 8:30pm
Now Disney BedTime...uhmmm yeah so we show up to pick him up at 11:00-11:30 and usually get begged for more time. His latest was 1am...BUt he got up bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready for more the next morning. I try to control it a bit more on the nights before a port adventure but usually I let him hang ...he loves it! And when we get home on Saturday he's inPjs the whole ride home and usually in bed that night at 6pm we have a lazy laundry Sunday and back to school and work on Monday....Life is good!

 

[JW9DVC]

Really also depends on the time zone that you are accustomed to. If you were from the west coast. It would be eating around normal 5pm or little after dinner time.

JW

 

[alavoi]

We have had the late dinner seating on all 5 of our cruises - so my daughter has been ages 4 to 8. She has never had an issue. If we'd had the early dinner seating, she would have, no doubt, fallen asleep during the show every night!

 

[wilma-bride]

There is nothing to stop you feeding the kids earlier (either from the quick service options on deck, room service or the buffet restaurant (sit down in the evenings but open dining times) and then taking them to the clubs. Or taking them to dinner in the MDR, asking for their food to come out quickly and then one of you dropping them to the clubs yourself.

That is IF you can't get switched to main dining, either prior to the cruise or once you are onboard by going to the location given in the navigator for dining changes.

 

[The Sasquatch]

there is alot going on here...

-I hope you are not considering delaying your cruise a year plus because of late seating and the "dine and play" service! DONT DO THAT
-You should be able to request a switch to early seating, I would call DCL now to put that in or do it when you board.
-As others have said, you may enjoy the later time. No rush during the day and its vacation, there is no bedtime!
-The clubs are open until midnight and they are packed up until that time. If they like the clubs they will want to go all night to take part in the activities.
-You dont have to wait for CM's to take your kids from the MDR, one of us walks them up ourselves and it takes maybe 5-10 min. Just ask your server to bring their food first.

A 9pm bedtime is going to limit you on activities. I laughed the last time I was dropping my daughter off at the club, there was an obvious first time cruise helicopter mother yelling at the entrance..."This place is open until midnight???????? Please do not tell me that there are children in here at midnight. Oh my God!"

 

[Maggie'sMom]

A 9pm bedtime is going to limit you on activities. I laughed the last time I was dropping my daughter off at the club, there was an obvious first time cruise helicopter mother yelling at the entrance..."This place is open until midnight???????? Please do not tell me that there are children in here at midnight. Oh my God!"

My 11yo DD, whom I normally have in bed between 9:00 and 9:30, was routinely in the clubs until midnight and awake until 1:00am. I was usually in bed, but not asleep, before she was. I'd be laying in bed reading until she came back from the clubs, then she'd want to tell me all about everything they did while she was getting ready for bed.

 

[RHSTigerMom]

You don't say how old your children are but a 3-night is very short and will be over before you know it. If anything, I'd switch to a longer cruise and keep late dining. Don't sweat it and have fun.

 

[afyoung]

there is alot going on here...

-I hope you are not considering delaying your cruise a year plus because of late seating and the "dine and play" service! DONT DO THAT
-You should be able to request a switch to early seating, I would call DCL now to put that in or do it when you board.
-As others have said, you may enjoy the later time. No rush during the day and its vacation, there is no bedtime!
-The clubs are open until midnight and they are packed up until that time. If they like the clubs they will want to go all night to take part in the activities.
-You dont have to wait for CM's to take your kids from the MDR, one of us walks them up ourselves and it takes maybe 5-10 min. Just ask your server to bring their food first.

A 9pm bedtime is going to limit you on activities. I laughed the last time I was dropping my daughter off at the club, there was an obvious first time cruise helicopter mother yelling at the entrance..."This place is open until midnight???????? Please do not tell me that there are children in here at midnight. Oh my God!"

My son has already told me he plans to be in the club until 1am on our next cruise. He said he is going to "shut that place down". DH and I may speak to often about our old clubbing days....

 

[MUN]

My wife has wanted to try a Disney cruise for a while, so we've made reservations on Magic for a 3 night cruise at the end of March. When I made the reservation, it said that there was only second seating dining available. I was worried that this would be too late, but the agent said that there was a program where kids would be served quickly and staff would be able to take them down to the children's activities. While looking on another Disney site today, it was saying that for an 8:15 dinner, that the kids would be picked up at 9:15. How long is the dinner, if being picked up after an hour is being served quickly???? My kids usually are getting ready for bed at 9:15. How likely is it that we will be able to shift to the early dinner time? I'm worried that we won't be able to do any dinners that aren't quick service pizza/burgers or room service. How flexible is Disney on moving your cruise to a later date? (which would probably make us have to delay to spring break in 2017). When they said that the kids were being served quickly, I was thinking that they'd eat for 20 minutes or so, and we'd be picking them up after our dinner by 9:30.

How old will your children be on the cruise?

 

[Orukal]

Our 16 and 17 year olds will be in Vibe until it closes. In that I have no doubt. Of course we've already warned them that there will be a number of times that we will be pulling them out for some family fun. As far as our 9 year old...we have no issues at all in allowing him to stay until the Club and Lab shut down most, if not all days. We'll be taking him out for family fun as well, but hey, it's a 2 week cruise vacation and I'm going to let me kids enjoy themselves.

 

[The Sasquatch]

My son has already told me he plans to be in the club until 1am on our next cruise. He said he is going to "shut that place down". DH and I may speak to often about our old clubbing days....

My daughter comes out of the club at closing and goes "What are we doing now?"

Thats when we go back to the room, order warm cookies and milk and watch some Disney movies!