Help! 2nd seating to 1st seating / eastern or western

[patriciahuang]

Hi! Desperately need all your help! I need to make final decision ASAP

1) Which itinerary is better for me and my husband with a 5 1/2 yr old daughter? Western or Eastern?

2) My main concern is the timing...western has a better sked for us. So, we are leaning towards western...but, like eastern better. Please help? Will my daughter who's will be 5 yrs and 8 mos then enjoy the western ports? Will she be able to join shore excursions, specifically, the stingray ray excursion?

3) Lastly, the only available dinner seating for the April 24 Western is the 2nd seating which is 8:30pm? Do you think we will be able to change this to the 1st seating later on? I feel 8:30pm is too late to have dinner with a 5 yr old in tow.

Please help! I'm so confused!

Thanks!

 

[AnnMorin]

We have done both and I personally prefer the eastern because I like the extra day at sea. That said however Stingray city in grand cayman is an awesome experience that you will not find anywhere else. My son was nine when we went and he was blown away. There were many children around your daughter's age so I think she would like it.
As for the dinner situation. I know you an be waitlisted and some people have been able to change. I would however not count on that happening just so you would not be dissapointed. You could have the option to feed her seperately some nights and put her in the lab and dine alone with DH at the late seating. You can get the same menu (just about) at topsiders so she would not have to just have pizza etc.

 

[westjones]

We like 2nd seating better because one of my daughter has problems with low blood sugar and needs to eat 'often' even though she doesn't eat a lot.

There are places on the 9th deck where you can get food in the early evening (pizza and burgers). So we have our first 'small' meal around 5:00 with them up on deck 9 (or we order room service which is always available). Then we go to dinner again at 8:30.

When we had early dining, it wasn't as easy to get food for her later in the evening (we did order room service, but it is so much easier to just go up to a counter and get a piece of pizza).

So now we always do second seating. It works for us.

DJ

 

[alexandrew]

There is no better or worse itinerary....it is a personal preference...both are great, and both are great for DD

As for late seating, it is often less crowded, less rushed, and therefore more enjoyable for some than first seating....have you considered for a few nights taking DD to Plutos or Pinochio's early, then taking her to Oceaneer's while you go to dinner later?

 

[WDWLVR]

I would go with what you do at home. If you are used to eating early do main seating. If you are used to eating late do late seating. We did late seating once and didn't care for it for us.

As for the Eastern/Western question. We loved them both!

I do enjoy the extra day at sea, but getting to go to Stingray City was awesome as well.

Sorry - don't think that helped much. Best advice - go with what you think you and your family will enjoy most!