Help me understand main dining

[cmyers2]

So how long does dining in MDR really last? I hear that the kids get served first. My concern is that they will be done and just sitting there while we eat. Is this true?

If you skip a course (soup or app) will it be faster? Even if you are sharing a table?

This is main dining so eat and play isn't available. We are going on a 3 day for the 1st time so we are trying to maximum our ship time. Any advice would be great. I do know that my kids will NOT want to miss dessert

 

[design_mom]

When we went in June, my husband and I ordered salad *or* soup *or* appetizer. It was plenty of food for us. The kids' meals came with an appetizer which was served at the same time as our appetizer/salad/soup. Entrees and desserts were served at the same time as ours, too.

If you chose multiple items for the soup/salad/appetizer, I would imagine there might be a gap in the kids' courses. Also, we had our own table, so I don't now how other families' ordering habits might affect it. However, we seemed to finish around the same time as other families... so I don't think we were rushed through. Dinner lasted about 1-1/2 hours.

 

[Silverfox97]

So how long does dining in MDR really last? I hear that the kids get served first. My concern is that they will be done and just sitting there while we eat. Is this true?

If you skip a course (soup or app) will it be faster? Even if you are sharing a table?

This is main dining so eat and play isn't available. We are going on a 3 day for the 1st time so we are trying to maximum our ship time. Any advice would be great. I do know that my kids will NOT want to miss dessert

In 6 DCL cruises, we've always had main dining (5:45pm) and are always out by 7pm with 1 exception - this last cruise on the Fantasy on the night of the 2nd AP show with the drawings and that was only because we didn't order our dessert before the show started and then we were out at 7:15. We started cruising when DD was 2 1/5 (she's now 5). We always skip a course (either the app or the soup/salad course) in order to cut calories. This helps because DD5 *only* orders off of the adult menu, so she doesn't have to sit & wait thru 2 courses until she gets her food (kids that order off the kids menu get their food with the adults appetizer course). In 6 cruises, only 1 server has managed to bring her entree out with our 1st course, which we love. Anyways, skipping a course saves time as well.

When seated with other families, it depends. In Feb on the Dream, the family we sat with skipped dessert every night, so we were all done at the same time.

When we went in June, my husband and I ordered salad *or* soup *or* appetizer. If you chose multiple items for the Dinner lasted about 1-1/2 hours.

Same for us

 

[Melissa S]

We cruised in December when my daughter was 16 months and we didn't feel comfotable leaving her in the nursery and she didn't feel comfortable sitting during a 1.5 hour dinner service lol. We were able to have dinner each night within 30 minutes- 3 courses with dessert to go. Last cruise our daughter was a little older 22 months- so we would bring her into the MDR with us and she would eat while we had our app and then one of us would bring her to the nursery to play from 6-7 and the the other would bring her back for a Mickey Bar. Every child and family is different and this worked best for us. We found that communication with your server and assitant server is very important. When it comes to kid meals they are able to speed up orders.

Eventhough Main Dining doesn't have the Dine and Play, you can create your own like we did

 

[jd9891]

Just have your servers bring the kids meals with the main course. They will bring it out whenever works best for you. If they want they can order an appetizer also.

 

[Manon_Paul_Nina]

Our DD(4) loves the diners,
We had 4 course meals,
With the appetizer she would get hers, and finished it when we would finish our soup or salad.
The main entrees would come together and when we were finished we would choose dessert!
DD always got the Mickey Bar!
So desert came together also!
We got to our table about 5.45 to 6.00 and got off at about 8.00.
When we're at home and go out to eat in a restaurant, most of the time it's fine dining! Even with our DD!
We got many praises from people who sat near us about DD being so well behaved!!!

 

[kuhltiffany]

We bring the kids DS's to keep them busy while they are waiting. Then we learned the servers could rush their food so they were done their meals (with dessert) just before we were served our main course, so one of us would run them up to the kids club so we could finish in peace.

 

[lbgraves]

If you are at the table with others and you skip a course but they don't, you will be sitting at the table with nothing in front of you until they are ready for your next course. It was a real annoyance on our last cruise one night.

Oh, and we have always done our version of the dine and play at early seating on our own, starting before they even named it. Just have the kids eat when their food comes out and they are finished with desert before the entree comes out for adults. One adult takes the kids to the club and you can get back before they are served and enjoy the rest of your meal.

 

[dawnedwards]

We have requested a table alone so we can have more flexibility with how many courses we want and the length of our dining experience. It's just a request so fingers crossed.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

If you are at the table with others and you skip a course but they don't, you will be sitting at the table with nothing in front of you until they are ready for your next course. It was a real annoyance on our last cruise one night.

Oh, and we have always done our version of the dine and play at early seating on our own, starting before they even named it. Just have the kids eat when their food comes out and they are finished with desert before the entree comes out for adults. One adult takes the kids to the club and you can get back before they are served and enjoy the rest of your meal.

On those occasions that someone (or two) at our table didn't order all the same courses as the others, the people who were have fewer courses either ate their course slowly to stretch it over the time the others were eating something else, or they just enjoyed talking and spending the time with the rest of us.

Many nights I would have 2 appetizers and no salad. They would be brought out one at a time, so, in essence, I did have the same number of courses as the others. Plus there's always the bread on the table you could be munching on.

 

[motherhoodandmickey]

Our DD(4) loves the diners,
We had 4 course meals,
With the appetizer she would get hers, and finished it when we would finish our soup or salad.
The main entrees would come together and when we were finished we would choose dessert!
DD always got the Mickey Bar!
So desert came together also!
We got to our table about 5.45 to 6.00 and got off at about 8.00.
When we're at home and go out to eat in a restaurant, most of the time it's fine dining! Even with our DD!
We got many praises from people who sat near us about DD being so well behaved!!!

Could I ask whether you do anything special at home to help teach your daughter how to behave in a restaurant? I'm working on that with DD3, but so far it has been difficult... I hate feeling rushed at dinner simply because she can't manage to sit still quietly. There must be some way to teach her - any tips, tricks or advice?

Oh, and we're fellow Dutchies! DH studied in Tilburg (I studied in Utrecht), but we now live across the pond

 

[lbgraves]

On those occasions that someone (or two) at our table didn't order all the same courses as the others, the people who were have fewer courses either ate their course slowly to stretch it over the time the others were eating something else, or they just enjoyed talking and spending the time with the rest of us.

Many nights I would have 2 appetizers and no salad. They would be brought out one at a time, so, in essence, I did have the same number of courses as the others. Plus there's always the bread on the table you could be munching on.

The only problem with that on this one night was that we were planning to go up on deck while skipping the apps to witness the horn war between the Magic & the Fantasy after order our drinks and entrees. The servers did not show up for over 20 minutes and one was serving the other table apps, so I had to go find a manager to get our service moving. When we came back to the table, they had held the apps for those who did not excuse themselves so they couldn't eat them while we were gone, then we had to sit while they ate. That was the last night we saw our server that cruise. He was replaced.

 

[Manon_Paul_Nina]

Could I ask whether you do anything special at home to help teach your daughter how to behave in a restaurant? I'm working on that with DD3, but so far it has been difficult... I hate feeling rushed at dinner simply because she can't manage to sit still quietly. There must be some way to teach her - any tips, tricks or advice?

Oh, and we're fellow Dutchies! DH studied in Tilburg (I studied in Utrecht), but we now live across the pond

Notthing special just explain alot the first few times.
And always bring something to play with!
And offcourse kids ARE kids so some noise isn't that bad!!!!
Don't be fridged, then your child will be relaxed too!!!!

 

[tvguy]

Main dining will be quicker because they have to get you in and out so late dining guests can eat.
We're big fans of a leisurely meal, so we get late seating. Dinner lasts 90 minutes to 2 hours for us.

That's quick compared to my first cruise on a ship with just one dinner seating, early seating ,and it lasted 3 1/2 hours. But dinner was a show unto itself on that ship, and there were no other dining options. But wine was included with lunch and dinner on that ship, so nobody cared as long as the wine glasses were refilled.

 

[pixarmom]

Our boys are ages 5, 11 and 12 and when we cruised for the first time on the Dream last year, I was very concerned about our youngest son. He's had some difficulty in restaurants elsewhere, but is always great in WDW restaurants (including signatures) because servers pay some attention to him, bring his food out quickly, etc. We were so worried about the length of dinner on the cruise and asked here whether we could move our dinner along more quickly by skipping courses, etc. Many posters reassured us that the atmosphere would still be great for little ones on the cruise and shared info regarding kids clubs, etc.

In the end, we were one of the last families out of the dining room each night - by choice! Our kids LOVED dinners on the ship and our oldest son ranked dinners as one of his favorite activities on the Dream. Much of this is thanks to our outstanding assistant server, who kept our youngest engaged. Dinner was always off to a good start when our youngest would see his name written on the cover to his cup, play games (even won a prize!) with our assistant server and choose his own dinner from both the kids' menu and even from the regular menu.

Everyone is different, but I just wanted to share our experience - we were so pleasantly surprised and really looking forward to our dinners in Alaska!

P.S. In response to the OP's original question, we were in each MDR for 1.75 to 2 hours, but again, that was entirely by choice - others left much earlier.

 

[scootch]

My dd was always in a hurry to get to the kids club... so after I felt she had spent enough time with us and ate well and enjoyed the experience... I just excused myself and quickly walked her up and checked her into the clubs. This cruise she will be 10 so I am going to do sign in/sign out privileges and will feel comfortable her just going to the club by herself when I tell her she is excused and then I will just peek on her once we are finished.

 

[TnRobin]

'DS has been eating in the MDR since age 4. We have had no problem with him making it through dinner. Except the one time he fell asleep in his chair

Like said previously, the wait staff is awesome, plus the crayons and menu at the table helped keep him involved. We also tried to include him in the conversation a few times. "How was the kids club today, etc."

We also did not make him have dinner with us every night. On a 7 night cruise, he usually dined with us 3 or 4 times.

BTW, DS is now 17 and others have commented on how well he handles himself at a nice dinner engagement. I think the opportunities at DCL helped alot.

 

[lbgraves]

Main dining will be quicker because they have to get you in and out so late dining guests can eat.
We're big fans of a leisurely meal, so we get late seating. Dinner lasts 90 minutes to 2 hours for us.

We always have early dining and are in the MDR for close to 2 hours every night. We have never felt rushed.

 

[kamgen]

We usually have our kids eat with us at least 2 or 3 times, after that it is up to them. Last cruise, they were having so much fun when we went to get them for dinner, we opted to let them "stay with their new friends". LOL!

As for length of meal and courses, I guess after reading some of this, people must hate sitting with me We are those people who order multiple things in each course....Depends on the menu though. Some nights, I dont even get an app because I am not interested in them. Some nights I will get soup, salad and an app. Most nights, however, we do get 2 or 3 different desserts to try