How often is a private table request not fulfilled?

[DisneyDad0315]

I wonder If the addition of the table request on the website is creating a situation where more people ask than ever before and they just can’t accommodate everyone who requests this anymore. Like people who never would have requested a private table now can do so easily.

I think you are on to something here. My family of 5 has an upcoming sailing. I saw that we could request a private table on the DCL App, so I asked my wife and mother in law what they thought. They said to go ahead and request a private table, so I did. If Disney can make it happen, awesome. If not, it's not a deal breaker for us. I can read people pretty well so if they want to chat it up, I can chat it up. If they want to be left alone, my family and I will leave them alone. We are not going to bother people that clearly do not want to be bothered. After reading this thread, there appears to be a ton of people who want private table for various reasons, from being introvert, to being anti social, to having allergies, to not wanting to meet strangers at dinner. Best of luck to everyone with their requests.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

On our last cruise on the Dream, we were given a “private” table as we requested. But there were just inches between our table and the one next to it, with another family of four whose kids were close in age to ours. It was a totally sold out cruise (Disney+ free kids promo) and I think their solution was to make tables technically private but to match parties as if we were at an 8 top. It was fine. My mom is very extroverted and got on with the other parents like a barn on fire. I wish we had skipped the private table request and asked to be near a screen instead. I could hardly hear anything Crush was saying over the din of the restaurant.

 

[Dug720]

On our last cruise on the Dream, we were given a “private” table as we requested. But there were just inches between our table and the one next to it, with another family of four whose kids were close in age to ours. It was a totally sold out cruise (Disney+ free kids promo) and I think their solution was to make tables technically private but to match parties as if we were at an 8 top. It was fine. My mom is very extroverted and got on with the other parents like a barn on fire. I wish we had skipped the private table request and asked to be near a screen instead. I could hardly hear anything Crush was saying over the din of the restaurant.

This is exactly what has happened. The dining rooms are a fixed space - they can't enlarge them. The design was for shared tables. As more and more people request (and then some go on to demand when their request is not met), the only alternative was to separate the tables as best they could, resulting in them being very close together. And in some cases literally A and B (like 81A and 81B) - same table, but they're separated...maybe by just a tad, but they're separated.

 

[lscrivan18]

How did that work out for your family? Was it overall a positive or a negative?

It was positive. Our son is 3 and we were seated with a family with girls ages 2, 6 and 7. The kids enjoyed each others company and would play. The other parents were quiet so we didn't talk much, just some pleasantries. Not awkward at all, but I do feel like each family kind of stuck to themselves.

 

[jo-jo]

It was positive. Our son is 3 and we were seated with a family with girls ages 2, 6 and 7. The kids enjoyed each others company and would play. The other parents were quiet so we didn't talk much, just some pleasantries. Not awkward at all, but I do feel like each family kind of stuck to themselves.

I've never been on a cruise, but sharing tables is reason we don't care for going to germany. I'd feel force to keep the conversation going.

And do you have the same table mates the whole trip?

 

[sponica]

I've never been on a cruise, but sharing tables is reason we don't care for going to germany. I'd feel force to keep the conversation going.

And do you have the same table mates the whole trip?

Yes you do. We loved our shared table 9 years ago, whomever put us together picked the best 4 couples to put at a table.

 

[jo-jo]

Yes you do. We loved our shared table 9 years ago, whomever put us together picked the best 4 couples to put at a table.

And you do hear lovely stories about shared tables at Germany. I’d be afraid to take that chance.

 

[Dug720]

And do you have the same table mates the whole trip?

Yes. Which is why they're really only "strangers" the first night.

You have the same servers the whole time too.

 

[ArtemisPhoenix]

We’ve never requested a private table but they always give us one because my husband is allergic to shellfish. I’ve always been a little confused by this, because we still order shellfish for the rest of the family and they don’t have a problem with that. I’m assuming that maybe it’s just easier for them to keep track in the kitchen if the allergy tables are all on their own? I’ve always felt a little bad about it though because I know there are people who would really like to be at a private table and sometimes are not able to be accommodated. We would be perfectly happy to share a table with another family. We were even looking forward to it on our first cruise because we were hoping to be seated with another family with kids so ours could make some friends. Now we just know that we will get a private table and it’s fine, but I always feel a little guilty when I read that someone was not able to get a private table and requested one.

 

[Flip flops in winter]

Just want to throw in our experience with this since we just got off the Wish yesterday. We are a family of 5 and have been granted a private table only with either late dining or with light passengers (i.e., early in the season Med, Alaska, and/or cruising during Covid). However, with 3 kids, they normally try to pair us with either a couple (no kids) or a 2 parent family with 1 child. We feel so sorry for these sane/quiet families who end up being forced to sit with us. The first time (on an 8 night), we never saw the couple again after the first night. We figure we are just providing a birth control public service for our proposed table mates at this point. But this weekend we went on the Wish and were given a table for 4 with a chair pushed in at the end. We saw several like this. It didn't work and plates were overlapping/stacked. We were all shoulder to shoulder, and we are petite for Americans. Luckily they moved us to a larger table for subsequent dinners but that first night was really off for DCL. If I were a first time cruiser, that would make me rethink future cruises because the dining options are so limited at dinner.

 

[Dug720]

We’ve never requested a private table but they always give us one because my husband is allergic to shellfish. I’ve always been a little confused by this, because we still order shellfish for the rest of the family and they don’t have a problem with that. I’m assuming that maybe it’s just easier for them to keep track in the kitchen if the allergy tables are all on their own? I’ve always felt a little bad about it though because I know there are people who would really like to be at a private table and sometimes are not able to be accommodated. We would be perfectly happy to share a table with another family. We were even looking forward to it on our first cruise because we were hoping to be seated with another family with kids so ours could make some friends. Now we just know that we will get a private table and it’s fine, but I always feel a little guilty when I read that someone was not able to get a private table and requested one.

Not necessarily. I'm peanut allergic and gluten-free due to a wheat allergy and I've still been put at tables with others.

 

[dvcdisney]

We’ve never requested a private table but they always give us one because my husband is allergic to shellfish. I’ve always been a little confused by this, because we still order shellfish for the rest of the family and they don’t have a problem with that. I’m assuming that maybe it’s just easier for them to keep track in the kitchen if the allergy tables are all on their own? I’ve always felt a little bad about it though because I know there are people who would really like to be at a private table and sometimes are not able to be accommodated. We would be perfectly happy to share a table with another family. We were even looking forward to it on our first cruise because we were hoping to be seated with another family with kids so ours could make some friends. Now we just know that we will get a private table and it’s fine, but I always feel a little guilty when I read that someone was not able to get a private table and requested one.

I've known people in your situation and they contacted DCL and let them know that they would like to share a table even if they have someone one with shellfish allergies. The first time they contacted DCL, they were told that they would put it in the notes, but that they may not do it because of the allergies. They ended up on a private table.

The second time (their third cruise) they contacted DCL and explained the situation, they were put with another family. However, they did tell the other family that her husband has allergies, but the rest of the family orders what they want without any issue. I think that's the best way to approach it.

Both times were second seating.