I wish DCL offered a dinner buffet

[MomOTwins]

Our solution to the long dinner issue was for us to ask for the kids meals asap and then when the kids were done eating, DH or I would run up with them to club. Then we could enjoy our meals at a leisurely pace without the kids getting fatigued. But I guess I could see how others might not like long dinners (I love them, but that was the culture I had growing up, so I get that it is a personal preference).

 

[Angeejoe]

I’d just love to have a salad bar all the time, even if there were no other offerings. I know some will saying they’ll make a salad from the hamburger fixings, but that’s not what I mean. I also know there are premade salads with the quick service, but I like making my own with a variety of toppings.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

On the other hand, over on another cruise board, they're calling for an end to buffets as being a source for all sorts of contamination issues.

 

[mocodis]

I prefer the mdr where you can hang out with family and friends and even get to know your servers. I really like the rotational dining where the dining staff follows you. after a couple days, the servers know you and what your preferences are. really nice. we always do second sitting and always enjoy staying a little longer to enjoy our dessert and coffee and visiting with our server.

 

[Pens Fan]

Well, going to Cabanas for dinner would be "anytime dining".

From what I've read on these boards Cabanas has the same (limited) menu every night. That's not even remotely similar to other line's anytime dining.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

From what I've read on these boards Cabanas has the same (limited) menu every night. That's not even remotely similar to other line's anytime dining.

Yes, that was changed a few years ago. It used to be that the menu in Cabanas for dinner was a selection of items from the other dining room menus on any given night. So, some variety. Although it seemed that most items were the ones no one liked.

 

[ahain]

...... My DH hates going out to eat at home because he feels like it takes too long. And when we eat dinner at home, he often scarfs down his food and then gets up from the table ...... Otherwise we'd rather move on to other business!

This is my DH as well. We generally ask to be seated at a table by ourselves, then tell the wait staff on the first night that we are "eat and run" people, that they could expect us to move quickly through our meal and then leave immediately after dessert so they should not take offense. This has generally worked very well for us and rarely do our MDR meals take longer than 1 hour.

 

[StarSeven7]

This is my DH as well. We generally ask to be seated at a table by ourselves, then tell the wait staff on the first night that we are "eat and run" people, that they could expect us to move quickly through our meal and then leave immediately after dessert so they should not take offense. this has generally worked very well for us and rarely do our MDR meals take longer than 1 hour.

That’s good to know! Thanks!

 

[bobbiwoz]

We just got off a 7 night Princess Cruise. We had a table for two, we don’t eat desserts, and we were out most nights within 45 minutes. We loved that! If there was a buffet option for dinner on DCL, we would utilize that. Sometimes we do eat dinner on the pool deck.

 

[DCLCruiseFan09]

On the other hand, over on another cruise board, they're calling for an end to buffets as being a source for all sorts of contamination issues.

This is also everything I've heard as well. The chances of getting sick from the buffet are far higher than full service dining. I am one of those strange people though that will eat every meal I can in a Dining room on the ships. Usually the only meals I eat at cabanas are the occasional breakfast and lunch right when we get on the ship.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We are not fond of buffets...seems to encourage overeating, at least for us. I rarely go to cabanas for breakfast or lunch, prefer esting by the pool. maybe I’m not picky but I find the grill food just fine, especially the chicken schwarma!

we have been on over 20 Disney cruises and have never skipped an ADR meal except to go to Palo or Remy. We think the food is fine and love the servers and ambiance. We always eat at late dinner. Tried the early seating once and hated eating that early, For us it’s part of the Disney experience.

We have been on several other cruise lines, including crystal and always go to their main dining rooms and request a set table with others If offered.

 

[Numtini]

For those who have eaten dinner at Cabanas, how busy is it? I am skeptical that there's really the demand to not eat at the MDR. And I'm generally a fan of buffets and on another line I'd probably eat at them more often than not, but the different menus and experiences, to me are a major feature of the cruise.

 

[Jack_Sparrow_NJ]

My family is not big on long or even “fancy” meals. Basically pizza or a burger makes us happy. In the parks it’s always quick service. What are the alternative options to eating in the MDR? I’m looking at booking a cruise and meal issues make me hesitant.

 

[KantLose]

My family is not big on long or even “fancy” meals. Basically pizza or a burger makes us happy. In the parks it’s always quick service. What are the alternative options to eating in the MDR? I’m looking at booking a cruise and meal issues make me hesitant.

Burgers and pizza are available all day at the poolside quick serves.

 

[Geomom]

My family is not big on long or even “fancy” meals. Basically pizza or a burger makes us happy. In the parks it’s always quick service. What are the alternative options to eating in the MDR? I’m looking at booking a cruise and meal issues make me hesitant.

Taking a quick look at previous personal navigator's, alternative options for dinner are on the pool deck--(counter service options) the grill area (burgers/chicken fingers, etc) is open from 10:30AM-10/11PM. The pizza place is open until 6PM, then reopens at 9:30PM as a late night option. The 'healthy' place (fruit/salads/sandwiches/some 'bowl' options depending upon the ship, cookies) is open until 6PM. Cabanas is a buffet for breakfast and lunch, table service at dinner (some cruises will have a dinner buffet option if it is a late port day--more common on European cruises)

If you do a Disney cruise, I would suggest doing a couple of the MDR dinner meals. Depending upon which ship you're on, some of the restaurants have 'shows' during the meals. Tiana's Place on the Wonder/Rapunzel's Royal Table on the Magic--has live music/characters, etc; Animator's Palace--if you're on a 7 nt cruise, one of the nights you make a drawing and it gets animated on the screens in the restaurant, the other night is color changing pictures/sorcerer mickey visit (on Magic/Wonder), Crush the turtle talking to people through the screens on the Dream/Fantasy.

 

[tinkerone]

We love a dinner buffet mostly because we hate the time restraints on the sit down option.

A few years ago we switched to mainly using RCCL and decided on My Time Dinning for our option. We did that for our first cruise with them, 8 nights. The next time we went back it was for a 14 day B2B and on about night 4/5 we discovered their dinner buffet. It was amazing! They had a lot of the items that were on offer in the dinning room as well as so much more. It was another few nights before I realized they had a noodle station. Game changer! On 'lobster night' they had a sea food selection that blew us away. Each night we discovered something new about it. Turn a corner and there would be more options. We have since pretty much stopped going to the dinning rooms preferring to use the very expansive buffet. It saves time, we don't need to dress up, there is no serving team we need to keep happy and yes, sometimes we feel we need to make the serving team on DCL happy by eating more, telling them over and over that all is well, by smiling when we just want to eat. The teams can be very exhausting. I don't want to explain why I didn't finish my soup. Know what I mean?

On our return cruises with RCCL we have continued to use the buffet for dinner. That's our choice but I recognize that it would not be every ones.

 

[aliciamakino]

If the long dinner was just my husband and myself, I would be fine with a 90 minute dinner. Even though typically if we were to go to dinner "on land" we are in and out in under an hour. But 90 minutes with 2 small children is just torture. Outside of the entertainment at Animator's Palette, the kids get squirmy real quick. So I could see a benefit to having a buffet. At the same time as an adult, having a relaxing meal in the MDR appeals more to me. To bad there isn't another option... outside of ditching the kids in the kids club. JUST A JOKE HAHA.

 

[bakerworld]

What I usually find myself missing on a cruise is cheese. I wish Cabana's buffet offered cheese - they have fruit and yogurt but I haven't seen cheese. So far the only place we found cheese was the Cove Cafe (very small offering and I'm never sure if I have to pay for it or not so I don't get it) and during the late serving at the sports bar (it disappeared in like 20 minutes with no refresh). I usually get a cheese tray from room service.

As far as the MDR's we go to 2 because that is all I can handle. The first night because I am starving and the last night so we can hand out the tips.

 

[Geomom]

What I usually find myself missing on a cruise is cheese. I wish Cabana's buffet offered cheese - they have fruit and yogurt but I haven't seen cheese. So far the only place we found cheese was the Cove Cafe (very small offering and I'm never sure if I have to pay for it or not so I don't get it) and during the late serving at the sports bar (it disappeared in like 20 minutes with no refresh). I usually get a cheese tray from room service.

As far as the MDR's we go to 2 because that is all I can handle. The first night because I am starving and the last night so we can hand out the tips.

Cove Cafe: yes, all snacks are free! (Only the drinks have a charge.) Evening has the parmesean cheese, olives, breadsticks, etc. Got plates of that stuff multiple times last cruise! (Also got plenty of pastries/desserts at other times of day!)

 

[DisneyKrayzie2]

I would live a dinner buffet. My family are all picky eaters and main dinning is typically too fancy for us. If no dinner buffet id like to see more casual dinning options. Maybe a pizza/pasta restaurant, a mexican food, chinese food and a sub sandwich place.