I'm starting to get scared!!!

[AmyJ of Ca]

We just got back from going out to dinner with our 4 kids(8,6,2 and 1) and now I'm scared. Our youngest are 2 years old and 1 year old and it was NOT FUN!! I managed to shove some food down and took the little ones out of the place because all my 2 year old was doing was whine about going home and the baby was pretty good but she was done eating and wanted out of her high chair. I'm really nervous about eating out for a whole week, EVERY meal. (We're on a July West Coast cruise) Has anyone done this with 2 little ones and id you have any hair or sanity left by the time you got home?? Did it require lots of those drinks with the umbrellas in it??? I was REALLY looking forward to this trip but now I'm having 2nd (and 3rd) thoughts. Amy

 

[becobscot]

You can always get room service or take the kids to the clubs/Nursery while you eat. Or eat out by the pool or at Topsiders.

 

[Rence]

The servers on Magic are pros when dealing with children. There are lots of young children on board and on any given night there are dozens of little kids that aren't ready to sit through a meal. The servers deal with this all the time.

The servers won't think twice about a fussing child, they see it all the time. A couple of times the servers stepped in and entertained the kids or helped the kids with their food so that the adults could enjoy their meal.

You will be eating out in a place that was designed for and caters to families with young children. You'll be fine

 

[debm]

I understand how you feel. Sometimes I wonder why we go out to eat, yet really our kids do well, it's just that I'm on edge all the time! We have been on 4 cruises in the last 2 1/2 years. Can't believe it! We are hooked! Anyhow, we found we really like late dining for this reason---we can get the 1 kid settled in the Club and the little one in Flounders and then our oldest son stays in the cabin--he loves the independence--and our DD6 comes with us to dinner. One night she fell asleep and layed in the stroller we brought. This way we all see the shows together and then we get dinner and adult activites to ourselves before picking up kids. Works for us. many nights I just asked our server to have the 2 year olds dinner ready and waiting when we got there and then as soon as he ate I took him to Flounders. But as the earlier poster said, the servers are so good with the kids and the dining rooms are entertaining so it really makes it easier. You WILL have a blast. Wish I was going back sooner!!

 

[lbgraves]

The dining rooms are so much easier than a place at home when it comes to taking the kids out. Ours can manage here at Applebees for about an hour before we NEED to get them home but they last 1 1/2 hours on the ship. The servers pay so much attention to the kids, there is alot of excitement in the air, and the dining rooms are so festive...especially AP with the cartoons playing all thru dinner after your first night with the show.

 

[DIS NURSE]

I am soooooo glad to hear that the dining rooms can distract and/or entertain when boredom or 5 y.o boy antics set in! I have a gut ache over this frequently, as we have a crazy (almost 6 y.o) who is not enamoured by food in the least! In my opinion, he has an eating issue and we to this day can hardly sit as a family at home and have him sit still or eat without us constantly on him! He eats about 6 different things in life and that is it....you would never know it by looking at him....big, strong, healthy and very happy!

Dinner at a "restaurant" is just not in his (our) lifetime's experience yet and spending all the bucks for a DCL cruise makes me worry! If I left it up anyone else on board to feed him, it wouldn't get done....he would just starve and ask for milk only. I AM SO GLAD THAT THE STAFF IS INTERACTIVE AND THIS, I BELIEVE, WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE! He maybe will even be coaxed into eating a "hamburger"...eventhough it's not McDonald's. By the way, anyone know what the french fries are like on board compared to McDonald's? They had better not be honkin' steak fries or we are in trouble!

 

[Sheriff Woody]

They are honkin' steak fries. But don't worry, the kids meals come with broccoli and corn on the cob, too.

 

[AmyJ of Ca]

Ok, I feel a little bit better. This is the MAJOR reason we chose DCL. We have Disneyland annual passes so we know that Disney just does things right when it comes to kids. I still might have to get a few of those drinks with umbrellas in them (and a few without) to make it all week eating out!! Amy

 

[lbgraves]

I would compare the fries to Wendy's, not what we refer to as steak fries like Bojangles where it is more of a wedge of potato. My kids ate them & DS is VERY picky about everything. Most nights there are opportunities for the kids to let off some steam too. On Pirate night there was a mariachi (sp?) band walking thru the dining room, on the first night at AP after the show there was a parade and there were a couple more parades during the week including a limbo line at the end of pirate night. BE WARNED! If your kid wants to do this get in the line ASAP to be near the front or you may not make it thru. The kids will have chances to stand on their chairs and wave their napkins...be careful if they are new at this or you could get whipped in the eye. This was the best part of the character breakfast for them.