Late Dining Strategy?

[Skaught]

Looks like we have no option other than second seating for dinner on the Oct 22nd cruise. My kids, 4 and 19 months, will be starving by 8:30...not to mention falling asleep. What have others done to work arond this inconvenience? Are breakfast and lunch times divided up by seatings? How easy is getting a snack on the ship?

Thanks!

Scott

 

[pearlieq]

There are so many options to feed them--you can go to Topsiders and get them some supper, get chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, or pizza up on the pool deck, or order up a snack from room service. No one will ever go hungry on a WDW ship!

Breakfast and lunch are open seating. You can go to the buffet or to whichever restaurant is open whenever it's convenient for you.

It might not be as bad as you think. They'll actually be awake for the shows if you have the late dining, and they can unwind at the dinner table later. The servers are used to tired, worn-out kids. The little girl behind us crashed at dinner every night. They just put a tablecloth over her and let her sleep.

 

[DrCavin]

Don't give up hope yet. When you get on board check with them to see if they can switch your time. There are only 2 times when breakfast is scheduled & that is the character breakfast & your departure breakfast. All others are open seating. Lunch is always open seating.

There is also Topsiders buffet & Plutos doghouse which has bugers, hotdogs, etc to get some food.

 

[mum of two pirates]

It depends on where you live, really I thought late dining would be late for my two sons also. But then remembered we have differant time zone here. So at late dining it really wil be about thier dinnertime. Other than that if you get up just order room service for them. Do topsiders with them for an early lunch and dinner, then they can go to the clubs for dinner and you can relax during your dinner time. Just dont do to much snacking while they are eating or you ,ight be two full for your dinner. I have heard lots of people who do this on thier kids sch. and never go to dinner, they eat a lot of room service and topsiders. My kids will be 7 & 9 soit wont be such a big deal. Have a great time. Mum of two

 

[Skaught]

I live in Florida, so ship time is my time unfortunately. Thanks for the info and suggestions! My concern is I may want to steal a hot dog from the kids and get full before dinner!

Scott

 

[Bama4Disney]

Scott:

We had little one 4 and 18 months on our last cruise and have always had 2nd seating. It worked out great for us. We are CST and by the time we at it was our dinner time. However, we alway ordered room service or got a snack around 4:30 or 5:00 and that lasted the kids until dinner. We never had a issue with the kids being tired as ours never want to go to bed anyway. Also, the naps in the afternoon are good for the kids and the parents.

Have Fun!

 

[TADsMommy]

We love late seating!!

Around 4pm you can grab Chicken Fingers, Ice Cream or Pizza from Deck 9 and then around 5:30pm when the early diners are getting dressed, you will have the Mickey Pool nearly to yourselves (what fun!). You can get your evening photos taken without even waiting in much of a line right at 6pm (when the early diners rush to get to dinner) and then everyone is still awake and can enjoy the shows. You can order all courses for your little ones immediately upon sitting down and the servers will bring their food asap, even dessert (or maybe just dessert!). If they get tired, they can lie down in a stroller, on a couple chairs brought together or you can even leave to run them to the clubs. You might really enjoy the chance to have a relaxing meal with DH at the end of the day. We especially appreciated not having to rush back to the ship early on port days just to make our early dining time.

As you can see, early dining works the best for us!!

 

[castlegazer]

Plus, you could have your 4 yo just do apps with you at dinner and then take him up to the club and finish the rest of your meal with you 19mo old in relative peace with them probably sleeping next to you.

 

[kplatt]

We have been assigned late dining for all of our Disney cruises and have so far always been able to change to early once we get on the ship. I'm hoping our luck holds for our August repo cruise.

Karen
Wonder 11/01
Magic 3/02
Magic 11/02
Carnival Destiny (don't ask) 12/03
Magic Eastbound Panama Canal 8/05

 

[ashtravel]

I just booked my family on the same cruise. I am a travel agent and this will be our 5th time on the Magic. My mom and dad and brother and wife with a 5 and 3 year old and 5 month old are going too. I have twin boys that will be 10 on this cruise. I have had late dining the past two cruises. I don't really like eating that late but it wasn't as bad as I thought. Remember, we will be in port in Key West and Cozumel until 10pm so you won't have to rush back to make a 6pm dinner. And you get the later seating for the Character breakfast.
Honestly, it's all good on the Disney Magic!

 

[Jsme]

On our first cruise with DCl we planned and booked really late. Booked in June for an October cruise. Our TA knew we wanted the early seating but could only get the late seating for us. She told us to ask for a switch when we boarded. All I know is when we received the documents we had the early seating. I think our TA kept on checking for us and changed it. I have never known for sure what happened. All the other cruises we have gone on we wanted the late seating. We just found ti worked better for our schedule. If my DK's get hungry we head to the pool for chicken fingers. By dinner they were hungry. BUT my DK's are much older than yours.