Late seating too late for 6 year old?

[Jamashp]

Ok, the debate continues. Is late dining too late for a six year old?

I've got three children, DD12, DD10, and DS6 at cruising time. My older daughters do a variety of sports, both at the recreational level and travel level. So, during the spring (softball and soccer) and fall (soccer), our dinner eating times can be all out of wack.

Sometimes we try to cram the food down before that 6:00 game. Othertimes, we wait until we get back (8:00 or so) and quickly eat, shower and get to bed.

Out of necessity, my DS has had to adapt. He's a good eater and can "go with the flow."

Reading about the rushing to early dinner and some of the other more boistrious (i.e. - loud) young(er) dinning mates, I am seriously considering changing our seating to late. Am I crazy? Will there be other children at this time? Can I expect a more relaxed dining experience?

Any help would be most appreciated!!

Scott

 

[Gina]

I always do late seating, and my DS was almost-6 the first time. No WAY did I want to be rushing to dinner, and we don't eat that early at home anyway. Plus, we're both nightowls, and he is usually still having a good ole' time in the kids' club when I pick him up at 1am.

I always see lots of kids at the late seating... last ******, our table-mates had a just-turning-4 year old and he did fine. It really depends on your kid, and you know your kid best! But late seating is definitely not all grownups, if that is your concern.

-gina-

 

[LogansMommy_MD]

Scott - I've got a 5-year old and I'm going for the late seating. After much review (on this board!), I actually changed my early seating to late! I'm not sure how it will work out, but I seem to think it will be okay. I've been given the advice of letting your child "rest" during the day. Besides, we are not morning people, so I can't imagine us waking before 8:00 or 8:30 anyway (this is how it is at home too), so I think we'll be able to make up for it in the evening.

I have read that there are fewer children at the late seating, so some may say that it is more quiet and relaxed.

It sounds like with your situation it would probably work out fine!

-Tracey

 

[ClarabelleCow]

I always do late seating ono ******s (though this will be my first Disney!!) I figure, we will be on the go all day, if the kids and parents are tired, we can all take a nap, then still make it to dinner!!

 

[WCMouse]

Last time we ******d, our kids were 5 and 13, we ate late and the 5 year old still went back to kids club after dinner. We saw other children and next ****** we are getting late seating again..

 

[Gupsmom]

We were "stuck" with late seating on our first Disney ******. Our kids were 5, 4 and 3. We ended up loving it. So, one year later, we are purposely booked for late seating.

I liked the fact that my kids were more awake for the shows with late seating (early show time). If we had main seating, they would have fallen asleep during the shows.

If your worried about your child being hungry much earlier than dinner, grab the 6 yr old a bite to eat up on deck (they have hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken nuggets etc). Then you can either bring the 6 yr old with you to dinner and let him eat again (not a problem if the snack on deck was 3-4 hrs earlier) or put the 6 yr old in the club while you enjoy dinner.

Jess

 

[MarkLem]

Depends on you and your kids and their sleep habits, and when you get up in the mornings and how much action you do during the day.

Our 6 year old at home eats around 5:30 and goes to bed around 7:30 PM (gets up at 6:15 for school). On the ship, we were up by 7:30 AM in the mornings and she was dead by 9:30 every night (right after the 8:30 show was over). Early dinner worked best for us.

 

[Jamashp]

a thought just struck me. We are traveling over October 30 to November 6. Day light savings time will end on our first night (just after midnight Sunday). So, late night dining will feel like 9:30 instead of 8:30. (right? )

If this is the case, maybe I'm better off with early seating. I think we are pushing the kids near the limit with an 8:30 meal. 9:30 is over-the-top.

At least we get an extra hour on the Magic!

Scott

 

[Twinave]

Another thing to consider.....Time Zones. Where (or should I say when) are you coming from, and where/when will you be on the cruise?
Example: we usually eat around 7 pm (CST) But on our last cruise Key West late dinning was the same as our regular dinner time. Just something else to think about. Our kids 12 & 5 had no problem with late seating. One night DS feel asleep, but we just carried him to bed afterwards.
Twinave

 

[makaylee]

Our daughter was 6 on out last trip and we had the late sitting. She did great. That might have also had something to do with the fact that we were living on the west coast though.

 

[DreaminDisney]

We requested late dining. My kids are 4 & 6.

 

[lbgraves]

Originally posted by Jamashp
a thought just struck me. We are traveling over October 30 to November 6. Day light savings time will end on our first night (just after midnight Sunday). So, late night dining will feel like 9:30 instead of 8:30. (right? )

If this is the case, maybe I'm better off with early seating. I think we are pushing the kids near the limit with an 8:30 meal. 9:30 is over-the-top.

At least we get an extra hour on the Magic!

Scott

You may want to check out the navigators to see when the time changes on your cruise as well. You will be going into a different time zone for a few days on the cruise.

 

[minniemouse1]

We did early seating on both our cruises and have requested early for the one to come. Now that I think about it we are definately rushed to get ready for dinner and are usually pulling the kids from the pool to go. Maybe we will try late next time.
I would also consider if you are planning for your 5 yo to have dinner with you every night or if he will be in the kids club. I noticed alot of kids on our last cruise would go to dinner for 15 min then be taken to the kids club by the parents. If this is the case than late seating work for you.

 

[cindy_k]

When we went on the 4 day, my 9 year old DS hardly ate with us for dinner. We had late seating and enjoyed it but my son would be in the Kids Club at their dinner time and he would eat with them. Then he would come with us to the show and dinner... he wouldn't last 10 minutes, before he realized he wasn't hungry and the kids club is doing something cool right now. So he would go back to the club instead. Our table staff called him a ghost because he would disappear so quick.

The kids club eats around the same time as early dinner. Check out www.castawayclub.com . They have Navagators with the kids club schedules from other cruises.

Have a good trip!! I'm sure what ever you chose will be fine.

Cindy in NY

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

What in the world?
This thread intrigues me... trying to figure out what the word (s?) is that is being blocked out with *****
LOL

 

[DisneyForLife]

I think it is the word cruise. It was being deleted earlier and now isn't, go figure.