Main dining rooms for just desserts?

[ArielRae]

Has anyone gone to the main dining rooms during their scheduled time to just have desserts? (We enjoyed the desserts there better then elsewhere on the ship.) We are thinking for our next cruise to do just that. Our family likes to eat dinner early (4:00pm so will hit the counter service spots) and found that the first dinner seating was still to late for us to eat, wish they offered a third earlier seating. Should we request a table to ourselves since we may only arrive for desserts if at all for our scheduled time so we aren't interfering with another families dinner? Also should we arrive at 7:00 so we are there when they are serving desserts and entrees are over?

 

[sambycat]

you can order whatever you'd like, obviously! someone may chime in with direct experience, but i'd go at the assigned time and ask my wait staff what they would prefer (if that was our plan each night). the kitchen probably needs a little heads up to gear up for desserts, but i would totally do this as well! the only thing i am thinking of is the night they serve a souffle in the MDE - that is probably coordinated a bit more intensely with meal service. have fun!!

 

[gary in florida]

Why not, but remember that you need to tip, you are taking up there table space

 

[ArielRae]

We have prepaid gratuities added to our trip so all good there.

I'll probably go that first day and ask the dining staff at the time and place where you can change your dining assignment what is the best course of action for what we would like to do. Just wondering if any DISers had experience with doing this.

I dislike when people (like on youtube) give a "tip" saying don't eat in the main dining rooms so you don't have to pay that gratuity. People your on a ship no one is taking your open table so the servers can't make up those tips. Also those people not only serve you there but some work at the ships buffet and even on the castaway cay buffet. You should really tip these people for all the work they do outside of serving you in the main dining rooms.

 

[lanejudy]

I’d stop by and ask what time you should arrive. The courses generally come out in order for the whole dining room, so they may not be able to serve desserts immediately at first seating. But i’m sure they can work something out for you.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[gary in florida]

We have prepaid gratuities added to our trip so all good there.

I'll probably go that first day and ask the dining staff at the time and place where you can change your dining assignment what is the best course of action for what we would like to do. Just wondering if any DISers had experience with doing this.

I dislike when people (like on youtube) give a "tip" saying don't eat in the main dining rooms so you don't have to pay that gratuity. People your on a ship no one is taking your open table so the servers can't make up those tips. Also those people not only serve you there but some work at the ships buffet and even on the castaway cay buffet. You should really tip these people for all the work they do outside of serving you in the main dining rooms.

I completely agree! Sometimes we have our servers at breakfast and/or lunch but other times it's a different group. you donn't show up, empty table means most likely they don't tip

 

[SteveMP]

This thread kind of reminds me of te Seinfeld episode about the early-bird special, lol.

On our last cruise, there was a family at our table that came late a couple times. Our server said"i guess they aren't coming" but then they showed up later and said they ate earlier by the pool. They pretty much just got drinks, coffee and dessert. So sounds similar to what you are planning. The server even asked if they wanted food but they said no, though the staff would have done their best to accommodate them.

 

[MM123]

I thought the gratuities are a big part of the salary of the servers. I don't see it so much as related to the tables that are occupied, it is just a strange construction (maybe to not increase the basic cruise price?). The servers have the chance to get more salary if they do a good job in the eyes of the people they serve but also to loose salary. Would they have a decent salary if they not receive the gratuities?

 

[MnkyGirl]

Definitely talk with your servers! They will do their best to accommodate you and tell you what works best for them. We do this on nights that we have Palo reservations. (they inevitably fall on a night that has a desert that I want *baked Alaska*) We just tell our servers the night before what our plan is, and they know that we will show up late. Most servers have even recommended the best time to come to the dining room for the dessert.

 

[cedricandsophie]

Maybe consider switching to late dinner so you can just come in for a late night dessert. My family always grab a snack at 4 and then we do late dinner. None of us likes first seating. Way too early for us. We see the early show (although I tend to skip shows I’ve seen before and just arrive at end) then have a drink somewhere and go for a nice relaxed late dinner and head to the music or comedian after dinner

 

[Spotthecat]

When we missed dinner, but just wanted dessert, we would often just have me wait at the front desk of the restaurant, while our own waiter showed up with 4 desserts to go with covers and everything. Took minutes and didn't seem to bother anyone. They even asked if we needed someone to follow us to carry it to our room

 

[ArielRae]

Maybe consider switching to late dinner so you can just come in for a late night dessert. My family always grab a snack at 4 and then we do late dinner. None of us likes first seating. Way too early for us. We see the early show (although I tend to skip shows I’ve seen before and just arrive at end) then have a drink somewhere and go for a nice relaxed late dinner and head to the music or comedian after dinner

Late dinner doesn’t work for us. We are in our room ready for bed or even asleep by 8pm. Yes we miss a lot of the evening activities but we are those that can’t stay up late but are up at 4am ready to go start our day. That’s why eating dinner at 6pm on the ship doesn’t work for us seeing we would have full stomachs right before going to bed. That’s why dessert at 6pm works better for our family and dessert in the main dining rooms are better then the little desserts in cove cafe or vista cafe. Don’t want to pay fo desserts at Sweet on you or vanelopes.

 

[MUN]

Has anyone gone to the main dining rooms during their scheduled time to just have desserts? (We enjoyed the desserts there better then elsewhere on the ship.) We are thinking for our next cruise to do just that. Our family likes to eat dinner early (4:00pm so will hit the counter service spots) and found that the first dinner seating was still to late for us to eat, wish they offered a third earlier seating. Should we request a table to ourselves since we may only arrive for desserts if at all for our scheduled time so we aren't interfering with another families dinner? Also should we arrive at 7:00 so we are there when they are serving desserts and entrees are over?

I think as long as you have a table by yourselves, this would be ok. Otherwise, I think it would be rude if you just came for dessert each night and you were seated with others. Just my 2¢.

MUN

 

[Weedy]

Other than the first and the last night Cabanas is open for dinner. They serve the same things offered in the Main Dining room. Maybe it would work for you

 

[diznymom]

Other than the first and the last night Cabanas is open for dinner. They serve the same things offered in the Main Dining room. Maybe it would work for you

I think I've read that Cabanas is open from 6 to 8 in the evenings. That would not help out for a 4:00 dinner.

 

[Weedy]

I think I've read that Cabanas is open from 6 to 8 in the evenings. That would not help out for a 4:00 dinner.

She said they wanted dessert st 7.

 

[WeLoveDisneyAlways]

Late dinner doesn’t work for us. We are in our room ready for bed or even asleep by 8pm. Yes we miss a lot of the evening activities but we are those that can’t stay up late but are up at 4am ready to go start our day. That’s why eating dinner at 6pm on the ship doesn’t work for us seeing we would have full stomachs right before going to bed. That’s why dessert at 6pm works better for our family and dessert in the main dining rooms are better then the little desserts in cove cafe or vista cafe. Don’t want to pay fo desserts at Sweet on you or vanelopes.

We are the same I’m in bed now it’s 7pm haha. In two cruises (8 nights total) we’ve only managed to see 1 show. I like to back on our room and PJs by 6. Next cruise I’m going to try our best to stay up late and hopefully sleep in just to get the full experience.

 

[tee11]

I don’t think this will be a problem. Just request a private table ahead of time and discuss with your servers and head server on first day of cruise.
We did appetizers and desserts a few times (skipped main course).