Main seating - dining times...??

[SeaSpray]

It's been almost 5 years since our last Disney cruise so I'm not sure what has changed and what has stayed the same.

On our previous Disney cruises we always chose late dining and were pretty happy with it, for the most part.

On our 8-night Bahamas cruise next year we're considering doing main dining because I think I'd rather eat dinner at a more normal time, then go watch the shows, then go to the adults-only areas/shows. On our other cruises we didn't get out of the dining room until 10pm most nights, and then it wasn't really comfortable walking around or sitting for a show, being that full that late at night.

We don't have young kids; in fact younger DS will 21 years old by the time of this cruise. So....are we the only non-kiddie family who chooses main dining?? Honestly, having small children in the dining room won't bother us at all, so that's not really an issue.

Does anyone know what the current dining times are for main dining? Then, what times are the shows??? Thanks!

 

[dlberney]

We just returned from a 5 night on the Dream and we had main dining- it was at 5:45. The show was at 8:30. Dinner ended (usually) at about 7:15 or so, which gave us time to get some pictures (the characters were out during the dinner hours) or shop a bit before the show. I believe late dining was at 8:30 and their show was at 6:15. Hope that helps!

 

[mmouse37]

It's been almost 5 years since our last Disney cruise so I'm not sure what has changed and what has stayed the same.

On our previous Disney cruises we always chose late dining and were pretty happy with it, for the most part.

On our 8-night Bahamas cruise next year we're considering doing main dining because I think I'd rather eat dinner at a more normal time, then go watch the shows, then go to the adults-only areas/shows. On our other cruises we didn't get out of the dining room until 10pm most nights, and then it wasn't really comfortable walking around or sitting for a show, being that full that late at night.

We don't have young kids; in fact younger DS will 21 years old by the time of this cruise. So....are we the only non-kiddie family who chooses main dining?? Honestly, having small children in the dining room won't bother us at all, so that's not really an issue.

Does anyone know what the current dining times are for main dining? Then, what times are the shows??? Thanks!

Shows are 6:30 and 8:30 and dinners are 5:45 and 8:15. But, of course, check your Navigator as one or two times during the cruise the show was a bit earlier (movie night) and as we all know they have been changing things around a bit lately!

MJ

 

[SeaSpray]

We just returned from a 5 night on the Dream and we had main dining- it was at 5:45. The show was at 8:30. Dinner ended (usually) at about 7:15 or so, which gave us time to get some pictures (the characters were out during the dinner hours) or shop a bit before the show. I believe late dining was at 8:30 and their show was at 6:15. Hope that helps!

Shows are 6:30 and 8:30 and dinners are 5:45 and 8:15. But, of course, check your Navigator as one or two times during the cruise the show was a bit earlier (movie night) and as we all know they have been changing things around a bit lately!

MJ

Thank you, this is exactly what I was wondering, and now I know.

So they don't stagger the dining times any more? Maybe that was just a test thing they did on our last cruise? I remember that the late seating was either 8pm or 8:15pm or 8:30pm, and main seating was either 5:45pm or 6pm pr 6:15pm. I guess it doesn't really matter that much, just wasn't sure if they still did that or not.

Also... I know that the NYC-Bahamas 8-night cruise is going to be a brand new itinerary (We're on the very first one!).... but what is your best guess as to which nights will be formal, semi-formal, etc?? Back in the day, on the 7-night cruises, I always liked the APLAPLA rotation because it put us in AP for the first night which is always fun, then Parrot Cay on Pirate Night, and then we'd be in Lumiere's for formal and semi-formal nights.

Anyone willing to try and guess how they might do the different themed nights on this cruise???

 

[chiamarie]

It's been almost 5 years since our last Disney cruise so I'm not sure what has changed and what has stayed the same.

On our previous Disney cruises we always chose late dining and were pretty happy with it, for the most part.

On our 8-night Bahamas cruise next year we're considering doing main dining because I think I'd rather eat dinner at a more normal time, then go watch the shows, then go to the adults-only areas/shows. On our other cruises we didn't get out of the dining room until 10pm most nights, and then it wasn't really comfortable walking around or sitting for a show, being that full that late at night.

We don't have young kids; in fact younger DS will 21 years old by the time of this cruise. So....are we the only non-kiddie family who chooses main dining?? Honestly, having small children in the dining room won't bother us at all, so that's not really an issue.

Does anyone know what the current dining times are for main dining? Then, what times are the shows??? Thanks!

To answer the question in bold...no, you're not the only ones. A group of friends and I are all going in September. We have main dining, and there are about 15 of us.. the youngest being one's little sister that I believe is 18 or 19.

 

[lbgraves]

No, they stopped staggering the dining times like that in 2007 possibly? They were back to the same times on our 2008 cruise and have been like that every year since.

The only thing you can be certain of is that the formal nights will be on sea days. They do not always go 1231231. Sometimes, possibly on the Western, they do a 1231123 or something like that were you are in the same dining room two nights in a row -- though you have a different menu each night. Honestly, we have done every rotation and had formal night and pirate night in each of the dining rooms on the Magic. It honestly doesn't make the evening any less enjoyable in one than another. With the entire wait staff dressed up, the menus the same, and the members of at least your party in formal dress it is still a very nice evening....or on pirate night a festive time.