Okay, gimme the rundown

[goodfaerie]

So, we board the ship--and we want Palo reservations for tea and brunch and dinner etc.
Are we supposed to check our stateroom first for dining rotation, or are we supposed to just race to Rockin Bar D and take what we can get...please let me know!

GoodFaerie

 

[Verandah Man]

Your dining rotation will be on your KTTW card when you check in at the terminal.

 

[xABearx]

I would hit Rockin' Bar D and get those ressies out of the way.....your dining rotation will be listed on your KTTW card.....Andy

 

[goodfaerie]

Thanks! That makes sense--and I'm now wondering if getting to the port at 10:30 will be early enough--any ideas on this?

Thanks a bunch!

GoodFaerie

 

[Verandah Man]

The terminal opens at 10:30, so it wouldn't really pay to get there much sooner than that.

 

[xABearx]

We usually get there at around 10:00am and they starting letting you in terminal between then and 10:30am.....the sooner you get in the terminal, the quicker you get checked in and can get in line for when they start letting you board between 12-12:30pm and then you get your Palo ressies out of the way.....this is how we do it, however, I'm sure others will throw in their 2 cents worth as well.......Andy

 

[goodfaerie]

Thanks all! I'm calling our town car people and telling them we want to be at the port at 10 am!

GoodFaerie

 

[eye R.N.]

First do your homework. Barb's site has menus for each night, decided which dinner is least appealing keeping in mind they only run Animator's palate show the first time you are in there.

Once you check in look at your KTTW card and determine which night fits your decision.

Now, once on board turn the rest of your family loose (I met mine in Parrot Cay) you do not stop. Head for Rockin D. The tea fills up first, the brunch second and the dinner third.

Finally, remember there are crazy people like me who make brunch reservations for 14 folks at one time.

 

[goodfaerie]

Hey Eye RN--THANK you! So, this means I can make a reservation for all the people in our group? Do i just need their stateroom number?

Thanks

GF

 

[rae519]

RACE and I do mean this with all honesty - RACE to get those reservations and have a second person with you since you need one for dinner and one for brunch and high tea.

This is such MADNESS.

I'd like to recommend that those who book first get their choice of reservations rather than those who campout at the port to wait to be first on ship.

There has to be a fair way and unless I am mistaken, my suggestion could be IT. But if anyone else has an idea, I'm open and I hope DISNEY POLICE are reading so they will get our hints!

Rae

 

[Grumbo]

Rae I agree entirely. Perhaps make a deposit also that is not refundable within a week of sailing so you don't get people making all kinds of reservations, just in case they decide the may want to perhaps go to Palo. (Like they do at Flounder's Reef). The deposit has to be somewhat substantial that can they be redeposited into your onboard account afterwards when you show for dinner.
I find the "Palo/Spa 500" ridiculous personally. You should be able to book this in advance, and if you pay your account off early then book then.
Anyway I'm sure others will disagree but thats my take on it

Cheers,
Grumbo

 

[rae519]

Grumbo - I also would like to see this with the "limited edition" pins that are offered. Why not ask each stateroom if they want to purchase one rather than having a tiny station set up in the lobby during dining and say, "First come, first serve". The greed gets to some people and they buy all they can so when you finally get to the station after a long wait in line you hear, "Sorry!"

Yes, there "ought to be" a better way!

Rae

 

[eye R.N.]

If it is a large party, they may send over the really hunkie looking dining room manager to help. If he gives you the "special room" request that they keep the curtains closed, it can get a little toasty in there.

I took note cards for everyone and wrote down the date and time of brunch (since I had never laid eyes on any of my cyber friends) I figured if I didn't see them at the DIS meet I would just leave the note on the fish note holder outside of their rooms.

 

[MrsPete]

We were at the port plenty early, but my husband WOULD NOT stand in line to be amongst the first to get on the ship. Oh, well. He said he was going to stroll on leisurely.

When we got onboard, we all went up to eat lunch. AFTER lunch I went down to the line for Palo while the rest of the family remained on deck 9. I was able to get a reservation for the last night of our 4-night cruise (the night we'd wanted), but it was one of the last available for that night.

Here's what bothered me: When we got to Palo, LOTS of tables were empty! What gives? I know that the paper was full of reservations. I find it hard to believe that so many people would stand in line to get reservations, then fail to show up. Is Palo purposefully not filling all its tables? I can believe that a few people would not show, but there must have been eight empty tables near us!

 

[cindy21494]

We got on the ship late on our last cruise and Palo was booked up for the whole cruise. We were put on a wait list and later in the evening they called and had several spots open for different nights. We got the night we wanted and only a half hour later than we wanted. I wouldn't worry to much, it seems as if people make a ressie and then decide later if they really want it. We were even offered the brunch and tea several times!!

 

[hilltopfamily]

Mrs. Pete:

don't know for sure but I suspect they purposely don't fill all the tables. I say this because during dinner, brunch, and tea there were so many open tables that I also cannot believe that many people did not "show". Anyone able to verify this?