Small nitpick and correction for the DCL Podcast

[brentm77]

I probably won't make friends with those who run these boards, since they are affiliated, but I was listening to a recent DCL Podcast episode on whether the rotational dining is still a good thing, and I was seriously surprised about wrong information stated by the main host on at least two occasions. He said several times that he is at the point where he could skip Animators Pallet for dinner "and just go to the buffet." What? Not only does DCL not have the option to eat at Cabanas for dinner anymore (boo DCL), but it has never even been a buffet for dinner (at least in the 15 years I have been sailing DCL). It surprised me that a travel agency centered around sailing DCL wouldn't know this, and that neither of the two co-hosts corrected the information, particularly after it was repeated again. It's not the first thing I have heard on the podcast that was wrong. I hope the agency can send these folks on more cruises to help them with the details and make the show more accurate.

So, PCA to new cruisers who might listen to the podcast for information, DCL does not have a dinner buffet like most other lines. Your options if you miss the main dining are poolside food (pizza, burgers, chicken tenders and a few other options that vary by ship) or room service.

 

[CaseyCruiser]

It would be great if the host had a deep love of Disney Cruise Line

 

[AquaDame]

So, PCA to new cruisers who might listen to the podcast for information, DCL does not have a dinner buffet like most other lines. Your options if you miss the main dining are poolside food (pizza, burgers, chicken tenders and a few other options that vary by ship) or room service.

Watch out for the times on the pool deck offerings also... Festival of Foods closes absurdly early on the Wish - 6pm!

 

[xiphoid76]

It is a big problem with DCL. Love them, but would seriously love a buffet for dinner. Tired of the same food at the MDRs. Last cruise we did room service and Tow Mater's which was open for dinner. As for the podcasts - I just don't trust their opinions because they are inherently biased as travel consultants, so take whatever they say with a grain of salt. Not just the owners of this board, but all Disney podcasts.

 

[tvguy]

I can't speak to the DCL Podcast, but I do find it alarming how many YouTube cruise vloggers......who are also travel agents........have no idea how cruising works in general.
I have been very fortunate to have Travel Agents who either have a broad base of knowledge of all cruise lines, or have access to databases with that information.
Things like the best hotel options at MCO. There are a dozen hotels on Augusta National Drive on the outer border of the airport that not only are cheaper than the Hyatt in MCO, but offer free shuttles to and from the airport (or more specifically, to the Disney Transfer bus stop), but offer free breakfast.

 

[cvjw]

On our very first DCL cruise on the fantasy in 2017, cabanas was open for dinner. We did not know that you were seated with strangers for dinner, so we ate at cabanas a couple times. It was not a buffet, you ordered off a menu.

 

[lanejudy]

Things like the best hotel options at MCO.

Eh, "best" is in the eye of the beholder. Several folks prefer to stay at MCO Hyatt for a variety of reasons. Less expensive, free breakfast, and free shuttle don't necessarily over-ride those choices -- for some people. I'm glad there are options to suit everyone. Having a good TA means one who understands "your" priorities and preferences, not what others think is best.

 

[tvguy]

Eh, "best" is in the eye of the beholder. Several folks prefer to stay at MCO Hyatt for a variety of reasons. Less expensive, free breakfast, and free shuttle don't necessarily over-ride those choices -- for some people. I'm glad there are options to suit everyone. Having a good TA means one who understands "your" priorities and preferences, not what others think is best.

Yes. A good Travel Agent gives you ALL your options. Frankly. on that trip, coming from the West Coast, I think the elapsed time from landing at MCO and boarding the Disney bus at MCO the next day was like 8 hours, so our time in the room was like 6 hours. A nap, not a good night's sleep no matter where we stayed.

 

[RedHead0186]

I probably won't make friends with those who run these boards, since they are affiliated, but I was listening to a recent DCL Podcast episode on whether the rotational dining is still a good thing, and I was seriously surprised about wrong information stated by the main host on at least two occasions. He said several times that he is at the point where he could skip Animators Pallet for dinner "and just go to the buffet." What? Not only does DCL not have the option to eat at Cabanas for dinner anymore (boo DCL), but it has never even been a buffet for dinner (at least in the 15 years I have been sailing DCL). It surprised me that a travel agency centered around sailing DCL wouldn't know this, and that neither of the two co-hosts corrected the information, particularly after it was repeated again. It's not the first thing I have heard on the podcast that was wrong. I hope the agency can send these folks on more cruises to help them with the details and make the show more accurate.

So, PCA to new cruisers who might listen to the podcast for information, DCL does not have a dinner buffet like most other lines. Your options if you miss the main dining are poolside food (pizza, burgers, chicken tenders and a few other options that vary by ship) or room service.

Not the podcast, but an article just written on DCLFan (part of the DIS) also had wrong information. It was talking about bringing alcohol on a cruise, and the author said to bring beer in cans so you can bring it to the pool deck. Also to bring a screw-top wine so you can pour a glass and take it to dinner. DCL policy states you can't consume alcohol you brought on board in any public spaces or lounges. Yes, we all know people who it do, but I was surprised that an article related to the DIS/Dreams Unlimited would openly flaunt DCL policy. And, you don't have to buy screw-cap wine; your stateroom host or room service can bring you a corkscrew (or, you know, just pack one yourself)?

I made a comment to that effect (about DCL policy) and was very surprised that the author didn't respond and/or correct the misinformation.

 

[CamColt]

You did not specify which podcast you heard this on (there are many DCL podcasts) but I assume from your post it was one affiliated with these boards. If it was in fact the Dis Unlimited, DCL Fan, or Dreams Unlimited podcast you may want to post this on the Podcast Board too. Someone involved with the podcast should see it there and maybe they will make a correction. Good catch by the way.

 

[brentm77]

You did not specify which podcast you heard this on (there are many DCL podcasts) but I assume from your post it was one affiliated with these boards. If it was in fact the Dis Unlimited, DCL Fan, or Dreams Unlimited podcast you may want to post this on the Podcast Board too. Someone involved with the podcast should see it there and maybe they will make a correction. Good catch by the way.

It is the one titled "The DCL Show." Episode 9, "Do We Still Enjoy Disney Cruise Line Rotational Dining?"

The mention Dreams Unlimited travel in it and some of the hosts say they are are agents for Dreams Unlimited. They also have a link to these boards on their website. They are affiliated, right? If so, I will post it on the podcast board. If not, I will quickly correct my post.

 

[AquaDame]

It is the one titled "The DCL Show." Episode 9, "Do We Still Enjoy Disney Cruise Line Rotational Dining?"

The mention Dreams Unlimited travel in it and some of the hosts say they are are agents for Dreams Unlimited. They also have a link to these boards on their website. They are affiliated, right? If so, I will post it on the podcast board. If not, I will quickly correct my post.

It is affiliated... all I can say is I'm surprised too. Were the folk giving incorrect info the same ones who say they are agents for Dreams..? Even if they are they may not be a DCL agent... from experience with them I get shuffled between different TAs depending on what type of trip I book. I would hope they wouldn't speak about things they weren't sure of though...! Officially we aren't supposed to allow discussion of ways to get around the rules (or blatantly ignore them). I concur with Camcolt that you may want to post this on the podcast forum, or we can move it over there if you'd like!

 

[brentm77]

It is affiliated... all I can say is I'm surprised too. Were the folk giving incorrect info the same ones who say they are agents for Dreams..? Even if they are they may not be a DCL agent... from experience with them I get shuffled between different TAs depending on what type of trip I book. I would hope they wouldn't speak about things they weren't sure of though...! Officially we aren't supposed to allow discussion of ways to get around the rules (or blatantly ignore them). I concur with Camcolt that you may want to post this on the podcast forum, or we can move it over there if you'd like!

I am ok if you move it to the podcast forum if it is the better place for it. And if it breaks any rules, please delete it. Thanks!

 

[CamColt]

It is the one titled "The DCL Show." Episode 9, "Do We Still Enjoy Disney Cruise Line Rotational Dining?"

The mention Dreams Unlimited travel in it and some of the hosts say they are are agents for Dreams Unlimited. They also have a link to these boards on their website. They are affiliated, right? If so, I will post it on the podcast board. If not, I will quickly correct my post.

Thanks for clarifying. Yes, that is on the Dis Unlimited Podcast which is affiliated with these boards and Dreams Unlimited. I know they always like to hear feedback from listeners so I'm sure they will appreciate the correction.

 

[jimmymc]

I think they meant grabbing food on the top deck, but I understand your point. Disney not having a dinner buffet can be a big problem when you have late port times.

 

[brentm77]

I think they meant grabbing food on the top deck, but I understand your point. Disney not having a dinner buffet can be a big problem when you have late port times.

Honestly, my impression was more that the host didn't know there wasn't a buffet. But even if that is what he meant, using "buffet" to describe the hotdogs, hamburgers, and other fast food you order at a window by the pool is sloppy, since nearly every other cruise line does have a dinner buffet option. It would certainly be confusing for anyone who was new to DCL and skipped the MDR with plans to hit up a "buffet."

 

[WebmasterJackie]

Not the podcast, but an article just written on DCLFan (part of the DIS) also had wrong information. It was talking about bringing alcohol on a cruise, and the author said to bring beer in cans so you can bring it to the pool deck. Also to bring a screw-top wine so you can pour a glass and take it to dinner. DCL policy states you can't consume alcohol you brought on board in any public spaces or lounges. Yes, we all know people who it do, but I was surprised that an article related to the DIS/Dreams Unlimited would openly flaunt DCL policy. And, you don't have to buy screw-cap wine; your stateroom host or room service can bring you a corkscrew (or, you know, just pack one yourself)?

I made a comment to that effect (about DCL policy) and was very surprised that the author didn't respond and/or correct the misinformation.

Hi there,

I'm Jackie and I'm the editor for DCL Fan. The article I believe you're referring to is titled 'How to Save Money on Alcohol: Disney Cruise Line,' and it was written by one of our contributors. Because the contributor wrote the article based on their experience, we allowed it. Sometimes guests have different experiences depending on the crew members.

The author mentions bringing their (brought from home) bottle of wine to one of the lobby bars, where a crew member opened it for them. I'm not sure if that would be the case with all lobby bars on all the ships or if it just happened with one crew member on the ship the author was on.

We appreciate the feedback, and I will contact the article's author to see if he can respond to your comment.

 

[Teleclashter]

I probably won't make friends with those who run these boards, since they are affiliated, but I was listening to a recent DCL Podcast episode on whether the rotational dining is still a good thing, and I was seriously surprised about wrong information stated by the main host on at least two occasions. He said several times that he is at the point where he could skip Animators Pallet for dinner "and just go to the buffet." What? Not only does DCL not have the option to eat at Cabanas for dinner anymore (boo DCL), but it has never even been a buffet for dinner (at least in the 15 years I have been sailing DCL). It surprised me that a travel agency centered around sailing DCL wouldn't know this, and that neither of the two co-hosts corrected the information, particularly after it was repeated again. It's not the first thing I have heard on the podcast that was wrong. I hope the agency can send these folks on more cruises to help them with the details and make the show more accurate.

So, PCA to new cruisers who might listen to the podcast for information, DCL does not have a dinner buffet like most other lines. Your options if you miss the main dining are poolside food (pizza, burgers, chicken tenders and a few other options that vary by ship) or room service.

We can still be friends and I'm the one giving the bad information. I will clarify on a show, but I can at least explain here what I meant. First, I have only cruised three times post-COVID. The first was the media cruise for the Wish. The second was in Alaska where we were reviewing everything every night and didn't have the option to skip main dining and the third was another media cruise where I had to go to the dining rooms. I flat out didn't realize they didn't bring the casual dinner in Cabanas.

That leads me to the next part - I use Cabanas and buffet interchangeably since that's what it's used for during breakfast and lunch, but I get how that makes it confusing since it implies there's a buffet meal service there at a time it's closed even if I mean the space in general.

Thank you for the feedback and we'll definitely work on being more clear and avoiding information that's out of date and/or incorrect. Much like you, I'm sure the Dreams travel agents who heard the mistake were screaming at their phones or computers.

 

[RedHead0186]

Hi there,

I'm Jackie and I'm the editor for DCL Fan. The article I believe you're referring to is titled 'How to Save Money on Alcohol: Disney Cruise Line,' and it was written by one of our contributors. Because the contributor wrote the article based on their experience, we allowed it. Sometimes guests have different experiences depending on the crew members.

The author mentions bringing their (brought from home) bottle of wine to one of the lobby bars, where a crew member opened it for them. I'm not sure if that would be the case with all lobby bars on all the ships or if it just happened with one crew member on the ship the author was on.

We appreciate the feedback, and I will contact the article's author to see if he can respond to your comment.

Hi Jackie,

Thanks for your response! I do understand that enforcement of some of the DCL policies, as well as guest experiences, will vary, so writing on one's own experience makes sense. It just seemed odd to me suggest doing something that is blatantly against policy (and that's how it was phrased: bring beer in cans so you can take them to the pool deck). I would hate for someone new to DCL to read that, try it themselves, and then get in trouble for doing so since it's against policy (though to be fair, getting "in trouble" would likely only be a CM asking them to either pour our their alcohol or take it back to their room.

And, to clarify, I didn't have an issue with the author saying they took their 'brought' bottle of wine to the lobby bar to open it. I was just noting that's not really necessary since you can have a corkscrew brought to your room. But that was more FYI. What I had an issue with was suggesting taking beer to the pool deck and pouring a glass of wine in your stateroom and then bringing it to dinner, since those are actually against policy. Just trying to make sure newbie cruisers don't get caught unawares.

Again, I do appreciate your response!

 

[DreamsElaine]

I probably won't make friends with those who run these boards, since they are affiliated, but I was listening to a recent DCL Podcast episode on whether the rotational dining is still a good thing, and I was seriously surprised about wrong information stated by the main host on at least two occasions. He said several times that he is at the point where he could skip Animators Pallet for dinner "and just go to the buffet." What? Not only does DCL not have the option to eat at Cabanas for dinner anymore (boo DCL), but it has never even been a buffet for dinner (at least in the 15 years I have been sailing DCL). It surprised me that a travel agency centered around sailing DCL wouldn't know this, and that neither of the two co-hosts corrected the information, particularly after it was repeated again. It's not the first thing I have heard on the podcast that was wrong. I hope the agency can send these folks on more cruises to help them with the details and make the show more accurate.

So, PCA to new cruisers who might listen to the podcast for information, DCL does not have a dinner buffet like most other lines. Your options if you miss the main dining are poolside food (pizza, burgers, chicken tenders and a few other options that vary by ship) or room service.

Hi Brent -

My co-captains Craig & Jackie have already replied to you, but I will as well as I was the only travel agent on this particular episode. I can assure you that all 3 of us are very well-versed on Disney Cruise Line and all love it dearly. If we do not make something clear or misspeak on something, it is because we are humans and it happens. I can tell you that speaking for myself and the rest of the agents at Dreams Unlimited Travel, navigating the waters of Disney Cruise Line since the restart has been difficult in getting information. As each of the ships came back online and progressed to where we are today, they have all been on their own timelines. Some ships would allow character hugs while others still made you stand on the dot. Some brought back self serve drinks while others still had a CM doing it. Each ship made changes as they went on the own timeline and they were all different. I might sail on a cruise and then on the next sailing, they have made a change and my information is then inaccurate. It is a lot to keep track of when even us calling DCL, we can't get straight answers. Everyone has different experiences because as we know, Disney is Consistently Inconsistent. We have to rely not only on our own experiences but on others to get information, which is why these boards are so great. Contributors can post their experiences and answer each others questions. This helps all of us learn so that we can try to be as prepared as we can before we cruise.

To speak to the particular question, I have only ate dinner in Cabanas one time and it was pre-covid **** down. It is not my preference to do so as honestly, I avoid Cabanas as much as possible. So I did not have an experience to speak from. And like Craig, I also use Cabanas/Buffet interchangeably.

We try very hard to provide accurate and usable information to assist people with planning their cruise vacations. Thanks for watching & happy cruising.