switching from late to the early dinner seating

[Cindyann2]

Hi,

My family and I are going on the May 23 4-day trip on the Wonder. We have a 9 year old and a 2 year old and we have been assigned to the late seating for dinner. There is no way my kids can wait until 8:30 to eat. Plus we wanted the rest of our evenings free for shows. We are on the waiting list for the early dinner. What are our chances of getting switched to the early one instead of late? Any one been in this situation?

thanks!

Cindy

 

[MarkLem]

You can request and hope for the best. They try their best to accomodate. If they can you will be switched. Chances are probably pretty good if you are one of the first requesting this.

 

[Colestat]

We were in this exact situation. When we rebooked on board we were waitlisted for th early seating. We decided we didn't want to go on the cruise with the late seating - we would switch to a different cruise if we had to.

I called last week to ask how soon I would know whether or not we would get the early seating, because we didn't plan on going on the cruise if we didn't. She emailed the people responsible for the seatings (it was a Sunday when I called). Two days later I went online to check my reservation and we have the early seating.

I don't know if this will work all the time, but it can't hurt to call Disney right away. Don't wait until you are on board to find out.

 

[kcashner]

First, call and ask now. THen, when you board, check your dining tickets. If you are not happy with them, go to the place assigned for "dining changes." They seem to be able to do a lot more there than in advance. We have always gotten a change if we asked.

 

[Diznut84]

We cruised on the January 3rd Magic. We were assigned the late dinner seating and were waitlisted for main seating. It never came through. Upon boarding, we immediately changed our dinner seating times. We had a choice of three different tables on two different rotations.

My recommendation is to get to the port early and go directly upon boarding to Sessions (Deck 3 Forward) to change your dinner seating. They consider requests from Noon to 3:30pm. Have fun!

 

[TootyJane]

Originally posted by Diznut84
....My recommendation is to get to the port early and go directly upon boarding to Sessions (Deck 3 Forward) to change your dinner seating. They consider requests from Noon to 3:30pm. Have fun!

Good suggestion. However, depending on where you live might make a difference as well. We're on the West Coast and definitely are not ready to eat at the early seating. The late seating is perfect for us. HTH

 

[Carol36]

We are also going on the May 23, 2004 Disney Wonder Cruise! We have children ages 8, 11,13, and 15! We are so excited! I am the only one that has ever been on a cruise! Maybe we will see you there!

 

[plenam]

We're on the May 16 Wonder, when we booked (late Nov.) we were given late seating (with a 7 & 10 year olds) and put on a waiting list for early seating. We were 12 on the list. I checked a few weeks ago and we were 2 on the list.

Hopefuly we'll all have the same luck. Keep checking, it might happen.


Brett


"Waiting to live the dream"

 

[disneyfan551]

We requested the 2nd seating for our 1st cruise, and it was wonderful! We had 3- 2yo's in our party, and there were no problems. We always ordered room service around 5 or so, mostly for our dd, and then would take a small snack in the show to keep her occupied. Our thoughts were that we would rather have her "awake" and able to enjoy the 1st show, rather than awake during a meal. She can eat any time! The shows were more important to us for her to see.

In addition, you end up getting an extra hour, when the 1st seaters have to cut their day short & get ready. You've still got play time during the day, and an hour between the show and dinner to get ready if needed! We truly loved it and will do the 2nd seating again. But, I realize everyone is different!

When we boarded, we received TAPT rotation, and went to change it immediately. We thought for sure we would have APTA, since we had 3-2yo's in our party. They quickly changed it, and we had fabulous servers! I really wouldn't worry, you shouldn't have any problems changing if you really need to.

 

[Cindyann2]

Thanks so much for all of your help.

Is there a website where I can check where we are on the waiting list for the early dinner seating? I have trouble getting in to the reservations page on the disneycruiseline site.

 

[jrabbit]

You can only check your ressies on the DCL website if you made your original ressies with DCL.

Like other posters have said, there are many snacking choices throughout the day/evening (room service, plutos-hot dogs/burgers/chicken strips, pinnochios for pizza, scoops for ice cream, fruit and chocolate chip cookies). Just let your kids snack around their normal dinner time, go to the show in the Walt Disney Theater and then go to dinner later. If the kids sleep though dinner - oh well, but the shows they will LOVE!!

After those great dinners I had trouble staying awake for the shows. We now do late seating and have found it to have many advantages (and some disadvantages like missing the "adult" cabarette show, some late night deck parties and on the Magic the Mexicalli... party and buffet along with not even feeling like going to the midnight dessert buffet (and I live for desserts ))

 

[cadburysmom]

My DS9 and I just returned from the Jan 10 Magic. We had been waitlisted for early seating for months and thought we'd never be able to change it, but once on board, we went directly and had it changed. They were even able to tell us the ages of the children assigned to our table.

We loved our tablemates but decided to do second seating on our next cruise. We always got hungry around 4:30 or 5pm and loved taking advantage of room service or the ice cream and pizza on deck 9. So of course we were never really hungry when 6pm rolled around. With this is mind, I believe second seating is definitely for us!

 

[d'Isigny]

Am sure the ability to change from late to early seating will always depend on how crowded the ship is. Would assume that for the time you are going...kids will be out of school...the ship will prob be full.

We've done early and late...really enjoy late seating much more. The restruants and shows appear to be less crowded.

 

[KYCruiseCrazy]

with the late dinner you have great advantages.
1. light crowds at the evening shows
2. you can attend deck partys and get sunset pictures.
3. after you get done with excrusions or even leaving CC you dont have to rush to get dressed for dinner.
4. there are lots of places onboard to eat before the late dinner.
i hope this helps

 

[LAMPSKIES]

I've probably read 50 of these "I really want to switch from late to early seating" threads. I was one who booked early seating. We had it on our first Wonder cruise Feb 2000. DD's were 9 and 7 then. When we were cancelled (nov. 2002 Magic) we took a "replacement" cruise and all that was available was late seating. It was great! No rushing from shore excursions to shower and get to take pics. There is enough food all about the ship that you won't be hungry. I thought about these type of threads as I was slowly walking down deck 3 with drink in hand after a perfectly relaxing day on St. Thomas and a family of 6 was running down the stairs yelling at each other about being late for dinner!!! They didn't look hungry.....they looked agrivated!! That's no way to eat a meal!!

 

[DreaminDisney]

Originally posted by LAMPSKIES
I've probably read 50 of these "I really want to switch from late to early seating" threads. I was one who booked early seating. We had it on our first Wonder cruise Feb 2000. DD's were 9 and 7 then. When we were cancelled (nov. 2002 Magic) we took a "replacement" cruise and all that was available was late seating. It was great! No rushing from shore excursions to shower and get to take pics. There is enough food all about the ship that you won't be hungry. I thought about these type of threads as I was slowly walking down deck 3 with drink in hand after a perfectly relaxing day on St. Thomas and a family of 6 was running down the stairs yelling at each other about being late for dinner!!! They didn't look hungry.....they looked agrivated!! That's no way to eat a meal!!

You just made me so glad we requested late dining!

 

[LAMPSKIES]

Remember also.....depending on where you live.....the time zone changes. We are from the Chicago burbs, a time change on the airplane and the another when you get south (on the Eastern). 8:30 is really 6:30 Chicago time.

 

[DreaminDisney]

Originally posted by LAMPSKIES
Remember also.....depending on where you live.....the time zone changes. We are from the Chicago burbs, a time change on the airplane and the another when you get south (on the Eastern). 8:30 is really 6:30 Chicago time.

LAMPSKIES, We are from Chicago burbs too

Cindyann2, we have friends that booked last minute and wanted early dining and were able to switch it once they were onboard.

Debbie

 

[LAMPSKIES]

Dreamindisney.........we're between Crown Point and Valparaiso IN. Right on the border of that nasty "lake effect" that is going on today!!!!

 

[DreaminDisney]

Originally posted by LAMPSKIES
Dreamindisney.........we're between Crown Point and Valparaiso IN. Right on the border of that nasty "lake effect" that is going on today!!!!

Oh I do NOT envy you right now!

I love snow but not when I can't see anything driving.

We're about 40 mins NW of downtown Chicago