the best way to get off late seating

[huckster]

This all that was left when we booked and we booked in feb for this oct.. i thought i was early in booking....any way i have 2 grand kids 4 and 11 and really need early seating .. how should i go about this?
thanks for any help

 

[webray]

This all that was left when we booked and we booked in feb for this oct.. i thought i was early in booking....any way i have 2 grand kids 4 and 11 and really need early seating .. how should i go about this?
thanks for any help

My advice to you would be get put on the waiting list now, but...when you get on the ship, go directly to the place specified in the boarding day navigator and ask to be changed to earlier seating. Be persistant.

We had an error in our dinner seating for our first disney cruise..when we arrived it was early and we were suppose to have late. We didn't notice it until just minutes before they stopped changing seating times...ugh. Hubby raced down there..they wouldn't do anything. We had already scheduled spa appts, etc around the late seating. He could see that I was very upset..and he went back..after a bit of persuading..we had late dinner seating. They will do everything they can to help you, so don't worry about it now.

 

[videogal1]

This all that was left when we booked and we booked in feb for this oct.. i thought i was early in booking....any way i have 2 grand kids 4 and 11 and really need early seating .. how should i go about this?
thanks for any help

You could go to the cruise meets board for your scheduled cruise date and find a fellow passenger on that board who has 1st dining and will link their dining with yours. I got dragged into 1st dining that way when I needed to change from late and there were no openings....
or wait 'til you board and ask guest services the best way to go about it...or, eat at Topsiders(?) the first night and grab an opening as things shuffle...They always do....Many options, room service, etc.....don't fret....

 

[dlf246]

Huckster:
If you do a search on late seating, you will find a number of threads on this. We are in same boat as you (not literally!!!) and are anxious partly do to DD5, but more because 3 of our group of 5 normally go to bed way before 10PM.

The things that seem to be said the most on the threads are: 1) don't give up on the wait list, though few get off wait list before embarkation. 2) the best chance is to change on embarkation at the time listed in your Navigator. 3) if you party is larger than 6, the chances go down with the larger the party. I'm not sure about 5 (which is our situation), 4 or less is pretty good chance to get switched. 4) Chances are a bit lower at peak kid sailings (holiday)

Again, I have yet to sail DCL, but this is what I've gleaned from postings... One more thing that you may appreciate, my TA and posters on DIS keep saying don't worry about it, but I still do!!!

 

[bettemom]

You could go to the cruise meets board for your scheduled cruise date and find a fellow passenger on that board who has 1st dining and will link their dining with yours. I got dragged into 1st dining that way when I needed to change from late and there were no openings....
or wait 'til you board and ask guest services the best way to go about it...or, eat at Topsiders(?) the first night and grab an opening as things shuffle...They always do....Many options, room service, etc.....don't fret....

DRAGGED !!!!

 

[Skaught]

We were stuck with late seating, and we'll have a 4 year old and a 19 month old with us. After some thinking, we decided this may be better. Less rush to get back from excursions. If the kids need food earlier, we'll grab something upstairs.

Scott

 

[ashtravel]

My party of 11 got switched to the early dining for our October cruise because my dad has a medical condition . His doctor signed a medical form requesting early dining because of his prostate cancer . He can't eat or drink anything after 8pm or he is up all night in the bathroom. This was the one thing that concerned my dad when we booked because he didn't want to be uncomfortable and not be able to sleep. I don't mind late seating but because of my dad and my brother's three kids under the age of 5 , I'm glad Disney was able to honor his request.
Your travel agent can get you a copy of that form if you need one.