The really BIG problem with dinner on the Wish Class ships

[Kwami]

I do. I always get the same soda every night at dinner

I guess it's because I don't get soda at dinner. They definitely don't do this with other drinks.

 

[PsylockeSmythe]

I've never had this happen on any Disney cruise. And why would it? Each restaurant has special drinks that you can order. Besides that, who wants the same thing every night?

This happened on our first three cruises in 2011, 2018 and 2022. The first two on the Magic and the last on the Wonder. We informed them the first night that the wine glasses wouldn't be needed and that neither of us drink (my wife will have a glass of wine every blue moon or so). Since we both ordered Cokes the first night, from that point forward, Cokes were waiting for us on the table each night when we arrived.

It didn't happen on our 4th cruise 2024, which was on the Wonder, but then the waitstaff on this cruise wasn't as good in our opinion as we had on the previous cruises. The main server did his best, but the assistant server was hardly around, drinks arrived slowly and our table was always one of the last ones out of the MDR due to how slow the service was.

Psy

 

[RedHead0186]

I guess it's because I don't get soda at dinner. They definitely don't do this with other drinks.

I would think they wouldn't do that with alcoholic drinks because it's an extra charge. If they automatically brought any drink that was an upcharge I would think guests might get upset that they were being charged for something they didn't ask for/possibly didn't want.

I will say once the assistant server finds out my mom drinks diet coke, there is always one waiting for her at subsequent dinners in the MDRs (on that sailing). On some longer sailings the servers do get to know our wine preferences and will ask if we'd like a glass of _____ again. It's a nice way of showing they know our preferences without automatically bringing us alcohol.

 

[DCLGirlie]

I guess it's because I don't get soda at dinner. They definitely don't do this with other drinks.

They def do it with other non-alcoholic drinks as well because the juice, tea, and milk drinkers in my party always have the same drink waiting as well. It makes me feel so guilty when I need to ask for a different drink because I like Diet Coke and Iced Tea on alternating days

 

[Flossbolna]

I guess it's because I don't get soda at dinner. They definitely don't do this with other drinks.

They don’t even do this with soda drinkers. The only way we have had this happen was that at night 2 we were asked if we would want the same drinks as yesterday and then they were placed in front of us - obviously prepared already and waiting at the serving station, but not served until we confirmed a repeat order.

 

[FreeTime]

They don’t even do this with soda drinkers. The only way we have had this happen was that at night 2 we were asked if we would want the same drinks as yesterday and then they were placed in front of us - obviously prepared already and waiting at the serving station, but not served until we confirmed a repeat order.

They DO do it with soda drinkers. On a 14 night I had a Coke at the table every night before I arrived. Without being asked.

 

[Kwami]

They DO do it with soda drinkers. On a 14 night I had a Coke at the table every night before I arrived. Without being asked.

It probably depends on the server, though, since people here are saying it does and doesn't happen.

 

[princesscinderella]

It probably depends on the server, though, since people here are saying it does and doesn't happen.

It was definitely a standard practice for years on DCL however I think the rapid expansion has watered down the experience. Servers are not as trained in the extra touches as much. We used to have servers that would give us brain teasers and magic tricks over the years and that has definitely faded away too.

 

[Kwami]

It was definitely a standard practice for years on DCL however I think the rapid expansion has watered down the experience. Servers are not as trained in the extra touches as much. We used to have servers that would give us brain teasers and magic tricks over the years and that has definitely faded away too.

I think I've only had one cruise where the servers didn't give us tricks and puzzles. That was a cruise on the Magic back in 2022. They smooshed the two dining services into one and the servers were overwhelmed. It was... not great.

On my last cruise, my server told me that they don't have as much time to play games on show nights, though. So, especially on the Wish-class ships, there will be some nights where they just can't make time for it.

 

[RiRLPC-OG]

1/10/26 ETA: We just got back from our cruise on the Destiny and I stand on my opinion on the dining venues, especially Pride Lands. The ship is gorgeous. But I'm trying to focus strictly on the MDR food service. We were there for 2 nights. One of them was Pirate Night where they didn't do any show or anything special during dinner. Both nights the food service was extremely slow. Pirate Night took well over 90 minutes from placing our orders to delivery of dessert. The show night was even longer. Our table was positioned near one of the wait stations on the side, so distance wasn't an issue. Our food was at least warm.

I will concede that the size not the only issue. The layout of the tables causes added problems for our wait staff. They are forced to go on one side first and then do the other side. Having the tables crammed tightly together forces this and also forces them to reach from behind to deliver our plates. And we still highly dislike how close the tables are to each other.

OP: The short of it, is that the Wish Class ships are too big.

We went on the Wish earlier this year and we experienced how crowded and slooooow the food service was. I really did not care for the beer-garden style seating in Arendelle. I watched a Youtuber's review of the Treasure where he pointed out this problem is exactly the same as it is on the Wish. We are going on the Destiny at the beginning of January and I'm dreading this aspect of dinner service. We're going to try to skip our Worlds of Marvel night so we can go to Palo. I'm looking forward to the heroes and villains theming, the Hercules show and the adult bars and even the Lion King dinner show. I'm just dreading the food service during dinner.

Contrast that with going on the Magic at the beginning of November that was a mom and dad only vacation. Dinner was among the swiftest and most efficient we've experienced. Our waiters weren't rushed, but they were quick with the plates and still took time to visit and share stories.

The problem is scale. the Wish Class carries around 4000 passengers. Our cruise on the Magic had around 2000 passengers. All of the DCL ships have 3 main dining venues. So double the number of passengers are being crammed in, to 3 dining spaces that have to serve double the number of plates in the same time frame each night. This is why the constant reviews of slow service and cold food.

When the Wish Class was conceived, it seems like the designers took no account of what scaling up passengers would do to their rotational dining model. The solution should have been obvious that a 4th dining venue needed to be added and make the existing 3 a little smaller. That way, they could've kept up with the industrial scale of food service that needed to take place. It's not likely that the problem will be able to be fixed with the 4th Wish Class ship on account of the venue spaces being fixed.

I for one am looking forward the new class being built that is supposed to be closer to the Magic Class size.

I cannot understand why Disney does this. They make bigger ships and don't double things. where is their space going besides to staterooms. if you make a bigger ship you need more dining and more pools and hot tubs.

 

[Kwami]

I cannot understand why Disney does this. They make bigger ships and don't double things. where is their space going besides to staterooms. if you make a bigger ship you need more dining and more pools and hot tubs.

The maximum number of passengers on the Wish-class ships is virtually the same as on the Dream-class ships. There's no need to double anything.

 

[RiRLPC-OG]

The maximum number of passengers on the Wish-class ships is virtually the same as on the Dream-class ships. There's no need to double anything.

they are much larger than the magic and the wonder though and they still have very similar amenities which leaves it a whole lot easier to get hot tub time or pool time on the wonder rather than the dream and the restaurants on the larger ships are crammed in tightly. and I'm not alone with this. They need more restaurants on the larger ships and it would've made it more fun anyways.

 

[foolish-mortal]

I am excited to go on the Destiny next month for the first time. I've been on Wish twice. But the dining on those ships is by far my least favorite thing. I feel like they took one of DCLs best features and ruined it. I only like 1923. It's cramped and crowded to me - but the food and atmosphere is still great.

I don't want singing, dancing, and shows during dinner. It's loud. chaotic, overstimulating, and makes the whole meal take way too long. I want to talk, relax, and enjoy my dinner. When I want a show - I'll go to the shows. If the dining rooms are all going to be turned into this then they really need to re-open Cabanas (or it's equivalent) during dinner for people who want a more relaxed, quieter, meal. Not an upcharge dinner, not eating room service on my bed, but a dining room that doesn't have a dinner show.

When we go on the Destiny we requested 1923 twice and will not be going to Pride Lands. Still love DCL overall but the new dining rooms are a big miss for me.

 

[RiRLPC-OG]

I am excited to go on the Destiny next month for the first time. I've been on Wish twice. But the dining on those ships is by far my least favorite thing. I feel like they took one of DCLs best features and ruined it. I only like 1923. It's cramped and crowded to me - but the food and atmosphere is still great.

I don't want singing, dancing, and shows during dinner. It's loud. chaotic, overstimulating, and makes the whole meal take way too long. I want to talk, relax, and enjoy my dinner. When I want a show - I'll go to the shows. If the dining rooms are all going to be turned into this then they really need to re-open Cabanas (or it's equivalent) during dinner for people who want a more relaxed, quieter, meal. Not an upcharge dinner, not eating room service on my bed, but a dining room that doesn't have a dinner show.

When we go on the Destiny we requested 1923 twice and will not be going to Pride Lands. Still love DCL overall but the new dining rooms are a big miss for me.

It's cramped and crowded and feels empty. We did love arendelle but come on....they have so much more space now. Where did it go? Why didn't we get six dining rooms and more engagement and twice as much water activities?

 

[RedHead0186]

It's cramped and crowded and feels empty. We did love arendelle but come on....they have so much more space now. Where did it go? Why didn't we get six dining rooms and more engagement and twice as much water activities?

Because the passenger capacity of the Wish class ships is nearly identical to that of the Fantasy/Dream. And the Wish class ships are only a little bit bigger, size wise. So there is no reason to double the number of MDRs or water activities because there's not double the number of passengers.