Time between show and dinner?

[Disneefun]

This will be our third cruise and we've always had early seating. This time we got late seating (are waitlisted for early, but if it doesn't come through...). Is there time between the first show and the late dinner seating to go back to the cabin and dress, or should we plan on going to the show dressed in our dinner wear? TIA for help.

 

[disneymusical135]

I have had both late and early seating and I definitely prefer late seating because I love to go to the shows and see music and such before dinner. The first mainstage show starts at 6:30. I always go to the promenade lounge and listen to the music. Then I go to the show at 6:30, and since the shows are usually over at around 7:15, I always go to another activity before dinner , like trivia, or a gameshow. Then I go to dinner. If you were to go to the show and then dinner, I would think you would have enough time to get changed, but since I always get ready at like 5:30 I have never done that.

 

[FLGalInTN]

At first I was upset at being waitlisted for main dining, but now I've decided it's a good thing. We plan to take in the early show as a family (I'm insisting on that) and then let our son pick when he wants to eat - early (with the clubs, from room service or the buffet) or late with us. He is very much into having choices these days.

 

[inkkognito]

We love late seating, and we always have plenty of time to change our clothes and maybe even slip in a few minutes to relax on the verandah. To me, late dinner feels much less rushed. We tried early once or twice, and now late is my preference.
Barb

 

[jlawall]

I agree, I really like late seating. On port days, it's difficult for my family to get ready for early seating. I just want to cut down on how much time dinner takes. My family doesn't like to linger over dinner in the dining room since we're all on diets.

 

[allears]

We have also had late seating on our trips and are once again booked for the second seating. We really, really like this option. First of all you aren't rushed to get ready for dinner. We usually dress in time for the show, sometimes DW & DD need time in between, but not usually. After the show we (a family of 5) will go to Rockin Bar D and catch the Caberet act, which all of us have enjoyed imensely. Or we've played some shuffle board, my kids like this a lot and bug us all week to play.

It also seems to us that the actual meal is less rushed, since they don't have to set up for another seating. We are able to spend a lot of time over the meal enjoying each other's company and getting to know our serving team. We are usually some of the last people to leave the dining room.

The other benefit is that you get the late seating for breakfast on debarkation day. Not being a big morning person, I like this a lot. I think the early time is 6:30 am and the late is 8:30. By the time we have breakfast and say goodbye to our table mates and servers, the line to leave the ship is non-existent and we walk right off. You just have to make sure your departing flight isn't real early.

So we think second seating is a great choice. When we went on our first cruise in 2000, our youngest was only 4 and he has no touble keeping awake and having a blast. It just seems to be a more relaxed schedule.

Enjoy!

 

[glindamood]

We generally do late seating and I change between the show and dinner - I shower before the show and then just have to change clothes after. Works great for me. DH can manage to shower and dress in the time between the show and dinner.

 

[SeaSpray]

I am so glad to hear that there is time between the early show and late dinner on DCL! Last summer we had late dining on a Royal Caribbean ship, so we went to the early show and often times we'd have to RUSH from the show directly to dinner. I like the idea of having time to get dressed for dinner AFTER the show, and not before it.

 

[alexandrew]

On the first night of cruise, it's a family tradition to shop at Mickey's Mates and Treasure ketch after the early show, and before late seating dinner.....we even have time to bring our "stuff" back to the stateroom prior to dinner...

We like to shop on the first night to get first selection of merchandise, particularly clearance items...