Weird question: how to ask servers to tone it down?

[HuskyGal]

And with all of that, skip the MDR if you’re just not up for it. We skip it at least once per cruise and either go to Cabanas for a much shorter sit down meal, or we grab food by the pool. I don’t go out to eat 7 days a week at home and I am seriously peopled out by day 3 of a cruise so if my people points are blown, I have no problem skipping the MDR.

I definitely don’t consider it “my loss” - it’s my vacation and I do whatever is going to result in a more relaxing evening for me.

Yeah, I don’t think we’ll want to go to the main dining room all 7 nights. Maybe just Tiana’s and the one where Mickey shows up in his wizard costume, I think it’s animators palate... but honestly, the kids weren’t excited by Mickey that time. And I think my little one requested chicken noodle soup and grapes when we got back to the room. We may consider room service or some pool and slide time and eat there like you mentioned. I’d like to try cabanas for dinner as well. Do we need to let the mdr servers know if we aren’t eating there? If so, how do we let them know if it’s same day/last minute?

 

[Geomom]

On a 7 nt cruise, one of the animators palate nights is the one that animates your drawings... usually your second night there. First night there is sorcerer Mickey on the magic/wonder.

 

[HuskyGal]

On a 7 nt cruise, one of the animators palate nights is the one that animates your drawings... usually your second night there. First night there is sorcerer Mickey on the magic/wonder.

Oh ok. Right, sorcerer Mickey. Thank you. I think our kids will like their drawings animated so we’ll Likely do that one.

 

[towels]

I've heard before that it is better to let them know if you don't plan on dining in the mdr because if you're at a shared table they may wait to take the orders from the others with the intention of serving the whole table each course at the same time.

 

[MsSimone]

I didn't ask anything, I think the waiters felt the energy at our table. We saw them to take our orders, bring our orders and to ask if everything was ok. And that's exactly how we liked it.
To me it was like with character meets, they feel / have been trained to see how far they can go and what these guests appreciate.

That was our experience as well -- the servers were good at 'reading' us and we got the right amount of attention and interaction.

I think if you've got an overbearing server who isn't picking up on your back off signals, then saying something like 'we prefer a quiet dinner' to your head server will probably work. The staff want you to have a good experience.

 

[HuskyGal]

That was our experience as well -- the servers were good at 'reading' us and we got the right amount of attention and interaction.

I think if you've got an overbearing server who isn't picking up on your back off signals, then saying something like 'we prefer a quiet dinner' to your head server will probably work. The staff want you to have a good experience.

I like your wording. Thank you.

 

[HuskyGal]

I've heard before that it is better to let them know if you don't plan on dining in the mdr because if you're at a shared table they may wait to take the orders from the others with the intention of serving the whole table each course at the same time.

Ok. We requested our own table but will try to let them know anyway. Thank you.

 

[ChasingDreams]

This is an interesting thread that I feel I need to comment on due to the amazing service we have always received and bond that we have created with our dining team. So much so that our head server has become a friend of sorts and on additional cruises we were on our dining team remembered us and gave my son some magical pixie dust. I would go to dinner your first night meet your team and just be honest with them on your feelings and what you are looking for. They will meet your expectations what ever they may be, just be honest. They pride themselves on customer services and just want to do their best to make you happy

 

[cedricandsophie]

It literally has not occurred to me to Skip the MDR except for a Palo dinner. We always brIng my disabled adult daughter and her best frI end. The staff treats them like queens. For us the ADR servers are one of the loviest things about the cruise. We have heard about families, countries, staff parties, etc. And we have requested the same servers from cruise to cruise. i usually tear up at the end of a cruise because I will miss the staff.

 

[Mnrlred]

Yeah, I don’t think we’ll want to go to the main dining room all 7 nights. Maybe just Tiana’s and the one where Mickey shows up in his wizard costume, I think it’s animators palate... but honestly, the kids weren’t excited by Mickey that time. And I think my little one requested chicken noodle soup and grapes when we got back to the room. We may consider room service or some pool and slide time and eat there like you mentioned. I’d like to try cabanas for dinner as well. Do we need to let the mdr servers know if we aren’t eating there? If so, how do we let them know if it’s same day/last minute?

I previously worked for disney, and currently work in the airline industry. When working first class it’s hard to sometimes read when people don’t want the added attention that cabin brings - or don’t want me checking in unless they ask for me. I strive to provide service anytime a beverage is getting low and sometimes they just want to enjoy the movie or work until they tell me they’re ready for a fresh one. Others want that service and feel it’s important that I check in frequently. I can relate to the servers on a Disney cruise. Politely setting that expectation let’s them know what you want without guessing and pleases them to I know they’re providing the service you expect instead of guessing. That has the added bonus of possibly meeting or exceeding their survey scores and/or gratuity.

it can be the difference between an excellent dinner and an okay one in your eyes! Don’t be afraid to let them know how they can best please you, politely of course! They’re looking to please you. If you feel you’re outside the box help them set their service level to you. My experience on Disney cruises is that they really do want to meet your expectations .

 

[lorenni]

Yeah, I don’t think we’ll want to go to the main dining room all 7 nights. Maybe just Tiana’s and the one where Mickey shows up in his wizard costume, I think it’s animators palate... but honestly, the kids weren’t excited by Mickey that time. And I think my little one requested chicken noodle soup and grapes when we got back to the room. We may consider room service or some pool and slide time and eat there like you mentioned. I’d like to try cabanas for dinner as well. Do we need to let the mdr servers know if we aren’t eating there? If so, how do we let them know if it’s same day/last minute?

Whenever we make the decision to sit it out, I just call guest services and let them know we aren’t going to dinner.

 

[Sharkovskii]

I've experienced a lot of pressure to finish every morsel on my plate. I actually told my servers, both in the MDR and in Palo, that I had no intention of finishing every course of every meal, but it didn't really help.

 

[mousefan73]

Yeah, I don’t think we’ll want to go to the main dining room all 7 nights. Maybe just Tiana’s and the one where Mickey shows up in his wizard costume, I think it’s animators palate... but honestly, the kids weren’t excited by Mickey that time. And I think my little one requested chicken noodle soup and grapes when we got back to the room. We may consider room service or some pool and slide time and eat there like you mentioned. I’d like to try cabanas for dinner as well. Do we need to let the mdr servers know if we aren’t eating there? If so, how do we let them know if it’s same day/last minute?

We also do an “off day” or two. It is so relaxing having an empty pool while everyone else is at the show or dinner. Sometimes the nightly schedule doesn’t seem like a vacation. The rush to make all the activities. Also if you skip a dinner do it on Pirates Night. We’ve always wanted to try the Buffett but we’re always stuffed from the MdR.

 

[dprincessmom]

I agree with the previous replies. When on my first cruise, I missed a night in the MDR, and the next night I was interrogated by the servers about where we were and why we weren't there and if we were coming the rest of the cruise. That was a big nope for me and so the rest of the cruise we just ordered dinner from the dining room into the suite. The last thing I want on vacation is to answer to anyone about my whereabouts or my plans. The next couple of cruises we opted out of the MDRs entirely and just had dinners in the suite. On a recent cruise though, we went back to the MDRs and really had a nice experience. It was a shorter cruise, so we did attend every night. I'm prepared for our upcoming longer cruise to let the servers know on the first night that I don't like being tied down to the MDR and that it is nothing personal and I will still tip. I think that will handle it.

Likely not handled the best on the servers end, but my guess is they were wanting this information for timing, assuming you were sitting at a table with other cruisers. I know that we would wait the first night or two of our cruise for the other families to arrive. By night 3 our servers would take the orders of those there at the beginning of service and do another round when the other family showed up. Last trip, everyone was at the table consistently around the same time and we placed our orders family style.

The approach you suggest making, should let them know don't wait for me and I hope you have a great dining experience on the longer cruise.

 

[HuskyGal]

I previously worked for disney, and currently work in the airline industry. When working first class it’s hard to sometimes read when people don’t want the added attention that cabin brings - or don’t want me checking in unless they ask for me. I strive to provide service anytime a beverage is getting low and sometimes they just want to enjoy the movie or work until they tell me they’re ready for a fresh one. Others want that service and feel it’s important that I check in frequently. I can relate to the servers on a Disney cruise. Politely setting that expectation let’s them know what you want without guessing and pleases them to I know they’re providing the service you expect instead of guessing. That has the added bonus of possibly meeting or exceeding their survey scores and/or gratuity.

it can be the difference between an excellent dinner and an okay one in your eyes! Don’t be afraid to let them know how they can best please you, politely of course! They’re looking to please you. If you feel you’re outside the box help them set their service level to you. My experience on Disney cruises is that they really do want to meet your expectations .

That’s very helpful. Thank you for your detailed explanation.

 

[HuskyGal]

Whenever we make the decision to sit it out, I just call guest services and let them know we aren’t going to dinner.

Thank you!

 

[HuskyGal]

We also do an “off day” or two. It is so relaxing having an empty pool while everyone else is at the show or dinner. Sometimes the nightly schedule doesn’t seem like a vacation. The rush to make all the activities. Also if you skip a dinner do it on Pirates Night. We’ve always wanted to try the Buffett but we’re always stuffed from the MdR.

Good idea. Dd and I tried the the buffet and wasted so much food. Dd was also so tired.