what party size gets a private table?

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

How will they likely handle a party of 10? Anyone know?

You will probably get a 6-top and a 4-top put together as 8-top is as large as they go in the MDR.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

You will probably get a 6-top and a 4-top put together as 8-top is as large as they go in the MDR.

Well, except for in Royal Court/Palace. They have a table in the center of the room that can seat 12 at least.

 

[mevelandry]

Hello All!
We are taking our 1st Disney cruise this December and we are a family of 3. I requested a private table and understand this is just a request. Is it common to have a party of this size seated with another large table? We are traveling on the Disney Magic on 12/10 from Miami.
Thank You!l

Party of 2. Had private table every time we asked. First seating and second seating but more chances to get it at second seating.

 

[sbridgeman]

What does DCL typically do for a family of 4? This is the first time that we've done a cruise without others joining us.

How will they likely handle a party of 10? Anyone know?

Cruise before last we were with a group of 13 and there were no issues at all. The wait staff was phenomenal (as always!)

 

[AquaDame]

Party of 2 here, the only time we were not granted our own table was when we did a late GTY booking. We have always been sat at a 4 top so my gut says you have as good if not better chances as a party of 3. That said twice now we have NOT been given one before boarding but were reassigned to our own table by going to the location on the navigator on boarding day (usually Royal Court/Lumiere's) and stating again that we wanted our own table.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

What does DCL typically do for a family of 4? This is the first time that we've done a cruise without others joining us.



Cruise before last we were with a group of 13 and there were no issues at all. The wait staff was phenomenal (as always!)

A family of 4 could be seated at their own table, or seated with others at an 8 top, usually.

We've cruise DCL as a party of 6 (our own table), party of 5 (our own table), party of 4 (only time we requested a specific table size - 6 top, but other 2 people changed to late seating), party of 3 (seated with a family of 5 at an 8 top), and 8 times as a party of 2 - 5X seated with other couples at an 8 top, 1 time a 6 top (but two seats remained empty), 2X we got a 4 top with another couple.

 

[lizabu]

I'm pretty excited about being seated with other couples but I didn't request it. As a default do you think they typically seat 2 tops with other couples?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I'm pretty excited about being seated with other couples but I didn't request it. As a default do you think they typically seat 2 tops with other couples?

In our experience, yes. But not necessarily. You can request to be seated with others. In fact, if you're concierge the default is for a table of your own.

 

[jrabbit]

... I do have a Gluten Allergy and wonder if that is why we were sat separate.

Nope. One cruise (one of the funnest) we were seated with 3 other couples and 2 of the 8 people had food allergies - one was shellfish, the other was gluten.

 

[lizabu]

In our experience, yes. But not necessarily. You can request to be seated with others. In fact, if you're concierge the default is for a table of your own.

Thanks. Maybe to be safe I'll mention it to my travel agent.

 

[MunFam]

Nope. One cruise (one of the funnest) we were seated with 3 other couples and 2 of the 8 people had food allergies - one was shellfish, the other was gluten.

We are a party of 3 and I specifically asked for a private table (late seating) because we have gluten, milk and anaphylactic allergy to egg in our family. I think that is why we were granted a private table.

 

[sbridgeman]

A family of 4 could be seated at their own table, or seated with others at an 8 top, usually.

Thank you -- very helpful.

 

[birdmom]

I have never shared a table before as we always sail with 5-16 ppl, this last cruise was just me and hubby and we were seated with 3 other couples. It was great, we made new friends and were always running into each other at events! Loved it!

 

[Krissy22222]

We are a party of 11 sailing on the Magic. Will we all get to sit together?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We are a party of 11 sailing on the Magic. Will we all get to sit together?

As long as you have all your reservations linked, yes.

 

[darnheather]

We are a family of 3 and I was so glad I didn't ask for a private table. I LOVED our tablemates and so did my girls. Very good match up.

 

[Sytrace]

We have had 3 experiences with sharing a table with another party of 4.
1st cruise, they placed us with another family of 4...they were wonderful and very helpful, but after the first night we did not see them. I am guessing they either switched dining due to their younger child (he was 5 and we had second seating) or they just did not want to sit with us.
We did not request a 4 top but seemed to get lucky the next 4 cruises where we had one anyway without asking.
On cruise number 5, we ended up sharing a table with another family of 4. I think Disney got their matchmaking skills confused because it just did not work out well. We requested a 4 top after the first night and it was granted.
After that we started requesting a 4 top but on cruise number 9 were seated with a delightful family from Canada who we enjoyed and who we maintain a friendship with via Facebook.
Now, we don't request a 4 top, but have been getting them the past 4 cruises anyway. Sometimes it's a match and sometimes it is not.

 

[Dug720]

I did not make a table request on our first 2 cruises. As a family of 4 we were sat alone each time. The next cruise I haven't specified either. I do have a Gluten Allergy and wonder if that is why we were sat separate.

Nope. One cruise (one of the funnest) we were seated with 3 other couples and 2 of the 8 people had food allergies - one was shellfish, the other was gluten.

They may well have changed it since then to default food allergies to non-shared tables. When I added gluten-free onto my reservation for February, I was specifically asked if I wanted my party to have our own table because of it. And for my upcoming cruise when I made one of my zillion changes I double-checked that gluten-free is on there and again was asked if I wanted a non-shared table due to it.

Especially with kids I can see how that would be super important if the kids don't have manners to not grab food from others' plates.

That said... PLEASE do not make up an allergy just to try and get a private table. Once something is noted as an allergy, the head server does (or should) get involved and everything you order has to be checked against the reported allergy and approved for you to be served. The moment you order something that has your "allergen" in it such that it cannot be modified, you'll either have to do without or fess up that you lied about an allergy to try and secure a private table.

 

[Charlies_Mommy]

Thanks again everyone. We hope to be celebrating a special 'event' on this cruise-my husband's cancer going into full remission. So, after a long hard year, we just want to enjoy each other and reconnect. I am sure we would normally enjoy the company of other tablemates, but I think this vacation we are needing something different. So I am hoping we get lucky!

 

[Sytrace]

Thanks again everyone. We hope to be celebrating a special 'event' on this cruise-my husband's cancer going into full remission. So, after a long hard year, we just want to enjoy each other and reconnect. I am sure we would normally enjoy the company of other tablemates, but I think this vacation we are needing something different. So I am hoping we get lucky!

I am so happy to hear he is in remission...sending prayers for continued health. You can check your table number on your KTTWC you get at check in at the terminal at the open MDR upon boarding to see if it is a 2 top or not. If you ask one of the folks at the stand, they can check it for you. It might give you a headstart if you need to change it.
Good luck and Happy cruising.