The Benefits of Late Dining on a Disney Cruise: A Disney Cruise Line Review

Many families insist on the 5:45 time slot, as it is closer to a "regular" dinnertime. Families with small children especially find that 8:15 is too late to start dinner with the little ones, who end up asleep in their appetizer.

Before you jump on the bandwagon for first seating dining, consider the benefits of second seating dining and you might discover it is the better choice for your family.

Consider how it fits in to the rest of your day: There is more to your dining time than just your dining time; you have to consider how it fits in to the rest of your day. Imagine it's a beautiful sunny day on deck and you're enjoying the afternoon, maybe reading a book or having coffee in the Cove Cafe, riding down the AquaDuck, or relaxing at the quiet pool... ahhh, paradise! But now you have to cut your time on deck short and rush to get ready for dinner at 5:45 pm. Oh darn, bet you wish you had second seating now!

Late Dining at Animator's Palate - Disney Cruise Line
Late Dining at Animator's Palate - photo by PixieMichele

PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2013 Guidebook Available for 15%-35% Off! Purchase includes a free Online Edition!

Enjoy the show first: Second seating diners see the nightly show while the first seating is at dinner. If you are nervous about having topics to discuss with your new tablemates, the show you just came from can give you a lot of material to break the ice.

Tip: Yes, often times families will be combined at dinner, before you run away screaming "Stranger danger, stranger danger!" give it a chance; some of the best friends made are cruise friends, and you already have something in common... you’re on a Disney cruise! Disney Cruise Line does their best to place families and individuals together that have common interests (for example children are similar ages, adults are in similar age groups, may be fellow Disney Vacation Club members, etc.)

A quieter dining experience: While you will not find an intimate dinner for two (usually) in the dining room, the hustle and bustle of the dining room experience is a nice backdrop for your nightly dinner. The soundtrack at the earlier dining however, may leave something to be desired. Of no fault of their own infants and small children generally don't enjoy sitting still for long periods of time, and the early seating is naturally popular for families with small children. This usually means a symphony of wailing little ones and their frustrated parents. If you are having an adults-only vacation or have children who are old enough to sit still, do yourself (and your ears!) a favor and select second seating!

A more leisurely dinner: While I haven't personally heard anyone complain about the dining experience on a cruise being rushed, some at the early seating may feel a bit of pressure to exit the dining room after their meal is finished. The early seating has to be cleared out of the dining room and the dining room has to be completely reset for the 8:15 seating. This means having another cup of coffee after your dessert and carrying on with conversation isn't exactly welcomed.

 These are a few reasons to consider second seating. If any of these appeal to you, give it a try and see how it works for your family. Sometimes it's nice to go against the grain and be a little rebellious on vacation, so break the mold and eat late! Carpe diem!



Disney Dream Royal Palace
Royal Palace dining room on the Disney Dream - photo by iloverags2

About the Author: Michele is an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner with Pixie Vacations, you can find her on the boards as PixieMichele or read her other tips and tricks on her blog www.ThePracticalPlanner.blogspot.com

Related Links:
Veggie Dining At Disney - Table Service Locations last updated 12/11/2008
Veggie Dining At Disney - Counter Service Locations last updated 12/04/2008
The Kosher Traveler At Walt Disney World - A Guide last updated 02/05/2009
Dining at Walt Disney World - An Introduction last updated 2/5/2009
Yachtsman Steakhouse From a Vegetarian's Point of View - A Dining Review last updated 5/14/2009

---

Reader Comments:


So what do you think? Click here to share your comments, feedback, and experiences on this article and topic!

(Note: You must be a member of our PassPorter Message Board Community to leave comments. Join today for free!)

---

Updated 01-24-2013 - Article #892 

Read additional articles from PassPorter.com

Subscribe to our free e-mail newsletter, PassPorter News, published for more than 55,000 opt-in subscribers worldwide. As an added bonus for subscribing, you will receive a 20% discount coupon for the PassPorter Store -- no catch! E-mail Address: First Name: E-mail Format: -Text/Don't Know   -HTML    We respect your privacy and never sell or rent our subscriber list. Subscribing will not result in more spam! We guarantee it.

Copyright 1999-2012
by PassPorter Travel Press, an imprint of MediaMarx, Inc.