Dinner Seat Time Change?

[Rocker13]

I just booked my first cruise on Disney for 6 May 06, Western Carribean. Maybe 10 months out isn't enough.

 

I can't get early seating for dinner, so I took late seating.

 

Two questions:

1.) What do you recommend for trying to get early/main seating?

2.) I am on the wait list. How do I find out where I am on the list and what my chances are of getting main seating ?

 

I guess on most cruises people like late seating, but on a 'kid cruise', early seating sells out first . . .:(

[jelbnl]

It really depends on how full the ship is when it sails. I waitlisted for early seating on my last DCL cruise and didn't get it. It was the BEST thing to happen to us. It was so nice not having to rush around to get ready. Our kids are 4 and 7 and did fine and there were plenty of others with little kids at late seating. It does sell out quickly, usually a year in advance, so I'm not suprised that it is.

[GottaLuvCruising]

This is very typical for Disney as main dining sells out very quickly. If you don't clear the wait list (and you do have a chance of it), speak to the maitre'd right after boarding. He will do what he can as they usually keep a little space for urgent situations.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

We have changed from late to early dining several times. As soon as you get to your room, check out your navigator paper. it will have a time and place that afternoon where you go to try to change your dining time. Usually it's in a nightclub around 3:00 P.M. They have computers set up and if your there at the beginning of the pre set time you have excellant of getting it changed via computers. They will re issue you dining tickets at that time, or put you on a waiting list in case someone comes in after you to change their seating the opposite of you. Then they leave a message on your phone to notify you. We only had to wait one time for a change, it was on the second day it got changed, all the others were done instantly the first day on board.

Hope this helps some. We just did this in May and it worked great for us.

mom x4,grandma x4

[sdf89]

We have changed from late to early dining several times. As soon as you get to your room, check out your navigator paper. it will have a time and place that afternoon where you go to try to change your dining time. Usually it's in a nightclub around 3:00 P.M. They have computers set up and if your there at the beginning of the pre set time you have excellant of getting it changed via computers. They will re issue you dining tickets at that time, or put you on a waiting list in case someone comes in after you to change their seating the opposite of you. Then they leave a message on your phone to notify you. We only had to wait one time for a change, it was on the second day it got changed, all the others were done instantly the first day on board.

Hope this helps some. We just did this in May and it worked great for us.

mom x4,grandma x4

Given that it worked so many times for you, may I ask how many times you were not able to switch to early seating?

 

also, for anyone: is there a way to find out where you are on waitlist in the months before cruise, or in reality the changes are only done at embarkation.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

We have only had late seating once out of 7 cruises. That was a full ship, just before Christmas. Good Luck

momx4,grandma x4

[GottaLuvCruising]

sdf89,

 

I used to work for Disney Cruise Line. When guests would call in to check their waitlist status, we could only see if they had cleared the list or were still on it. Yes, people do clear the waitlist, but only when an early dining booking is cancelled or changed to late, so it is fairly rare.

[Rocker13]

We have changed from late to early dining several times. As soon as you get to your room, check out your navigator paper. it will have a time and place that afternoon where you go to try to change your dining time. Usually it's in a nightclub around 3:00 P.M. They have computers set up and if your there at the beginning of the pre set time you have excellant of getting it changed via computers. They will re issue you dining tickets at that time, or put you on a waiting list in case someone comes in after you to change their seating the opposite of you. Then they leave a message on your phone to notify you. We only had to wait one time for a change, it was on the second day it got changed, all the others were done instantly the first day on board.

Hope this helps some. We just did this in May and it worked great for us.

mom x4,grandma x4

 

Very Helpful!! Thank you for taking time out to share this!:)

[sdf89]

many thanks to mom/Grandma and Gottaluv for your advice.

 

Well, we booked today, and they did say the wait list is looooonnnng... We will definitely go to that change request place on board and hope, hope, hope. My wife and 5 year old are pretty religious about going to bed by and before 9PM. I tried to point out that we live in central time, but that did not give much consolation! They plan to sleep at the table if any clock says 9!!!

 

I too wished we could be told a number on the waitlist, but as Gottaluv indicated, that is not provided, and the courteous staff pretty much implied that for our place on the list, it was moot.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Lots of kids fall asleep at the table, even with early dining. For some it's the first time all day they have had to sit still and they just zonk out really fast. If this happens you can take something back to the room and put in the frig or call room service later. You can also get lots of food around the pools most of the day and evening, such as pizza, hot dogs, fries, wraps, chicken strips, chicken sandwiches, chips,fruit, and ice cream. So plenty to eat if you child falls asleep.

We always grab fresh fruit as Scoops during the day and keep in the frig for a late night snack. My husband cant eat late, so the one time we had late dining he just ate at the other places. Not as good as dining room, but he ate his big meal at lunch at the buffet and had lunch fare for dinner, from around the pool.

I hope your family will stay up for pirates night or they will miss a great party, with fireworks and characters and a huge buffet. Maybe they could nap that day so they will be able to stay up late. My husband is asleep by 9:00 too, but on the ship he is up till midnight or later. He is so busy having fun that he doesnt realize how late it is. Have a magical cruise.

mom x4,grandma x4

[KevinP1935]

We have only had late seating once out of 7 cruises. That was a full ship, just before Christmas. Good Luck

momx4,grandma x4

 

So is it safe to say my wife and I are up a creek, since we are booked on the Dec. 17th cruise and have the 8:30 seating?

[jelbnl]

Your chances of clearing the waitlist depend on many things. First and foremost, how booked the cruise is and how many cancellations happen before the deadline. For a Christmas Cruise those cruises sail at full capacity. Also, I've heard those with little kids are given the priority over those with older or no kids in clearing the waitlist, as well as asking for a change at boarding. Again, if there is no room, you'll end up in late seating. On our cruise (7/9/05) there were 4 empty staterooms, that's it. I know this because we had a problem with our room, and there were only 4 staterooms available that could accomdate us moving. We were waitlist for early and had late, there was no hope there. Just prepare for late seating and if it comes through, be happy. On a holiday, summer or school break sailing chances of it coming through is slim because those ships always sail at capacity. On the slow times (ie when kids are going to be in school) you have a better chance, but DCL almost always sails with a full or close to full ship.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

KevinP935

 

 

Actually the week before Christmas isnt as bad as Christmas week. Just be at the assigned spot the first day as I stated earlier in this thread. Since your not a large group that will make it easier to change.They really do make every effort to accommodate your wishes, so dont give up.

We are on the December 17th 2005 cruise too.

I'm assuming you mean this December 17th.

mom x4,grandma x4

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Keep in mind that a lot of people cancel their trips for various reasons, which does open up dining places. We are a party of 15, but 3 people have job changes so they may have to cancel. They wont know until the 60 day mark, which is the last day to cancel and get your money back. We have early dining, so if they cancel, there will be 3 more openings. This happens all the time. That's why a lot of people get great last minute deals on cruises, they need to fill in the empty rooms, but lots of people have plans for the holidays so those rooms are harder to fill the week before Christmas. So your chances are much better than other times of the year, to get your dining changed. The time we couldnt get ours changed we had a large amount of people with us, that made it much harder to do.

You'll love the ship decorated for the holidays.

mom x4,grandma x4

[sdf89]

Mom/Grandma:

You sure are like my grandma... reassuring! I know to not get overconfident, but thanks for giving hope!

[mom x4,grandma x4]

After your cruise, let us know how it went for you. I'd like to know how many have successfully made changes beside us.

I know either way you'll have a magical cruise!:rolleyes:

mom x4,grandma x4