Disney Rotation Dining

[Upgradefairy4u]

Does anyone know the rotation dining order for the current sailings?  In other words, years ago (pre Covid) you could pretty well bet that if you were traveling with all adults you would start your rotation in the Main Dining room, then Animators Palate, etc.  We are traveling with a two year old so most likely the rotation will be different.  Just curious if anyone has traveled with a two year old and what was their order of restaurants?  Trying to book a night in Palo!  TIA!!

[1025cruise]

I don't believe the makeup of your party has anything to do with your dining rotation.

[Shmoo here]

6 hours ago, Upgradefairy4u said:

Does anyone know the rotation dining order for the current sailings?  In other words, years ago (pre Covid) you could pretty well bet that if you were traveling with all adults you would start your rotation in the Main Dining room, then Animators Palate, etc.  We are traveling with a two year old so most likely the rotation will be different.  Just curious if anyone has traveled with a two year old and what was their order of restaurants?  Trying to book a night in Palo!  TIA!!

 

 

The rotation varies by cruise.  As each ship has different dining rooms (all of them considered the "Main" dining room) you could start in any of the 3. For example: on the Dream the dining rooms are Enchanted Garden, Animator's Palette, and Royal Palace.  The passenger load is divided in six groups (3 for each seating, early and late).  1/3 of them start in Enchanted Garden, another 1/3 start in Royal Palace, while the last 1/3 start in Animator's Palette.  The rotation on a 4 night cruise is, typically, 1223, but can vary.  Every one's first room is "1" in the rotation.  

 

I've been on 13 DCL cruises, all of them as adult only groups,  and never "always" started in the same dining room.

 

I would suggest you go ahead and book Palo, and then put a request on your reservation to "not be in (whichever room you don't want to miss) on night (whatever night you've got Palo)".

Edited September 16, 2023 by Shmoo here

[PhillyTravelBug]

1. Stupid question, but do you always sit with the same group of guests? I will just be with a party of 2. Are they going to assign us with other guests on the ship?

[1025cruise]

3 hours ago, PhillyTravelBug said:

1. Stupid question, but do you always sit with the same group of guests? I will just be with a party of 2. Are they going to assign us with other guests on the ship?

You will be with the same tablemates the entire cruise.

[Shmoo here]

4 hours ago, PhillyTravelBug said:

1. Stupid question, but do you always sit with the same group of guests? I will just be with a party of 2. Are they going to assign us with other guests on the ship?

It's most likely that, yes, you will be seated with others.  You can have the request to "be seated alone" added to your reservation, if you wish.  Be aware not all requests can be honored.

 

While you are seated with others, DCL does a good job of matching tablemates (adult couple with other adults only; family with young children; family with older children for example).  You will also have the same tablemates for the whole cruise, not a different bunch of people every night.

[Illbcruzn4life]

12 hours ago, PhillyTravelBug said:

1. Stupid question, but do you always sit with the same group of guests? I will just be with a party of 2. Are they going to assign us with other guests on the ship?

we booked late on the Fantasy, about 6 weeks before the sailing date and I had the same question. I put in a request to sit alone and wound up at a table for 4 by ourselves the whole cruise. We also had to take late dining when we booked but we got on the wait list for early and got that a week before the cruise.

[torsonwheels]

Just to ask, what happens if some of the menus don’t appeal?

 

Looking at a Disney cruise after Dream visited Liverpool earlier this week and looked online for the menus.  My friend who I would be travelling with wouldn’t eat anything on two of the menus as they are not to their taste at all.

 

Can you opt out if this rotation dining.  It’s an expensive cruise for them not to eat in the evening

[Shmoo here]

23 minutes ago, torsonwheels said:

Just to ask, what happens if some of the menus don’t appeal?

 

Looking at a Disney cruise after Dream visited Liverpool earlier this week and looked online for the menus.  My friend who I would be travelling with wouldn’t eat anything on two of the menus as they are not to their taste at all.

 

Can you opt out if this rotation dining.  It’s an expensive cruise for them not to eat in the evening

You don't "have" to eat in the MDR you're assigned to each evening.  There are other options on the pool deck - quick serve locations (pizza, burgers, salads).

 

There's always the Lighter Fare options on the MDR menus.  And, FYI, you can always order off the kid's menu if that appeals to you.

 

I'm know to just request "one baked potato" for dinner on occasion.  

[Upgradefairy4u]

On 9/16/2023 at 3:57 PM, Shmoo here said:

 

 

The rotation varies by cruise.  As each ship has different dining rooms (all of them considered the "Main" dining room) you could start in any of the 3. For example: on the Dream the dining rooms are Enchanted Garden, Animator's Palette, and Royal Palace.  The passenger load is divided in six groups (3 for each seating, early and late).  1/3 of them start in Enchanted Garden, another 1/3 start in Royal Palace, while the last 1/3 start in Animator's Palette.  The rotation on a 4 night cruise is, typically, 1223, but can vary.  Every one's first room is "1" in the rotation.  

 

I've been on 13 DCL cruises, all of them as adult only groups,  and never "always" started in the same dining room.

 

I would suggest you go ahead and book Palo, and then put a request on your reservation to "not be in (whichever room you don't want to miss) on night (whatever night you've got Palo)".

This will be my 9th Disney cruise, mostly with all adults or adult children and have always started in the Royal Palace (reminds me of a Main Dining Room).  When we asked our wait staff if there was a rhyme or reason for the order of progression, he said that Disney tries hard to keep adults together.  But, as you pointed out, this must be impossible with the amount of passengers sailing daily, so it must have been a crazy coincidence that we always started there!  Thanks for the info about the 4 night cruise! 

[dsindallas]

You can always call DCL and ask them what the dining rotations are going to be for your cruise and they can tell you and you can request one of the rotations. I’ve done this for almost all my cruises and I’ve always received the dining rotation that I requested. I’ve also asked for a table for 2 for my cruises and have received that as well. I’m sure having the later dinner seating also played a part in me receiving my requests. 

[Jaylie]

How do we request to be seated at a table for 2 each night.

[Shmoo here]

20 minutes ago, Jaylie said:

How do we request to be seated at a table for 2 each night.

Have the request placed on your reservation.  Be aware, there no actual 2 person tables.  If you get one, it will be a 4 top with only 2 places set.

 

Also, it's just a request, and DCL cannot guarantee all (or any) such requests will be honored.

[Illbcruzn4life]

2 hours ago, Shmoo here said:

Have the request placed on your reservation.  Be aware, there no actual 2 person tables.  If you get one, it will be a 4 top with only 2 places set.

 

Also, it's just a request, and DCL cannot guarantee all (or any) such requests will be honored.

we did that and got moved to a 4 top as shmoo said. It turned out great.

[daydreamer16]

On 9/17/2023 at 12:41 PM, Shmoo here said:

It's most likely that, yes, you will be seated with others.  You can have the request to "be seated alone" added to your reservation, if you wish.  Be aware not all requests can be honored.

 

While you are seated with others, DCL does a good job of matching tablemates (adult couple with other adults only; family with young children; family with older children for example).  You will also have the same tablemates for the whole cruise, not a different bunch of people every night.

I'm in the planning stage as first timer. We are a party of 11, I assume we'll have our own table?

[ArthurUSCG]

19 hours ago, daydreamer16 said:

I'm in the planning stage as first timer. We are a party of 11, I assume we'll have our own table?

Your are most likely to get your own table. We have cruise with around that number a few times an always had our own table.

[Shmoo here]

22 hours ago, daydreamer16 said:

I'm in the planning stage as first timer. We are a party of 11, I assume we'll have our own table?

Most likely.  Just be sure all your reservations are linked.