Trying to figure out what dinner seating would be best?

[VikkiGarcia]

I am helping my sister plan her family's 4 day Dream cruise. Her kids are 7,10,13. They would prefer to do late seating but worries that her kids would miss too much "club" time. I had read somewhere that the club does a dining room pick up at 8:15? This would be perfect if true. That leads me to the next question. If there is a club pick up does that limit what items the kids can order from the menu? The 13 year old might be bummed if to get out of the dining room early he must order only kid menu items. Thanks for any insight!!!

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I am helping my sister plan her family's 4 day Dream cruise. Her kids are 7,10,13. They would prefer to do late seating but worries that her kids would miss too much "club" time. I had read somewhere that the club does a dining room pick up at 8:15? This would be perfect if true. That leads me to the next question. If there is a club pick up does that limit what items the kids can order from the menu? The 13 year old might be bummed if to get out of the dining room early he must order only kid menu items. Thanks for any insight!!!

 

Personally with kids of those ages I would go fir first dinner sitting at 5.45pm, I found my kids like to eat at that time, and when younger did tire out, and also hit room service or the fast food outlets to tide them over until later.

 

The servers do serve kids quicker on both sittings ensuring they are never bored, but I like to have dinner as the focal point of the day where as a family we are together to experience the show in animators palate and be joined up all dinner.

 

Late dinner will not limit what the kids can order as it will be served fast but it might be rushed for them and they might miss some of the magic of Animators palate.

 

Now my kids from an early age did order off the adult menu and preferred that to endless burgers and spag bol,

 

Severs get their food from the galley for you in sessions and therefore if your kids say want an adult menu dessert it may mess it up, it is geared up for kids food.

 

Now on early/main sitting my kids when they were of an age to be able to self check in and out of the kids club would see what they liked, eat at a pace they liked and then leave to go to the kids club if there wasn't anything else going on in the MDRs my son was often out of the MDR and in the club circa 7pm.

 

Late dinner starts at 8.15 pm -kids will not be picked up at that time, Dine and play pick up at about 45 mins post start of dinner so circa 9pm and its for ages up to 10 only.

 

So your eldest is excluded, and your 10yo could do self check in and out.

 

If the kids are in the club at the clubs lunch or dinner time they will organise lunch and dinner for them and take them to it.

 

After 9 DCL cruises and my kids growing up on DCL, I have always found the early/main the best, it sets you up well for the evening.

 

I prefer dinner>> Show for adults not the other way around, and i like to let my food, 'go down' before I go to bed, eating up to 10pm can have an effect on you gonig to bed as we all eat too much on a cruise, the show in between helps you settle down and also the kids before bed.

[socalmommy]

It depends on how you want to spend time with your children in the evenings. I love having my children with me (8 and 5) at dinner with us because it's a wonderful experience and the servers take excellent care of them. So we always book early/first dining --- which is a must for little ones.

 

Now I know other families like to eat dinner at the dining rooms without their children so they book the late dining and send the kids off to oceaneer's club and have them fed there or at the buffet.

 

We also like to go to the shows after dinner or a movie, and after that, if the kids want to get checked into the clubs they can. If not, they usually want to head to bed, get some room service/dessert, and watch a little disney TV before nodding off.