Dinner long and miserable with kids?

[megustamex]

Can you please tell me about your experiences on a Disney cruise with your kids during the dinners each night? I have heard that they run about two hours each night and I am very concerned as I have two small kids ages 3 and 1. I'm more interested to know how it went for people who actually took their kids to dinner vs. those that dropped them off in the clubs. I've posted about this before but I'm getting to the point where I have to pay in full and I'm considering canceling the cruise. I know the buffet is an option some nights but it sounds like it's not always available and that you really have to rely on the sit down dinners to get a decent meal on the ship each night. I just can't believe that for a family oriented cruise a two hour dinner is the standard. Thanks!

[Host Mick]

My kids were 7 and 9 the last time that we cruised on the Magic. We insisted that they come to dinner with us each night. Each evening, they got their food first which is standard procedure in the dining rooms. During several dinners, before we were done, the kids usually got bored and asked if they can go back to the clubs so one of us would take them. We'd then finish at our leisure and pick them up before the show. It helps that the Clubs are close to everything. Out wait staff did a good job at keeping the kids busy otherwise.

This may not work for you but don't cancel because you are worried about dinner. You'll regret it.

[OneParticularHarbour 71]

For us, we have found dinners to actually be about 1.5 hours. We have 3 kids and the servers have always been good about bringing food out quickly. They have also always been great with the kids - keeping them happy and entertained. One year our server even got our extremely picky, then 2 year old son to eat something new! We have cruised with the kids several times at just about every age from 1 up & have found that going back to the cabin later in the afternoon to have a snack and nap or just chill out for a bit helps to keep the kids in good moods through the evening.

 

I wouldn't cancel the cruise if this is your concern - you'll be surprised how well the kids do!

[luvn2oxfrd]

hmm....well, personally, we take our 2 year old son out to dinner frequently and some dinners are longer than others. we do not expect him to be attentive 100% of the time and do bring crayons, paper, small quiet toys, and other diversions for him to amuse himself. when it becomes too much for him we take him out for a walk and bring him back.

 

for us, it is important to introduce him to dining out and the important lessons learned by eating at a restaurant (or in this case, in the dining rooms). it is a personal choice, obviously, but i would not cancel a cruise over dinner.

[belle907]

There is an option for dinner every night other than the main dining room, but it's also sitdown and very casual. The buffet is open for lunch and at dinner it's a sitdown meal option.

 

You can be out of dinner sooner than 1½ hours, it depends on what you order and how many are seated at your table. We usually sit at a large table, either because we are with a group or just get seated that way, and will order soup/salad, appetizer, entree and dessert so it takes longer the more courses you order. Plus we like to sit and talk and linger. I also go to the sitdown restaurants, for lunch as well, because I don't want to be rushed and like to relax when I am eating. It's a nice change of pace from the rest of the vacation.

 

When our daughter was younger the servers would get her dinner out to her quick, along with the rest of the kids, and then she would eat and go to the kids club/lab.

 

You can always request a table for just the 4 of you and then you can possibly pace your dinner a little faster than others. Just because you request a table for 4 doesn't mean you will be granted your request, but it doesn't hurt to try.

 

Like others have said, don't cancel your cruise just because dinner can take a while - it can take the same amount of time or longer on other cruiselines as well.

 

 

I don't know if you've been to WDW or D'land before, but if you dine in the sitdown restaurants at the hotels or parks the meals can take 1-2 hours there as well.

I don't know why you are questioning the length of the meal just because it's Disney. I wouldn't expect them to rush me thru a sitdown meal just because it's a family oriented cruiseline.

[megustamex]

We actually just came back from Disneyworld and had a rough time at a sit down character dinner with our kids. We dine out with our kids often but our son just seems to be getting to a very bad age for sitting at the table for long periods of time (1 1/2). That's why we're worried. If I had to repeat my character dinner 7 nights straight I'd just stay home, that's how bad it was. And it was with CHARACTERS! Hence my concern...we did much better with quick service meals at Disney but I hate to be stuck eating pizza and hot dogs on the cruise every night. It just seemed like a good buffet would be the way to go, where we could grab food and have a nice 1 hour dinner which seems to be the kids' limit at this point. I know Disney has Topsider's; I just haven't heard fabulous things about it and I know that it's not a true "buffet" at night (apparently you have to order your food just like in the main restaurants???).

[mom x4,grandma x4]

whenwe ate at Topsiders at night it was fast service. we had our meal and were done in about 45 minutes. many people with little kids go there because it is less crowded and faster. The menu was good and the t-bone melted in your mouth.

 

as stated above the wait staff is great about helping to entertain little children. Bring a toy too it will help. Our grandkids we 18 months and 3 the first time we took them on Disney. They were so busy looking at everything going on around them they never got restless but the youngest did fall sleep a couple of times and we took his dinner back to the room with us.

Please dont cancel due to a bad experience, give it a chance.

Also you can order room service if hes having a bad night too.

[suezyq50]

Our grandkids, at 3.5 yrs. old and 9 months, would sit with us through appetizers and salads with their food. Than DD would take them to their respective places. It worked out well for us.

[Zoolander]

First time cruiser on Disney, as we normally cruise Free-Style with Regent or Silver Sea, the designated seating is new to us. Now, I know we have the early seating, but I initially thought we would be seated with another group. But then, after reading some threads, I am not so sure. I looked at the pictures of the restaurants and it looks like the tables are not all set up for just 8 to 10 people groups. We will be a group of five, with four adults and one four year old. So...will we sit by ourselves or be seated with a group of three to five?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Sorry this is a double post.

[belle907]

First time cruiser on Disney, as we normally cruise Free-Style with Regent or Silver Sea, the designated seating is new to us. Now, I know we have the early seating, but I initially thought we would be seated with another group. But then, after reading some threads, I am not so sure. I looked at the pictures of the restaurants and it looks like the tables are not all set up for just 8 to 10 people groups. We will be a group of five, with four adults and one four year old. So...will we sit by ourselves or be seated with a group of three to five?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Sorry this is a double post.

You could be a table for yourselves or you could be seated with others - it's the luck of the draw. I've been twice where we have been a group of 5 and have been seated with others both times.

 

Tables are set up for 4, 6 or 8.

[Ashelleigh]

We dine out with our kids often but our son just seems to be getting to a very bad age for sitting at the table for long periods of time (1 1/2). That's why we're worried.quote]

 

I can relate to this with my 17 month old, and feel the same way. Disney's character breakfast didn't keep him engaged either.

 

We just returned from the Disney Magic in October. Our dinners were normally 1 hour 15 minutes to 1.5 hours on the early seating. We made it through 2 dinners with our 17 month old. We tried everything including taking his comfy stroller, crayons, toys, books, etc... Lumiere's was the loudest of the 3 restuarants on our cruise and he'd scream until we'd walk out. As soon as we'd exit the door he'd be fine. We'd walk back in the restuarant and he'd scream and scream again.

 

We were very skeptical about using the nursery, yet I can't say enough good things about Flounders. They usually had room for us to drop our DS off during the middle of dinner and he'd stay until we finished.

 

Also, our dining service team was exceptional. One night when the nursery was full, they even offered to send our food to our room when we told them we couldn't make it through the meal.

 

We found Disney to be very accomodating to our needs, even with an extremely active 17 month old. We've cruised with him 2 times now, but we haven't decided if we'll take him on a 3rd cruise until he's older.

[DrD]

We brought our then 2 1/2 yo on RCL, we had a similar experience in that the wait staff would send the rest of our dinner to our cabin when we had to leave early (which was usually).

 

 

I have to say though I did regret going on that cruise, we were stressed with him and he had no more fun than he would have at home, and doesn't remember any of it. A big waste of money. I did get some great pictures though.

 

Now that he's almost 7 and his brother almost 5 we're going on Disney, I suspect it will be much better!

[Georji]

My kids were 7 and 9 the last time that we cruised on the Magic. We insisted that they come to dinner with us each night. Each evening, they got their food first which is standard procedure in the dining rooms. During several dinners, before we were done, the kids usually got bored and asked if they can go back to the clubs so one of us would take them. We'd then finish at our leisure and pick them up before the show. It helps that the Clubs are close to everything. Out wait staff did a good job at keeping the kids busy otherwise.

This may not work for you but don't cancel because you are worried about dinner. You'll regret it.

 

What a GREAT plan! My boys will be 6&7 but they will be so excited about stuff that if they have the "mommie, when are you going to be done" every 1-3 minutes we have another plan! YAY! I figured we'd NEVER make it to the creme brulee!

 

MEGUS: If you're that concerned about canceling your cruise, maybe not cancel it but postpone it a year ... just a thought. My hubby and I wouldn't take our kids on a cruise until we were sure they wouldn't set the ship on fire! LOL! (That was a joke, they wouldn't really do that). But we wanted it to be memorable for them and to see the true excitement on their faces. But that's just us ... I think if we had more extra cash we might have done it sooner. JMO. I think if you're super nervous about it that can cut into your enjoyment just being anxious about it ... maybe even just set up child care for a few nights at dinner and then try it a few nights. I really hope it all works out for you!

[ubermama]

I'll be brief. Little kids take top priority. They eat first and is usually takes an hour and a half. The buffet was fine for us and if not there is always room service. Travelling with kids so young is dicey at best. I'm a Mom and to be honest I would have never dreamed of taking my children when they were so young. The potential for it to all go very wrong is just too high. At that age, they still get sick alot, get weird about food and new surroundings etc. If it was my dollars I would just wait a few years. If you can't wait then try room service anf grunt through the rest. Good luck.

[Faithnthyme]

I'll be brief. Little kids take top priority. They eat first and is usually takes an hour and a half. The buffet was fine for us and if not there is always room service. Travelling with kids so young is dicey at best. I'm a Mom and to be honest I would have never dreamed of taking my children when they were so young. The potential for it to all go very wrong is just too high. At that age, they still get sick alot, get weird about food and new surroundings etc. If it was my dollars I would just wait a few years. If you can't wait then try room service anf grunt through the rest. Good luck.

 

I'm not sure what family doesn't feel that their young children don't take top priority. It is going to come down to how flexible you can be. Kids are amazingly resilient and adaptable, adults sometimes not so much. If the mere thought of going to dinner with a squirmy 1.5 y.o. is bringing you stress now before the trip even begins, then maybe canceling or postponing is not a bad thing. If you are adaptable and can make the best of a situation, then by all means go. All of the posts about taking the kids to dinner, letting them eat and then dropping them off during the meal are right on target and the childcare staff is excellent. You know your own family better than anyone so decide based on what you think is best for your situation and whether or not your family will enjoy yourselves.

 

We have traveled with our kids a few times a year every year since they were each about 4 months old and they have handled it beautifully if not always gracefully. I figure even the rough patches are good learning opportunities for them (and us). They will be 8 & 6 soon and their travel wish lists rival moms & dads at this point.

[cruiserbryce]

we have observed both patient and very impatient kids at dinner...it does tend to over an hour...so I would say know your kids and make the call based on that. A place like animator's palate may be easier to get kids through a long dinner though since the restaurant is so visually stimulating