Hi Patti!
Thanks for sailing by the Disney Parks Moms Panel and asking this excellent question! Your Disney Cruise with a day-long sailing to the "dark side" is just around the corner! I'm so excited for you to experience all the activities and fun that await you. One thing my family and I look forward to is dinner each evening! My husband's and my dinner attire for the formal and semi-formal evenings during our cruises has changed throughout the years. When we were younger sailors, my husband would pack his suit and I would pack a dress for our formal dinner. Nowadays, we keep our fancier clothes at home and enjoy a more "cruise casual" voyage.
I completely understand your concern regarding feeling "out of place" by not getting so dressed up. On the optional formal night, you will see Guests dressed in tuxedos and gowns as well as Guests in jeans and sweaters. It is truly up to you how formal you want to be! Although there is something so lovely and classic watching Guests walk through the Atrium lobby dressed in their finest, the majority of Guests don a more "cruise casual" approach, like my family, and dress nicely but comfortably to dinner. Disney Cruise Line just asks that Guests not wear swim wear or tank tops in the Table Service restaurants. If you choose to eat at an adult-exclusive restaurant onboard, more strict
dress code guidelines for dinner do apply.
During longer voyages, when formal night is at a Main Dining restaurant we're scheduled to dine in later in the cruise, my family and I like going up to Cabanas and enjoying a delicious dinner in a quieter setting! The atmosphere is more casual while still having the opportunity to order off menus and receive incredible service! I suggest asking for a table by the window! In my opinion, eating dinner surrounded by family with the breathtaking view of the ocean is perfection.
Beth