Welcome aboard, Patrice! Your kids are at such great ages to enjoy everything that is offered on a magical Disney Cruise! My children are 11 and 9, and started cruising with Disney at age three. They love with sailing with Captain Mickey, so I know that your kids will enjoy every moment.
I know that many guests with kids think that the
second seating seems too late. At home we certainly don't eat dinner at 8:15, however, we've come to prefer this second seating when we sail with Disney much more over the earlier seating. After a long day exploring the ports and taking part in the exciting activities onboard, it's nice to have an afternoon nap or downtime in the stateroom as each of us gets showered and dressed for more fun that evening. Our kids will settle in with a Disney movie on our stateroom television and order a snack from the complimentary Room Service menu as we take turns showering. We don't have to rush off to dinner, so we have more time to unwind. Then, we head off to the first performance of the nightly
Broadway-style show, enjoy a bit of shopping or more entertainment after that, and grab snacks if we're hungry from the spots up on the pool deck before heading to dinner.
A big perk about the second seating only is that they offer Dine n' Play. If the kids wish to participate, their meals are served first, then an hour into the seating, counselors from the Youth Clubs show up at each restaurant to pick up kids who are ready to go play in the clubs. My husband and I get to finish dinner just the two of us and catch up on day. We love this because it's the best of both worlds: family time and couples alone time!
I hope that helps as you get ready to set sail, Patrice! Let us know if you have more questions! We're happy to help!
Marcy