Ahoy there, Kevin, and welcome aboard planDisney!
A a cruise on the
Disney Magic out of
Galveston just before the Thanksgiving holiday. Sounds like you're already a pro at timing some great cruise itineraries!
I definitely know where you're sailing from, as I've got a one-year-old little sailor as well, and whew, does 8:15 seem late for dinner! Although pre-little ones we really loved the late seating, those days are a bit out the porthole, so to speak. We'll stop short of calling it being in the same boat, though, since the
Disney Cruise Line fleet is currently five beautiful SHIPS, right? haha!
I have good news, however, as there's a new way to make the request to change your seating! If you hope to change your dinner seating to a time that is at capacity, you will now be able to join the waitlist directly from the
"My Reservations" page! All you have to do is log in, select your reservation and scroll down to the "Dining" section and you will be able to select "Join the Waitlist Now" if the main dining time is full at the moment!
This will put your official request in with the crew members, without having to navigate the phone queue! It's almost like magic! While there isn't a guarantee that your request will be honored, you will be able to check which seating you have on the My Reservations page all the way up to the day of your cruise!
If it comes time to embark and you're still not in the seating you'd prefer, I would stop by Guest Services just after you get aboard. Again, there are no guarantees, but with a little faith, trust, and pixie dust, you may just be in luck!
I hope that gives you a few headings to sail on as you keep planning! Thanks so much for your question, Kevin, and if any others surface while you continue planning please drop me another line here at planDisney!
Until then, may your anchor be tight and your compass true!
Andrew