Ahoy, Jessica, and welcome to planDisney! As you plan your cruise with your family, I am so glad you found us. I have been on one 5-night cruise, a Castaway Cay Double Dip. It was awesome! The five-night itineraries give you time to enjoy amazing destinations and time to relish the amenities of the ship.
With
rotational dining on the
Disney Magic, you will enjoy
Rapunzel's Royal Table,
Lumiere's and
Animator's Palette. Each restaurant has a unique theme, making each night a treat! Formal nights are typically on cruises that are seven nights or longer. Five-night cruises have an optional dress-up night. These
guidelines for dress at dinner detail what to expect based on the length of your cruise. Although five-night itineraries are not listed, they are similar to four-night cruises. In my experience, many families enjoy participating in the optional dress-up night. They wear what you would see at church or a fancy night out for dinner (like women in dresses, pantsuits, or slacks with a dressy top, and men in slacks with a polo or button-down shirt). You will likely see people in formal wear, but not as many as you might on a longer cruise with a formal night.
One of the many things I love about Disney Cruise Line is people are comfortable being who they are. Formal night or casual night, young girls will be dressed up in their princess finest. Others will be in shorts and their hair will still be wet from the pools. I love to dress up for dinner; my kids do not. I've learned to "Let It Go" and not upset myself trying to get them to be like me. They've learned to brush their hair at least (and to tell me I look nice) as we head out from our stateroom. It's a secret for peace in the family and vacation vibes for us all.
One of the things to consider when sailing with children is how they want to spend their dinner time. When mine were younger, they wanted to eat quickly and go to the
Oceaneer's Club, while my husband and I enjoyed all the courses and the whole dining experience. If you think your kids might want to go play, pick clothes that will transition well from a quiet, seated dinner to running around and being active. I've seen young girls in fancy dresses inspired by their favorite princesses, with a top and shorts underneath for a quick transformation.
I hope you have a magical time aboard Disney Cruise Line! Be sure to come back to
planDisney with any additional questions.
Bon Voyage!
Jana