Welcome aboard, Tracy!
Disney Cruise Line offers
two different seating times for families onboard the ships. The Main Dining is earlier at 5:45 and the late dining begins at about 8:15. If you'd like to swap dining times, give the agents at Disney Cruise Line a call at (800) 951-3532 and ask about the possibility of doing so. If you are unable to switch before you sail, there is another opportunity once onboard. When you check in at the port and receive your first Personal Navigator cruise newsletter, look on the front page where you'll see information about changing dining reservations or assignments. There is a spot set up where guests can inquire about dining changes. Swing by there as soon as you board and ask the dining service managers about switching.
If you find that you cannot switch to Main Dining, you may be very surprised at how wonderful that second seating is. We started sailing and chose Main Dining until we realized that late dining meant the kids could take a quick nap in the late afternoon, see the first
Broadway-style show instead of the later one, get snacks by the pool to fend off the hunger, and then enjoy a relaxing dinner later. Our kids seem to have endless late night energy when we sail with Disney, when back home, they're on a strict bedtime schedule of 8:15. But, at sea, they could stay up much later. Did you know that during second seating only, the counselors from the clubs pick up any kids (3-12) who would like to go to the clubs while Mom and Dad finish dinner on their own? Kids get served first, and then 45 minutes into the seating, they can head up to the clubs, while you enjoy the rest of the meal catching up with your husband. We love this feature!
Have fun planning, Tracy!
Marcy