[Reiko]

I just broke tradition (WDW Beach Club)...and booked our first Disney Cruise.
I am a major planner and organizer for all our Disney trips and I am hoping to find some help here...looking for anyone that has done any 7 day cruise on the Magic. Need any and all tips and ideas....
We are booked on the Magic Western Caribbbean in April.
Couple of questions to start:

Just my husband and I are traveling...will we be seated with other couples at dinner?Or have a table for 2? (Prefer to sit and meet others!)

Someone suggested the Palo Champagne Brunch...cound't get...will openings come up? Should I keep trying?

Is there a night you would suggest for our Palo dinner? I booked it for our first full day aboard (Key West day) at 8pm...now I am worried that we might miss meeting tablemates...first full day and alll...is later in the week better?

What are the dinner options for boarding day?

I understand you move from restaurant to restaurant with the same staff, will we miss eating at , say, Animators Palate if we eat elsewhere one night...or will we have another chance to get there?

What are the chances for upgrades??

Do the onboard shows run multiple nights, so if we don't make it one night, we can try another night?

[leslieh]

I haven't been fortunate enough yet, but check out Mary Waring's info about DCL on mousesavers.com You might find it very helpful. Enjoy!

[jk8]

Hello and congrats.

We have done the Western and Eastern. I will try to answer all of your questions.

Just my husband and I are traveling...will we be seated with other couples at dinner?Or have a table for 2? (Prefer to sit and meet others!)
There are people who request a table for 2 so you are more likely to get seated with others. You are right that this is fun.

Someone suggested the Palo Champagne Brunch...cound't get...will openings come up? Should I keep trying? You could keep trying, but it is not too likely something will come up online. Your best bet is to try to be among the first to board and go to Rockin' D Bar to the dining managers to ask. The do leave some openings.


Is there a night you would suggest for our Palo dinner? I booked it for our first full day aboard (Key West day) at 8pm...now I am worried that we might miss meeting tablemates...first full day and alll...is later in the week better? You will meet your tablemates the first night. Your only worry is you might get a dining rotation that includes Animators Palate that night and you would miss seeing the color change. Later in the week can be good. I think Thursday is popular. We booked for Friday and that was a bad day as it is the goodbye and tip night with your servers. As an aside Palo was fine, but too long and formal for us. It is nice to try and some people love it. Our first cruise (Eastern) we did not even worry about Palo because I didn't want to stress about it. We also did the High Tea and I liked that better than the dinner.


What are the dinner options for boarding day? Topsiders and Parrot Cay will have buffets available at boarding. Very nice selection.

I understand you move from restaurant to restaurant with the same staff, will we miss eating at , say, Animators Palate if we eat elsewhere one night...or will we have another chance to get there? You get to eat at each place 2 times and one actually 3 times. You only get the colors on Animators once. There are different menus every night.

What are the chances for upgrades?? There is always a chance. What is your catagory? Did you book a specific room number or are you GTY?

Do the onboard shows run multiple nights, so if we don't make it one night, we can try another night? The shows only run one night, but they run 2 times in the evening and someomes there is a day show - on sea days I think.

We went last April and you will love it!!! We have April booked for 2010 already.

[Reiko]

WOW! Thanks for helping out...I am hoping to pick your brain for cruising tips some more, as time gets closer...please make any comments or suggestions you feel can help!

I will try to get onboard asap and check on the champagne brunch, won't know what time we get in until Disney lets us know our flight itineraries.

For now I have our Palo dinner scheduled for Day 2 Sunday,(Key West)...would it be wise to change to Day 5 Wednesday,(Cozumel)...I don't want to miss Animators Palate colors! Is there a fee if you cancel and don't rebook Palo? I will also check to see if the High Tea has gotten any openings.(currently none available).

What IS the High Tea?? Light fare??

Recommend Topsiders or Parrot Cay upon boarding? I think i read somewhere that they try to push people towards Parrot Cay, so Topsiders is more manageable at that time??

We are Category 12 GTY....in the Bowels I'm sure! That is why we are hoping for some pixie dust and an upgrade.

What is the story with the online check in?? Should that be done asap or closer to departure...does it just get you your boarding pass?, if so, can we do online check-in before we get our flight info from Disney?

[Reiko]

Another Question:

How necessary is it for my husband to pack his suit jacket? Do the formal nights and Palo really Require a jacket? or do many men go with just a dress shirt? Tie? Will we possibly wish we did pack a jacket if we don't?
I hate to use up the luggage space with a suit jacket, especially with airlines charging per piece!

[jk8]

Hello, I saw your questions and will verify some answer as soon as I have a little more time. Do you have the Passporter for DCL? You should pick on up - really fun reading and it will get you sooooo excited for your cruise.

[Reiko]

Just ordered the '08 Cruise Passporter and Birnbaum's Cruise book.

Plan / organize / plan / organize / plan / organize !!!

[BaaBeE9]

Originally Posted by Reiko

Another Question:

How necessary is it for my husband to pack his suit jacket? Do the formal nights and Palo really Require a jacket? or do many men go with just a dress shirt? Tie? Will we possibly wish we did pack a jacket if we don't?
I hate to use up the luggage space with a suit jacket, especially with airlines charging per piece!

You don't need a jacket. Formal night is completely optional. They won't turn you away from the regular dining rooms. Palo does require at least long sleeves. My boyfriend wore a long sleeve dress shirt and a tie - he looked very spiffy!

[jk8]

Ok, I'm back.

For now I have our Palo dinner scheduled for Day 2 Sunday,(Key West)...would it be wise to change to Day 5 Wednesday,(Cozumel)...I don't want to miss Animators Palate colors! Is there a fee if you cancel and don't rebook Palo? I just don't know. You might miss pirate night in the dining room on day 5. This is the reason we did not do Palo our first cruise - too much stress about when to book it. There is no fee to cancel.


What IS the High Tea?? Light fare?? finger sandwiches, scones, desserts, tea. It was nice.

Recommend Topsiders or Parrot Cay upon boarding? I think i read somewhere that they try to push people towards Parrot Cay, so Topsiders is more manageable at that time?? We were never steered to Parrot Cay. I must say Topsiders is very crowded, but we love to eat outside when we get there so that is why we choose it. If you don't want to hunt for a table then Parrot Cay would be an easier choice.

We are Category 12 GTY....in the Bowels I'm sure! That is why we are hoping for some pixie dust and an upgrade. Cat 12 cabins are on deck 2 forward. We actually love deck 1 and 2. Quiet and very nice. 12 GTY is a good because there are actually only 13 of these total on the ship, so there is a decent chance for a upgrade.

What is the story with the online check in?? Should that be done asap or closer to departure...does it just get you your boarding pass?, if so, can we do online check-in before we get our flight info from Disney? Online check in is just filling out some forms ahead of time. It is a good time saver, but you still have to go through a check-in process at the terminal. I have never had my flights booked through Disney so I don't know about the timing.

How necessary is it for my husband to pack his suit jacket? Do the formal nights and Palo really Require a jacket? or do many men go with just a dress shirt? Tie? Will we possibly wish we did pack a jacket if we don't?
I hate to use up the luggage space with a suit jacket, especially with airlines charging per piece! The Passporter says men should wear jackets and ties. I am sure you could pass without one, but I am such a rule follower that I just make sure dh has a jacket. As far as formal night people wear all kinds of combos. He would not have to have a jacket that night. It really just depends on how fancy you want to feel and look. There are tons of opportunities for photos and we have enjoyed having a formal photo from the cruise. Have you considering renting a tux. It will be waiting for you and you won't have to pack it.

I am so glad you ordered the books. You will enjoy them.

[gatour]

We have been on two Disney cruises, 7 day, and 11 day and both times we were seated at at table for two, without requesting it.

[Reiko]

Thanks for all the info!! You all are so helpful.

I think we will keep our current Palo resie, and check on the restaurant schedules when we board...
Will we receive some type of semi-personalized restaurant schedule upon boarding?Since there is no charge to cancel a reservation at Palo, I will just cancel it last minute if it is causing to much stress!

I'm sure I'll be back soon with more Q's!

Thanks Again!

[BaaBeE9]

Originally Posted by Reiko

Thanks for all the info!! You all are so helpful.

I think we will keep our current Palo resie, and check on the restaurant schedules when we board...
Will we receive some type of semi-personalized restaurant schedule upon boarding?Since there is no charge to cancel a reservation at Palo, I will just cancel it last minute if it is causing to much stress!

I'm sure I'll be back soon with more Q's!

Thanks Again!

There's a "code" on your Key to the World card as well as a dining ticket in your stateroom that lets you know what rotation you have. You can also request a rotation it's not guaranteed but they do try. Just call DCL (or have your travel agent if you used one) and put the request in.

My pleasure on the help - I love talking Disney Cruises!

[Reiko]

Another Question....

I read yesterday that there are not Irons in the rooms (safety reasons. makes sense).
What do people do about this? Does everyone iron everything before they go and pack very carefully? Do people bring travel steamers or irons(on the sly)?
I tend to iron on a daily basis while on vacation...this one has me stumped!

[BaaBeE9]

There are laundry rooms on a few of the decks with irons for use - use them early in the day as lines for them can get long at night. I usually pack everything really nice and then hang it up in the bathroom when showering - personal steamer! My boyfriend used the laundry services on the ship for his shirt for Palo - it was only $2 for pressing!

[jk8]

We brought along Downy Wrinkle Reducer and used that. But, I don't really iron on vacation, so I don't know beyond that.