5 Things to Know about Dining on a Disney Cruise
Everyone has to eat (and even more so on vacation) and while you might think dining is straightforward, there are a few things about dining/eating on a Disney Cruise that guests need to know before they set sail.
Rotational Dining- Disney Cruise line has 3 main dining rooms on every ship and each dining room has different theming within that ship. To make sure each guests has the opportunity to experience each of the 3 dining rooms, Disney created rotational dining. This means during each night of your cruise, your party will be assigned to a different dining room for dinner that night. Your dining staff rotates with you each night to the dining room you are assigned. If your cruise is longer than 3 nights, you will repeat a dining room but will often have changes to the menu (like a Pirate night menu) depending on your ship and itinerary. Guests will have 1 of 2 assigned dining times (typically around 5:30 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. but times can vary). Food on the main dining room menus is included with your cruise fare though there may be select adult or specialty beverages that would be an additional charge.
Every cruise ship has a buffet that is only open during breakfast and lunch hours. This means the buffet is NOT available during dinner hours (usually closes around 2 or 3 p.m.). Food and beverages at the buffet are included with your cruise fare and you can make a plate and take it elsewhere on the ship if you choose.
There are dining options on the pool deck of every Disney cruise ship and these are typically open through dinner time if you wish to skip the main dining room. These options are typically more standard choices like pizza, burgers, chicken tenders, etc but they are still delicious (and great for picky eaters). On the Triton class ships like the Wish, Treasure and Destiny, they also have BBQ and a taco/burrito option which are phenomenal (some of my favorite food on the ships).
Room service is included on your Disney cruise! The menu is limited and PLEASE tip your server, but you can order room service at any time during your Disney Cruise to enjoy (including Mickey ice cream bars!). One of my favorite things to do is to order breakfast to the room to enjoy a quieter morning or to help with timing when you are headed to a port for the day. Note that if you order beverages through room service some of these items like soda would be an additional cost but you can use a refillable cup to grab a beverage from the pool deck and bring it to your room.
Not all food options are free- there are a few food items that are an additional cost on a Disney cruise including the adult-only specialty dining options, the ice cream/treat shop on the ship, food in the bars/lounges and concessions from the concession stand outside the theaters. The adult-specialty dining like Palo, Remy and Enchante will typically need reservations. There is free ice cream on the pool deck but the specialty treats are very fun too.
The food on a Disney cruise is typically pretty good and they do a great job accommodating allergies and special dietary needs.
Have questions about dining on a Disney Cruise or want help planning your Disney Cruise? Reach out to me today!
