Wednesday, January 26, 2011

87 DAYS TO GO . . .

      WEDNESDAY JANUARY 26, 2011

      TODAY OUR DISCUSSION IS ON THE DISNEY CRUISE LINE'S ALTERNATIVE DINING CHOICES.  TURNS OUT MOST CRUISE LINES HAVE MANY EXTRA PAY YOUR WAY DINING CHOICES, BUT OBVIOUSLY THE REASON THERE, LIKE SO MANY OTHER THINGS,  IS TO GET YOU TO SPEND MORE OF YOUR MONEY, INSTEAD OF EAT FOR FREE.  ON THE DISNEY MAGIC AND WONDER THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONLY ONE ALTERNATIVE CHOICE, "PALO" (WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=EXRUMW5CD7S).  THIS WAS BECAUSE YOU HAD TO ROTATE THROUGH THE OTHER THREE RESTAURANTS, SO YOUR CHOICES AUTOMATICALLY CHANGED.  (I'LL GET INTO DCL's ROTATIONAL DINING ANOTHER DAY.)  PALO AN ADULTS ONLY FORMAL RESTAURANT THAT REQUIRES WAY IN ADVANCE RESERVATIONS, THAT INCURS A $15/PERSON CHARGE FOR EITHER BRUNCH OR DINNER ON THE MAGIC AND WONDER (WWW.DISNEYCRUISE.DISNEY.GO.COM/SHIPS-ACTIVITIES/SHIPS/MAGIC/DINING/PALO)  AND $20/PERSON ON THE DREAM (WWW.DISNEYCRUISE.DISNEY.GO.COM/SHIPS-ACTIVITIES/SHIPS/DREAM/DINING/PALO).  THE DREAM HAS ALSO ADDED A SECOND ADULTS ONLY OPTION CALLED "REMY" WHICH HAS A $75/PERSON CHARGE AND IS SUPPOSED TO BE EVEN MORE FORMAL IN ATTITUDE, ATTIRE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, CUISINE (WWW.DISNEYCRUISE.DISNEY.GO.COM/SHIPS/SHIPS-ACTIVITIES/DREAM/DINING/REMY). 
     BECAUSE OF THE THREE MAIN DINING ROOMS AND THE OTHER LIGHTER FARE FOUND AROUND THE SHIP, THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE NO NEED TO HAVE ANY OTHER "OUTSIDE" CHOICES.  JUST THOSE FOR PARENTS OR THE LIKE WHEN THEY WANT TO GET AWAY TOGETHER OR JUST HAVE DINNER WITHOUT A SINGLE CHILD IN SIGHT OR IN EARSHOT.  THIS IS AN IDEAL COUPLES NIGHT OUT.  YOU CAN ALWAYS LEAVE THE KIDS IN THE KIDS CLUBS AND THEY WILL TAKE THEM TO DINNER IF THEY ARE THERE AT THAT TIME.  EVEN THE LITTLEST ONES CAN BE LEFT IN FLOUNDER'S NURSERY IF YOU HAVE MADE A RESERVATION IN ADVANCE OR FIND ROOM AT THAT TIME.  THE PROBLEM IS THAT BOTH PALO AND REMY REQUIRE RESERVATIONS.  MEMBERS OF THE "CASTAWAY CLUB", OR PEOPLE THAT HAVE CRUISED WITH DISNEY BEFORE AS YOU ARE NOW CALLED, GET FIRST CRACK AT RESERVATIONS, ACCORDING TO NUMBER OF DAYS BEFORE YOUR CRUISE AND NUMBER OF TIMES YOU'VE CRUISED WITH DISNEY BEFORE.  SO ALL THESE PEOPLE GET TO MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR UP TO 45 DAYS BEFORE YOU IF YOU'VE NEVER CRUISED BEFORE WITH DISNEY. 
      SO WHAT YOU'LL MOST LIKELY HAVE TO DO IS GO TO GUEST SERVICES THE SECOND YOU GET ON BOARD AND PUT IN YOUR REQUESTS AND GET ON A WAITING LIST.  YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS MIGHT CREATE A PROBLEM IF YOU HAVE BABIES.  HOW DO YOU MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR THE NURSERY IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN YOUR RESERVATION IS FOR?  SO YOU JUST HAVE TO WING IT.  MANY HAVE SAID TO JUST KEEP TRYING FROM THE FIRST TIME YOU'RE ABLE TO CALL AND EVERYDAY AFTER UNTIL YOUR CRUISE ARRIVES IF IT MEANS ENOUGH TO YOU, AND THEN TRY AS SOON AS YOU GET ON BOARD.  COUNTLESS HAVE SAID THIS HAS WORKED FOR THEM ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION.  BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN MAKE RESERVATIONS IN ADVANCE, THEY DO.  BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO USE THEM.  THEY'RE JUST BEING SAFE RATHER THAN SORRY.....LIKE US.  DON'T SWEAT IT.  IF THIS IS HIGH UP ON YOUR PRIORITY LIST, THEN THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL HAVE TO WORK HARDEST AT, AND ODDS ARE IT'LL WORK OUT.  DESPITE THE DEMAND, THERE ARE PLENTY LIKE ME THAT YOU'RE NOT COMPETING WITH.  I HAVE NO INTEREST.  MAYBE ANOTHER TIME, BUT I'M TRAVELING WITH MY SON AND AM LOOKING FORWARD TO EXPERIENCING THE ROTATIONAL DINING ROOMS FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH HIM.  I'M SURE MANY, MANY MORE FEEL EXACTLY THE SAME. 
     IF YOU DON'T MAKE IT IN, MAKE IT UP.  ORDER ROOM SERVICE AND DO SOMETHING ROMANTIC IN YOUR ROOM.  TAKE SOME FOOD UP TO A TABLE AND CHAIRS ON THE DECK AND CREATE A PRIVATE MEAL.  BECAUSE OF THE FLEXIBILITY WITH FOOD AND MEALS DISNEY CRUISE LINES PROVIDES, IT STILL ALLOWS YOU TO DO THE SAME WHEN YOU NEED TO, SO MAKE THE MOST OF IT.
     SEE YA REAL SOON!   ºOº

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